Hoping for Smooth Sailing
Title: Hoping for Smooth Sailing
Part: 1
Author: Zaayki
Rating: PG-13 (NC-17 for later chapters)
Length: +3500
Spoilers: Season 2, only character spoilers.
Summary: AU. When Quinn left the Glee to find a new ship Rachel didn't realize she would be raising their daughter alone while Quinn became a criminal.
A/N: I started writing this forever ago and finally decided to post it. I know there are a couple Rachel/Quinn pirate fics out there, but this idea would just not get out of my head. I don't know how often I'll be able to update, though I'll try to get them up when I can. This is my first time posting so tell me what you think and comments are greatly appreciated.
She tilted her head, feeling the pleasant pop of her vertebrae as she stared out across the water. It was nearly night fall, but even with the sun disappearing over the horizon she could make out the ship in the distance. That all too familiar ship. Her fingers drummed against the hilt of her rapier thinking of dark hair and brown eyes, a slender figure and tanned skin. "Captain!" the watch called from the crow's nest. Lazily, she tilted her head back, hazel eyes locking on the scrawny man with the eye of a hawk. He scrambled down the mast, looking clumsy and awkward, and she sometimes wonders why she even bother keeping him around...It was embarrassing.
"They're setting up the cannons," he squeaked, sliding to a halt in front of her, only to almost fall over his own feet. Quinn smirked at the words, turning her eyes back toward the ship. The man, who was really more of a boy, stood behind her wringing his hands anxiously. She breathed in deeply, before twisting her head over her shoulder to look at him. "Get Puck," she said finally, and watched him run off in the direction of her first mate's cabin.
With one last glance out at their target, she turned on her heels and hurried to the back of the ship, seeking out her navigator. She found him bent over a plethora of charts, a quill pen in hand, hurried scrawling out notes on a scrap piece of paper. "Steer us over there," she said as way of greeting, leaning forward to observe his words. The navigator's head snapped up and he gave her his usual toothy grin, already knowing what she was talking about. With out a word, he headed toward the wheel.
A warning shot sounded, booming loudly enough that Quinn winced as her ears ached. She heard a shriek, knowing that it was Kurt purely by how girlish it sounded. The ship rocked a little more roughly and the blonde was impressed by how close the the cannon ball must have been to the ship. "Fire back!" she called, obviously amused. "And I'll hang every last one of you if you hit that ship!"
****
By the time they reached the other ship it was pitch black, save for the lanterns casting a dim glow from the other ship. Quinn had long since ordered their own lantern extinguished, though it really didn't matter. The other captain knew she was coming. Her men hurried around her as the ship settled along side the other. "She's not going to be happy," Puck commented, standing just behind her. She smirked in reply, not bothering to look at him, instead watching them lower a plank between the two decks.
"She never is," she responded after a long moment, before giving the signal for her men to board the ship. When the air was immediately filled with the sound of clanging swords, she laughed. "I told you," Puck said, as they made their way toward the plank. Quinn just chuckled. "She's just feisty tonight,"
"I'm sure you're looking forward to that," he told her with a smirk, which she ignored. They crossed over to the ship with ease and threw themselves into the thrill of clashing swords and swearing sailors. Quinn drew her rapier, easily deflecting the blows that came her way as she made her way down the deck at a leisurely pace. "This is getting a little old Fabray!" she heard someone call.
She turned to look, grinning at the sight of that abnormally tall man wrestling with Puck, their swords laying beside them. "Did you get taller?" Puck asked, voice almost accusing as he tried to bring the man to the ground. With a grunt, the taller one landed his elbow into the pit of Puck's stomach. "Finn, what the hell?" he growled, gripping his stomach, only to be tackled to the deck by the taller boy as he let his guard down.
Quinn shook her head, before continuing. She bounded up the stairs toward the captain's quarters, a small smirk on her features. As she neared the familiar cabin, she was stopped by a familiar figure. She sighed, resting her blade against her shoulder. "Jesse," she flat lined, her eyes narrowed. The boy stood a little straighter, glaring down at her. "She doesn't want to see you," he said hotly, stepping forward. The blonde stared up at him for a long moment, before rolling her eyes slightly. "She never wants to see me. Get out of my way," she demanded, fully intending to shove Jesse out of the way. He stopped her, drawing his sword and positioning it dangerously close to her throat. She looked up at him bored. "If you kill me, she'll have you thrown over board."
