A/N: Sooo, I'm back with my third Faberry one-shot! I've been working on this for around five days, because sometimes I'm not in the mood for writing due to a few bad days. I've been focusing on one-shots, because I won't be able to fully commit to a multi-chapter story; this semester being hell, and all. I'm not entirely too sure when I'll be able to write another one-shot, because I'm sure that I'm going to be swamped with quizzes and other crap because things are going to be hell again starting on Monday. But, I'll try. This takes place in S3E14, On My Way. Faberry all the way!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Glee. If I did, Faberry would exist as a canon relationship, and not just them being friends.
Rachel paced around nervously as she waited for Quinn. She really wanted the blonde to be there, and she was not going to push through with the wedding without her there.
"Face it, Quinn's not coming," Santana spoke up.
"No, I'm not doing this without her," Rachel responded.
The Latina sighed and looked worriedly at the brunette. She knew the reason why the brunette didn't want to push through without Quinn; it was because Rachel was in love with Quinn. They had yet to realize it, or rather, the brunette had yet to.
Rachel typed out another message on her phone, telling Quinn to hurry. As she hit 'send,' Finn came bursting inn with the other guys of glee club.
"Finn, you can't see Rachel," Mercedes protested.
"No, it's okay. I've already seen her," Finn spoke quickly, looking at Rachel.
"Wait, that's bad luck," Tina pointed out nervously.
"Rach, we have to go through with this now, or we'll lose our slot," Finn said, ignoring Tina, and looking the brunette straight in the eye. Rachel fiddled with the ring on her finger, suddenly unsure about going through with the wedding. Where was Quinn, when the brunette needed her the most? "It's now or never."
Rachel bit her lip, now feeling confused about what was happening. She loved Finn, right? So why couldn't she just say that she wanted to marry him right now? She remembered Quinn being against the wedding from the start, only having a change of heart at the end, albeit a little reluctant still.
The atmosphere in the room grew tenser by the minute, as everyone waited for Rachel to respond. It was now or never. The words rang in the brunette's mind, and she found herself wanting to back out. Why was she being so reluctant right now? Why did she need Quinn Fabray to be there for her right now?
As Rachel thought things through, an unsettling feeling was beginning to form in her stomach. She felt as though someone would come bursting into the room any minute now, about to send bad news. She shook her head and tried to get the feeling to leave, but it didn't. It just grew worse with each ticking of the clock, and she was beginning to get scared.
Quinn still hadn't arrived, and the brunette was really beginning to worry about the blonde. A million thoughts raced inside her head. What if the blonde got into an accident?
Suddenly, a phone began ringing. Rachel's head turned immediately to her phone, hoping that it was hers that was ringing, and that Quinn had sent a message. She sighed sadly when it wasn't.
"Sorry, I have to take this call," Santana apologized as she held out her phone.
Rachel nodded and tried to smile, but couldn't. Somehow, she was getting the feeling that the bad news was about to hit her. And hit her hard.
"Hello, Papi?" Santana asked, and stood up.
Rachel watched as Santana nodded at first, then her face turned into one of shock, disbelief, and then, pain. The brunette's hands began trembling as tears began streaming down the Latina's eyes. She held her breath as the Latina looked her straight in the eye, her worst fears coming to fruition.
"It's Quinn. Sh-she got into an accident," Santana choked out on the last word, and Rachel felt her world begin to crumble.
Quinn Fabray got into an accident.
"How is she? Is it bad? What happened?" Rachel tumbled over her words, the tears beginning to fall. "Please, tell me!"
"She's in the emergency room, and my dad doesn't know what state she's in yet," Santana managed in between strangled sobs.
"I need to go to the hospital," Rachel whispered in a pained voice. "Someone take me there, please…"
"Rach, can't Quinn wait? She's strong, and she'll manage," Finn interjected.
Much to everyone's shock and surprise, Rachel slapped Finn. The boy held his face with his hand, eyes widened in shock.
"Are you serious, Finn!? Quinn is in the hospital right now, and all you care about is us getting married? This," Rachel yelled, gesturing to her wedding dress, "can wait. Quinn cannot wait. And whether you approve of it or not, I am running to the hospital!"
