Free To Be Together

Will lifted his eyes and looked over to his sister. Her eyes were fearful, wet with tears, and her entire body was just about wrapped around Kenny, doing whatever she could to shield and protect him. Protect him...from her own brother. Despite all the anger that still flowed in him whenever he thought about Kenny and what he did, it all gave way to guilt and shame. "Fuck..." Will sighed with a shake of his head. He groaned softly and slowly sat up, looking over at Elle. The former couple shared a short look of acceptance and understanding: "Quinn...I'm sorry," Will finally exhaled,

Quinn's lower lip trembled, "I know...I know why, Will, but I can't -- I love him...I'm sorry, but that's what I feel,"

"I know," Will nodded in soft understanding, "I know you do, and you know that I fucking hate him," He added on in a short growl. Quinn flinched, but Will blew out a calming breath, "But that doesn't mean anything." He finally said after a long minute, "I've been trying to protect you for years, so you didn't get hurt, but I think somewhere along the way, I started only focusing on what I thought and felt when it came to your life. I'm sorry, Quinn. And...And...as long as you can understand why I can't look at him," Will pointed to Kenny, who lightly groaned, doing his best to sit up despite his still spinning head, "Then I'll just swallow those feelings, and I'll look the other way whenever you're with him,"

"R-Really?" A hopeful smile started to flicker over the redhead's face, "You mean it?"

"It's not my choice. Obviously, I don't prefer this, and I think you can do a hell of a lot better, but..." Will hissed out another groan as he fought to get to his feet, "I'm sure as shit, not the one dating him. That's up to you to decide for yourself." The jock gave his twin sister a small, respectful nod and turned away, "Ben...think that icepack is frozen in our fridge yet?"

"Let's fucking hope so," Ben and Henry quickly jogged over to the dorm entrance as the crowd dispersed, leaving Quinn alone with Kenny and Ellie.

Quinn looked up to the blonde, "Ellie, after everything I said and how I acted," She rolled in her lower lip, "T-Thank you? I don't know what else to say. Thank you for helping us, and thank you for helping him..." She motioned towards Will as he limped into the building, "And I'm sorry. Again. I'm so sorry, Ellie," The blonde girl gave Kenny a slightly sorrowful look before forcing her eyes away, instead looking back at Quinn and giving her a silent sweet smile before turning and walking off as well.

Kenny let out a wince as he and Quinn returned to the dorm room. With his arm over her shoulder, and his right leg having a profound limp, Quinn supported him over to the bed and gently set him down, "Ah shit...your brother hits fucking hard, you know?"

"You should be afraid of me hitting you fucking hard!" Quinn exclaimed as she stomped over, slamming the door shut and furiously digging around for a tiny zip-up first aid kit, "What the hell were you thinking, Kenny?! You told him by yourself?! You had to have known he'd lash out and hit you!"

"Well, believe me," Kenny groaned, clutching his ribs as he readjusted himself on the bed, "I deserved those and probably a few more,"

"You wanted penance for everything? Why didn't you tell me? I could have been the one kicking your ass!" Quinn sarcastically retorted.

The redhead dragged over a chair and set it down in front of Kenny. She took a seat and unzipped the kit, pulling out a few disinfectant wipes, "I wasn't looking to get my ass kicked for what I did, Quinn. I did it for you."

"For me?!" Kenny let out a wincing shout as Quinn abruptly pressed the wipe against one of Kenny's gashes, "You think I wanted you to get your ass kicked?!"

"A-Ah, easy!" The teen begged, and Quinn let up, "N-No, that's not what I meant." He let out a relieved exhale as the pain subsided, "The reason Will hated me was my fuck up. The entire reason he was suffocating you was because of what I did. I couldn't -- I couldn't have you fix this with him. I had to do it. I had to tell him that you were mine now, and I was going to do whatever it took to keep you. He knows where we stand now, and that's what I needed to make sure happened. We don't have to worry about him anymore..."

Quinn stared back at the teen, and try as she might, she couldn't fight away a small pleased smile from curling on her lips. Kenny weakly grinned back, and she reached out, now gently wiping his battered knuckles, "Just because I'm smiling doesn't mean I'm happy. I'm still mad at you,"

"Well, if you wanted to take a swing at me, I don't think anyone would be able to tell," Kenny lightheartedly returned, and Quinn lowered her head, letting out a giggling laugh,

"Shut up; you can't make me laugh when I'm mad at you!" The redhead playfully demanded,

"I beg to differ," Kenny watched as Quinn gently began to wrap up his hand with some gauze, "Did I really headbutt him? I honestly can't remember anything..."

"Yeah, and then you asked why you did that before falling down," Quinn smirked while Kenny let out an embarrassed groan,

"First real fight, and I looked like a total idiot, cool," He turned his head as Quinn finished with his hand and returned to the gash at his eye,

She carefully cleaned away the dried blood trail that ran down Kenny's cheek, "Hey, it worked; the fight was over after that move," Kenny softly snickered at the comment, "I..." Quinn wet her lips, "I never had someone want to stand up for me like that before. Like...you willingly went through an ass-kicking to make a point over me. You fought Will; you actually fought my brother. Not another guy would have dared to step up to him like that...and you did it all for me."

"I'd do anything for you, Quinn." Kenny warmly replied, "Case and point,"

"You're such an idiot," Quinn teased as she gently put her finger and thumb on Kenny's chin and leaned forward, planting a gentle kiss on his lips, "But you're my idiot."

"For as long as you'll have me," Kenny wholeheartedly agreed.