"I was instructed to keep you away from her cabin. If that means death for the great Quinn Fabray, so be it," he told her mockingly, edging the blade a little closer. The captain felt her muscles tighten just a bit at the soft pressure against her neck. After a moment, she arched a brow as if daring him to make the next move. He shifted his hold on the hilt of his sword preparing to move, but Quinn quickly swung her own blade down, landing the dull ricasso firmly into his knee cap. With a yelp, Jesse stumbled, giving Quinn barely enough time to step back and avoid his blade. As he tried to catch himself with his free hand, she kicked him squarely in the shoulder, sending him sprawling to the deck and leaving the door open to her advance.
"You're pathetic," she spat, bringing the toe of her boot sharply down on his shin for good measure. Jesse cried out, his sword now laying beside him as he cradling his knee of one leg and his shin of the other. "You might want to brush up on your swordsmanship St. James," Quinn suggested with a sneer.
Stepping forward, she grasped the brass door handle, twisting, only to find it securely locked. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes, jiggling the knob. "Rachel! Open this God forsaken door!" she called, immediately hearing an indignant huff behind the door. The blonde smiled a little at that. At least she was consistent. "I'm going to kick the door in!"
She took a few steps back, preparing to break the knob loose with the bottom of her boot. Just a she lifted her leg, she paused hearing the familiar screech of Rachel's voice. "I swear to whatever you find holy, Quinn, I will sink your ship if you break down another one of my doors!"
A smirk tugged up on her lips and she moved closer to the door, leaning her shoulder against it. "Then it would be wise to simply open the door for me," she said, softer this time. Her hazel eyes darting across the main deck, seeing their men still fighting, though it looked more like a training field then a battle scene. She smirked, watching Kurt carefully walk over the plank and run toward Finn and Puck, squeaking that nobody was allowed to rip this silk shirt. He planted himself firmly between them, pushing at Puck's chest to separate them, before throwing himself into Finn's arms.
"I refuse to entertain the idea of seeing you when you insist on invading my ship," the voice through the door sounded a mix of annoyed and tired. Quinn sighed, tilted her head to rest her forehead against the wood. "Come on, I want to see you," she said softly enough that she knew Rachel was pressed against the other side of the door when she replied just as softly. "You're scaring her Quinn,"
Her heart clenched and she looked woefully out at her crew, though most of the men had ceased fighting and were shaking hands or talking animatedly. She smiled softly, before pushing herself off the door and moving forward so the two crews could see her. "Back to the ship!" she all but growled, watching as everyone snapped there eyes up toward her. "But Quinn!" Kurt called, still firmly placed against Finn's chest. She glared menacingly down at him, before making a shooing motion toward The Cross. Slowly, the men trickled back toward the other ship, even Kurt pulling away from the taller man's body, huffing.
"I sent my crew back to the ship," she said as she stepped toward the door again. She waited a long moment, hoping that Rachel hadn't left as she leaned against the door once more. "Take off you hat and jacket," Rachel instructed softly. Quinn sighed, before shedding the garments, laying them on a near by crate. "Your sword and pistol too."
Gritting her teeth, she sheathed her sword, before untying the belt that held both her rapier and pistol, setting them on top of her jacket. Left only in her plain white shirt and pair of dark pants tucked into her boots, she approached the door once more. "They are off," she mumbled.
It was another few moments before she heard the click of the lock and the door slowly swung open. She stepped forward, pushing the door closed behind her. There stood Rachel, dressed similarly, though her clothes were obviously made with finer fabrics. Quinn immediately reached for her, attempting to place her arm around her waist, but caught only air as the shorter girl stepped back. There was a familiar defiant look on the brunette's face and Quinn smiled softly, as she turned her back to the pirate.
"This is getting quite tiresome," she said, her voice sounding exhausted. The blonde stepped forward, wrapping her arms around the girl's waist, before could move. Rachel struggled for a moment, but as Quinn pulled her back against her front, she found herself relaxing into her touch. "I've missed you," Quinn spoke softly, dipping her head to press a kiss to the girl's neck. She could feel Rachel shudder against her and the girl's hands fell to her forearms.
"Where have you been?" Rachel asked, her voice angry. She abruptly flipped in Quinn's arms, her fists pounding against the girl's collarbone. The pirate flinched, staring down into Rachel's stormy brown eyes. "It's been nearly a year Quinn!" she cried, landing another painful hit just above Quinn's chest.
