Quinn paced on the kitchen floor at 7 am on a Saturday morning. She usually allowed herself the weekend but once the clock hit 5 o'clock, her eyes popped open. Not wanting to wake Rachel up by turning and tossing around beside her, she got up and distracted her mind by making a large breakfast for her wife. Rachel has been craving fruits strongly for a week now which meant the house was stacked with several types of berries. Quinn decided to make her some blueberry pancakes to hopefully ease the craving.
Grabbing a pan and the pancake mix from the fridge, Quinn got to work. She enjoyed cooking alone, her thoughts run wild while her hands worked on autopilot, flipping the pancakes swiftly. The distinctive smell flooded the space, drifting upstairs. The quietness of the house helped calming her slightly about the upcoming doctor appointment that were waiting for them this afternoon.
Her train of thought were interrupted when she heard light footsteps thumping down the stairs. She lifted her gaze to found her wife standing at the bottom, looking adorably sleepy in a yellow nightgown, hairs a mess. She turned off the stove and slipped the pancake on a plate before turning around.
Rachel's sloppy but overall joyous grin distracted Quinn of her tired, baggy eyes that followed the blonde as she neared.
"Hey, baby…" Quinn cooed and wrapped her arms around her waist and pulling her into a hug, being careful not to put pressure on her wife's growing belly.
Rachel was seventeen weeks pregnant. Getting to this point was hard; they had to go through five cycles of IVF before their baby was conceived. Before the fifth try, they were physically and emotionally exhausted, entertaining the idea of giving up and choosing adoptions instead. But then Rachel began to feel the signs, they rushed to the hospital where they conformed what they already knew but were afraid to believe. They were going to be parents.
"How are my girls doing?" Quinn asked, sweeping her eyes over her wife's body, admiring the ever-growing baby bump that were hidden the fabric.
"You don't even know if it's a girl." Rachel teased playfully. "We're going to find out today." Her mischievous grin slowly blossomed into a grateful smile as she looked down.
Quinn grinned cheekily. "I just have a feeling." She placed a hand on Rachel's belly. "But seriously how are you doing? Everything feels okay?" she asked worriedly, eyes fixated on their baby's nest.
"We're perfectly fine." Rachel assured Quinn gently, easing the blonde's nerves slightly. "Aren't we, little one?" Placing her hand on top of Quinn's, she squeezed for good measure. At their joined contact the baby began to kick enthusiastically against their hands. Quinn face broke out in joyful smile and she happily kissed Rachel on the lips.
The brunette laughed and gestured down at her body. "See, they're trying to show you how happy they feel inside."
"I'm glad she's enjoying herself in there." Quinn teased, mesmerized at the feeling of the light kicks.
Rachel groaned. "Just don't encourage them to stay as long as they could because if I have to suffer twenty-four hour of labor, so will you and it won't be pretty." She threatened half-heartedly, pulling Quinn's attention back to her.
"I'm not afraid of that." Quinn perked up stubbornly. They both know she was going to be a nervous wreck the whole time, imagining the worst-case scenario. Rachel tried to ease her mind by making jokes about it but she knew there was no turning back.
"You so are." Rachel smirked. "Remember when we watched Santana's present two weeks ago." she laughed. "Baby, you were so pale the whole time I seriously began to think you were going to be sick." She raised her palm and pressed it to Quinn's cheek.
Quinn winched and shivered at the memory. Santana thought that she was hilarious by giving them a CD filled with childbirth. Quinn insisted on not watching it but Rachel reasoned with her that it could be beneficial for them to know what to expect before they fumble inside the hospital room, severely unprepared. Quinn counted ever second wishing it was over.
"I don't want to think about it." Quinn shivered. "I'll find a way to be okay in the delivery room and be strong for you. You don't have to worry about me. I'll be there the whole time."
"I really hope so because I don't think I could do it without you." Rachel said, staring into Quinn's hazel orbs as she caressed her wife's cheek lovingly.
