Rachel couldn't say she didn't know why she was waiting for Quinn to show up. Because she knew why she was waiting. She needed Quinn to be present.
She knew all eyes were on her. She knew that they were all waiting for her. She picked up her phone one last time. It had been 20 minutes since Quinn's last text.
On my way
Where was she? She most certainly wasn't on her way, or she would be here by now. They were about to lose their spot, and she could feel Finn's patience wearing thin.
Her fathers on the other hand, looked delighted. If she were honest with herself, so did many of her guests in attendance. She watched her fathers heatedly talking in whispers with Burt and Carole.
Quinn, you said you would be here. Where are you?
Rachel fired off one last text. She wondered if Quinn was just playing another cruel joke on her, pretending to be her friend. She refused to believed that, despite everything she knew she and Quinn were friends. Sometimes it even felt like something more meaningful than that.
Rachel looked up to see her best friends eyes on her. Kurt new better than anyone, perhaps even better than herself, why she was delaying her nuptial. He always just seemed to know what was running through her mine. And when it came to Quinn Fabray, it was no different.
She appreciated that he hadn't mentioned anything to his step brother and her fiancé. Her best guess was because he too, was hoping that Quinn would come bursting in here to stop the wedding.
Rachel let here mind run rampant with ideas of grande romantic gestures from time to time. Quinn bursting through the door proclaiming her undying love for Rachel was one of them. She would burst in with the pink dress she could hardly believe everyone agreed to wear. Her hazel eyes would be bright with excitement and trepidation. Her blonde hair would flow behind her as she ran up to the alter and proclaim her raspy voice
"You can't marry him Rachel! I love you!"
Alas, this was the real world and the beautiful girl with hazel eyes, blonde hair, and raspy voice was nowhere to be found.
Rachel was well aware that she could be making up this whole 'Quinn Fabray has feelings for me' in her head. But the alternative, Quinn not feeling anything for her, was too painful to imagine.
"When you were singing that song, you were singing it to Finn and only Finn right?"
Quinn's words rang through her thoughts. Why had she been so stupid? Why hadn't she just admitted that she had feelings for her?
"Hey Yentl are you-" Santana was about to direct a question at Rachel, but her phone interrupted her. Rachel rushed over to the Latina's side.
"Is it Quinn?"
"Calm your non existent tits, Berry" Rachel looked down at her chest and frowned. They were existent. She glanced up and noticed Brittany nodding and giving her a thumbs up. Apparently Brittany agreed.
"It's Judy...weird" Santana glanced up at Rachel, their eyes locked and they both suddenly felt something. And it wasn't good.
"Mrs. Fabray is-" Santana never finished her sentence. She clamped her mouth shut and stared at Rachel with wide eyes. She said nothing, only a choked sound escaped her throat. That was all Rachel needed to hear to know that something was wrong.
Brittany wrapped an arm around her girlfriend at the noise, but there was no other indication that something was wrong.
"Yes, I'll be right there" Santana said in a strained voice. She hung up the phone and removed Brittany's arm from around her, instead clasping their hands together tightly.
Everyone watched Santana in silence, waiting for her to disclose what the phone call was about. Even the boys had found their way over to them.
"What's going on?" Finn asked, concern etched on his face. Santana looked like she had just seen a ghost. Everyone was worried. Santana glanced up at Finn, but then locked eyes with Rachel, as if she were the only one deserving of the information.
"It's Quinn" Quinn's name came out in a choked sob, but Santana pulled herself together before completely losing control. Kurt's hand found Rachel's, they clasped together tightly.
"She got into an accident. It's bad. That's all Judy would say. I-" Santana stood up suddenly. "I- I have to go." She tugged Brittany behind her then looked back over her shoulder at Rachel.
"You coming?" Santana asked looking straight at Rachel. Rachel turned around just to make sure the Latina was indeed taking to her. She locked eyes with Santana and in doing so Rachel was aware that Santana knew. She understood.
Rachel looked over at her fiancé. She wasn't asking for his permission, she was looking for his reaction. He nodded once regardless. It seemed like everyone was catching on to what Quinn and Rachel actually meant. He looked broken and disillusioned and it wasn't because one of his friends had been in a terrible accident. It was because he too understood.
Rachel grasped Kurt's hand tightly, not being able to face anything without him and tugged him behind her without a word to anyone.
They all rode in silence. Brittany had decided to drive because Santana's hands were shaking too violently to grab the wheel. Kurt held Rachel tightly, but the car ride went by in complete silence. No one cried. No one spoke. Rachel wondered if anyone was breathing.
When they arrived at the hospital Rachel's stomach lurched and she found herself vomiting into the bushes right by the entrance. To her surprise it wasn't Kurt who ran a soothing hand over her back.
"Pull it together Rachel" Santana said soothingly. That was probably the first time Rachel heard Santana use her first name. Once she was sure she wasn't going to vomit anymore she stood up straight and nodded. Glad that her companions waited for her.
Rachel was aware that they must have looked like lunatics. Rachel in her bridal gown. Kurt in a suit. Brittany and Santana in bridesmaid dresses. Everyone stared.
Santana paid no mind to it though. She had an arm wrapped around Rachel and her hand held by Brittany's as she marched through the hospital like she owned the place. She knew exactly where she was headed when she lead them to the emergency room. She walked right up to a desk and pulled a phone out from behind it.