"Rach, please, come on," Finn pleaded, and tried to grasp the brunette's wrist.
Rachel broke free from Finn's grip, and turned towards her fathers. "Please, take me to the hospital…"
"I-I'm going, too," Santana said in a shaky voice. Brittany was trying to remain strong as she held the Latina, but looked like she couldn't hold it in much longer. The Unholy Trinity did care and look for each other, no matter how many times Santana and Quinn fought.
"I'll drive you girls to the hospital," Leroy said quietly as he gazed at his daughter.
"We'll follow after you guys." Puck promised, looking pained himself.
Rachel just nodded and lagged after Santana, Brittany, and her dad. She felt broken and empty after hearing the news. Even Santana was the same. She had never seen the Latina so broken before, and Brittany was holding on to her carefully, as though she was fragile. Which she was. Why wouldn't they be? Their best friend was in the hospital, after all.
Rachel felt her chest tighten as she thought of the worst. What if the accident was really bad? What it Quinn wouldn't make it out?
She shook her head. No, Quinn Fabray was a strong girl, and if anyone could make it out of an accident, she can. She used to be captain of the Cheerios and former HBIC. She remained strong despite all the difficulties she encountered for the past two years. She never gave up, because she was Quinn Fabray. And she was the ensemble of strength.
Rachel took deep yet shaky breaths as she followed her dad and the two members of the Unholy Trinity to the car. She sat in the front, and Brittany and Santana sat in the back.
Along the way to the hospital, Santana was sobbing, and Brittany was trying to comfort the Latina, though it was obvious that she wasn't okay herself. Rachel's tears streamed silently down her face, not knowing what she would do if she lost Quinn. And just when things between them were finally better.
After what seemed like an eternity to Rachel, they finally arrived at the hospital. She quickly jumped out the car, already on her heels for the entrance. She needed to hear that Quinn was okay, right now.
They quickly headed to the front desk, and Rachel talked to the nurse.
"Where is Quinn Fabray?" she asked in a shaky voice.
"She's still in the emergency room, dear. You can wait outside," a female nurse said sympathetically as she pointed to a long hallway to the right.
"Thank you," Leroy said politely in his daughter's place, because she already took off with Brittany and Santana as soon as she heard the words, emergency room.
Rachel sank to a chair when she arrived at the emergency room. She saw the red light on top of the door, meaning that they weren't done examining or performing surgery on the blonde yet. Unable to take it any longer, she buried her face in her hands and began to sob. She didn't care anymore if her mascara was ruined, or if her wedding dress was already torn apart. All she cared about was Quinn.
Quinn, with her beautiful hazel eyes, her short, silky smooth blonde hair, her perfectly beautiful and angelic face, and her fair, smooth skin.
Santana paced around the hall furiously, with Brittany watching her in silence. When it felt like the Latina wasn't ever going to stop pacing around, Brittany finally decided to sit beside Rachel. She instinctively wrapped her arms around the tiny brunette, allowing her to just cry.
"It's okay, Rach, let it all out," Brittany whispered soothingly, her voice cracking.
"It's not. It's my fault she got into an accident. If I hadn't been bothering her so much to hurry up, she wouldn't be here in the hospital. She would have been with us," Rachel managed in between strangled sobs. "I don't know what I'd do without her, Brittany."
"Don't say that, Rach… Quinn wouldn't want you blaming yourself like this. And you know that she's strong, so she's going to make it out," Brittany said softly as she embraced the brunette.
"Thank you," Rachel sobbed, clinging on to the cheerleader as though her life depended on it.
Santana finally tired out, and she plopped on the seat next to her girlfriend. Her eyes were swollen red, and just when you thought she couldn't actually shed more tears, she did. She leaned on Brittany's shoulder, letting the tears out again.
Brittany wrapped an arm around each brunette, softly rubbing their backs as she cried herself. The seconds felt like hours as they waited for any news about Quinn, hopefully good news.
Twenty minutes later, the rest of the glee club arrived, along with Hiram, Burt, and Carole. Finn was also there, watching Rachel silently.
Everyone was silent, neither one feeling like saying anything at all. They cried also, but Rachel seemed to be crying the hardest, the next ones being Santana and Brittany.
