(A/N: Uhh... *Looks down in shame* I don't know what I was thinking when I disappeared into the depths of nowhere. Sorry it has been so long, but reviews are much appreciated!)

~ Quinn POV ~

I really didn't want to walk over to Shelby, but some force from deep inside knew we would have to talk sometime. Be the responsible one.

"Hello, Shelby."

"Hey, Quinn. How are you?" Shelby shifted Beth's weight into one arm and closed the car door with the other.

"Good, thank you. Okay, listen Shelby. I don't want this to be any more awkward than it already-" Shelby cut me off. "Neither do I. Which is why I'm doing this." At first I was about to smack her. I was trying to be an adult about it, but she just couldn't keep her mouth shut. But then the words settled. Without further warning, she passed over Beth, before she could change her mind, probably. Surprised, I accepted the sleeping toddler and cradled her against my chest.

"Just don't get any ideas," Shelby grumbled half-heartedly.

Beth was so quiet, calm. My sweet little girl. It felt good to have her back, even though I didn't know how long I could manage this. I smiled down at her. "You're a big girl now, aren't you Bethy?" I hummed quietly. She was quite clingy for her age. Back in Junior High, I used to babysit, but I couldn't remember a three-year-old that didn't want to be put down. Most kids at age three started gaining their independence.

"I missed you, pretty girl." I planted kisses on the top of her small head.

"Ready?" I asked Shelby, trying to be ahead of the game and act adult at the same time. "Yeah."

I sighed quietly. "Do you need some help with your bags?"

"I think I'm fine, thanks though." Shelby struggled a bit, but refused my offered hand. We walked together. Beth didn't as much as move a muscle when the elevator dinged, or when an ambulance started to wail. Her unconscious grip on my hair tightened before she let go completely, her hand dropping from my chest to her side. I kissed her once more and continued on. After we had signed in and found the correct room, we heard a faint whispery voice.

"You moved too fast, chica. You gotta tell me before you tell anyone else, so I can come alone and beat their-" Shelby made an awkward attempt to cover the sleeping child in my arms' ears, still juggling her bags. She surely couldn't hear, asleep anyway, but I guess parental instincts.

The bad word never came, but a faint raspy voice did.

"I know, I'm sorry. I moved too fast. I just thought he had the right to know."

~ Shelby POV ~

Quinn and I exchanged glances. What were they talking about?

"Nobody has to know, it's your news, not anybody else's." I had enough and knocked on the door as I entered.

"Hello?" I brushed back the curtain and stepped in.

All together the scene made me sick to my stomach. The scent of medicine, strictly clean air, the big scary machines you see in the movies lining the walls. Then to top it all off, my baby, the one I love so much was in the middle of the sterile room, folded into the stainless, perfect white bedsheets with her ankle hanging out, wrapped in a navy blue cast.

"Hey mom," she called, waving me into the room with her bandaged wrist. Did she mean to call me mom? Was that an accident?

"Quinn! Oh, you brought Beth!" Quinn kneeled at the bedside as Rachel cooed over my daughter. The position reminded me of praying at the sick's bedside, like how the pristine royals did way back when to try to "pray off disease." Much to my gratitude, after a few seconds, Quinn pulled back and took a seat, leaving the one closest to the bed for me.

"Hold. On." The two words work broken up by voice cracks, and Rachel stuck her index finger in the air then turned her head to cover her cough. She turned back around.

"Ay dios mío, that cough sounds scary. I'll be back with some tea, okay?" She nodded and Santana was out the door.

"That cough sounds awful, are you okay?" My fingers danced through her silky smooth hair. Now that I listened closely, her breath sounded a bit wheezy. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just strep throat, luckily. Could've been something much worse, I guess. They said it won't scar or permanently damage my vocal cords, just my voice might be a bit soft while I recover." Rachel beamed. I laughed slightly. She looked tired, with heavy bags under her eyes. Or maybe it was the bruising. I couldn't tell.

"What about your ankle and wrist?" Quinn asked from her chair, still mostly occupied observing my daughter. Santana stalked back into the room with two cups in her hands. She set the cup on Rachel's tray and then sat at the table at the foot of the bed with her own cup.