Quinn grunted, tightening her hold on the girl's waist to bring Rachel firmly against her. "I am aware of that," she said softly, hoping to calm the girl. Instead, she got another hit to the collarbone and she winced. "Well, where on Earth have you been?" she growled, sounding even more angry.
A flare of defiance swelled up in her chest, but Quinn knew it would only make things worse. "I've been trying to find you for two months," she told her. Rachel scoffed. "Oh, so you were on planning on being gone eight months?" The blonde sighed, watching as Rachel ducked her head and knew the girl was more upset then angry. Slowly, she rubbed her hands up and down the brunette's back, prompting her to tuck her head under Quinn's chin and curl up against the girl.
"I'm sorry. I was in Spain," she whispered against the girl's hair. At first Rachel didn't say anything as her shoulders quivered with her held in sobs. "What were you doing there?" she asked, her voice choked. Quinn swallowed thickly, pressing a kiss to the top of Rachel's head. "The King has offered me a letter of marque."
"What?" Rachel asked, jerking her head back and successfully knocking Quinn's chin up. The blonde groaned, slowly bringing her head down to look at Rachel. The shorter girl looked guilty and gently raised her hand to rub the girl's chin. "Are you going to take it?" she asked softly, her voice sad as she leaned up and replaced her fingertip with her lips. Quinn sighed at the contact, really wanting to skip over this part of the conversation. "I don't know. He told me to get a better ship and I said I'd get back to him within the year," she replied, still speaking softly.
The brunette was quiet, ducking her head again so Quinn couldn't see her face. "You know Quinn, just because some monarch signs a piece of paper doesn't make it right," she said bitterly. Quinn closed her eyes, hoping Rachel wouldn't pull away. "Rachel, we've already discussed this."
"I know," she replied, sounding defeated and rested her head against the girl's chest again. For a long moment they stayed like that, Quinn gently brushing her fingers up and down the girl's spine. "Is she down in the bunk?" Quinn asked softly, to which Rachel nodded. She felt her heart pound a little faster, just like it did every time she came abroad The Gold Star. "Can I see her?"
****
Rachel led the way, opening the hatch and climbing down the ladder. Quinn was close behind, not bothering to close the door as she slid down to the floor below. She stood next to Rachel as the brunette gently rapped her knuckles against another door. "Elizabeth," she said softly, glancing back at Quinn, who seemed to be fidgeting nervously.
The door slowly pulled open, revealing the head of a small, blonde haired girl. It only took a moment for her hazel eyes to land on Quinn and then their was a furry of movement. With an excited squeal, the girl flung herself into her mother's arms. Quinn gathered Beth up in her arms, holding her tightly as the little girl's arms wound around her waist.
"Mama!" Beth cried, squeezing Quinn tighter. Rachel watched on with a slight smile on her lips. Quinn leaned over, pressing a kiss to her daughter's forehead, smiling at how much taller she had gotten. Gently pulling out of the girl's embrace, she held onto her arms, kneeling in front of her. "Look how much you have grown," she said affectionately, brushing some hair off her daughter's forehead. Beth giggled, causing Quinn to smile brightly. "I'm nearly as tall as Mother," she said, obviously amused as she looked back at Rachel, who scoffed.
Quinn slowly brushed her fingers through the girl's long blonde hair. "You've been gone a long time," Beth said after a moment of them staring at each other, her voice sad. The older blonde, pulled Beth against her, rocking her gently. "I know, baby," she told her softly, squeezing her eyes shut as she felt the girl's tears fall onto her chest.
Rachel looked on with sadness. "It's late, darling," the brunette said, stepping forward to brushed her fingers over the smaller blonde's hair. Beth seemed to curl further into Quinn. Quinn looked up at Rachel, seeing her the mix of emotion in her lover's eyes. She pressed another kiss to the girl's temple, before slowly pulling away. The girl whimpered, staring up into her mother's eyes as Quinn slowly stood.
"I don't have to go to sleep, do I Mama?" Beth asked, her voice quivering as tears spilled down her cheeks. Quinn glanced to Rachel, who was giving her a stern look, before shaking her head softly. "Your mother is right, it is late," she said, causing Beth to lung forward and cling to her. "I will be here in the morning Beth," Quinn promised softly, her hand gently cradling the back of her daughter's head. She looked at Rachel to see rage smoldering just under the surface and frowned. "I will tell you a story," Quinn offered, and Beth's hold loosened. With a dark look from Rachel, she led her daughter back into the bunks.
