A/N: Hey all, thank you so much for all the favorite alerts! That was totally awesome. Okay I lied it's actually a three parter but don't worry I'll upload them back to back. Don't hate me for the lack of Quinn; I just kinda wanna address everything that will most likely not happen in the next episode. Selfish of me I know but what can you do?

Disclaimer: Don't own Glee. Sad day.

The ride was painful. It was so silent that Rachel could hear their breathing. She felt tears prickle at her eyes as Brittany reached over and took Santana's hand into her own in between the console.

How could this have happened? Quinn could be gone forever and I never told her…

"How much farther San?" asked Brittany in shaky voice.

"Another ten minutes, I've never been to this hospital but I've heard of it. My dad did his residency there," said Santana quietly.

Rachel had never heard the Latina sound so serious, her venom completely absent. A sudden wave of jealousy ran through her as she recounted the fact that Santana was the first to find out about Quinn. Why had no one called her? The selfish thought quickly burned however when she caught Santana's steely gaze through the rearview mirror.

"Santana?"

"Hmm?" Santana kept her eyes focused on the road, one hand on the wheel clutching so tightly her knuckles were turning white.

"How-how did they know to call you?" asked Rachel quietly, her mind reeling with horrendous images of Quinn alone after the accident. She shuddered and physically tried to shake the idea out of her own head.

"I'm in her ICE contacts. Pretty sure it's just me and her mom in there."

Rachel felt the guilt begin to bubble again in her chest. She needed to get herself under control. The dress was beginning to feel like a cage.

"I think I'm in there too. I went through her phone once and I saw it, I thought it said Ice. Like Ice-T, I wanted to call him but then she told me what it was really for," said Brittany quietly.

Santana gave her a small smile and a squeeze of her hand before turning her gaze back to the road.

Rachel couldn't help but smile at the small exchange. That is what true love is supposed to look like. Not rushed and desperate because you're afraid you can't hold on forever…

"This is it," said Santana as swung into the first open parking spot, successfully dodging an old man in a wheel chair.

The three girls ran past groups of patients in the waiting room. Santana managed to shove nearly every single person out their way until they reached the front desk. An elderly woman was about snap back when Santana sent her a look and a growl that had her retreating to the end of the line.

"We're here to see Quinn Fabray, I was told an ambulance brought her in about half an hour ago," said Santana in one breath.

The nurse at the desk sighed heavily at the mention of Quinn's name. For what felt like the hundredth time that day Rachel's heart nearly stopped.

"Come with me," said the nurse as she led them into the main part of the hospital.

"Is Quinn gonna be okay?" asked Brittany as she linked her hand with Santana's.

"She's in critical condition. The truck hit her side of the car. Luckily she was wearing her seat belt so she was fairly secured. She's in surgery at the moment, her hip was dislocated and she had some serious internal bleeding."

Rachel felt her knees give out from under her and nearly collapsed but was caught by a strong pair of hands. She looked up and was expecting to see soulful blue eyes but instead found dark fearful ones.

"You okay Berry?" Santana asked, sounding genuinely concerned. It took Rachel by surprise, never having heard any type of compassion directed towards her from the Latina, all she could do was nod.

"You girls should make yourselves comfortable out here. The surgery will be a while; I can bring you all something to drink. Keep you hydrated," said the Nurse with a small smile. She turned and made her way down the hallway leaving Brittany, Santana, and Rachel in her wake.

"Sit down hobbit, you're gonna make yourself pass out if you keep stressin like this," said Santana as she carefully placed Rachel into a cold plastic chair. Rachel was once again surprised to see genuine concern on Santana's face. She attempted to control her breathing, mentally working on an old breathing exercise she used as a child when she got too worked up. Rachel felt a slender arm slip around her shoulders and pull her close. A hint of vanilla and candy engulfed her senses as blonde hair tickled her nose. It was comforting to be held, and Brittany was being so sweet, but Rachel couldn't help but wish for another blonde in her stead. Before she realized what was happening a sob began to rack Rachel's tiny form as the events of the day finally came crashing down. Tears were quickly running down her cheeks, effectively ruining Kurt's makeup job, but Rachel really couldn't bring herself to care. A wet spot was beginning to form on Brittany's pink dress where Rachel's head lay.

"It was an accident. It wasn't anyone's fault," whispered Brittany as she smoothed her hand over Rachel's dark hair. Rachel only cried harder, her entire body trembling from the weight of it all. She heard a distant sniffling and felt several tear drops hit the top of her head. Rachel felt selfish, forcing Brittany and Santana to comfort her when it was their best friend sitting in surgery. Rachel was at best kinda a friend. That's a lie, and Quinn has to know that. She needs to be alive so I can tell her what a lie it is.

Rachel nearly jumped when she felt pressure on her left shoulder and hot breath against her ear. She realized Santana had placed her chin in crook of her neck and was also crying silently. Rachel reached out and laced her fingers with both girls as the three of them continued to cry for Quinn Fabray.

