The Ache of Rapture

"I didn't fight you!" she countered.

"You weren't participating either. You just let me do what I wanted, and you also refused to do what I asked. That in itself makes this night not count."

Quinn snorted as she glared at him. "I have to be your total slave for it to count?"

Liam grinned. "If that's the way you want to look at it."

Quinn let out a loud growl of exasperation as she stared at the ceiling.

The reaction made Liam chuckle as he slipped a hand beneath his dark head. "Can you honestly say that you don't want to after all of that?"

Quinn pinched her lips together tightly before responding. "No. I cannot honestly say that. I do want to do it again." Her answer made him smirk, and she turned to look into his arrogant blue eyes. "I just don't want to do it with you." she said snidely.

His expression looked like she had slapped him. For a moment, he just stared at her in surprise, and then his eyes narrowed, and his mouth twisted into an ugly line. "You're a little bitch, you know that?" he seethed.

Sitting up, he pulled himself from her bed, and closed his jeans as he walked across the room. "Thanks for spreading your legs for me like a whore." he said in parting as he disappeared into the bathroom, and made his way into his own bedroom.

Quinn jumped when the sound of the door slamming reached her ears.

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Liam pointedly ignored her on the drive to school. He neither looked at her nor spoke to her. It was as if he was alone in the car.

Quinn was fine with that, and looked out the window at the passing scenery on the drive there. When they pulled into the parking lot, he turned off the ignition to the car, and got out.

His long strides had taken him halfway across the lot before she had even managed to get out of the car. By the time she did, he was already taking the stairs two at a time, and had pulled the door open to head inside.

Rolling her eyes, Quinn followed behind him at a more normal pace. When she entered the school her gaze slid down the hallway, and she could see that he was standing at his locker at the end of the hall as he turned the dial on the combination lock.

Her locker was down a different hall, and she headed towards it as she looked away from her brother. The hallways were swimming with people, and Quinn weaved between them until she spotted Alec leaning beside her locker.

"Hey," she said as she reached for the combination lock.

His hands were shoved in his pockets, and he had one foot resting behind him on the wall. "Hey. I tried to call you last night. Your dad said you were sleeping."

Quinn paused as she looked at him. "Oh. Yeah. I decided to call it an early night. Had a long day."

He nodded before continuing. "So, listen. I was thinking we could blow off first hour. Maybe sneak up to the weight room. No one's usually up there this early."

Quinn frowned as she opened her locker. She knew he wanted to fool around, but the concept didn't send a thrill of excitement through her as it once had.

She found the idea slightly distasteful. Being fully aware of where it all led to now, it no longer seemed mysterious or thrilling in the way that it once had.

Quinn forced a smile as she looked at him. "Actually, I have a huge assignment that's due today in chemistry. Rain check?"

Alec tilted his head in acceptance before looking down the hall. "Are you sure you're alright?" he said with a frown.

"I'm fine." Holding the smile in place she met his eyes. "Why wouldn't I be fine?"

"I dunno. You seem kind of different."

"I'm fine," she said again.

Pushing away from the wall he returned her smile, and leaned down to press his lips to hers. Quinn jerked slightly at the contact, but made no move to pull away as she looked at him through open eyes.

His were closed, and she quickly closed hers before he pulled away. When he looked down at her, a small smile was on his lips, and he seemed to be thinking something to himself before he spoke. "I'll see you later then?"

Quinn nodded dumbly, and he turned to leave her side to walk down the hall. He had made it about five steps before he paused, and Quinn turned to see her brother standing at the end of it, Travis by his side.

The look on his face was mutinous as he glared at Alec, and after a tense moment his long strides brought him down the hall towards him.

Alec lifted a hand into the air in supplication as Liam bore down on him. "Look man, I don't want to start with you."

The sound of Liam's fist colliding with the side of Alec's jaw was like a gun shot in the crowded hallway. Several people gasped, and everyone became still and silent as Alec fell to the floor.

"Keep your fucking hands off my sister!" he snarled before lunging towards him again.

Travis leapt on him quickly, pulling him backward slightly, and Liam jerked beneath his grasp in an effort to be freed, which he nearly accomplished.

"I will fucking kill you!" Liam growled.

