AN: Well, here's the second part. You'll see early on why it would have been wrong to end where I did. Enjoy.
Day 5
Rachel's already crying before she even fully wakes. She had canceled the wedding the previous day, and that should have been the end of it. Yet somehow Quinn still ended up in the hospital; a car accident, but a different one than she had while trying to attend the wedding. Her injuries had also been more… substantial.
The damage to her spine had been more severe. Irreparable. She wouldn't be walking again. Her face had also been brutally scarred. Quinn was still beautiful; Rachel could never see her as anything but. All the same, Rachel knew that if and when that Quinn woke up, she'd only see herself as being hideous.
She's sure what she can do. Her entire body feels numb, but Rachel gets up anyway. She groggily shuffles around, haphazardly tossing on some clothes before escaping her house and getting into her car. She's sleepy and forces herself to drive slowly despite the urgency of the situation. She doesn't even know where she's going, but unconsciously finds herself driving to Quinn's once more.
It's probably not the best idea considering what had happened the last time Rachel tried to stop Quinn directly, but maybe a different approach would work better. Rachel exits out of her car and ascends the steps of the front porches. She rings the door bell and starts going through things she can say to convince Quinn to not attend the wedding without hurting her feelings.
The door swings open and at the first sight of Quinn, Rachel breaks down. She forgets about the thoughts running through her mind and suddenly latches onto Quinn before the blonde can even get a word in. She's squeezing her tightly and crying into her shirt. At first Quinn doesn't hug her back; shock, Rachel assumes but she soon wraps her arms around Rachel's tiny form.
"Hey, it's okay," she coos, comfortingly. But her words or more precisely, her voice only make Rachel's cries worsen.
"No it's not," Rachel sobs. "Nothing's okay, absolutely nothing."
"Is it Finn?" Quinn asks with genuine concern as she slightly pushes Rachel back. "Did he call of the wedding?" Rachel shakes her head as she fights the urge to cling back onto Quinn. She can see that the blonde's shirt is already soaked through, and it makes her feel worse than she already does. "Then what's wrong?"
The only response Rachel is able to manage is a squeak before jumps back into Quinn's arms. One of Quinn's hands fall onto her, gently stroking her hair whiles she whispers reassures into her ear. "It's okay, it's okay. Whatever it is, it's okay. You're safe, Rachel." Quinn pulls Rachel in closer and then shuts the door. From there she escorts Rachel up to her room and sits her down on her bed. She starts to leave soon after.
"Wait," Rachel stops her. "Where are you going?"
"I'm just going to get you a glass of water, okay? I'll be right back." Quinn disappears downstairs and although it's ridiculous, Rachel can't help but fear that something horrible will happen to her before she gets back. But Quinn does come back, glass of water in hand. She hands it to Rachel, who quickly gulps it down. "Better?" Usually a glass of water would do the trip. Not this time.
"A little." Quinn takes a seat next to her.
"So tell me, what's wrong?"
"I don't want to lose you."
Quinn's face scrunches up in confusion. "What are you taking about? You're not going to lose me."
"Never mind, forget I said anything."
"Rachel, if you think I still have feelings for Finn, then-"
"No," Rachel interrupts. "I know that you don't. This has nothing to do with him."
"Then tell me what it's about," Quinn pleads, almost begs.
"You wouldn't believe me."
"Try me." There's nothing but sincerity in Quinn's tone. It makes Rachel want to tell her regardless of how Quinn will react. But she doesn't say anything and Quinn inches closer. "You've always come to me before, even before we were friends," she points out.
"I can't." Rachel pulls away, lying herself down on Quinn's bed.
"Okay, okay," Quinn resigns. She scoots closer and takes a hold of Rachel's hands. She idly links their fingers. "I'm guessing the wedding is off?" Rachel nods her head. "And you're sure this is what you want?" Another nod. "All right, I'll just leave you here then." She gets up. "If you need me I'll be downstairs." She starts to go away.
"Wait!" Quinn turns. "Can you stay here, with me?" Rachel asks. "Can I hold you for a while?" Rachel sees the confusion on Quinn's face. She knows that Quinn's wants to say something, wants to asks something, but she doesn't. Instead she just slips into bed and into Rachel's arms. "Thank you."
"Anything for you, Rachel."
Day 6
"Rachel? What are you doing here?" Rachel leaps into her arms and inhales deeply. Quinn is shocked, but hugs back. "Rachel what's wrong?" She tenderly strokes her hair. "Is it Finn? Did he-"
"No," Rachel quickly interrupts. "Finn didn't do anything."
"Then what-"
"Don't ask, please." Quinn shuts her mouth. "Can we just go to your room?"