"Broken ankle and sprained wrist. They said by the time I get released from here, I'll only need a boot for my ankle and I can just take some wrap home for my wrist." I didn't know if that was a good or bad thing. My best guess was bad. Then Santana spoke up. "I found the nurse on the way back. She said only tea and water for now, but I slipped in some lemon and honey, hopefully they won't mind." Rachel nodded and smiled.

I helped her swing the bedside tray around and in front of her. After a few sips, she relaxed and set it back down.

Then my attention was drawn to Beth, who had started making some small whimpering noises. She stretched and her small fist hit Quinn in the jaw. She just giggled. Beth yawned and then cuddled her blanket which had pictures of fluffy kittens on it.

"Aww," Rachel smiled.
"She looks like Junior Q," Santana commented.

I needed an excuse to get out of here fast. For the few minutes I had been here, it seemed like a test. Call me overprotective and selfish, but something about Quinn and Beth together. They were biologically related; they had built-in chemistry. Mother and daughter. Something I didn't have. Now that Quinn was actually out of high school, she looked old enough for Beth to be hers.

"Quinn, do you mind watching Beth while I go get some air?" Her gaze confirmed she knew why I needed to leave. She knew her boundaries.

"Not at all." I got up and kissed Rachel. "I'll be back."

The blue sky seemed perfect today, with the exception of scarce clouds here and there. I got in my car and sat behind the wheel, reflecting on what had happened in there. I could've gone along with it. I could have played along. Pretended it didn't bother me to see my daughter with her real mother; pretended everything was fine. That we had no history, that things weren't awkward. That they aren't the way they are. But I couldn't.

~ Quinn POV ~

Once Shelby was back Santana handed Beth back to Shelby. Though Shelby hadn't been here to hear Beth's whimpering, she somehow knew she was hungry. Beth didn't like to communicate with words. That was something I had learned about her.

"I'm going to sleep, if that's okay," Rachel announced, looking between the three of us as if to ask permission.

"Of course. You'll need a ton of rest to get over this bug. Just close your eyes and relax," Shelby murmured, raking her fingers through Rachel's hair.

I got up and stalked off. The automatic doors swung open and I stepped out back of the hospital. They had a really nice garden back here. I sat down on a chilly stone bench.

Summer has gone and past. The innocent can never last. Wake me up when September ends.

The music projected faintly out of the hidden speakers.

Like my father's come to pass, seven years has gone so fast. Wake me up when September ends. Here comes the rain again, falling from the stars. Drenched in my pain again, becoming who we are. As my memory rests, but never forgets what I lost. Wake me up when September ends.

Hot tears stung behind my eyes as I fought to hold them in. I'd always been a fan of Green Day. This song sued to mean absolutely nothing to me, but now it was just all too real.

Wake me up when September ends.

I let the tangled ball of emotions out. I whipped a pocket pack of tissues from my pocket. I didn't use any quite yet, knowing the tears that were currently being shed wouldn't be the last. Still aware of my beautiful surroundings, I rose to my feet and wandered around.

Summer has come and passed. The innocent can never last. Wake me up when September ends.

This was my wakeup call. September was slowly transitioning into October. The leaves were being shed and it was time to start a new beginning. The start of a new era.

Ring out the bells again, like we did when summer began. Wake me up when September ends. Here comes the rain again, falling from the stars.

A cloud of leaves in front of me begun to spin, resembling a tornado.

Drenched in my pain again becoming who we are. As my memory rests, but never forgets what I lost, wake me up when September ends.

I huffed out a sigh of relief.

Summer has gone and passed. The innocent can never last. Wake me up when September ends. Like my father's come to pass, twenty years has gone so fast. Wake me up when September ends.

It sure felt like twenty years but it had only been three years since Beth came along. I murmured the last few words, not bothering to stick to the tune.

"Wake me up when September ends. Wake me up when September ends."

Somebody, please wake me up. Once the song ended I completely ignored the new song that was playing and took in my surroundings. Birds fluttered peacefully from tree to tree. The tires spinning quickly on jagged roads. A bright pink-orange sunset and the chill the air carried.

This is what it felt like to have a perfect New York City night.

(A/N: Yaaay. I have to admit, Faberry is my all time love. But there's not going to be much going on, I'm going to try to stick to what it was really like between them.

QOTC: My only question is where are all my Gleeks? I know it's been about a full year since the show ended, but now is never a bad time to write.

Songs used: When September ends - Green Day)