****
It took a lot of negotiating and two stories about her time in Spain, with much exaggeration, and a soft song to get Beth to sleep. By the time she ascended the ladder and made her way back into Rachel's room, the ship was eerily quiet. She found the brunette sitting on her bed, Quinn's sword balanced in her hands. Quinn approached her cautiously, taking a seat beside her.
"We can't do this anymore Quinn," Rachel said, setting the rapier aside. The blonde felt panic rise up in her chest and opened her mouth to argue, but Rachel cut her off. "You can't keep doing this to Beth. Do you know when you leave she cries for days?" she asked, her voice gaining anger. Quinn winced, before dropping her head into her hands, her elbows resting against her knees.
"You missed her day of birth this year. She didn't even smile at the new dresses I gave her or when Finn offered her swordsmanship lessons," she continued. Quinn smiled just slightly at the thought of Finn teaching someone how to use a sword. "This arrangement wasn't terrible at first. We saw you every couple months and you'd stay for a week or two, but this is getting ridiculous. On your last visit, you stayed for two days, Quinn! And then you were gone for nearly a year."
The blonde listened sorrowfully, practically feeling the rage flowing off Rachel. "I want you to go," she said finally, and Quinn's head snapped up. "What?"
"I want you to leave and I don't want to see you again."
Quinn stood suddenly, using her height to glare down at Rachel. "You can't just tell me that," she hissed, trying to keep her voice down. The brunette didn't look at her. "Yes, I can. It's been eight years, Quinn. Beth was barely even walking when you left," she shot back, her voice a harsh whisper.
"I can't believe you. After everything? We've been together for twelve years Rachel!"
"No, we were together for four years before you ran off to be an outlaw!" she cried back. Rachel stood, putting herself in front of Quinn. They glared at each other for a few long, tense moment.
"You know why I can't be around," Quinn finally said, her voice soft. Rachel scoffed, turning her back to the girl. "No I don't know. You told me the first time you left that you would come back for us."
"And I always do..."
"But you never stay.
"Rachel, I can't!" she cried out with frustration, her hand slamming against the bed side table and making her palm burn.
"You can't what? You can't be here for me? Can't be here for our daughter?" Rachel replied, once again turning to face her. Quinn's fingers curled into fists at her sides.
"You know as well as I do that if I stay with you someone will discover me and not only have me killed, but you as well," Quinn told her.
Rachel shook her head angrily. "You could have taken us with you,"
"I wasn't going to risk your lives by taking you on a pirate ship." The brunette's jaw clenched.
"If you had done like you had told me your were going to and gotten a respectable ship, instead of stealing one from one of the most notorious pirates on the sea, we wouldn't have this problem!"
Quinn growled in the back of her throat, turning away from Rachel and pacing the length of the cabin. Rachel watched her with a mix of anger and sadness, wishing things could be different and that Quinn would have made better decisions. "It's tearing her apart. She wants to go be a pirate like you. And do you have any idea how hard it is to explain to her that it's wrong to steal when that is what her mother is doing for a living?" she asked, shaking her head. She fell back to the bed, sitting on the edge and breathing slowly, trying to calm herself.
"I'm sorry," Quinn said softly, tears pricking the back of her eyes as she turned to face Rachel. "I don't know what you want me to do..."
"I want you to leave. Tonight. Don't come back. Let me get over you so I don't have to live with this terrible pain over worrying about you all the time," Rachel told her quietly. Quinn could feel her limbs shaking as she approached the girl. She knelt before her, staring up at her lover. "I can't leave you. I can't leave Beth," she whispered. "It's not a choice..." Rachel told her.
The blonde tilted her head down to hide her tears. She knew that even if she argued there would be no use. Rachel has never told her to stay away and she could feel her chest constricting painfully. Quinn felt small fingers threading through her hair and she let out a quiet sob. "Don't make me go Rachel. I love you. I love you so much," she whispered brokenly.
Rachel watched Quinn falling apart and let her own tears slipped down her cheeks. She couldn't even recall the last time she had seen her lover cry and she wanted nothing more then to hold her close and tell her everything would be just fine. But she was at the end of her rope. "I'm sorry Quinn," she whispered.
"Give me tonight," Quinn whispered back, lifting her head to meet Rachel's watery eyes. Slowly, the brunette nodded, her tears silently faling. Sitting up, Quinn cupped the girl's cheeks, guiding her into a heated kiss.