They go upstairs and not soon later, they find themselves in Quinn's bed. Rachel holds onto Quinn tightly. It's the only thing she knows that will ensure Quinn's safety. So long as she can keep her in this bed, then nothing can hurt her.
Day 11
They're lying in bed, Rachel's arms wrapped tightly around Quinn's middle. She's been in this position for countless of hours. It almost feels like a lifetime even though it's only been a few days. But every time she holds her, Rachel learns a little something more about Quinn's body.
She's learned the location of Quinn's so-called stretch marks; ones that Rachel's never managed to see. And she's noticed that Quinn's self-conscious about her butt. She's felt the twitch of her abs whenever she buries her face in Quinn's hair. And she's seen the small, secretive smile that Quinn gets sometimes when they cuddle.
Rachel doesn't know if that smile means anything, but she stops thinking about it when feels Quinn's hand slip out of hers. "Quinn?" she says, worriedly. Sometime like this has never happened before. "You're not leaving me, are you?"
"No," Quinn quickly flips around to face her. "No, of course not. I'll be here as long as you need me. It's just… I just got the strangest feeling of déjà vu."
Day 15
"Why are we doing this Rachel?" Quinn sternly asks, staring Rachel right in the eye.
"Why are we doing what?"
"Don't play dumb with me," Quinn scolds. Her tone is so different from the one she had had for the past week. Instead of being sweet and caring, Quinn is bitter and annoyed. "Why do you want to hold me?"
"I already told you, I don't want to-"
"I want a real answer Rachel," Quinn says, her voice louder than before. "Besides, I already told you, you're not going to lose me." She jumps into an upright and Rachel and quickly does the same, ready to stop her. But Quinn isn't planning to leave and Rachel's heart starts to calm. "I don't know what you think is going to happen today, but I don't think that lying to me about it is going to help keep me around."
Rachel flinches, tears prickling in her eyes. She hasn't cried in the past few days; she had really hoped that she wouldn't have to again. She backs away and towards the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"
Quinn's expression softens. She reaches for Rachel and pulls her back towards the middle of the bed. "I'm sorry Rachel. I shouldn't have raised my voice." She slowly pulls Rachel into a soothing hug. "I'm just worried about you."
"You shouldn't." Quinn pushes her back.
"Why wouldn't I worry about you?" Quinn looks at her incredulously. "You're my friend and I just want to make sure you're okay, and that you're happy."
"But I'm not the one that you should be worried about," Rachel finally admits.
"What are you talking about?"
"I'll tell you, but promise that you won't interrupt me, okay?"
"All right."
And so Rachel tells her. She tells Quinn about how she gets in a car accident on the way to Rachel's wedding. She tells Quinn about how she's been reliving the same day for over two weeks. She tells her about how one time she had died. She tells her of how she's been doing everything she can to keep her safe. All the while Quinn sat still and listened attentively.
When Rachel finishes, she gives Quinn a moment to process everything, hoping that she won't think this whole thing is crazy. She's watches as Quinn takes her bottom lip between her teeth as she thinks it all over. It's nerve-wracking. "Maybe," Quinn begins tentatively, and Rachel leans forward. "Maybe, I'm supposed to get in that crash."
"What?" Rachel backs away, horrified that Quinn could even think like that.
"Maybe the way to stop this is to-"
"No! I am not going to sit by and just let you get crushed by a truck."
"Rachel, listen-"
"No," Rachel says again. "Do you have any idea what you mean to me? Do you have any idea how important you are to me? Do you-" She can't continue and breaks down in tears. Quinn pulls her in close and she starts to sob into her shirt. "I can't lose you Quinn, I can't. I love you." Rachel feels Quinn stiffen.
"What did you just say?" Quinn pulls back.
"I- I-" Rachel's quite sure herself.
"Did you say that you love me?"
"I- I guess I did. Yes." Then she goes quiet.
"Did you mean it?"
"I don't- Maybe, I guess so."
"That's not an answer, Rachel. Yes or no?"
For a moment Rachel's world stops, and she looks back over everything. She thinks back on how she had always wanted Quinn's approval. She recalls how she'd always forgive Quinn despite every prank, bad name, and slushie thrown her way. She remembers how she'd always reach out to Quinn when no one else would. Rachel doesn't know what to make of it all, but she does know one thing.
"Yes. Yes, I love you." Rachel doesn't know what to expect, but she prepares for the worst. But Quinn leaps forward and shoves Rachel onto the bed, attaching their lips together.
"I love you too."
Day 16
Rachel wakes with a start. She's panting and ready to leap out of bed when she feels an arm wrap around her middle. She freezes. Her eyes dart down to the feminine hand gently stroking her stomach. "Quinn?"
"Hey."
Rachel quickly spins around and hugs Quinn tightly. "Quinn! You're okay. You're alive."
"Shh, it's okay. I love you."