"Dr. Manuel Lopez to the ER please. Manuel Lopez, ER." Santana's voice echoed through the hospital. A nurse behind the desk swiveled her chair to glare at Santana.
"Do not mess with me Betty, not today" Santana said dismissively to the nurse. They didn't have to wait long for a man resembling Santana to approach them.
"Papi, what's going on? Have you heard anything?" The man looked at Rachel and her friends carefully, wondering how much he should really say to them. The man sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He looked exhausted.
"I was here when she came in. It's- It's not good. She's with our best doctors in there Santy, Dr. Shepard and Dr. Torres." This piece of information apparently meant a lot to Santana because she stiffened.
"Both of them? Papi, why does she need both?" The man aged with the one question alone. He looked at the group of teenagers with sadness.
"She sustained a spinal injury. I don't know how extensive. You guys should wait with Mrs. Fabray. Quinn will be in surgery for a while."
The first couple of hours in the surgical waiting room passed by in a blur. She noticed the rest of her wedding party arriving. She was aware of Kurt trying to feed her and give her water, but Rachel wasn't hungry.
It wasn't until someone wearing scrubs stepped in that Rachel became more animated. She stood up waiting to hear the update. The woman looked around the room filled to the brim with teens dressed to the nines. She shook her head and stepped closer to Mrs. Fabray.
"Your daughter sustained a substantial amount of internal injuries. She broke her wrist and a couple of ribs. She had internal bleeding that we were able to get under control. It's her spinal injury that we are concerned about right now. It's been touch and go but I assure you both Dr. Shepard and Dr. Torres are hard at work." The woman was about to turn around and leave the room when Rachel stopped her.
"Wait!" The woman turned to face Rachel it seemed the only reason she was indulging her was because of the wedding dress.
" Touch and Go, yo don't mean...?" Rachel couldn't even finish her thought, but the surgeon seemed to understand.
"She flatlined twice" The woman said bluntly, but when Rachel's eyes welled with tears she stepped closer.
"She's going to be ok right?" Rachel asked between sobs. Santana came up behind her and held Rachel's hand.
"What's your name?" The woman asked kindly, she glanced up recognizing Santana.
"Rachel" She choked out.
"I'm Meredith, Rachel, and I promise you that we are going to try and save your... friend. Is she your friend?" Meredith asked Rachel, Rachel swallowed thickly before answering quietly.
"I love her" She managed to choke out. Loud enough for only Meredith and Santana to hear.
"Well, I promise you we will try our very best to save her. But in order to do that I have to get back in there and help them" Rachel nodded accepting her answer. But before the women left she took Rachel's hand and squeezed it.
"What did she say?" Finn asked, standing up from between Sam and Tina. Rachel turned on her heel and stomped towards the boy.
"This is your fault" Rachel jabbed him hard into his chest. He looked surprised by the accusation. Everyone did.
"Rachel" Brittany called lightly trying to stop her.
"It's your fault. YOU! You saw me with my wedding dress before the wedding! It's bad luck and now! Now look at us! Quinn is-" Rachel was hitting Finn and he was accepting every punch and every slap thrown his way. Rachel was hurting and she needed a punching bag. He would be that for her.
"Quinn is-" She brokenly sobbed as she hit him. Puck stepped in and wrapped his arm around the small girl.
"LET ME GO! NOAH! PUT ME DOWN!" Rachel kicked and sobbed, trying to break free, but the man with puffy red eyes wouldn't let her go.
"This isn't Finn's fault."Puck said calmly into her ear "It's not. Calm down Rachel. Breathe" This only seemed to have the opposite effect on the girl. She sobbed harder, no longer fighting Puck.
"It's not his fault. Because it's mine!" She wailed "If I hadn't been texting her and rushing her- She wouldn't be- She'd be-" Rachel couldn't finish her sentence. She broke down in Pucks arms.
Once she was able to calm down, Rachel looked around the room frantically, searching for the one person who loved Quinn, maybe not like she did, but she loved her none the less. She spotted Santana sobbing into Brittany, Brittany trying her best to keep it together. She pulled herself out of Pucks arms and went straight for Santana.
Part of Rachel feared she would get punched in the nose, but Santana didn't hesitate to open her arms wide to welcome Rachel into an embrace. Santana held her and Brittany held them both.
Rachel never imagined she would be in the arms of some of her biggest tormentors seeking comfort. Then again she would never imagine herself to be in love with her BIGGEST tormentor. And Quinn may never know how she feels.
"What if- What if I never get to tell her?" Rachel sobbed into Santana.
"Don't ask questions I don't know the answer to Berry" Santana snapped. Oddly, Rachel found it comforting. Brittany is the one who spoke up.
"You'll get a chance. Quinn's tough." Rachel really hoped so.
Hours later when most people had gone home to either change or go to bed, Meredith finally stepped in. LeRoy (both of her parents had stayed) nudged Judy awake.
Meredith looked exhausted, but she gave no other emotional indication as to how Quinn was.
Rachel waited with bated breath, hoping that she would have the chance to finally tell Quinn how she felt.
Hope you guys liked this one!
If hospitals are involved I immediately think of Grey's. I couldn't help myself.
I'd love to hear what you guys think -A