Quinn's eyes widened along with everyone else's as the spectacle took place. Blood was trickling down the side of Alec's mouth where he lay, but he was wise enough not to get back on his feet, and instead glared up at Liam from where he was.

Suddenly, Mr. Klein, Quinn's sixth hour algebra teacher appeared in the hallway, and pointed his thin finger at Liam. "Office! Now!"

Liam's dark glare left Alec momentarily to look up at the teacher. Then, glancing at Quinn, he narrowed his eyes before he attempted to pull away from Travis once again. He finally relented and let him go.

When Liam turned to storm down the hallway, Travis quickly caught up with him, and walked by his side, and the two of them disappeared around the corner as everyone watched them go.

Bending down beside Alec, Quinn's brows furrowed as she reached to touch him. "Are you alright?"

Jerking away angrily, he got to his feet. "I'm fine! Your asshole brother needs to be committed."

Mr. Klein approached them, and winced as he gazed at Alec's bloody face. "I think the two of you need to go to the office as well. This needs to be sorted out properly."

Nodding, Quinn looked at Alec who was touching the side of his face, and wincing. Without a word, he headed down the hallway, and Quinn followed behind him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Now, what exactly started this altercation?"

Principal Williams was leaning against the front of his desk with his arms crossed as he gazed at the four of them. No one was eager to speak first.

Liam had his forearms resting on his thighs as he stared at the floor. Travis sat beside him fighting the grin that was evident on his face.

On the other side of the room, Quinn sat beside Alec who had a ball of bloody tissue pressed to his split lip. He was the first one to speak up. "That psycho hit me for no damn reason."

Principal Williams turned to look at Liam. "It would help to get to the bottom of this. Maybe then we can resolve the issue. Why did you strike Mr. Dunham?"

Liam's leg began to bounce beneath him in agitation, but he didn't respond to the question. Keeping his head lowered, he stared at the floor.

"There had to be a reason," Principal Williams stated. "I'd like to know what it is."

"There's a reason," Alec replied snidely. "He's fucking crazy."

"Language, Mr. Dunham," Principal Williams warned with a frown before he turned his gaze to Quinn. "What started this?" he asked her.

Quinn's mouth parted as she fought for a response, but before she could speak, Liam lurched to his feet. "Fuck this," he said angrily before turning to storm from the room. Shoving the door open, it slammed into the wall behind it before he walked through it and disappeared.

Sighing, Principal Williams turned to Quinn again. "I'm going to have to call your parents."

Nodding to signify that she understood, Quinn gazed to the door her brother had just left through. She wished in that moment that she was brave enough to do the same.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Quinn could hear the sound of raised voices coming from her brother's room. First was her father's. Then her brother's. Then her father's again.

Both of her parents had come upstairs to speak with him, and Quinn tried to block it out as she turned on her television, and sat down in the plush chair in the corner of the room.

A moment passed, and she could hear her brother yell something, but she couldn't make out what it was.

"You will not leave this house for the next week. Is that understood?"

Liam snorted. "You're grounding me? Don't you think I'm a little old for that?"

"You're lucky that I don't take the keys to your car instead. I'm not sure you're responsible enough to handle it if you're still acting this much like a little kid." his father replied.

Liam tucked his tongue into his cheek, but wisely said nothing.

"Honey, what in the world possessed you to hit that boy?" his mother wondered aloud.

Liam shrugged as he stared at the wall.

"Your mother asked you a question." His father's voice was beginning to lose it's patience.

Liam glared as he turned to look at his father. "I don't like him, and he pissed me off. What does it matter? I'm not sorry that I did it, and given the chance I'd do it again."

"Your little tantrum caused me half a day's worth of work because I had to leave early. Are you sorry about that?" his father barked at him.

"You didn't have to do that!" Liam returned. "You're all making a big deal out of nothing!"

"Will it be nothing if that boy's parents decide to sue us!?" his father yelled.

Liam tilted his head back against his bedroom wall as he rolled his eyes in aggravation.

"You're too old for this kind of shit, Liam. Your mother and I raised you better than this." Throwing his hands up, his father walked from the room in exasperation.

