Disclaimer: I own nothing! It all belongs to Fox and he who must not be named.
Summery: *Spoilers* They lost Regionals and Quinn decided to give her baby up for adoption. Everything seems to have gone wrong and Quinn is left wondering if it will ever be right again. The continuation of Quinn and Glee, and maybe the beginning of something that Quinn never saw coming. Eventual Faberry. May change rating to M in future.
"Ow, that hurt!" Rachel exclaims, glaring at Quinn while mournfully rubbing her now sore nose.
Quinn leans back away from Rachel, a satisfied smirk firmly in place. "Well, you seemed to be having trouble speaking, which I find alarming considering… well you, and I was growing concerned." Which is true on all points… kind of.
"That does not explain why you felt the need to flick my nose with your finger!" Rachel huffs. "I was simply preoccupied for a moment and was not able to respond right away, but you could have tried getting my attention in another, none violent, manner. Not to mention if your hands have been properly sanitized recently," she mumbles the last part, eyeing Quinn's hands with suspicion.
Rolling her eyes Quinn grudgingly concedes. "All right, don't get your panties in a twist Berry I was just messing with you. I didn't mean anything by it. I'm sorry, okay?" Quinn tries to appear contrite.
Not wanting to dwell on fact that Quinn just apologized to her, she does not need to repeat the last few minutes, Rachel nods while smoothing her skirt. "Very well, I accept your apology. Though I must admit I am somewhat surprised at your friendly attitude towards me. Why are you being, somewhat, nice to me?" Rachel takes a subtle step back, just in case, and looks inquisitively at Quinn, waiting for her response.
"Look Berr… Rachel, a lot has happened this past year and I for one just want to forget most of it. Start over you know? So since it's the end of the school year I'm trying to have a, mostly, clean slate all around." Quinn pauses, finally meeting Rachel's gaze. "And I figure that I might as well begin with you. We're not really enemies anymore but we are not friends, just teammates, but there's nothing against us being friendly to each other at least, right?" Silence descends after Quinn's softly murmured proposal, leaving her confused at the nervous trepidation she is suddenly feeling concerning Rachel's response.
Stunned. That's all Rachel Berry can register following Quinn's declaration. Will wonders never cease. Rachel notices Quinn waiting for her reaction and makes a decision.
"Hello," Rachel extends her hand, "my name is Rachel Barbra Berry, future Broadway ingénue. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Quinn is baffled for a moment before catching on. With a roll of her eyes and a mental What the heck, the blonde reciprocates. "Hi, my name is Quinn Fabray," she smiles while grasping Rachel's hand, "former Cheerio captain and HBIC. Nice to meet you too."
They both stand there for a moment, grinning at each other with hands still clasped. Then each realize they've been staring a bit too long and quickly part, blushing slightly. Quinn coughs, clearing her throat, and bends to pick up her bag.
"Right... well, I better get going. Have a nice summer Rachel." She and Rachel hesitantly nod at each other. "Bye," Quinn waves.
"Um, Quinn?" Rachel hesitates, looking anxious for a moment before steeling her resolve. "Before you leave, I just wanted to let you know that I wish that I could have been there, for your baby's birth." She notices Quinn's sad expression, but before she can continue Quinn interrupts her.
"Rachel, you know we needed someone to stay and represent the team, and you are team captain. There wasn't a choice really, I understand that. So thanks, but don't worry about it."
"I know but… if I could have, I would have wanted to be there for you." Rachel looks down shyly. "I just wanted you to know that."
Where is all this coming from? Quinn thinks in wonderment. First Mercedes, then Puck, her mother, and now of all people, Rachel. When but a few months ago there wasn't a single person she could turn to, now all of these people were offering something Quinn didn't realize she had been craving for a long time. If I had this when I first found out I was pregnant, would I have been able, or even ready, to keep her? This realization strikes something deep within Quinn, tapping into the grief she has so desperately tried to suppress, and her walls that were so carefully built up finally come crashing down. She just never fathomed it would be caused by, and in front of, Rachel Man Hands Berry.
It definitely wasn't something Rachel expected either. She found it akin to watching a house of cards collapse. To the brunette's growing horror, Quinn's face begins to crumble and then the rest of her follows as her legs slowly give way. The blonde ends up kneeling on the floor, curled into herself and quietly sobbing. Beginning to panic, Rachel frantically wonders what she did wrong and how she could possibly console the grieving blonde.
An idea springing to mind, the brunette songstress does the only thing she can think of. Hesitantly, Rachel kneels down next to Quinn, wrapping one arm around the blonde's lower back and gently runs her fingers through the girl's hair. "I'm so sorry for whatever I said that upset you, Quinn," Rachel mournfully whispers, "I swear that was not my intention. But it's ok, I'm not going anywhere. I understand the need to just let go and cry. I find it very cathartic myself. I... I'm going to sing to you now, this song helps me to feel better sometimes." Quinn doesn't respond so Rachel takes that as an okay to go ahead.
2 AM and she calls me 'cause I'm still awake,
"Can you help me unravel my latest mistake?,
I don't love him. Winter just wasn't my season."
Yeah we walk through the doors, so accusing their eyes
Like they have any right at all to criticize,
Hypocrites. You're all here for the very same reason.
'Cause you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable
And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table
No one can find the rewind button, girl.
So cradle your head in your hands
And breathe... just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe.
Rachel softly finishes, continuing to soothe the blonde whose sobs had lessened throughout the song. "Shhh… it's okay Quinn, it will be okay. It may not seem like it now, because it is so very hard to see past the bad, especially when everyday looks the same as the last, but there comes a time when you simply have to take a moment and just breathe. It is all anyone can do sometimes. I confess I do not understand everything you are going through, but I have had my fair share of heartache, and this is one way that has helped me to cope." While Rachel is quietly murmuring, Quinn uncurls and clutches onto the brunette, burying herself within the brunette's embrace.
Too emotionally drained to dwell on the fact that she is exposed at her most vulnerable, especially in front of Rachel Berry, Quinn can only concentrate on the fact that her heart hasn't felt so light in a long time. It's as if a burden has been lifted, at least for a time, and Quinn is experiencing a rare moment of peace.
Quietly, Quinn whispers, "Rachel, I…"
Yet, the moment is fleeting, as the quiet is shattered by the shrill ringtone of Defying Gravity.
A/N: Please review!
Song: "Breathe 2am" by Anna Nalick