"You don't have to." Quinn promised gently.
Their staring contest was interrupted by their baby kicking their hands again and they both laughed. Suddenly the smell of deliciously warm pancake hit Rachel's nostrils while her snapped side to side trying to find the object before finding it on the table.
"You made me pancakes?" She squealed excitedly.
Quinn smiled cheekily and nodded. "Yes, blueberry pancakes. Do you still have the craving from yesterday?"
"Oh, yes." Rachel said as she b-lined to the table and immediately began to eat the food. "You are the best wife ever." She mumbled between bites.
Quinn puffed then smiled. "Just remember that the next time I screw something up."
Rachel smiled around the pancake. "Yes, dear."
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Later in the afternoon, they arrived at the hospital for Rachel's monthly check-ups. As they waited for their appointment in the waiting room, Rachel grinded her teeth in irritation and tried not to snap at her clearly anxious wife. Quinn seemed to be unbale to sit still, her legs were bouncing up and down. Her mouth filled with her fingers, biting it furiously. At the beginning Rachel attempted to calm her down by distracting her but Quinn got stuck inside her head, oblivious about anything going around her. Because of the hormones, the brunette felt frustrated sooner than usual and whenever the blonde would make the littlest mistake, she would snap. However, this time she tried to control her frustration better and she calmly grabbed Quinn's hand and pulled it into her lap.
"Baby…" Rachel called out softly and tugged her head low to keep the conversation privet and to maintain eye contact with the blonde. Even if Quinn heard her voice, she ignored it as she didn't stop roughly tearing her nails off her finger. But Rachel didn't let her and grabbed her other hand, pulling it out of her mouth and looking sternly at the blonde.
"Stop doing that. You know I have it when you do that; it's a disgusting habit."
"I can't stop it, Rach. You know how I get when I'm nervous." Quinn said as she automatically tried to bring her hand back to her mouth but realized Rachel had tight grip on them. She wanted everything to go as planned and she didn't want to think about any complication coming up out of the blue.
"Why are you nervous?" Rachel asked genuinely as she stared into Quinn's beautiful hazel eyes. "You should be excited about this meeting. I mean, we're going to know the sex of the baby." She finished in excited whisper. "Our baby."
"I know, I know but…" Quinn murmured as she squeezed Rachel's hands. "I just want everything to go perfectly."
"And it will." Rachel assured the blonde softly, moving closer to her body. "In an hour we'll know what color we have to pick out to paint the nursery." Rachel smiled happily when she saw the corner of Quinn's lips turn up in a small smile. "We'll know what clothes to pick." Quinn let out a small chuckle and kissed their intertwined hands. Rachel began to smirk. "And if it makes you feel better, in the meantime you can think about keeping them to yourself for forever."
Quinn flawless laugh rang out in the waiting room as she pulled the brunette into a tight hug. Rachel grinned victoriously, as she buried her face into pale shoulders, rubbing her hands on the blonde's back.
When they pulled apart, Quinn's expressions turned serious causing Rachel to frown.
"I know I just laughed there but I won't let them date anybody who can take them away. Ever." Quinn assured Rachel seriously as the brunette tried to control her giggles.
"Then how are they going to find someone as wonderful as you?" Rachel asked smiling.
Quinn raised an eyebrow. "That's easy, they won't. They're going to stay home and never grow up. Be my babies forever." Quinn finished with a pout.
Rachel laughed and pulled Quinn into a chaste kiss before they heard their name being called by the doctor. Quinn helped Rachel stand up, grabbing their bags in the process, walking the brunette into the examination room.
Mrs. Edwards smiled gently at the couple as they got comfortable in the examination chair. The blonde immediately pulled her seat closer to the brunette and grabbed her hand tightly, pressing a kiss on it. Rachel smiled softly at the blonde and squeezed her hand reassuringly. When they were both ready, they turned their heads and smiled at the doctor.
"How are we doing today soon-to-be-parents?" Mrs. Edwards asked cheerfully as she prepared the sonogram.
