A/N: Takes place after Keep Holding On, in 'Throwdown'. Some Artie and Quinn friendship! I love this friendship pairing, love it! The first story I ever wrote is slightly similar to this just because it involves hurt and comfort over Quinn's pregnancy but the two are very different and COMPLETELY unconnected. Anyway I'll shut up now and let people read! Please enjoy, and don't forget to read and and review! Reviews make me smile!
Disclaimer: I own zip. Glee belongs to FOX and its creators.
Minutes after the music had stopped and Mr. Schue had finished giving his applause from his spot in the audience, everyone began to awkwardly clear out. This wasn't one of those numbers where you could just leave like nothing had happened. It was just too heavy, too emotional. Artie took his time leaving, he really wasn't in a rush. Plus a feeling of sadness had kind of dampened his speed, like most members of the club. Quinn had never been the nicest person, he'd easily admit to that, but she didn't deserve this. Well, he knew that it wasn't as if this was brought upon her out of thin air. Actions have consequences, especially if those actions were unprotected. Yet at the same time, he still felt like she didn't deserve this; it just seemed like the worlds harshest punishment for making just making a mistake. He couldn't help but hurt for her.
Once he had all his stuff gathered he left the auditorium he headed for the hallway. Which he would most likely wonder aimlessly for a little bit, deciding whether or not to go to the library to study while he waited for his dad to pick him up, or to just procrastinate on that until he got home. As he rounded a corner he saw someone else who hadn't left yet, that person was no other than who was on his mind; Quinn.
He took some time to stay out of view in the corner to carefully observe her. She was sitting up against the wall, still in her outfit from performing, still with all the tears in her eyes. Her face had a blank, yet heartbroken expression on her face at the same time. A part of him thought he should turn the other way and avoid her. I mean they had never really talked before, but he couldn't just do that. He couldn't just leave her sitting there. So he took a deep breath and slowly wheeled towards her.
"Quinn?" He said softly to get her attention.
She looked up slightly her eyes looking lifeless and sad.
"Oh, hi Artie." she let out quietly.
"Um, I know this may seem like a stupid question, but are you okay?" he asked. He knew the answer, but he really didn't know how to go about this.
She swallowed a lump in her throat. "No." she whispered. "I'm not going to be okay for a long time."
With that Artie felt himself feel more sorry for the sad girl curled up on the floor. "Quinn, I'm so sorry." He admitted.
"What are you sorry for?" She questioned.
"Everything. This seems like a really shitty thing to go through, and I'm just sorry."
A small, sad smile formed across her face. "Don't be." She whispered. "I'm the one who did this. You of all people shouldn't be apologizing to me about having to go through shitty experiences. It doesn't seem fair."
"It's fair. Yeah I've been through my share of crap but I adapted. I honestly don't know how, if I was in your shoes, how'd I'd adapt to this. It just seems too scary." He let out.
He truly did mean that. He had no clue how he'd adapt to something like that. When the accident happened when he was eight, he learned to deal. The chair was a pain in the ass of course but with time it was incorporated into his life to the point where it became an after thought sometimes. A baby, was not something that you could just incorporate into your life; especially when you're just a sophomore in high school.
She sat in silence for about a minute until she opened her mouth to talk again. "When I was seven, I went on this massive roller coaster at six flags. I had this huge fear of speed and of heights but yet I went on something that combined both of those things. When I was on that ride, I was terrified. I seriously thought I was going to die. For a while nothing matched that fear, and for a while I thought that the most extreme experience ever would be the only thing it took to match it. When it turns out that the moment that topped it as the scariest moment of my life, was the exact opposite. It was a quite, still moment of me just sitting on my bathroom floor, with a stupid stick. And that fear hasn't stopped since." She finished with more tears welling up in her eyes as some began to roll down her cheeks.
Artie couldn't help but be a little shocked. He didn't expect for her to tell him all of that, but in a way he was glad that she did. It felt good to be trusted. At the same time he had no idea how to respond to that. He couldn't though, because she spoke again before he could even open his mouth to respond.
"I guess I should just get used to it. I mean my parents are bound to find out sooner than later. The more that day approaches the worse everything gets."
Artie once again felt a little shocked. It had been a few weeks since the whole pregnancy thing came out, her parents still didn't know?
"You haven't told them yet?" he asked sadly.
"I can't, I just can't. I mean they'll find out eventually, it's unavoidable I guess." she shrugged.
"Look, I may not have the best advice to give you for this exact situation. I mean I have no freakin' clue what you're going through, but one thing I can tell you, is that you'll get past this. I know it's scary, and I know you feel lost and overwhelmed right now. I do know that feeling. The feeling like nothing will ever get better, but it will. I promise you, it will."
At that Quinn lost control of all of her tears. Sobs began to rack her entire body. Artie felt his face soften even more and unlocked his char and moved closer towards her. He reached out to take her hand and quickly that turned into her winding up on his lap. Crying into his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her, not really thinking about the fact that they weren't really friends. With the conversation that they had just had, they had became friends. As her friend, the least he could do was give her a shoulder to cry on. Especially right now.
He rubbed his hand up and down her back and her hair. "Shh, it's okay, it's okay, Quinn it's going to be okay." he whispered into her ear.
After a couple minutes her sobs let up and she scrambled up off his lap, looking embarrassed.
"I"m sorry about that." She said in a rushed tone.
He shrugged and gave her a little smile, "Don't worry about it."
"Thank you for all of this, Artie. I mean it, thank you."
"Don't mention it, and if you ever need someone to talk to. I'm available. So is my shoulder." He added with a laugh.
"I'll keep that in mind, and I appreciate it."
He gave her a nod and a little smile.
"So see you around?" She asked innocently as she went to leave.
"Yeah, see you around." He said as they parted ways.
He still felt horrible, and the emotions of Quinn Fabray would most likely continue to haunt him but he felt slightly happy. Because he knew all thought there was nothing he could do to fix the situation she was in, no way to fix the fact that she was pregnant, he at least made her feel just a tiny bit better.