Part: 1
Author: Zaayki
Rating: PG-13 (NC-17 for later chapters)
Length: +3500
Spoilers: Season 2, only character spoilers.
Summary: AU. When Quinn left the Glee to find a new ship Rachel didn't realize she would be raising their daughter alone while Quinn became a criminal.
A/N: I started writing this forever ago and finally decided to post it. I know there are a couple Rachel/Quinn pirate fics out there, but this idea would just not get out of my head. I don't know how often I'll be able to update, though I'll try to get them up when I can. This is my first time posting so tell me what you think and comments are greatly appreciated.
She tilted her head, feeling the pleasant pop of her vertebrae as she stared out across the water. It was nearly night fall, but even with the sun disappearing over the horizon she could make out the ship in the distance. That all too familiar ship. Her fingers drummed against the hilt of her rapier thinking of dark hair and brown eyes, a slender figure and tanned skin. "Captain!" the watch called from the crow's nest. Lazily, she tilted her head back, hazel eyes locking on the scrawny man with the eye of a hawk. He scrambled down the mast, looking clumsy and awkward, and she sometimes wonders why she even bother keeping him around...It was embarrassing.
"They're setting up the cannons," he squeaked, sliding to a halt in front of her, only to almost fall over his own feet. Quinn smirked at the words, turning her eyes back toward the ship. The man, who was really more of a boy, stood behind her wringing his hands anxiously. She breathed in deeply, before twisting her head over her shoulder to look at him. "Get Puck," she said finally, and watched him run off in the direction of her first mate's cabin.
With one last glance out at their target, she turned on her heels and hurried to the back of the ship, seeking out her navigator. She found him bent over a plethora of charts, a quill pen in hand, hurried scrawling out notes on a scrap piece of paper. "Steer us over there," she said as way of greeting, leaning forward to observe his words. The navigator's head snapped up and he gave her his usual toothy grin, already knowing what she was talking about. With out a word, he headed toward the wheel.
A warning shot sounded, booming loudly enough that Quinn winced as her ears ached. She heard a shriek, knowing that it was Kurt purely by how girlish it sounded. The ship rocked a little more roughly and the blonde was impressed by how close the the cannon ball must have been to the ship. "Fire back!" she called, obviously amused. "And I'll hang every last one of you if you hit that ship!"
****
By the time they reached the other ship it was pitch black, save for the lanterns casting a dim glow from the other ship. Quinn had long since ordered their own lantern extinguished, though it really didn't matter. The other captain knew she was coming. Her men hurried around her as the ship settled along side the other. "She's not going to be happy," Puck commented, standing just behind her. She smirked in reply, not bothering to look at him, instead watching them lower a plank between the two decks.
"She never is," she responded after a long moment, before giving the signal for her men to board the ship. When the air was immediately filled with the sound of clanging swords, she laughed. "I told you," Puck said, as they made their way toward the plank. Quinn just chuckled. "She's just feisty tonight,"
"I'm sure you're looking forward to that," he told her with a smirk, which she ignored. They crossed over to the ship with ease and threw themselves into the thrill of clashing swords and swearing sailors. Quinn drew her rapier, easily deflecting the blows that came her way as she made her way down the deck at a leisurely pace. "This is getting a little old Fabray!" she heard someone call.
She turned to look, grinning at the sight of that abnormally tall man wrestling with Puck, their swords laying beside them. "Did you get taller?" Puck asked, voice almost accusing as he tried to bring the man to the ground. With a grunt, the taller one landed his elbow into the pit of Puck's stomach. "Finn, what the hell?" he growled, gripping his stomach, only to be tackled to the deck by the taller boy as he let his guard down.
Quinn shook her head, before continuing. She bounded up the stairs toward the captain's quarters, a small smirk on her features. As she neared the familiar cabin, she was stopped by a familiar figure. She sighed, resting her blade against her shoulder. "Jesse," she flat lined, her eyes narrowed. The boy stood a little straighter, glaring down at her. "She doesn't want to see you," he said hotly, stepping forward. The blonde stared up at him for a long moment, before rolling her eyes slightly. "She never wants to see me. Get out of my way," she demanded, fully intending to shove Jesse out of the way. He stopped her, drawing his sword and positioning it dangerously close to her throat. She looked up at him bored. "If you kill me, she'll have you thrown over board."