Mercedes was praying silently in a corner, along with other willing glee club members.
It was five thirty when Rachel left for the hospital, and it was now seven o' clock in the evening. She didn't know why it was taking so long, and she was already emotionally and physically drained. Her throat was sore from all the crying and sobbing, and her eyes were swollen red.
The light on top of the doors turned green, and the doors swung open, revealing Santana's father. The Latina jumped up and rushed towards her father, and spoke in rapid Spanish. Rachel also stood up, and slowly sauntered towards the Latina's father.
"H-how is she?" Rachel whispered hoarsely.
"The bad thing is, she's paralyzed from the waist down, and she has a few bone fractures. She's wounded, but not enough to bleed heavily," Mr. Lopez explained slowly, his voice laced with sadness.
"How bad is the paralysis?" Rachel asked weakly, grieved by the thought that Quinn might not be able to walk again.
"It's treatable, so there's no need for concern. She will need to undergo physical therapy in order to recover completely. And the fractures are just small, so there will be no need for surgery. All she will need to do is rest," Mr. Lopez explained.
Tears of relief and happiness welled up in Rachel's eyes as she heard the news. Quinn was alive, and she would still be able to walk. Nothing else mattered to the brunette.
"Can we see her, Papi?" Santana asked weakly, wiping away her tears.
"Of course. She's just being transferred to the recovery room, and a nurse will call for you once they're done," Mr. Lopez smiled tiredly. "You're not going home, are you, mija?"
Santana nodded. "I want to stay with Quinn."
"Okay. I'll just ask your mom to bring you a change of clothes," Mr. Lopez said, patting his daughter on the back. "Brittany, would you like me to call your parents, as well?"
"Yes. Thank you," Brittany smiled gratefully as she hugged the doctor.
Mr. Lopez smiled and nodded before leaving. Rachel told the glee club members the good news, and they all smiled in relief. Some were crying, happy that Quinn was going to be okay.
They all turned their heads when they saw Judy run towards them. She was visibly panicked, her eyes brimmed with tears. Leroy and Hiram immediately explained that her daughter was going to be okay, and she hugged the two men, happy to hear that her daughter was fine.
Rachel was beyond shocked when Santana hugged her. But she returned the hug after recovering, and felt comforted being wrapped up in the Latina's embrace.
"Thank God that bitch is okay." Santana chuckled throatily.
Rachel was just too happy to even berate Santana for swearing. Plus, she knew that this was how the Latina showed her endearment, so it didn't bother her in the slightest any longer.
"Me, too," Rachel whispered softly.
Santana released the smaller brunette, and gently gripped her shoulders. Rachel looked up, and the Latina sighed.
"Can I talk to you about something?" She asked softly.
Rachel looked confusedly at the taller brunette, but ultimately nodded. "Of course, Santana."
"It's about Q. How do you feel about her?" Santana asked softly, and Rachel's breath caught in her throat.
She thought of how small butterflies appeared in her stomach whenever Quinn smiled at her, or how she looked breathtakingly beautiful with the sun shining on her, her face glowing, and how her blonde hair glimmered. She remembered being dazzled whenever Quinn laughed; it was like music to her ears, one she would never get tired of listening to.
Or, how they would go to each other for advice, and how wise Quinn would sound, wanting nothing but the best for the brunette. The way she bit her lip, or fiddled with her fingers when she was nervous. The way she looked so perfect, like an angel sent from heaven.
And most of all, why she didn't want to go on with the wedding without the blonde beauty by her side.
Before she could stop herself, Rachel found herself blurting out the next words with absolute certainty. "I'm in love with Quinn."
Santana smiled softly, and Rachel bit her lip.
"Just… Just be sure to make Q happy, okay? With all the shit she's been through, she needs someone to make her happy, especially now." Santana requested.
Rachel nodded, a smile tugging at her lips. She would be there for Quinn as long as she was needed, and she was never going to leave.
"Okay, enough with the mushy shit. I don't want you thinking that I'm getting all soft just because I'm with Brittany, and Q's in a hospital bed," Santana said quickly, scrunching her nose. "But she'll be okay. I know for a fact that Q's strong. She's not just going to leave us here, mourning for her, while she feels like shit somewhere out there."