His mother gazed at him worriedly as he stared up at the ceiling. "We're just worried about you, sweetie. It's not like you to do something like this."

Liam didn't lift his head, but he allowed his eyes to gaze downward as he looked at his mother. "Sorry, mom," he said quietly.

Sighing, his mother left the room as well, and Liam's jaw clenched as he looked back up at the ceiling.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Quinn was in her pajamas, and getting ready for bed when she opened the bathroom door so she could wash her face. She was startled to see that her brother was standing shirtless in front of the mirror, his hands upon the counter as he gazed at his own reflection. He slowly turned to look at her after she opened the door.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know you were in here," she said quickly, and shut the door again.

Leaning against it, she bit her lip for a moment, then turned to open the door again. He had returned to looking at himself, and didn't acknowledge her this time as she stood in the doorway.

"Can we talk?" she asked quietly.

He continued to stare hard into the mirror. "I don't have anything to say."

Quinn took a deep breath before responding. "There's stuff I want to say." When he didn't answer she took a step closer to him. "What did you say to mom and dad?"

His voice was flat as he responded. "Nothing."

Feeling a moment of relief, Quinn looked at the side of his face. He looked cold and distant, almost as if he were someplace else entirely.

"What are you doing to me, Liam? What do you want from me?" she finally whispered in agony.

A moment passed, and his head dropped between his shoulder blades so that his chin practically came into contact with his chest. "Nothing. I don't want anything." Lifting his head again, he looked at her, his blue eyes tortured. The pain that was evident in their depths made Quinn gasp.

"I know you don't want this. That you don't want me. I'll leave you alone." Turning away, his fingers clenched into the counter top as he stared down at it.

"I just want things to go back to the way they used to be," Quinn said softly.

Her words brought a smile to Liam's face, but it was self deprecating. "To the way things used to be," he repeated. "How did things used to be?" he asked as he met her eyes again.

"Normal." Quinn breathed.

Liam closed his eyes momentarily as he ran his tongue along his bottom teeth. When he opened them again his eyes were fierce. "Trust me, baby girl. There was nothing 'normal' about the way things used to be. I was hoping this would get it out of my system. It's just not working out like I thought."

Quinn took in what he said, and then her eyes widened. "How long have you been thinking about me like this?"

Liam's eyes grew wary as he hesitated in responding. When his mouth finally parted he looked ashamed. "Twelve," he finally said.

Quinn's eyes widened further. "You've been picturing this since I was twelve?"

Liam grimaced as he looked away. "Since I was twelve."

Quinn's mouth parted in surprise, but she wasn't sure what to say.

"Does anyone know about this?" she finally asked.

His expression grew disgruntled as he looked at her. "No. Do you think I would tell people something like that?"

"I just thought maybe Travis." Quinn trailed off.

"No one knows." Liam repeated firmly.

Quinn's gaze lowered as she absorbed the enormity of what he had told her. "I don't understand," she said softly. "Why now?"

Liam took a deep breath before he answered. His voice was pained. "I couldn't take it anymore." A shudder escaped him as he closed his eyes in shame. "I know that I hurt you. I'm sorry."

Quinn stepped towards him so that she was standing beside him. When he noticed her approach he straightened, and looked down at her warily.

Her eyes were large in her face as she looked up at him."You were just using me. Using my body for sexual gratification like an animal. How am I supposed to forgive you for that?"

Liam's expression grew angry as he looked at her in disbelief. "That is not what I was doing," he stated firmly.

Her lips trembled as she scowled. "What would you call it?"

Liam reached up to grip her face in his hands as he looked into her eyes. His expression was volatile. "I. Love. You." he said fiercely.

His grip tightened on her as he pulled her mouth to his. His eyes closed tightly, and he kissed her with all the pain and pent up frustration that was inside of him.

When he pulled away his blue eyes were filed with intensity. His hands dropped from her, and he took a step back. "Go back to your room," he said in warning. "You were right. I'm a monster. You're not safe around me."

Quinn was stricken as she looked at him, but she made no move to leave the bathroom. After a moment he growled in aggravation before running his hand through his dark hair. "Fine. I'll go," he said before turning to leave the bathroom.