"I was instructed to keep you away from her cabin. If that means death for the great Quinn Fabray, so be it," he told her mockingly, edging the blade a little closer. The captain felt her muscles tighten just a bit at the soft pressure against her neck. After a moment, she arched a brow as if daring him to make the next move. He shifted his hold on the hilt of his sword preparing to move, but Quinn quickly swung her own blade down, landing the dull ricasso firmly into his knee cap. With a yelp, Jesse stumbled, giving Quinn barely enough time to step back and avoid his blade. As he tried to catch himself with his free hand, she kicked him squarely in the shoulder, sending him sprawling to the deck and leaving the door open to her advance.
"You're pathetic," she spat, bringing the toe of her boot sharply down on his shin for good measure. Jesse cried out, his sword now laying beside him as he cradling his knee of one leg and his shin of the other. "You might want to brush up on your swordsmanship St. James," Quinn suggested with a sneer.
Stepping forward, she grasped the brass door handle, twisting, only to find it securely locked. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes, jiggling the knob. "Rachel! Open this God forsaken door!" she called, immediately hearing an indignant huff behind the door. The blonde smiled a little at that. At least she was consistent. "I'm going to kick the door in!"
She took a few steps back, preparing to break the knob loose with the bottom of her boot. Just a she lifted her leg, she paused hearing the familiar screech of Rachel's voice. "I swear to whatever you find holy, Quinn, I will sink your ship if you break down another one of my doors!"
A smirk tugged up on her lips and she moved closer to the door, leaning her shoulder against it. "Then it would be wise to simply open the door for me," she said, softer this time. Her hazel eyes darting across the main deck, seeing their men still fighting, though it looked more like a training field then a battle scene. She smirked, watching Kurt carefully walk over the plank and run toward Finn and Puck, squeaking that nobody was allowed to rip this silk shirt. He planted himself firmly between them, pushing at Puck's chest to separate them, before throwing himself into Finn's arms.
"I refuse to entertain the idea of seeing you when you insist on invading my ship," the voice through the door sounded a mix of annoyed and tired. Quinn sighed, tilted her head to rest her forehead against the wood. "Come on, I want to see you," she said softly enough that she knew Rachel was pressed against the other side of the door when she replied just as softly. "You're scaring her Quinn,"
Her heart clenched and she looked woefully out at her crew, though most of the men had ceased fighting and were shaking hands or talking animatedly. She smiled softly, before pushing herself off the door and moving forward so the two crews could see her. "Back to the ship!" she all but growled, watching as everyone snapped there eyes up toward her. "But Quinn!" Kurt called, still firmly placed against Finn's chest. She glared menacingly down at him, before making a shooing motion toward The Cross. Slowly, the men trickled back toward the other ship, even Kurt pulling away from the taller man's body, huffing.
"I sent my crew back to the ship," she said as she stepped toward the door again. She waited a long moment, hoping that Rachel hadn't left as she leaned against the door once more. "Take off you hat and jacket," Rachel instructed softly. Quinn sighed, before shedding the garments, laying them on a near by crate. "Your sword and pistol too."
Gritting her teeth, she sheathed her sword, before untying the belt that held both her rapier and pistol, setting them on top of her jacket. Left only in her plain white shirt and pair of dark pants tucked into her boots, she approached the door once more. "They are off," she mumbled.
It was another few moments before she heard the click of the lock and the door slowly swung open. She stepped forward, pushing the door closed behind her. There stood Rachel, dressed similarly, though her clothes were obviously made with finer fabrics. Quinn immediately reached for her, attempting to place her arm around her waist, but caught only air as the shorter girl stepped back. There was a familiar defiant look on the brunette's face and Quinn smiled softly, as she turned her back to the pirate.
"This is getting quite tiresome," she said, her voice sounding exhausted. The blonde stepped forward, wrapping her arms around the girl's waist, before could move. Rachel struggled for a moment, but as Quinn pulled her back against her front, she found herself relaxing into her touch. "I've missed you," Quinn spoke softly, dipping her head to press a kiss to the girl's neck. She could feel Rachel shudder against her and the girl's hands fell to her forearms.
"Where have you been?" Rachel asked, her voice angry. She abruptly flipped in Quinn's arms, her fists pounding against the girl's collarbone. The pirate flinched, staring down into Rachel's stormy brown eyes. "It's been nearly a year Quinn!" she cried, landing another painful hit just above Quinn's chest.