"You're right," Rachel agreed. "Quinn is a very strong girl."
Santana nodded, and said, "Let's go see her."
At first, Rachel was hesitant to enter the recovery room. She still couldn't stop blaming herself, despite the rest of the glee club telling her that it really wasn't. And she knew that they meant it.
Even Santana seemed to hesitate, too, despite the earlier conversation they had. Rachel knew it would be hard on the Latina and Brittany to see their best friend lying helplessly on a hospital bed, because they've known each other for years. And they cared a lot about each other, though Santana had a strange way of showing how she did so.
But Rachel knew that she couldn't go on forever without seeing Quinn, especially now that she finally realized that she had feelings for the blonde that had become one of her closest friends. She took a deep breath, and pushed the door open.
Quinn's face had small wounds and bruises, and the same went for her arms and legs. Her feet were hoisted up, with pins holding her legs, and maybe the bones as well, in place. Her blonde hair was splayed about her face, and her eyes were shut. The monitor beeping beside her was an assurance that she was alive, and Rachel couldn't help but cry again.
Quinn still looked as beautiful as ever, despite the wounds and bruises on her face. Rachel stepped forward, and bent over to take Quinn's left hand. They were as soft and smooth as the brunette could remember, and she unconsciously rubbed small circles around the back of the blonde's hand.
Santana and Brittany stood beside her, silently watching as she took the blonde's hand.
"You can talk to her first," Rachel said softly.
"Are you sure, Rachel?" Brittany asked unsurely.
"Yes, it's fine. You two are her best friends, after all," Rachel smiled, and stepped backwards.
Santana nodded silently, and moved closer towards the hospital bed. Brittany hugged Rachel before joining her girlfriend.
Rachel was too caught up in her own thoughts that she barely heard whatever Brittany and Santana were saying to Quinn. She caught a few words and phrases though, something like, 'Q', 'wake up soon', 'Rachel's worried', and 'we love you'.
When the two members of the Unholy Trinity were finished, they stepped backwards and allowed Rachel to sit on the chair beside the hospital bed.
She gingerly took Quinn's left hand, and gave it a soft squeeze. Of course, the blonde didn't squeeze back, and a few more tears fell out of the brunette's eyes. She hated seeing Quinn this way; vulnerable, asleep, and lying helplessly on a hospital bed, when she should be standing up, walking confidently with her head held high, and the perfect angelic smile gracing her lips.
"Please wake up soon, Quinn," Rachel pleaded. "I need you; we all need you."
Santana and Brittany stood on either side of the brunette, giving her shoulders a gentle and reassuring squeeze. Rachel turned her head to smile briefly at the two, which immediately faltered when she turned to face the blonde girl she loved all along.
"I didn't go on with the wedding, you know?" Rachel chuckled sadly. "I wouldn't have gone on with it without you there. More than anything, I needed you to be there by my side. I'm sorry, Quinn. I'm so, so, sorry," she broke into a sob, and buried her face on the back of Quinn's hand, letting the tears fall freely.
"Rach, your dads are here," Brittany said softly, and Rachel slowly raised her head.
"Honey, we brought you a change of clothes," Hiram said softly, holding out a duffel bag.
"Your dad and I thought that you might want to stay with Quinn for the night," Leroy added.
Rachel stood up and hugged her dads. "Thank you so much, dad, daddy."
"We'll just be at home, honey. Give us a call if there's anything else you need," Hiram said as he patted Rachel on the back.
"Okay. Take care," Rachel smiled, taking the duffel bag. Hiram and Leroy left, leaving Rachel, Brittany, and Santana in the room with Quinn.
"Go ahead and change, Rach. Santana and I will just be here," Brittany smiled softly.
Rachel nodded, and left the room. She saw Judy sitting down, and decided to approach her.
"Mrs. Fabray?" Rachel asked softly. Judy snapped her head up.
"Oh, hello, Rachel," Judy smiled, though it looked pained. "How is Quinnie?"
"She's… still asleep. Santana and Brittany are still inside with her," Rachel responded, internally cringing at the word, asleep. For how long? She thought.