Rachel turned her head slightly to Quinn before meeting the doctor's kind eyes.
"We're fine, just a little nervous." She admitted honestly.
The doctor nodded. "I can understand that." She looked down at her clip board in her hands before she smiled at the couple. "I can see you're ready to found out the sex of the baby, right? That's excited."
Rachel smiled blossomed as she nodded her head excitedly at the doctor while Quinn offered a tight smile.
"How are things, Mommy? Everything's feeling fine?" Mrs. Edwards asked Rachel as she pulled her gloves on.
Rachel nodded. "The morning sickness seemed to disappear now so that's good. I've been a little moody lately as I'm sure Quinn could tell you." The brunette rolled her eyes and watched as Quinn nodded her head urgently.
"That's true but it's not that horrible so I'm hoping it stays that way. But she started to have cravings lately, like really powerful ones." Quinn added.
Mrs. Edwards nodded. "That's perfectly normal. I'm sorry to inform you Quinn but the hormones will only get worse from now on as Rachel's body adjust to the birth. As for the cravings, Rachel you should eat whatever your body desires but within limits, okay? Try to stay as healthy as possible, though."
Quinn grimaced at the thought of Rachel being more hormonal but if that's what it takes to have a family, Quinn will do anything to make that easier on the brunette. Rachel nodded at the information.
"Okay," Ms. Edwards clapped her hands together and smiled. "How about we see who we got there, ha?" She walked closer to the brunette and gently poked her finger on Rachel's belly. The couple nodded determinedly.
"Rachel, I need you to pick up your shirt." Mrs. Edwards said as she grabbed the gel and when the brunette was ready she poured generous amount of gel on the skin, making Rachel hiss as the cold touched on her stomach. "Sorry but you will get used to it." Mrs. Edwards said softly and placed the transducer against the abdomen and gently began to move it around.
"It doesn't matter." Rachel murmured dismissingly as hers and Quinn's attention were captured by the monitor as it came alive.
Mrs. Edwards smiled as she found the fetus and pointed to the monitor.
"See, this is your baby."
The couple smiled tearfully and squeezed each other's hand tightly.
Mrs. Edwards examined the baby slowly and thoroughly as she reassured the couple of the baby's health. "Everything's looks good. Strong heartbeat and lungs. It's growing according to the plan." She turned back to the couple. "So, are you sure you want to know the gender?"
The couple sighed a relief breath and looked into each other's eyes.
"Are you sure, you want to know?" Rachel asked the blonde gently. She, herself was dying to know the gender but if Quinn decided she wanted to wait and get surprised, she would wait as well.
Quinn took a deep breath and released it before nodding her head. That was it.
"Okay." Mrs. Edwards nodded and turned back to the monitor, silently observing the picture. It seemed like a lifetime for the couple when in reality it was two minutes before Mrs. Edwards turned to them and smiled brightly.
"Congratulations, you're having a baby boy."
Two things happened at once.
Rachel burst out in happy tears as soon as the last word left the doctor's mouth, clinging at Quinn's hand while she babbled the word 'boy' over and over again, oblivious to the blonde's reaction.
Quinn was stocked into silence as she tried to process the thought of having a son. When Rachel finally calmed down enough and looked beside her to see Quinn's reaction, the blonde gained control of her emotions and mastered a convincible smile for the brunette's sake. The doctor quietly cleaned up Rachel and left to give the couple a few minutes alone to celebrate.
Tears streamed down Rachel's cheeks as the brunette lovingly rubbed her palms across her stomach and laughed with joy when their little one kicked against her hands. She looked up from her belly to catch Quinn with a scared expression on her face before the blonde had the chance to hide it behind her carefully mastered mask. The smile slowly disappeared from Rachel's face and see looked deeply into the blonde's eyes
"Quinn?" Rachel asked confusedly, gaining the blonde's attention as she rubbed her thumb on the back of Quinn's hand.
