This scene has been in my head ever since 3x14. The changes in the lyrics are intentional.
Quinn has been out of surgery for three days now. Rachel has spent each of those three days perched in a chair at her bedside, moving from her place only to use the bathroom.
Her dads bring her a few changes of clothes and Santana and Brittany bring her food (almost always a salad, because the hospital cafeteria is severely lacking in vegan-friendly meals).
She really wants to say something. She's seen all of those movies and TV shows where people talk to their comatose loved one only to find out later that they heard every single word, and she desperately wants to reassure Quinn that everything is going to be alright, but she can't get anything out of her throat.
Actually, Rachel hasn't said a word since Mr. Schuester told her about the accident. It's like her incessant-speech circuit has been interrupted. She was silent as she ran from the church, silent as she sat in the backseat of Santana's car on the way to the hospital, silent as Finn broke up with her because he couldn't understand why Quinn was more important than him.
For three days, she hasn't spoken.
It's wearing down on her, though. Quinn deserves more than just a person by her side. She deserves support and encouragement and love, and Rachel can't give those to her unless she speaks.
If only she knew what to say.
She's crying again, like she has been since her world came to a standstill, but at least now it's just her eyes that are leaking. She much prefers that over the hours of sobbing that overwhelmed her body and left her exhausted.
She's alone in the room again, because people have started to figure out that it's useless trying to interact with her. She scoots her chair a little closer to the bed as the heart rate monitor beeps at the same maddeningly steady pace it's held for the past sixty hours. She hates that the machine makes the room seem so calm when nothing is okay.
Rachel takes Quinn's hand, same as she's done countless times over the last few days, and squeezes. She doesn't crush it even though the mixture of adrenaline and anxiety roaring through her system really wants her to; she just holds it firmly, brings it to her forehead, and closes her eyes.
Then she gets an idea.
She sniffs and clears her throat, and as silently as she is capable, she begins to sing.
Keep holding on
'Cause I know you'll make it through
You'll make it through
Just stay strong
'Cause you know I'm here for you
I'm here for you
Her voice is trembling and she misses a few notes here and there, but something tells her Quinn won't mind.
There's nothing you could say
There's nothing you could do
There's no other way when it comes to the truth
So keep holding on
'Cause I know you'll make it through
You'll make it through
She takes a deep, shuddering breath and kisses the back of Quinn's hand before giving it another brief squeeze.
It's such a light pressure that she barely feels it, but Quinn squeezes back.
RACHEL JUST NEEDS TO SING THIS TO HER IN THE HOSPITAL OKAY.
I'm 2,079 words into chapter 12 of Pink. I promise I'll have it up soon. I just haven't had much time to Sit Down And Write For A Few Hours, which is my usual and preferred technique, so I don't know what else I can say except SOON.