"Okay. I'll go see her," Judy said, and stood up. "And Rachel, honey, please don't blame yourself for any of this. I'm sure Quinnie wouldn't want you blaming yourself."
Rachel simply nodded, and smiled through her tears. "Thank you, Mrs. Fabray."
Judy smiled and nodded, then turned around to walk to the recovery room. Mercedes approached Rachel, and hugged her.
"Hey, Rachel. We'll be going ahead, okay? Call us when Quinn's awake," Mercedes said weakly. Rachel hugged the other diva back.
"Okay. Thank you, Mercedes," Rachel smiled, and broke apart from the hug.
The other glee club members said their goodbyes, saying that they'll be praying for Quinn's speedy recovery. Rachel was about to head for the restroom when Finn stopped her.
"What do you need, Finn?" Rachel asked quickly.
"Listen, can we talk later?" Finn pleaded. Rachel sighed but nodded.
"Just wait for me to finish changing, okay?"
Finn nodded, and Rachel walked off. She went into a bathroom, and went into the largest cubicle. She looked down at her wedding dress, which was now ruined. There were a few tears, and black smudges due to her mascara being ruined.
She bit her lip, and whispered to herself, "I'm sorry, Finn…"
She pulled off the wedding dress, and set it aside. She zipped open the duffel bag, and pulled out a simple white blouse and a pair of skinny jeans. She changed quickly, and took off her wedding shoes, replacing them with black flats. She carefully folded the wedding dress, then hung it on her arm.
She exited the cubicle, and went to the sink. She set her wedding dress and the duffel bag aside, and looked in the mirror. Her mascara was smudged, and her eyes were puffy and red from all the crying. She turned on the faucet, and leaned into the sink, then washed off the makeup.
Her face was now clean, but her eyelids were still swollen. She sighed sadly, then grabbed the wedding dress and bag, then left the restroom.
She made her way back towards the recovery room, where Finn was standing outside, still in his suit. She took a deep breath, and approached the boy.
"Finn…" she whispered, and he turned to face her.
"Hey, Rach," he answered weakly. "Let's sit."
Rachel nodded, and they both sat down. Finn took her hands in his own, and stared deeply into her eyes. Somehow, she felt nothing when she looked at him. There were no butterflies, no sense of longing, or of love. She just felt empty, and she wished that it was Quinn holding her hands.
"I know that this isn't the time for this, with Quinn and all, but, when do you want to get married?" Finn asked softly, and Rachel's breath hitched.
She knew that she couldn't lead him on; especially because she finally realized her feelings for Quinn. She knew that if she married him, she would miserable for the rest of her life, because she would be marrying someone she no longer loved.
Yes, she did love Finn Hudson, but along the way, she also fell for Quinn Fabray. The beautiful, perfect blonde who was one her enemy, but now one of her closest friends.
Deep inside, she knew that Quinn was right. That she wasn't ready to get married just yet, especially not with Finn. She still had a future ahead of her in New York, and being married to Finn would crush everything she worked hard for. But, it would also crush her, because the feelings were gone.
Maybe if she had just listened to Quinn back then and called off the wedding, everything would be fine. Maybe she would be hanging out with her friends, or getting ready for Nationals, instead of being in a hospital, where the blonde beauty was lying, unconscious.
And maybe, just maybe, she would have realized sooner that it was Quinn Fabray that she was in love with, and not Finn Hudson.
She had to be honest with Finn. No more holding back.
"I'm sorry, Finn…" Rachel said, tears streaming down her face. "But, I can't marry you. Not now, not ever…"
Finn had a broken look on his face, and Rachel felt her chest tighten. She knew that it hurt him, and it hurt her, too. But she knew that it would cause him more pain if she would lead him on, when she perfectly knew that her heart now lies with someone else.
"What? Why?" Finn asked, hurt.
"I'm in love with someone else, Finn," Rachel sobbed. "I'm so, so, sorry…"
"H-huh? Who is it? Aren't we supposed to be together?"
"I can't be with you, Finn. I don't want to end up giving you more pain in the long run, if I don't end this now. But you have to know, I really loved you. It's just that… That someone helped me realize that I can't fulfill my dreams if I get married right now."