"Hmm?" Quinn turned her head to Rachel.
"Why aren't you crying?" The brunette asked innocently as it was the most logical thing to do in a situation like that. Her mind instantly began to work overtime and went through the day they had that would've made Quinn upset in every way. When she came up empty, she focused her attention on Quinn's face.
The question sounded ridiculous to Quinn's ears so the blonde began to laugh.
"I'm not the crying type, babe. You know that."
"Yeah, I know but it's your son we're talking about, Quinn. Our son." Rachel insisted. "Aren't you happy we found out the sex?" The brunette thought maybe Quinn wanted to wait to found out the sex of the baby after all and only agreed to make the brunette happy.
"What? Of course, I'm happy. How can you ask that?" Quinn's tone turned defensive as she moved back into her chair away from Rachel's knowing look.
Rachel furrowed her eyebrows. "I know how you look when you're happy. And this –" she pointed to Quinn's face. "is not your happy face. It's your 'I don't know what to think, help me' face. So, talk to me, Quinn."
The blonde lowered her face until her chin touched her chest and sighed quietly. Seeing this Rachel softened her expression and pulled Quinn back closer to her by her hand. After a few minutes the blonde responded.
"Did you notice that I usually preferred the baby to a girl instead of a boy or them?" She murmured.
"Yes but I always thought that –"Rachel began but after a moment her brain caught up and she gasped. "Is it what's wrong? Do you want a girl so badly that you wouldn't be happy now that you know it's a boy?" the brunette asked angrily as she thought about the blonde not loving their little one unconditionally because he was a boy.
"NO!" Quinn shouted quickly before Rachel got the wrong idea. "That's not it at all, Rach. Yes, I wanted a girl but that's not why I'm not 100% happy." She whispered. "I'm just scared."
"Scared about what?" Rachel asked surprised that the blonde would be so honest with her. After three years of dating and one year of marriage Quinn got better about opening up to Rachel. It took real effort on both parties but now the brunette could easily read the blonde without her voicing it out. But in this case, she was so occupied with the pregnancy that she somehow missed Quinn's fears.
"Rachel." Quinn addressed the brunette in a slightly sarcastic tone and gestured between themselves. "We're a lesbian couple. Two women having a child together." She raised her eyebrows, expecting – and hoping – that Rachel would put puzzle together without her saying it out loud.
"Yes, Quinn, I noticed." Rachel deadpanned. "Your point being?"
Quinn sighed and rubbed across her forehead.
"I know it's a cliché, stereotype thing but I have no idea how to raise a boy, Rachel. That's why I wanted a girl barely more than a boy because I'm afraid I won't be able to teach him all the stuff that a dad supposed to teach his son. I would've been fine with a girl, I know how they're work because I'm one but…" Quinn paused. "Boys are different and I don't want him to miss out on anything."
"That's stupid, baby…" Rachel sighed sympathetically and squeezed Quinn's hand tightly. "Look at me." After Quinn did as told, the brunette smiled gently at the blonde.
"You don't have to be scared about that. True, you're not his father but… Quinn you'll be much more than that for him. You'll be his mommy that he could count on for as long as we live and you'll love him just as much as a father would… maybe even more. And for the guy things… If we have problems, there are so many wonderful men in our lives that we could ask for help anytime we want and they would come running.
"And most importantly, you're not alone, I'm right here with you. We'll figure this out together, okay?"
Rachel pulled Quinn's head closer and rested her forehead against it, enjoying the other's present and the thought of them being a family.
Quinn worries quieted down but didn't entirely disappeared throughout her pregnancy but whenever it got too much, Rachel reminded her that she was right next to her.
Months later, when Mrs. Edwards placed the screeching newborn into Quinn's shaking arms, the blonde gazed down at her son. Rachel smiled exhaustedly at the scene before gesturing for Quinn to come closer.
Laying down beside her wife while holding her son for the first time, Quinn couldn't imagine changing anything.
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