Church Bells
There was chatter all around as familiar faces filled the church a few months later. Will stepped through them all and walked down the hall trying to catch his breath. He was nervous. This day honestly wasn't even about him, he didn't have anything to do but stand there and he was nervous. He paced the hall trying to get his head straight about what he was going to say. This all just seemed so crazy and fast all of a sudden.
Will wondered if he was doing the right thing. The last few years all seemed like a blur, like snapshots all running together about how things had happened to get him where he was today. His wedding day.
He walked down the hallway and knocked on the door, "Quinn?"
"Will? You can't come in" She called from the room.
He laughed, "I know… I just wanted to hear your voice. I'm nervous."
He could picture Quinn biting her lip on the other side, "Me too." She admitted.
"Why are we nervous?" Will laughed leaning his back against the door, "It seems silly right?"
"Well I don't know what you're nervous about but I've never worn a dress like this, so I'm just pretty nervous I'm going to fall on my face in front of everyone." She laughed, "Now you, I don't know what you have to be nervous about."
"Maybe I'm just nervous I'm going to forget how to talk or something. That's crazy for a teacher right? Forgetting how to talk… or what about how people feel about us. I always worry about that. I feel like they're judging me for loving you because I was your teacher." Will sighed heavily.
"You worry about that too much. It's not their decision on who I love and who you love. We love each other, that's all that matters." Quinn stated stepping closer to the door. "Now Mr. Shuster, you are late."
"So are you, Mrs. Shuster."
XXX
Will took his place up front and the music began to play. All of the bridesmaids and groomsmen walked down the isles two by two. Mercedes and Sam, Santana and Brittany, and Blaine and Kurt.
Followed by them was little Beth with the flower basket. She skipped the scattering of petals and seemed to dump them all in one place to which a light unanimous laugh ensued. Following her was the adopted son of Kurt and Blaine, Caleb, who carried the rings on a pillow.
Then the music swelled.
Everyone stood.
Will's heart was pounding in his chest. Everything else about the day suddenly seemed insignificant. He felt like there was no one else in the room. He watched as Quinn rounded the corner and then there she stood.
Her hair was in curls that fell just to the top of the sweetheart neckline of her dress. The bodice fell right to her waist line and puffed into a beautiful tool ball gown. It was simple enough for her but so very elegant. Her vail was adorned with simple beading along the sides and framed the gentle features of her face.
Will couldn't help but notice how she glowed as she stood there in the doorway, the sun shining behind her. His heart swelled and tears came to his eyes as he watched her start to walk towards him.
Quinn took two steps and then faltered. She froze. Will's eyebrows furrowed together confused as to what was happening. He saw Quinn search the room frantically. Will looked over at Mercedes who simply nodded and headed to her with Kurt, who had planned the wedding, in tow.
"I can't do this." Quinn gasped.
"What why?" Kurt was very confused and saw how hurt Will already looked before he even knew what was really going on, "Are you having second thoughts?" Kurt whispered.
"No- I just-"she took a breath, "I always pictured by Dad walking me down the aisle. He's not here, and both of the other men in my life that were important to me are dead, so I have no one. I'm alone." Quinn's eyes filled with tears.
Mercedes grabbed her by the shoulder, "Quinn, look around you. You are not alone." She caught the tears falling from Quinn's eyes, "now don't cry you'll ruin that mascara." She added getting a small smile from Quinn.
"Hold on" Kurt smirked and took off down the aisle. He explained to Will what was going on and explained his plan as Mercedes took Quinn into the hall way, "Excuse me everyone," Kurt called out, "I apologize for the delay, but we're going to try this again… this time with a little help."
Out in the hallway Mercedes continued to calm Quinn. Quinn took a long deep breath and turned when someone tapped her on the shoulder.
It was Puck's mother.
"Hi Quinn." She smiled gently. "Kurt told me what happened, and I know that I am not a father, but I wondered if you would be okay if I gave you away today." Mrs. Puckerman's eyes filled with tears looking at the girl who would have married her son.
Quinn's voice broke, "I couldn't ask you to do that. I am surprised you even wanted to come."
"Quinn, you're not imposing on me and I know you deserve to be happy. I know that Noah would have wanted to see you happy. In fact, I'm sure he's looking down and smiling only wishing it was him there at the end." She smiled at Quinn.
"Thank you Mrs. Puckerman." Quinn whispered allowing her to take her arm in her own.
Mercedes walked down first signaling to everyone that the ceremony was about to begin again.
XXX
"Before we begin the ceremony is there anyone who objects to the two of these people joining in holy matrimony?" the pastor announced over the silent crowd.
Quinn looked out at everyone knowing that this was the most awkward silence of the entire wedding. Something seemed off as she began to turn to face Will again, she had a gut feeling that something-someone was here that shouldn't be.
