A/N- So I guess I am being a bit ambitious with posting 2 stories and will probably need a lot of your encouragement to write faster. This is the sequel to 'My Future in your Hands'. It's a slow built up as always but hopefully you think the journey is worth it.

Mercy, Pity, Peace and Love

For Mercy has a human heart,

Pity a human face,

And Love, the human form divine,

And Peace, the human dress.

The Divine Image, William Blake

She likes to watch Quinn sleep. Not in a creepy way of seeing that she was still breathing although occasionally, she does look to see the rise and fall of her chest. The watching part stems from the fact that she finds Quinn beautiful and wondrous and watching her sleep was something that made her content. Of course, the other more altruistic reason was that Quinn occasionally suffered from nightmares. She would toss and turn, moaning and sometimes crying in her sleep until Rachel would take her in her arms and hold her until the nightmare subsided.

The first few times it had happened, Quinn would wake up, looking embarrassed and she would turn away from Rachel, not wanting her to see the tears. However, Rachel never let her turn away for long but also didn't push, instead, she would hold onto her, talking about her rehearsal that day or one of Tony's impossible dance steps as she held Quinn, only stopping when she felt the blonde relax back into slumber.

They've been together now for eight months and are still learning more about each other every day. Yesterday, it was discovering they both loved Kieslowski's Three Colors, although surprisingly Rachel loved Blue and Quinn loved Red. Similarities that tied them together with minute differences that made them unique in each other's eyes.

She sees Quinn's forehead crease and knows that she's about to have a nightmare, this one wasn't that difficult to discern considering she had been given a heads up by Julie Sullivan, Quinn's scrub nurse. She had finished her recording session early and had wanted to surprise Quinn with an early dinner only to have trouble finding her at the hospital. She had run into Julie on her way to the cafeteria and she was the one who told Rachel of the surgery, of how the young woman had coded on the table and how Quinn had not wanted to give up.

She was like that with all her surgeries and patients but this one had been slightly different, the woman had stage three throat cancer and had been thirty five, brunette and engaged. Enough similarities with Rachel that Julie had sworn, Quinn had uttered Rachel's name under her breath as she fought valiantly to save the woman's life but to no avail as she had died on the table.

Rachel didn't wait to hear the rest as she rushed out of the hospital, calling Quinn's cell and hoping that her assumption was correct as she drove to Quinn's apartment. She hadn't been surprised at Quinn's choice of a converted top floor apartment in an old brownstone on the Upper East Side. It fit the young doctor and Rachel felt comfortable there because of Quinn.

True enough, she saw Quinn's Audi parked in front and hoped that she hadn't started drinking. She knows that Quinn wasn't an alcoholic like her parents but she still drank a bit too much for Rachel's liking. It wasn't a point of contention as yet although Rachel knows that she'll have to address it eventually.

However, she hadn't done it when Quinn opened the door to her and had immediately taken Rachel into her arms, kissing her as she undid the buttons of her coat. She could feel Quinn's need so strongly as she held her close. Essentially understanding that Quinn desired her, needed her, not to forget but for validation. That they fit somehow, the diva and the doctor, past enemies and current lovers.

She could taste the scotch as she kissed Quinn, but more importantly, she could taste Quinn, her passion and love, intertwined as her hands roamed her body. They had barely made it into the bedroom, Quinn already pulling off her shirt as she reached for Rachel, steering her towards the bed. Quinn's kisses hot against her skin as her senses all attuned to the blonde, their breathing aligned as she finally let go, opening herself up to Quinn, accepting her love in return. Exploring each other's bodies as they finally achieved climax.

Which eventually brought her to this moment now; watching Quinn sleep, waiting for her nightmare that she knows will come. She wants to do more for Quinn but knows that despite their closeness, Quinn still kept some part of herself hidden away; completely inaccessible, not only to Rachel but to herself as well. Rachel knows that it's not Quinn's heart which she realized she had full possession of, but just a part of her psyche that she felt was not good enough for Rachel.

It was why she didn't call Rachel when she had a bad day even though Rachel's sixth sense tended to pick up on it every time. Or why she would go home or to a bar and have a few drinks if her day got too bad. So Rachel learnt patience, which was a difficult task in itself, but she's managed so far. Giving Quinn space but always being there when she knew she was needed like right now as Quinn moans and tosses next to her.

Rachel's arm curls around Quinn's waist as she spoons her, her head resting next to Quinn's ear. The words softly sung and more for her own benefit than Quinn's as she revels in the fact that she still has her voice and it was all due to Quinn. She wanted to show Quinn how much she loved her but she also needed to express it verbally, the only way she knew how.

She feels Quinn stir as she places a kiss behind her ear before finishing the song. "Is that one of the new songs from your album?" Her eyes are still closed as she pulls Rachel's arms tighter around herself, protection from the cold and her fears.

"Hmmm, yeah. I'm recording it tomorrow…." Rachel wants to say more, she wants to ask Quinn about her nightmare but holds her tongue instead she settles closer to Quinn.

