So I just watched 'Choke', and I am so devastated for Rachel right now, so I felt compelled to write this, in an attempt to cheer myself up. I hope you all like it.
By the way, Quinn can walk in this fic. You can take that any way you want, either her legs have healed or she never had the crash, whichever way you want to see it is fine.
Song: Silver Lining by Hurts. You guys should check it out, it's a great song :)
Rachel stood, frozen, unable to comprehend what had just happened. Her resolve then shattered, as heaving sobs began to wrack her trembling body, each tremor more violent than the last.
She had messed up. Her one shot to achieve her dreams, to become a star. And she had choked.
She looked up, her tear-filled eyes meeting the horrified and shocked gazes of her peers. Finn was cradling his face in his hand; Mr Shue simply stared, dumbstruck; and Kurt had his hands over his mouth, his eyes wide and shiny, tears leaking, trailing a path down his porcelain cheeks. But none of their expressions of horror and disbelief could match Rachel's own. Her face was scrunched up, as if she was in some kind of unbearable pain. She was clutching her stomach, almost doubled over with the effort of trying to hold in her heartbroken cries, to no avail. She then couldn't contain her pain any longer, and crumpled to the ground, shaking. She vaguely registered being lifted into strong arms, but took no notice, her self-hatred and disappointment clouding over and taking over her distraught mind.
She was placed into a car, she guessed it was Finn's, and driven home. Once she entered the house, she fell into the open arms of her dads, who simply kissed her forehead and carried her upstairs. They lay her gently onto her bed, peeling back the covers and tucking them around her small, shivering frame. She curled into a ball, looking fragile, surrounded by pillows and the swathed curtains that hung from her bedposts. Her eyes lacked any of their previous spark; they simply peered out from her eye sockets, not really looking at anything at all.
Hiram stroked her face lovingly, his own expression crumpled into one of pain and heartache, trying to fathom the unimaginable pain his daughter must be in. Both men then left the room, turning to look once more upon the frail girl that was once their daughter, who used to be so full of life and dreams, before switching the light off and retreating to their room, feeling useless and unable to do anything to help their little girl.
Rachel awoke the next day to bright sunlight streaming through her windows. But she squinted angrily, groaning in protest, stumbling out of bed to yank the curtains closed vehemently, only to launch herself back under the warmth and darkness her duvet was offering.
She clenched her eyes shut, attempting to return back to the land of dreams where life was good, where things went as planned and people didn't mess up the most important auditions of their life. But now that she was awake, she couldn't. So instead she lay there, staring into space, thinking of nothing except how she had ruined her future so easily, so rapidly. Life was so fickle, she realised, so fluid. Anything could happen; anything could change, within hours, minutes, even seconds.
She heard a faint knocking on the door but ignored it, wanting to remain in her world of despair. She continued to mentally chastise herself, blaming herself for her mistake.
'This is your own fault. If you were good enough, this wouldn't have happened. You only have yourself to blame.'
Then there was once again an insistent knock on her door, slightly louder this time, interrupting her self-sabotaging thoughts. She huffed irritably, wondering why her dads didn't just pop their heads round the door if they wanted to talk to her so badly. She tumbled out of bed, her legs getting tangled in the sheets, trapping her. As she fell sideways, she let out a strangled cry, before landing on the floor with a thump. She then heard the door swing open, and, looking under the bed, saw a pair of flat black pumps entering her room. She frowned in confusion, before registering the pain that was shooting up her arm. She groaned, hoisting herself up with the help of the bedpost.
She was shocked to find none other than Quinn Fabray standing in her room, staring at her, her expression one of worry and concern.
"Rachel! Are you okay?"
"Quinn? What… what are you doing here?"
"Well, I, uh, I heard what happened with your NYADA audition, and I wanted to see if you were okay."
"Oh, I'm fine!" Rachel answered, her voice bright with false happiness.
But Quinn could see through her façade immediately, walking around the bed to sit next to the brunette.
"No you're not. I can tell, Rachel, you're anything but fine right now."
Rachel then collapsed, leaning into Quinn and beginning to weep. The blonde encircled her arms around the hysterical diva, stroking her hair soothingly and rocking her gently.
Then, without really thinking about what she was doing, she placed a gentle kiss on Rachel's exposed cheek. This shocked the brunette to the extent that she momentarily stopped crying, sitting up and gazing at Quinn in wonder.
"What?" the blonde said, slightly defensively, her cheeks turning a beautiful shade of pink.
"Well… I think you just kissed me."
Rachel's eyes were wide, still unable to fully grasp what had just occurred.
"Nice one, Captain Obvious." Quinn smirked, quirking one eyebrow up in amusement.
"It's just, you've never kissed me before."
"Well, I thought you needed cheering up, and I know how much being close to someone I… like, makes me feel better. So I thought it might work for you too."
"I guess it did. It actually took my mind of the horror that was my audition for a while, even if it was only for a few blissful seconds."
Quinn raised her perfectly sculpted eyebrows, a plan beginning to formulate in her mind.
"Okay. Well then, if that made you forget it for a few seconds, then let's see if this helps you forget about it for longer…"
She then tilted Rachel's face up gently, hazel eyes gazing into chocolate brown. She leaned forward slowly, until her breath was ghosting across Rachel's skin. The blonde then closed the gap between them, pressing her lips lightly onto Rachel's. The diva inhaled sharply, the sensation of Quinn's lips on hers causing her heart to thump disconnectedly against her ribcage.
Rachel then pulled away, gawking at the blonde.
"Oh Quinn." she whispered breathily, her chest rising and falling rapidly.
Quinn then enveloped Rachel in her arms, pulling her back until they were both lying back on the bed, Rachel's head resting on Quinn's chest.
"I'm going to help you get through this Rachel. Whatever happens, I will always be here for you. Okay?"
Rachel nodded, too exhausted from crying to reply. Then, she simply leaned up, planting a light chaste kiss on Quinn's slightly parted lips, before snuggling back down into her contentedly. Quinn tightened her hold on Rachel, lacing her fingers with the brunette's, and then she began singing softly.
When the world surrounds you,
I'll make it go away,
Paint the sky with silver lining,
I will try to save you,
Cover up the grey,
With silver lining.
Rachel smiled to herself, feeling herself relax at Quinn's calming, melodic tones. She felt herself beginning to slip into the world of the unconscious, the steady thrum of Quinn's heartbeat relaxing her. Her eyes closed slowly, her eyelids slipping shut. Quinn glanced down, noticing the now sleeping brunette. She watched Rachel for a few seconds, her expression caring and tender. Then she settled back on the pillows, intent on staying there until Rachel woke up, determined to not let the diva give up on her dreams.