"I OBJECT" a loud high pitched voice screamed out as the doors to the church flew open wide.
Will and Quinn turned simultaneously to face Emma who was storming down the aisle, face almost as red as her hair. Quinn's breath caught in her throat as she watched the small woman storm towards them.
There was something different about Emma, her hair was not in its usual tidy bob and her shirt was dirty and missing buttons. Anyone that knew Emma Pillsbury knew that she suffered from serious obsessive compulsive disorder, so seeing her like this was almost frightening.
"And the reason for your objection?" the pastor let out quietly, unsure.
Emma stopped in her tracts, halfway down the aisle. No one moved. Emma's hands reached behind her and before they knew what was happening a single gunshot rang out, echoing against the high ceilings, "You can't marry a dead woman." Emma stated calmly and fled from the church.
Everyone turned to see where the shot had landed and saw Quinn's perfect white dress rapidly being stained red as blood poured from her chest. There were a series of shouts around the church.
"CALL 9-1-1"
"Someone help her!"
"Is she going to be okay?"
Quinn was silent.
Her hands moved to her chest, she could feel the hot sticky substance on her fingers. Quinn lifted her hands to eye level and gasped when she saw the blood, her blood shining on her hand. Breathing became harder and harder as Quinn stood there unable to move or think.
It seemed like minutes passed by, when it was really seconds before Quinn felt her consciousness fading. She looked over and saw Will was holding onto her, something she hadn't realized before. "Will." She whispered, looking into his tear filled eyes, "I love you."
Her eyes closed and Will fell with her as she crashed onto the ground.
XXX
At the hospital Will paced back and forth in front of everyone in the waiting room. He couldn't sit still, he couldn't think, he couldn't eat, he could do nothing but pace back and forth while Quinn was in surgery.
He paused for a moment and looked at Quinn's blood stained dress that was halfway shoved into a bag on the chair in front of him. He kept replaying the moment in his head over and over again the sound of the gun continuing to echo in his mind.
Was this my fault?
Could I have stopped it?
What if she's dead?
His thoughts were enough to make him go mad. He just wanted to know if she was okay, he had yet to get an update on her condition from the doctors and he wasn't sure if that was a good thing, or a bad thing.
"Maybe you should sit down for a bit" A voice suggested, kindly placing a hand on his shoulder.
He shook the hand off, "I can't" he replied gruffly, returning to his pacing.
XXX
After five hours of surgery and two hours in the recovery unit where she was sleeping, Will was allowed to see Quinn. He walked into the room slowly surveying the scene in front of him.
Quinn had several IVs hooked up to her and a ventilator in her throat. Will felt a lump in his throat and tears beginning to rise in his eyes. Please be okay. He walked closer to the bed and took her hand in his before turning to the doctor for an explanation.
"Mr. Shuster, your fiancé suffered major damage from the shot. The good news is that we were able to repair most of it. It didn't hit her heart but it did go far enough to brush the spine. We're going to have to wait until she wakes up to see if she suffered any kind of damage to the spinal cord, but overall the surgery went well. If she wakes up anytime soon make sure to call the nurse" the doctor began to walk out of the room but paused at the door, "I'm so sorry you're going through this. We love Quinn here. She took care of my daughter when she broke her arm… she's a great nurse and a kind person- I'm sorry, that was inappropriate."
"No, no" Will wiped tears from his eyes, "thank you. I'm glad to know that someone who knew of her was able to help her… it means a lot." Will squeezed Quinn's lifeless hand and listened to the beeping of the machines that filled the silence.
XXX
Waves crashed against the shore behind them and the sound of seagulls flying over filled the air. The wind was blowing ever so slightly, just enough to cause Quinn's dress to flutter behind her as she rolled her wheelchair to the end of the aisle.
She paused at the end and looked for Mercedes who immediately rushed to her side. She took Quinn's arm and helped her out of the chair and stepped back. Quinn was standing on her own for what seemed to be the first time in months.
She took a step.
And another.
And another.
Will smiled seeing her be able to walk towards him and it took all the self-control he had to not run to her, take her in his arms, and kiss her.
She made it down the aisle and took his hands in hers, "I've been practicing."
Will's eyes gleamed with joy, "I see that… I can't believe you're walking again."
"Me either."
"I love you"
"I love you too… now let's get married." She grinned playfully turning to the pastor and giving a slight nod.
XXX
"Do you Will Shuster take Quinn Fabray to have and to hold, in sickness and in health until death do you part?"
"I do" Will responded, holding back tears as he looked into Quinn's eyes.
"And do you Quinn Fabray, take Will Shuster to be your husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"
Quinn smiled digging her toes into the sand, "I do."
"Then I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may now kiss the bride."
They kissed, and it was like nothing before. The bells rang out behind them and cheers from their small group of friends and family ensued. After a life full of heartache and sadness, this… this was pure joy.