Hours passed and people began to filter into the waiting room hoping to hear news of Quinn. Rachel had now taken to pacing up and down the hallway, unable to sit still any longer. Santana was now holding Brittany and running tan fingers through long blonde hair. The rest of the Glee Club had finally arrived, in each of them waiting in clusters. Mercedes and Sam were huddled together across from Kurt and Blaine, each of them holding onto one another as if their life depended on it, Rachel imagined that at this point maybe it did. Rachel couldn't help but feel incredibly guilty for not including Puck on their way to the hospital, he looked as tired and worn as she felt. He held Beth in his arms as Shelby watched them from a distance while she conversed with her fathers. Rachel couldn't bring herself to look at the beautiful blonde child in Puck's arms, she looked so much like Quinn it physically hurt to look at her. She had been so on edge that she didn't even see Finn finally walk into the hospital.

"Rach, you doin okay?" asked Finn with earnest. It took every ounce of her restraint not to snap at the stupidity of his question. She tensed when he reached out for her, the sadness in his eyes cut through her like a knife. She just wanted to be left alone. "Stupid question, I'm sorry."

Rachel mentally rolled her eyes. Leave it to Finn to make her feel even guiltier in a situation like this one. She sighed heavily and ran a hand through her hair; she had taken it down nearly four hours ago.

"No. It's fine. I-I really just don't know what to do anymore. Quinn's been in surgery for over four hours and we haven't heard a thing."

There was a silence between them as Finn moved to stand beside her stuffing his hands in his pockets. Rachel could see the war raging in his head as he debated what to say next.

"I think we need to talk Rach," said Finn finally, cringing away slightly. Rachel stopped pacing and spun on her heel to finally face him.

"Now's really not the time Finn," she said quickly. Talking now was possibly the dumbest idea Finn had ever had, and that was truly saying something.

"No we really do. C'mere," he said reaching out for her hand and gently pulling her into the hallway away from prying eyes.

They stood in a dimly lit hall, one of the lights flickering on and off. The smell of rubbing alcohol and sterilization invaded Rachel's senses, reminding her that she was indeed in a hospital where people died every day. It was a morbid realization, but one that she couldn't over look. She was once again lost in thought when Finn's voice pulled her back to reality.

"What're we doing Rachel?" His face was so forlorn and lost Rachel couldn't help but feel guilty for being the cause of it. Finn had been better boyfriend this year, but there was still something missing that she could never quite place. Emotionally, she knew he just wasn't enough and intellectually most definitely not. But she knew what she was getting into when she had said yes to his proposal; it was clearly an act of desperation, a backup plan to failed plans of NYADA. Then the letter came, and it was all she could do to not rip the ring off her finger and go running in the other direction.

"This really isn't the time or place Finn, can we please just talk about this later? Preferably when we are not waiting for news of whether or not a friend is going to be alive" Rachel said through tears. Crying usually always stopped Finn from pursuing what he wanted to talk about, she knew it was low of her but she really couldn't handle this now.

"Rach. I know okay? I know you don't wanna marry me."

Rachel thought she may have given herself whiplash at how fast she looked up to Finn. What she saw was perhaps even more surprising than Santana's growing concern. He was smiling. She felt her breath hitch in her throat as she saw the beginning of tears in his eyes.

"Ho-how did you know?" she said hesitantly, waiting for him to finally go off and start kicking down nearby chairs.

"I see the way you look at her Rach, I'm not blind. You held up your own wedding for her, I think a part of you wanted her to stop everything and I…I think a part of me wanted her to as well." Tears were now flowing freely down his face as he gave her another small smile. "I thought I was doing us right Rachel, thought it was what you wanted, well at first anyways. But then I realized I asked you because I thought you were the only thing I had going for me. It was selfish."

Rachel had not seen this coming; out off all the scenarios she had played in her head over and over again this one had never made the list. She reached out and took his hand in hers and held it tightly as he choked out another sob.

"I am so sorry Finn. I never meant to hurt you." She reached up and placed a hand on his cheek; he leaned into her touch and closed his eyes.

"It's not your fault, I shouldn't have pressured you into it," he said with a watery smile. "Can I be honest?"

Rachel nodded.

"I was totally freaking out in there. It's why I wanted to hurry you up, cause I thought if I waited another minute there was no way I was gonna go through with it," he said with a light laugh. Rachel grinned, smiling for the first time since that phone call. "You deserve a big wedding Rach, a nice venue, a fancy dress, the church-or at least a jewish one."

This time Rachel couldn't help the giggle that left her lips. This is why she fell in love with him the first time, everything with Finn was so simple, but it was also the reason she fell out of love. She needed more.

"Thank you Finn, it truly means a lot to me that you can be so honest." She put her arms around his tall form and brought him into a hug. He leaned down and engulfed her in his own and placed a kiss a top her head.

"Yea well, after dating you for so long I don't think I can be anything but honest. You're like some kinda human lie detector," he said with another laugh. Rachel huffed but grinned as she playfully punched him in the arm.

"So does that means we can at least be friends?" she asked with a hopeful look.

"That'd be awesome," said Finn with a goofy grin.