"How did you know?" The question escapes before she can stop herself but she focuses on Rachel's breathing comforted to know that she was there, safe. That her nightmare was only a bad dream conjured up because she had lost a patient, one that bore a slight resemblance to Rachel.

"I'd like to highlight my latent psychic sixth sense making a resurgent return. However, I also received some additional insight from Julie. Not that I've memorized your schedule but I wanted to surprise you with dinner. Seeing that I couldn't find you at the hospital, it was simple deductive reasoning that you would retreat to your current abode for which I have the address and have visited and stayed over in frequently. So in short, I'm still psychic and you're predictable. " She's back to her verbose self, not hiding behind the words but giving Quinn time to accept that she's there for her.

She hears Quinn snort which to her credit; she does try and hide behind a cough. "It was all part of my elaborate plan to get you into bed." She smiles, recalling their earlier activities, grateful that it's too dim in the room to see the blush creeping up her cheeks. "I am happy you're here." Quinn strokes Rachel's forearm, a physical connection reminding her that the diva was with her, healthy and whole.

"Where else would I be?" There's enough gravitas behind Rachel's words that Quinn stills, trying her best not to recall the vestiges of her nightmare, where it had been Rachel in her operating theatre, bleeding out on the table. She had been assisting on the surgery, expecting it to be routine, not easy but also not ending the way it did. She remembered whispering Rachel's name as she used the paddles, trying her best to bring the patient back, knowing that Julie had heard the mantra of Rachel's name.

Quinn hadn't expected Rachel to know and had been surprised to hear the knock on her door. But when she had seen her standing there, it had taken all her willpower not to hang on to her and never let go. Instead, she had kissed Rachel, pulling her into the apartment, forgoing her own ritual of insobriety to forget, instead focusing on the brunette.

The question hangs between them, because she definitely wants Rachel there, next to her always. The alternative being unthinkable although her nightmare had come close to giving her a taste of that possibility.

"Do you want to talk about it? Studies have shown that there are cognitive behavioral strategies that can be implemented to reduce occurrences of nightmares, I..." Rachel stops abruptly when Quinn turns to face her, her eyes opened wide as she takes in all of Rachel's words.

"You've been researching this?" Her forehead is creased as she looks at Rachel, hoping for an answer in the negative but realizing that it's Rachel she's questioning as her features soften and her hand caresses the side of Rachel's cheek.

She can only nod as she feels Quinn's hand trail down her face. "I…I thought if I knew more about them, how they originate, transpire, I could help…you." The kiss is sweet, not meant to cut her off but meant to highlight that she's special. Rachel smiles when Quinn pulls back, "I've also done research on other things that I could list, if you think they're worthy of more kisses." This time, Quinn definitely cuts her off, as her hand tangles in Rachel's hair pulling her closer, the ringing telephone not registering at all.

"Uhmmmm, the phone…Quinn?" Rachel does not want to stop and can tell that neither does Quinn, except she can hear the phone in the background as she finally pulls back.

"The hospital has my pager number and everyone that's important is right here." She kisses Rachel again but is stopped when the brunette turns around and reaches for the phone next to the bed.

"Quinn Fabray's residence, this is Rachel speaking." Rachel does not expect Quinn to roll her eyes at her and she doesn't but the wide smile she's sporting throws her because it signifies so much; acceptance, love and most of all a feeling of being home.

"I'm…, I'm looking for Quinn." The voice is familiar but Rachel can't quite place it. She shrugs when she sees Quinn's questioning look. "Sure, she's right here; may I ask whose calling?" It's a standard question for which she expects a stock answer like a census taker or someone from the bank.

"I'm Judy Fabray. I'm her mother." Rachel's only met her a handful of times but they had never been formally introduced. She had come for a few of their performances, normally arriving late and leaving soon after. Always coming alone, and cheering with their other supporters but in the end never staying to see them win despite Quinn always looking out for her.

Rachel knows that Quinn hasn't talked to either of her parents in years, avoiding both them and the subject religiously. She had only managed to get even that much out of Quinn because she had mock threatened to not stay over at Quinn's place. She remembered the way Quinn's features had morphed to something akin to pain before she turned away. She had changed the subject almost immediately when she had turned to face Rachel again, this time, smiling although Rachel could see her hazel eyes still reflecting some of the hurt.

She's not sure she wants to see a repeat of that and holds tightly onto the phone as Quinn looks at her, a quizzical expression on her face as she mouths 'who is it'. Rachel promised herself early on that she wouldn't lie to Quinn and this was the first time she's come close to breaking that promise as she covers the mouthpiece, before finally answering. "It's your mom."

Quinn can feel the blood drain from her face as she tries to not react to Rachel's words, not wanting to show her distress to her. Her hand reaches out for the phone, knowing that despite all her efforts otherwise, she can't ignore her family.

Rachel's eyes go wide as she notes Quinn's pale features and her outstretched hand. She considers hanging up but realizes that Quinn's strong and that she's there for her. So she passes the phone to Quinn, telling her the one thing she knows she needs to hear. "I love you."

Quinn smiles and nods before taking a deep breath, feeling Rachel settle in next to her as she speaks into the phone. "Mom?"

End Pt 1