"Just tell me who it is," Finn pressed, his eyes screwed shut.
Rachel dropped her gaze, and whispered, "It's Quinn…"
"You're kidding me, right?" Finn asked in disbelief. "She tortured you for years, Rach! How could you fall in love with her?"
"She's not the same girl anymore, Finn. She's changed, and she was always there to give me advice whenever I needed it. There was always something stirring deep inside me whenever we're together, and I haven't realized how I really felt about her, up until this very day. I love her, Finn, and you have to understand that…"
"So, that's it? Was she the reason why you didn't push through with our marriage?" Finn asked in frustration.
"She's here in the hospital right now, Finn! Give her some respect! I need her, and she needs all of us right now! Why can't you stop being selfish for once, and try to understand what she's going through right now!? What I'm going through right now!? It hurts me, too, to do this, don't you see? I'm just doing this to prevent us from feeling any more pain in the future!
"I don't want to hurt you by marrying you, when I know full well that I no longer feel the same about you, and that you would realize that someday while we're married! You're my first love, Finn, and we both know that. I just can't go on pretending that I'm in love with you, when it's Quinn that I really, really love. I'm sorry, but I really can't marry you…"
Finn shut his eyes, and Rachel looked away. She couldn't do this anymore. She needed Quinn in her life.
"Fine. Just don't come running to me when she breaks your heart," Finn said coldly, and stood up and walked away.
Rachel buried her face in her hands, and let the tears escape. Why couldn't Finn be understanding just for once in her life? Why couldn't he see that everything wasn't about the two of them? Because right now, Quinn needed everyone more than ever.
Suddenly, she felt someone sit beside her. She didn't want to look up, in case it was Finn coming back to convince her to marry him again.
"Rach, are you okay?" Brittany's soft voice asked worriedly.
"I don't know, Brittany," Rachel admitted. She wasn't fine, of course. She had finally broken things off with Finn in hopes that he would understand, but he didn't. He chose to be selfish again, and walked out.
"Where's Hudson?"
Rachel looked up to see Santana standing a few feet in front of her, arms folded across her chest.
"He left," Rachel choked. "I explained to him that I can't marry him, hoping that he would understand and leave me be. But he just couldn't. And I'm sick and tired of him being selfish."
"I'm going to go all Lima Heights on his ass, and I'm going to have to invite Q to go with me," Santana muttered angrily under her breath.
Rachel gave a strangled chuckle, and sighed. "How is Quinn?"
"She's still asleep. Bitch must think she's Sleeping Beauty," Santana tried to smirk, but choked.
"Then all Rachel needs is to kiss her, right?" Brittany asked innocently. Santana choked.
"I, uh, let's just go inside," Santana said, clearing her throat.
The three went inside, and saw Quinn still asleep. Brittany and Santana said that they would change first, but would be back as soon as possible. They explained that Judy had left, entrusting her daughter with them and Rachel. The brunette nodded, and sat down beside the blonde again. She bent down to kiss her forehead, and softly stroked her hair.
"I'm not going anywhere, Quinn…" she promised. "I love you…"
And with that, Rachel rested her head on the empty space of the bed and fell asleep, still holding Quinn's hand.
The next morning, Quinn woke up. She felt someone's hand holding hers, and she slowly took in her surroundings. There were walls of white, and she heard the steady beeping of a monitor. She tried to speak, but her throat felt dry. She knew that she was in a hospital, but couldn't remember why she was here.
She moved slowly, ignoring the sharp jabs of pain in her arms and torso.
"Took you long enough to wake up, Q."
She saw Santana sitting on a chair to her right, with Brittany beside her, head resting on the Latina's lap. She saw a violet dress hanging on the Latina's chair, and she finally remembered. She was on her way to Rachel's wedding, and she a truck smashed into her car.
Panic and hurt began to set in. What if Rachel had already gotten married, even without her? She knew very well that Rachel was stubborn, and would go on with the wedding, even though she told the brunette that she wasn't ready. That she still had a full life ahead of her without Finn Hudson tying her down.
"San…" Quinn sobbed, and the Latina gently placed Brittany in a comfortable position before standing up to rush to the blonde.