Quinn grunted, tightening her hold on the girl's waist to bring Rachel firmly against her. "I am aware of that," she said softly, hoping to calm the girl. Instead, she got another hit to the collarbone and she winced. "Well, where on Earth have you been?" she growled, sounding even more angry.
A flare of defiance swelled up in her chest, but Quinn knew it would only make things worse. "I've been trying to find you for two months," she told her. Rachel scoffed. "Oh, so you were on planning on being gone eight months?" The blonde sighed, watching as Rachel ducked her head and knew the girl was more upset then angry. Slowly, she rubbed her hands up and down the brunette's back, prompting her to tuck her head under Quinn's chin and curl up against the girl.
"I'm sorry. I was in Spain," she whispered against the girl's hair. At first Rachel didn't say anything as her shoulders quivered with her held in sobs. "What were you doing there?" she asked, her voice choked. Quinn swallowed thickly, pressing a kiss to the top of Rachel's head. "The King has offered me a letter of marque."
"What?" Rachel asked, jerking her head back and successfully knocking Quinn's chin up. The blonde groaned, slowly bringing her head down to look at Rachel. The shorter girl looked guilty and gently raised her hand to rub the girl's chin. "Are you going to take it?" she asked softly, her voice sad as she leaned up and replaced her fingertip with her lips. Quinn sighed at the contact, really wanting to skip over this part of the conversation. "I don't know. He told me to get a better ship and I said I'd get back to him within the year," she replied, still speaking softly.
The brunette was quiet, ducking her head again so Quinn couldn't see her face. "You know Quinn, just because some monarch signs a piece of paper doesn't make it right," she said bitterly. Quinn closed her eyes, hoping Rachel wouldn't pull away. "Rachel, we've already discussed this."
"I know," she replied, sounding defeated and rested her head against the girl's chest again. For a long moment they stayed like that, Quinn gently brushing her fingers up and down the girl's spine. "Is she down in the bunk?" Quinn asked softly, to which Rachel nodded. She felt her heart pound a little faster, just like it did every time she came abroad The Gold Star. "Can I see her?"
****
Rachel led the way, opening the hatch and climbing down the ladder. Quinn was close behind, not bothering to close the door as she slid down to the floor below. She stood next to Rachel as the brunette gently rapped her knuckles against another door. "Elizabeth," she said softly, glancing back at Quinn, who seemed to be fidgeting nervously.
The door slowly pulled open, revealing the head of a small, blonde haired girl. It only took a moment for her hazel eyes to land on Quinn and then their was a furry of movement. With an excited squeal, the girl flung herself into her mother's arms. Quinn gathered Beth up in her arms, holding her tightly as the little girl's arms wound around her waist.
"Mama!" Beth cried, squeezing Quinn tighter. Rachel watched on with a slight smile on her lips. Quinn leaned over, pressing a kiss to her daughter's forehead, smiling at how much taller she had gotten. Gently pulling out of the girl's embrace, she held onto her arms, kneeling in front of her. "Look how much you have grown," she said affectionately, brushing some hair off her daughter's forehead. Beth giggled, causing Quinn to smile brightly. "I'm nearly as tall as Mother," she said, obviously amused as she looked back at Rachel, who scoffed.
Quinn slowly brushed her fingers through the girl's long blonde hair. "You've been gone a long time," Beth said after a moment of them staring at each other, her voice sad. The older blonde, pulled Beth against her, rocking her gently. "I know, baby," she told her softly, squeezing her eyes shut as she felt the girl's tears fall onto her chest.
Rachel looked on with sadness. "It's late, darling," the brunette said, stepping forward to brushed her fingers over the smaller blonde's hair. Beth seemed to curl further into Quinn. Quinn looked up at Rachel, seeing her the mix of emotion in her lover's eyes. She pressed another kiss to the girl's temple, before slowly pulling away. The girl whimpered, staring up into her mother's eyes as Quinn slowly stood.
"I don't have to go to sleep, do I Mama?" Beth asked, her voice quivering as tears spilled down her cheeks. Quinn glanced to Rachel, who was giving her a stern look, before shaking her head softly. "Your mother is right, it is late," she said, causing Beth to lung forward and cling to her. "I will be here in the morning Beth," Quinn promised softly, her hand gently cradling the back of her daughter's head. She looked at Rachel to see rage smoldering just under the surface and frowned. "I will tell you a story," Quinn offered, and Beth's hold loosened. With a dark look from Rachel, she led her daughter back into the bunks.
