The idea to ship this couple has been on my mind for the past couple of days after reading a couple of good stories about them on the site. So I decided to give it a hand. Enjoy and please review! :)
Prologue
Numbness. Shock. Trepidation. The tumult of emotions swam around in her, leaving her almost in a catatonic state. She doesn't know how long she stood there, staring out into the New York City skyline. This was actually her favorite time of day. After a busy day at work, she would come home, take a nice, long hot bath, fix a cup of chamomile tea and relax in her living room, watching the sunset in its iridescent glory. She would relax and let go of the mental and emotional stress that her high level position required of her throughout the day. But today her mind was elsewhere. Only one thought ran around in her mind like a constant loop, torturing her; this could not be happening to her again.
A car horn blasting impatiently on the busy street below startled her, causing her to jump and to emit a small shriek. She put a hand over her chest, trying to calm her pounding heart. She gave a sigh of impatience at her overly emotional reaction. "Get it together Fabray", she murmured aloud. She went into the kitchen to prepare a cup of chamomile tea, hoping the familiar action would bring some comfort and stability to her world that had suddenly been knocked of its axis.
She filled the teapot with water and put it on the stove, setting it on low so the water would heat but not boil. She opened one of the cabinets and pulled out the small package of loose dried chamomile leaves. She opened another cabinet to pull out a mug. That's when she saw it. She slowly reached forward and pulled out the oversize mug, staring at its inscription. Miss Vice President it read in elegant, scrawling writing. A bittersweet smile graced her face. It was given to her by her boss when she got the position five years ago. She rarely used it.
It was a reminder of how hard she had worked to climb the corporate ladder over the years. It was a reminder of how she had finally made it. Of course it helped that she had graduated with top honors from Yale, one of the most prestigious universities in the country. It also helped that she had come recommended by some high level executives. She sighed and set the mug down gently on the granite countertop. She felt a migraine coming on and rubbed her forehead. The teapot started to whistle gently. She picked it up and poured the water in the mug. She poured the tea leaves into the mug and grabbed a spoon, stirring the contents slowly.
She walked slowly to the living room, sinking down into the familiar comfort of the couch. She folded her legs underneath her, trying to relax. She sipped the tea, hoping the warmth would sooth away the tension that was strung throughout her body. After five minutes, she realized that she was still stressed and frustrated. She set the mug on the glass topped living room table with a loud clank. She ran a frustrated hand through her blond hair. She closed her eyes, trying some techniques that she learned from her meditation classes. After ten minutes she realized it wasn't working.
She put her hands over her face, trying to calm her nerves. Suddenly tears sprung to her eyes. She angrily wiped them away. No she would not cry. "It's okay Quinn", she said aloud, but the anger, frustration and despair she heard in her own voice caused her to go over the edge. Her sobs filtered throughout the penthouse as she curled into a tight ball, letting out her emotions. It wasn't fair. All of her hard work, her planning and her dreams were going down the drain because of one mistake. One night of indiscretion and her life was changed forever. She had promised herself after high school that she had learned a lesson after the incident with Puck.
She was no longer a naïve sixteen year schoolgirl, but a wise, worldly woman of thirty two. She didn't make mistakes. But that night had changed everything. She firmly pushed away thoughts of him and that night. She had choices now. Choices she didn't believe she had when she was sixteen. She wouldn't have to suffer like she did back then. She wouldn't risk her reputation or position of power as she did back then. No she would go on and live her happy, successful life as she did before. All she had to do was make a simple choice.
She tried to comfort herself with this thought but to no avail. A sick feeling overcame her. Could she do it? She put her hand over her still flat stomach. Could she honestly terminate the life that was inside of her? Just because it was unexpected and unplanned? These thoughts ran around in her mind before she finally dragged herself into the bedroom, trying to find comfort in her bed. Before she drifted off into a restless sleep, a thought crossed her mind that brought a sad, ironic smile to her face as she assessed her current predicament. It was truly like déjà vu all over again.