A/N: Here's next chapter, guys. Sorry for the delay but I'm working on the next installment to be posted as soon as it's done later during the day. I know it's a little slow but bear with me. The emotional stuff had to be dealt with right off the bat. As always read and review, tell me what you think.
"Are you sure about this?" the blonde asked for the umpteenth time. She had yet to relinquish her death grip on the steering wheel.
They'd been sitting in Quinn's car for almost ten minutes now doing nothing but staring at the Berry house. Hiram and Leroy had already called Rachel to ask what was taking so long. It seemed that the blonde could not make herself get out of the car, she was like a fish out of water with this whole 'Rachel being nice after all the mocking' thing.
"Quinn, you are a pregnant teenager. I know we're not exactly the best of friends...okay we are not even close to being friends but...if not for you then do it for your child." The brunette's voice was firm but gentle. She understood how much she had hurt Quinn with her indiscretion and only hoped to make up for it. The Glee club's weird dating game was not the baby's fault.
"Okay, and Rachel...I...thank you."
"You're welcome..." The petite diva beamed but turned pensive almost all of a sudden. "You know? I kind of like it when you call me by my given name and not 'man hands', 'RuPaul', 'Treasure Trail'..."
The former cheerleader, mortified, blushed profusely and averted her gaze. However, hazel orbs snapped back to chocolate ones once Quinn heard a snort from the short girl. "Relax, I was just teasing you. Although I do like it, I didn't mean it like that."
"Don't do that!" The blonde said really smiling for the first time during the whole day. "And I happen to like your name."
"Good, let's go then because I'm starving and daddy made vegetable lasagna today. You'll love it."
With that, both girls exited the car and took the bags from the trunk. The short brunette was going on about the guest room and how comfortable she hoped the blonde would feel here. The pregnant girl found quite amazing how Rachel could go from serious and sincere to chipper in mere seconds. Maybe, just maybe there was more to her than the conceited diva she let everybody at school see.
Well, the vegetable lasagna was indeed excellent, Quinn didn't remember a time she had such a nice dinner. At the Fabray house it was all a very solemn affair whereas the Berrys talked and bickered like a real family. It was nice but she still felt sad about her situation, that these people would make her feel more welcome than her own parents.
"So you approved of my lasagna blondie but are there any special requests food-wise?" Leroy Berry asked the new addition to their household after serving everyone their second helping.
Before Quinn could respond Rachel spoke. "Don't call her that daddy, she doesn't like it."
How Rachel came to possess such information the blonde couldn't imagine. However, since a response was still required she composed herself as fast as she could. "Mr. Berry, really, there is no need…I'm already imposing on you so much, I wouldn't want to abuse…"
Both Rachel and Leroy rolled their eyes at the girl's answer. She was beginning to sound like a broken record with this 'imposing' speech. However, it was Hiram that stopped his two drama queens from saying anything to the timid the pregnant girl. "I think this is a matter for another day, I want to discuss Sectionals right now…Finn's little stunt was a little dramatic for my taste."
That seemed to do the trick since Rachel launched into a tirade about the whole ordeal. How unethical it had been for Coach Sylvester to leak the setlist but even more so coming from the directors of the rival school's glee clubs. Quinn occasionally got a word in and smiled at the brunette's antics. She thought the shorter girl was right of course, but she still found the way she used her body language so dramatically rather adorable. Wait, what? Rachel Berry, adorable?
Twenty minutes later it was Hiram again who spoke. "Rachel darling, daddy and I would like to talk to Quinn for a bit if that's alright with you."
Rachel knew this was coming and with a knowing smile excused herself from the table. She patted the former cheerleader's shoulder comfortingly and headed upstairs to her room. There were some math problems with her name on them that were not gonna solve themselves.
Once they were by themselves Hiram turned to Quinn who was sitting slumped in her chair. "Quinn, we wanted to talk to you because your situation is very peculiar."
The girl sighed. "I know Mr. Berry. I'm aware of the…complications I've brought to your home…"
The man held up a hand to indicate he wasn't finished. "Quinn, please stop. Leroy and I merely wanted to make clear that you are not imposing, brought complications or anything else that might indicate you are a hassle to this household. Isn't that right honey?" He turned to his husband.
Leroy smiled. "It is, Quinn, we want you to know that you are very much welcome here. We wanted to ask you if you were seeing any doctor because if you're not I can ask a friend of mine to take you on as a patient."
Hiram continued after the girl gave no indication of wanting to interrupt. "We also wanted to incorporate your dietary needs to our own, Leroy wasn't kidding back there you know?"
The men's words were interrupted by a sob coming from the girl sitting across from them. God, I blame the baby hormones for turning me into mush. Get it together Fabray! What's with the waterworks every five minutes?
The girl didn't know what to say so she simply stood up and walked around the table to hug both men. She tried to put as much feeling into it as she could. "Thank you. Just thank you."
The men squeezed her a little in their hug and it was oddly reassuring. "No problem sweetie. Now, about the food…" Leroy said in a serious tone.
"I don't have anything specific. Oh, but bacon would be great!"
"Yes! Neither Rachel nor Hiram can deny a pregnant girl her bacon!" Leroy proclaimed and Quinn arched a questioning eyebrow to the other man.
"I'm Jewish. He converted so we could get married but he sure does love his meat." Hiram said with an amused smile.
"I've had to pull off a lot of emotional blackmail so I can get only a little but now that you're here, it's free game."
The three of them burst out laughing after a few seconds. Maybe it was a family thing, Quinn thought. One minute ago these men were welcoming a very pregnant teen into their house, quite strangely she might add, and now they were bickering about bacon. They were indeed a bizarre family but the girl couldn't deny that they made her feel welcome almost instantly.
"Alright, I think we should stop before Quinn is completely scared by our weirdness. You can go up if you want sweetie, and remember, this is your home now, okay?"
The blonde nodded and moved to leave. "Okay, than you Mr. Berry." After one quick hug and kiss from each man she started climbing the stairs.
Once in the upper floor she started walking through the corridor towards the room Rachel had led her to before so she could get settled properly. She was so caught up in her own musings that she found herself colliding with a warm body just outside the bathroom.
Hazel eyes made the huge mistake of looking up. It was Rachel. Of course it's Rachel you dork! A very wet Rachel Berry enveloped in a really small and equally wet towel. This time Quinn was happy to have a photographic memory because she blushed and diverted her gaze almost immediately. However, her mind took quite a mental snapshot of the girl. What a snapshot indeed. How can that towel be so small, she's tiny for god's sake!
"Uhm, I'm sorry Rachel, I should've looked where I was going. I didn't mean to…you know…I'll just go…"
"N…no Quinn, by all means it was m…my uh, my fault yes." The short brunette stammered at the same time fumbling to make sure the towel stayed firmly draped around her body. Real smooth Rachel, real smooth. She just bumped into you and you are a blubbering idiot! The short brunette watched as Quinn ran the rest of the way to her room however short the distance was.
Once in the safety of her room the blonde plopped down on the bed. Could she have been more of a spaz back there? Rachel must think she is crazy now. Why did she get so nervous? She'd showered in the locker rooms with the Cheerios lots of times and she'd never experienced this reaction to a girl in a towel. "Baby hormones, yeah, that's it."
The pregnant girl went about her routine to get ready for bed. She only hoped that the nightmares let her rest a bit more this time. Tomorrow would be another day for sure.
She rubbed her belly soothingly and whispered. "Goodnight baby."