"Shh, Q, it's okay…" Santana whispered as she stood beside the blonde, taking the cup of water on the bedside table.
The Latina gently pressed the cup to Quinn's lips, who slowly began to drink the water. Her throat no longer felt dry, but the throbbing pain in her chest was still there. She was too late. Rachel, the brunette she loved so much, had gotten married. And here she was, lying helplessly in a hospital bed, regretting that she never told the brunette the truth on why she didn't want her to marry Finn Hudson.
"H-how's Rachel?" Quinn choked, and Santana smiled softly.
"Look to your left, Q."
Quinn moved her head to the left, and saw someone's head lying down on the empty space. It was a familiar brunette hair, and she saw a hand holding her own.
"Rach…" she whispered, and tried to move her right hand to stroke the brunette's hair, but failed.
"She hasn't left your side, you know," Santana said. "Been crying a whole lot, too."
Quinn saw the tired look in the Latina's eyes, and saw that her eyes were also puffy. She smiled softly. She found herself lucky to have best friends like Santana and Brittany in her life. But what made her feel luckier was that Rachel stayed with her all throughout the night.
"She's going to be happy when she sees you awake, Quinn," Brittany's sleepy voice interjected. "She was so sad when she heard got into an accident, like a puppy without a ball to play with."
Santana chuckled softly at her girlfriend's innocence. Her pure heart was one of the many things the Latina loved about her.
"I know, Britt," Santana smiled, and kissed Brittany.
Quinn smiled at the sight. She was truly happy about Santana and Brittany's relationship. It was because of Brittany that the Latina finally found true happiness, and she wondered if she would find her own, eventually, with Rachel by her side. That is, if Rachel didn't rush to the hospital only after getting married to Finn Freaking Hudson.
She sighed, relishing the feel of the brunette's soft and warm hand holding hers. She wondered what it would feel like to have their hands intertwined while they walked, both in love with each other. She knew that she would never let go of the brunette, and that she would make things right.
Gently, she felt the brunette stir, and she mentally prepared herself for the announcement that was to come. But she knew that how prepared she thought she was, she never was truly ready to hear it. And she would never be able to accept the fact that Rachel was happy with someone else, when it could have been her all this time.
Because she loved Rachel Berry for a long time now.
"Quinn? Oh my God, you're awake!" Rachel wailed, and threw her arms around the blonde. Quinn winced.
"Ow," she murmured softly, and Rachel pulled away abruptly.
"Sorry, Quinn," Rachel sobbed, and Quinn saw Santana point towards the door. She nodded and smiled, and the Latina left, holding Brittany's hand.
"Shh, Rach, it's okay," Quinn whispered softly. "I'm here."
"I'm so sorry! If I hadn't been bugging you, you wouldn't be here in the hospital," Rachel managed in between strangled sobs.
"It's okay, Rach. It's not your fault, okay? Please, don't blame yourself…" Quinn whispered. She hated how she was the reason why the brunette had been crying all night, and it pained her so much to see the brunette crying heavily in front of her.
"I just," Rachel hiccoughed. "I wouldn't know what to do without you, Quinn."
Quinn felt her breath hitch. She wouldn't know what to do without Rachel in her life, either. More than anything, more than anyone, she needed the brunette's love, even though she felt that she didn't deserve it.
"I wouldn't know what to do without you either, Rach," Quinn said quietly, the tears streaming down her face. I love you so much.
"I didn't push through with the marriage," Rachel whispered, looking up to meet the blonde's gaze.
Quinn felt her heart flutter with happiness, but kept her face straight. She didn't want the brunette to take it the wrong way.
"I-I see," Quinn said.
"You were right, Quinn. I'm not ready to get married yet. I have my dreams and life in front of me, and you were right by me throwing it all away if I get tied down to Finn. I just wish that I realized it much sooner…"
"What are you going to do now?" Quinn asked, masking the hurt in her voice. Rachel smiled.
"This."
Rachel bent down, and pressed her lips against the blonde's. Quinn's eyes widened in surprise, but kissed back after recovering.
The brunette's lips were everything she imagined them to be. They were soft against hers, and she could smell the faint scent of strawberry on the brunette. She knew at that moment that she wanted nothing else but to kiss Rachel Berry every day, for the rest of her life, each time declaring her love for the brunette.