****
It took a lot of negotiating and two stories about her time in Spain, with much exaggeration, and a soft song to get Beth to sleep. By the time she ascended the ladder and made her way back into Rachel's room, the ship was eerily quiet. She found the brunette sitting on her bed, Quinn's sword balanced in her hands. Quinn approached her cautiously, taking a seat beside her.
"We can't do this anymore Quinn," Rachel said, setting the rapier aside. The blonde felt panic rise up in her chest and opened her mouth to argue, but Rachel cut her off. "You can't keep doing this to Beth. Do you know when you leave she cries for days?" she asked, her voice gaining anger. Quinn winced, before dropping her head into her hands, her elbows resting against her knees.
"You missed her day of birth this year. She didn't even smile at the new dresses I gave her or when Finn offered her swordsmanship lessons," she continued. Quinn smiled just slightly at the thought of Finn teaching someone how to use a sword. "This arrangement wasn't terrible at first. We saw you every couple months and you'd stay for a week or two, but this is getting ridiculous. On your last visit, you stayed for two days, Quinn! And then you were gone for nearly a year."
The blonde listened sorrowfully, practically feeling the rage flowing off Rachel. "I want you to go," she said finally, and Quinn's head snapped up. "What?"
"I want you to leave and I don't want to see you again."
Quinn stood suddenly, using her height to glare down at Rachel. "You can't just tell me that," she hissed, trying to keep her voice down. The brunette didn't look at her. "Yes, I can. It's been eight years, Quinn. Beth was barely even walking when you left," she shot back, her voice a harsh whisper.
"I can't believe you. After everything? We've been together for twelve years Rachel!"
"No, we were together for four years before you ran off to be an outlaw!" she cried back. Rachel stood, putting herself in front of Quinn. They glared at each other for a few long, tense moment.
"You know why I can't be around," Quinn finally said, her voice soft. Rachel scoffed, turning her back to the girl. "No I don't know. You told me the first time you left that you would come back for us."
"And I always do..."
"But you never stay.
"Rachel, I can't!" she cried out with frustration, her hand slamming against the bed side table and making her palm burn.
"You can't what? You can't be here for me? Can't be here for our daughter?" Rachel replied, once again turning to face her. Quinn's fingers curled into fists at her sides.
"You know as well as I do that if I stay with you someone will discover me and not only have me killed, but you as well," Quinn told her.
Rachel shook her head angrily. "You could have taken us with you,"
"I wasn't going to risk your lives by taking you on a pirate ship." The brunette's jaw clenched.
"If you had done like you had told me your were going to and gotten a respectable ship, instead of stealing one from one of the most notorious pirates on the sea, we wouldn't have this problem!"
Quinn growled in the back of her throat, turning away from Rachel and pacing the length of the cabin. Rachel watched her with a mix of anger and sadness, wishing things could be different and that Quinn would have made better decisions. "It's tearing her apart. She wants to go be a pirate like you. And do you have any idea how hard it is to explain to her that it's wrong to steal when that is what her mother is doing for a living?" she asked, shaking her head. She fell back to the bed, sitting on the edge and breathing slowly, trying to calm herself.
"I'm sorry," Quinn said softly, tears pricking the back of her eyes as she turned to face Rachel. "I don't know what you want me to do..."
"I want you to leave. Tonight. Don't come back. Let me get over you so I don't have to live with this terrible pain over worrying about you all the time," Rachel told her quietly. Quinn could feel her limbs shaking as she approached the girl. She knelt before her, staring up at her lover. "I can't leave you. I can't leave Beth," she whispered. "It's not a choice..." Rachel told her.
The blonde tilted her head down to hide her tears. She knew that even if she argued there would be no use. Rachel has never told her to stay away and she could feel her chest constricting painfully. Quinn felt small fingers threading through her hair and she let out a quiet sob. "Don't make me go Rachel. I love you. I love you so much," she whispered brokenly.
Rachel watched Quinn falling apart and let her own tears slipped down her cheeks. She couldn't even recall the last time she had seen her lover cry and she wanted nothing more then to hold her close and tell her everything would be just fine. But she was at the end of her rope. "I'm sorry Quinn," she whispered.
"Give me tonight," Quinn whispered back, lifting her head to meet Rachel's watery eyes. Slowly, the brunette nodded, her tears silently faling. Sitting up, Quinn cupped the girl's cheeks, guiding her into a heated kiss.