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If he’d learned anything from Everlasting, it was that he didn’t understand the first thing about women. He pretended to at first, but Quinn had uprooted everything and merely left him in awe of her and of womanhood in general. That’s why he didn’t question Rachel, pie in hand, showing up on his doorstep. She was there for Quinn, even if he didn’t fully understand it.
He’d heard the talk around set, the whispers- Rachel was Quinn’s favorite, Rachel was Quinn’s dragon, Rachel was Quinn’s girl, Rachel was Quinn’s - but he’d never thought anything of it. Rachel was Quinn’s protégée so of course people thought she got preferential treatment.
“I love her,” he told Rachel, and she nodded.
“Me too.”
So he let her in, and pointed her in the direction of the bedroom, although she seemed to already know the way. That was several hours ago, and he now followed the path Rachel had taken, quietly letting himself into the bedroom.
Quinn lay in bed, on her back, with Rachel asleep in her arms. They were tangled together, Rachel’s head on Quinn’s chest, her arm around Quinn’s middle. Quinn, for her part, was still awake, gently petting Rachel’s hair. She saw Chet come in, but with the exception of moving her eyes to meet his gaze, didn’t move.
“She’s asleep,” Quinn said, barely audible.
Chet sat down beside her, on the edge of the bed, watching them. Quinn’s cheek was pressed against the top of Rachel’s head. The both looked more at ease then he’d even seen them. They fit.
“She loves you,” he said.
Chet had always assumed that Quinn’s feeling for Rachel were of the more maternal variety. But in this moment it seemed more complex, deeper, and more intimately passionate than feelings of a mother and daughter- of boss and employee.
“I know,” Quinn replied softly. She smiled, content.
He thought back to all the times Quinn had fought for Rachel, even when it seemed insane. The way a fight with her seemed to cut Quinn deeper than anything else. Now looking at them, it made sense.
“ I love you,” Chet pressed.
Quinn broke his gaze, looking down at Rachel’s sleeping form instead. Rachel shifted in her sleep, wrapping her arm tighter around Quinn’s middle.
“I love you too but it’s... different,” Quinn said, after a moment, “How I feel about you and how I feel about her.”
“Without me,” Chet said slowly, “You’re fine, great even. But without her-”
He paused and Quinn looked back up at him, eyes rimmed wet, “Chet,” she breathed.
“Without Rachel it’s like you’ve lost something, like you walked into a room and forgot what you came for, you know?” He said, “When it’s you two together, you’re unstoppable, and you’re happy.”
Quinn didn’t reply, she just kept watching him sadly.
“You love her too, don’t you?” Chet asked, quietly.
“Yes,” Quinn’s voice was thick with emotion, “I do.”
“Okay, well kiddo, if she’s what makes you happy, I won’t stand in your way,” he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Quinn’s forehead, “I mean it is kinda hot.”
Quinn laughed quietly, but grabbed his hand as he stood. She’d begun to cry, tears leaving salty tracks across her face.
“Thank you,” she said.
In her arms, Rachel stirred, mumbling, “Quinn?”
“Hey, little weirdo,” Chet said, “You take care of Quinn, okay?”
“M’kay,” Rachel said, still half asleep.
Chet squeezed Quinn’s hand one last time, before dropping it. He walked to the door, but before he shut it, he glanced back in to see Quinn take off her engagement ring, then kiss the crown of Rachel’s head, whispering, “It’s just going to be us now, okay Rach? Just us.”