Accident leaves 5 dead
11:32 pm on February 13, 2 cars collided on interstate 75. A 2002 Chevy, driver name withheld, spiraled out of control when the man hit ice. The incident killed 3 of the truck's 5 passengers. In the struck car were Finn and Marley Hudson, both killed on impact. Alcohol was not involved in the accident. However, we of Ohio can take this tragedy as a lesson for all of us - drive carefully during the winter months, and if the weather is too terrible, stay home.
Rachel gasped as she read the names in the article. She switched back to the text from Mercedes containing only the link. "Please tell me this is a joke," she quickly typed back.
"I wish." the reply came immediately. "Do you think Kurt's ok?"
Rachel's eyes stung with tears when she remembered Kurt. "No. I should call him." Poor Kurt. When his dad died the previous year, he totally fell apart. He was practically held together by medication, just like Finn's mom.
Rachel sunk back into the cushions of her red couch, letting her eyes unfocus from her iPhone. Finn, dead. She still wondered from time to time if he was her true soul mate. Marley was so much like her that it made her curious as to whether Finn had really still loved her. She'd never be able to even ask him now. Chances are. she probably never would have asked, anyway. But now that the option was gone, it felt like the only thing she wanted in the world.
At the very least, she thought she should call Kurt. He was probably totally falling apart, losing his stepbrother and father within a year. Just as she picked up her phone to dial, it burst into a cheerful rendition of Don't Rain on my Parade. "Hello?"
"Hello there, Allen County Legal calling. May I speak to Ms Rachel Berry?" A polite voice trilled.
"Speaking," Rachel answered robotically.
"Hello Rachel, I have some sad news for you. Have you been informed about the passing of Finn and Marley Hudson?" The professional voice continued.
Rachel swallowed thickly. "Yes, I ah, I just found out."
"I'm sorry to hear that, dear. As I'm sure you know, you have a large role in Marley and Finn's will. So I'd like to arrange a meeti-"
"Wait, what? I'm in their will?" Rachel sat up straight.
"Uhm, yes, you should've been informed, I ah, there must've been ... Could you come to the office as soon as possible, miss?" The voice began to sound panicked.
"I'm in new York but I'll just - I'll find a way, I'll be there by closing time."
xxx
Rachel approached the desk at the airport tensely. "I need to get on your next flight to Ohio." The woman raised an eyebrow at Rachel and she couldn't help but think of Quinn Fabray, wonder how she's doing, whether she'd be at the funeral that was sure to take place soon.
"How's tomorrow morning?" The woman suggested in a bored tone. Rachel gaped.
"I can't possibly wait that long!" Rachel insisted. The flight attendant paused, then returned to her computer.
"It's going to cost you and the flight will be long, but I have a few transfer flight options for today. If you board the 182 in the next half hour then -"
Rachel nodded eagerly, thrusting out her credit card. "Thank you!"
xxx
Hours later, Rachel's taxi pulled up to Lima city hall. She burst through the front doors before realizing she had no idea what to say about why she was there. She strolled up to the front desk anyway. "Hi, I'm Rachel Berry - as you must know - I receiv-"
"Rachel?!" The brunette spun on her heel to come face to face with none other than Quinn Fabray. "Oh my god, Rachel! Hi!" Quinn threw her arms around the shocked girl, who quickly pulled it together and hugged back.
"I haven't seen you in forever! What are you doing here?" Rachel couldn't help her beaming smile despite the circumstances.
Quinn shrugs. "same thing as you, probably? Finn and Marley?"
Rachel nodded, her face falling, as a flustered looking woman rushed out of an office toward them. "Quinn? Rachel?" The girls nodded and she sighed in relief, leading them to the door she came out of. "Take a seat," she urged, plastering on a tight-lipped smile.
"I've been told neither of you were aware of what your friends left you?" Quinn glanced over at Rachel and both shook their heads. "Are you certain? It's quite ... Large."
Quinn quirks an eyebrow. "Well what is it? Money? A house?"
The woman sighs. "Finn and Marley Hudson left, in the care of Quinn Fabray and Rachel Berry, their daughter, Molly. Molly Kathryn Hudson and her guardians, will receive the Hudson's home and the money in her savings account to do with what they see fit."
Quinn sputters and coughs. "They left us their kid?!"
Rachel blinks rapidly. "Both of us? How is that supposed to work?"
The woman behind the desk looks from Quinn to Rachel. "You mean, you aren't ... ?"
Rachel's eyes pop. "Together?! No! We were hardly friends in high school!"
"Uhm, I, oh. I see. I'm very sorry. Well ah, would you like some ah, privacy? For discussion?" The girls nod and the woman leaves.
"I'm not giving up custody," Quinn states immediately. "I gave up Beth and I regret it every day. Molly is my second chance."
The competitor in Rachel comes out and she shouts, "Neither am I!" without thinking twice.
"What, do you think were going to raise her together?" Quinn laughs sarcastically.
Rachel pauses. "Why not?"
After a long moment, Quinn looked Rachel in the eyes. "You really think that could work?" Rachel nodded slowly.
"If we can't find any family members that should have Molly ... Then if Finn and Marley wanted her raised by us, we should do it." The brunette sighed and Quinn looked at her curiously.
"Well ... I guess it's settled then." Quinn stood up to open the door for the lawyer.
"Oh, good, have you made your decision?" The woman wrung her hands tensely.
Quinn looked back at Rachel, and both smiled and nodded. "We've decided to move into Finn and Marley's house and take care of Molly. Together." Rachel stood up. "Where is she?"
"In a foster home just around the corner. We can pick her up now if you'd like?" Quinn nodded excitedly and Rachel moved to follow her, smiling nervously. "This way," the woman sighed, more to herself as she lead the two girls to the elevator.
xxx
Hours of paperwork, ID checks, phone calls and scans later, Quinn threw the green door open to greet the baby girl. As Rachel rounded the corner she sees a small room with two cribs and a few scattered toys. A changing table perched under the window held a Winnie the Pooh mat and teddy bear, and under that was a small black bag with "Property of Ohio State" stamped across it's front in big official looking lettering.
In the crib against a blue wall was a baby wearing a pink hat and matching onesie. Her tiny hand clutched a blanket with a teddy bear head, and she sucked absently on a pacifier. Her small, red eyelids rested shut and her little chest rose and fell with each breath. Quinn moved across the room to lean over the bars, absolutely beaming at the 6 month old.
"Rach, look! Isn't she just gorgeous? I haven't seen her in a few weeks and I swear she's grown. Oh, the poor thing, oh my God." Quinn cooed at the infant. Rachel leaned against the crib and smiled, looking down at the baby. She hadn't seen her since Christmas, 2 months ago at least. She gazed over the little girl, her tufts of soft brown hair peeking out from the hat, her rosy chubby cheeks, her soft eyelashes. She looked like Finn. Rachel swallowed back tears - too much like Finn.
"She tired herself out, I see," the foster mom commented. Quinn and Rachel glanced up in curiosity. "She screamed all night. I guess they've just started to wean her, she didn't want formula. I think she's afraid of all these strangers. They found her in the home in the care of a babysitter, thank God she wasn't in that car." Quinn hoisted the baby girl up her chest, holding her head sideways against her shoulder. The baby stirred a little and grasped Quinn's shirt as Rachel reached out to push the pacifier back into her mouth. "Well, you can take her home when you're ready. Borrow a car seat, alright?" Rachel and Quinn nodded, both in awe of the baby and in mourning of their friends.