Her eyes followed him as he went back into his room, disappearing from her sight, and for a moment she stood there almost mesmerized. Her mind felt torn, and confused. Everything she knew seemed to have been turned upside down in a few short days, and processing it all seemed like a feat that was too much for her. She wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry.

She did neither. Instead, she was filled with an anger she had never felt before. It made her entire frame shake as she stormed into his room after him. He was lying flat on his back in the middle of his bed when she walked into the room, and his eyes widened in surprise as he looked up at her.

"What are you doing?" he said in confusion.

"I don't know," she answered angrily, and then she crawled into his bed until she was on top of him. Straddling his waist, she placed her hands on the middle of his chest as she leaned over him so that she could look into his face.

"This is really fucked up, Liam," she told him heatedly.

"I know," he said warily.

Swooping down, her small mouth pressed to his as she kissed him. Liam's large hands immediately reached up to grip her arms as he pulled her back. "Do you know what you're doing?" he asked fiercely.

"No," she shot back. Pushing against his grip, she leaned down again until her mouth touched his, and Liam's fingers released her so that he could reach up to hold her face. His mouth parted against her, and he groaned as her tongue came out to fill his mouth.

Slipping an arm around her, he lifted her, and quickly flipped them so that she was on her back beneath him, his mouth never leaving hers. With his hand still on her cheek, he stroked his thumb along her jaw as he deepened the kiss.

When he pulled back his breathing was labored. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked again.

Quinn's eyes were fierce as she looked up at him. "Stop talking," she growled at him. Then her hand reached up to grasp him behind his neck so that she could pull his mouth back down to hers.

Liam needed no further invitation, and complied as his lips took hers again. Slipping his fingers beneath the material of her shirt, his palm slid up her stomach until he was gripping one of her breasts in his large hand.

His thumb brushed over her nipple, and a soft sound of pleasure escaped his throat as his tongue moved against hers. His hips surged against her, and he groaned again as she wriggled beneath him.

"Touch me," he breathed against her mouth.

Quinn hesitated for the slightest moment before she lifted her hands, and placed them on his shoulders. Sliding her fingers down the bare expanse of his back, she felt him shudder.

She began exploring his skin with her hands as she moved them over his back before running her palms up, and down his sides.

When she bent her knees to cradle him, and thrust her hips upward against his, Liam thought he might swallow his tongue at the pleasure that shot through him.

Releasing her mouth, his forehead dropped to hers as his eyes closed. "Last chance to run," he told her tightly.

"Fill me, Liam," she gasped. Her fingers slipped to his chest, and she rubbed her hands over the broad expanse of it as his mouth parted.

Bolting back onto his knees, Liam quickly pulled her shirt up her body, and over her head so she was bared to him. Throwing it to the side, he reached down and gripped the waistband of her pajama pants and her panties in his large fingers, and pulled them down her hips, and over her legs so that she was completely naked beneath him.

His blue gaze traveled over her heatedly as he reached down to open his jeans, and pull them down his hips. When his rigid length sprang into view, Quinn's eyes widened at the size of him, but he quickly pressed his weight to her again to claim her mouth.

Instinctively spreading her legs wider, Quinn gasped again as he easily found her entrance, and pushed himself deep inside of her.

His tongue licked along her bottom lip, and then he began surging between her legs. Quinn clamped her thighs around him while she held him to her with her hands splayed across his back.

A soft whimper escaped her as her body eagerly accepted him. She was pliant and wet as he slipped in and out of her folds, and her fingers dug into his back roughly as the pleasure of it began to increase.

Pulling away from his mouth, her head arched back into the pillow. "Oh God," she cried out. "Liam!"

Slipping his fingers into her hair, he reached down to grip her hip in his hand to steady her as he pushed into her. His eyes were intense as they delved into hers. "You're mine," he whispered fiercely.

She whimpered again as she looked up at him, and then her head turned to the side as she bit her lip. Liam's mouth descended to her neck, and he began sucking on her skin making her cry out again.

Easing onto his knees, he pushed both of her legs to her chest by pressing onto the back of her thighs, and slammed into her hard as he looked down at her. The impact surged along the sensitive spot inside of her, and Quinn bit down on her lip harder to keep from calling out with the pleasure.