Quinn smiled shyly as they pulled apart, and Rachel smiled happily.
"So…" Quinn trailed off. "Tell me what happened."
"I didn't know why, but I didn't want to go through with marrying Finn without you there by my side, Quinn. At first, I thought it was because you're one of my closest friends, and that it would mean so much to me for you to be there, even though I know that you really didn't want to go. I know that I was selfish, asking you to come, even though I knew that you never approved of me getting married to Finn.
"With every passing minute, I was getting more and more uncertain about getting married. I began questioning my feelings for Finn, and I tried to convince myself over and over that I loved him, and that I wanted to marry him. And then… And then I heard that you got into an accident, and that was all it took to convince me that I didn't love Finn. At least, not any longer. Along the way, when I was still with him, I was already falling for you, Quinn. I didn't know that I was already in love with you, until Santana asked me a while ago about how I felt for you…"
Quinn gently squeezed Rachel's hand and smiled, waiting for her to go on. The brunette blinked back her tears and continued.
"I told her that I was in love with you without missing a beat, and as soon as those words left my lips, I knew that it was true. I knew that you're the one I want to be with, and no one else, Quinn. You're the one I need by my side for always. I'm sorry that it took so long for me to recognize my feelings, and that we have to be in this mess for me to finally work my feelings out."
"I'm at fault, too, Rachel, so don't blame yourself…" Quinn said, and kissed the brunette's hand. "All those times I bullied you and called you names? I never meant any of them. Every day, I truly wanted to compliment you for your beauty, your amazing voice, and how you never let anyone get in the way of your dreams. But I chose my reputation over my love for you, and I can honestly say that I regret nothing more than doing that. All those boys I dated? They never meant a thing.
"Every time I kissed them, I would wish that it were your lips pressing against mine, and that you were the one I was holding. When I tried to convince you about backing out of your marriage to Finn, I really meant the part about being concerned for you and your future. I also wanted to tell you that I wanted to be with you after that. But I knew that you were in love with Finn, and I couldn't take that away from you. All my life, I've been nothing but selfish, and deceived everyone. I couldn't be selfish with you, so in the end, I decided to come to your wedding because I knew that it would make you happy, even though it would break my heart into a million pieces to see you walk the aisle, marrying someone else.
"I really love you, Rachel, and I truly am sorry for all the things I put you through, just because I was too afraid to admit my feelings for you." Quinn choked on the last word, ignoring the sharp stabs of pain as her body racked up.
"The past doesn't matter anymore, Quinn," Rachel said firmly, yet softly, as she cupped the blonde's face. "What matters is you and me, right now. I realized that I wasn't waiting for you to just come to the wedding, but also waiting for you to come barging in and say that you're against the marriage, and kiss me in front of all those people. I love you, Quinn, with all my heart."
Quinn smiled through her tears, and slowly sat up, allowing the brunette to hold her. She basked in the warmth of the brunette's body, loving the way they fit in each other's arms perfectly. She just wanted to hold the brunette in her arms forever.
"Will you still love me, even if I can't walk?" Quinn asked insecurely.
"H-how?" Rachel sputtered, and Quinn bit her lip.
"I can't feel my legs, Rach… I think that's enough evidence," Quinn said softly, painfully.
"You don't have to worry, Quinn. I will always love you, no matter what happens. And I promise that I will be there for you whenever you have physical therapy, cheering for you. I will be there to catch you whenever you fall, and I will be there when you can stand up and walk again. I'm not saying if, because I know that you're strong, and that you can do this. I promise that I will never leave you," Rachel promised, kissing both the blonde's hands.
"Thank you," Quinn sobbed. "Thank you so much for giving me a chance to be with you, Rachel…"
"You're the only one I'd give a chance to, Quinn," Rachel smiled. "We're going to make it out of this."
Quinn smiled and nodded, then leaned in to kiss the brunette, putting all her emotions into that kiss.
"I love you, Rachel Berry," she said softly, truthfully. "Thank you for waiting for me…"
"I love you too, Quinn Fabray," Rachel said lovingly. "And I will always be waiting for you."