I'm really sorry I haven't updated this story since July. I've just been stumped with all these ideas floating around in my head. Basically, in an Alternate Universe, this is what would happen. Although small parts of the plot are still included, for example; Puck being the baby-daddy and others that will shortly be revealed, this story is strictly AU until I say or write otherwise. This chapter might skip and jump a lot, my apologies for this. I will be flash-backing to the first couple of months of Quinn and Finn's 'courtship' then to my re-imagined 'Regionals' incident. I just feel like I have to do Quinn and Finn's relationship so much justice, considering their back-story wasn't as clearly defined during the series.
Look out for slight Achele moments – Gosh they're so damn cute!
This chapter takes place between 2:00am and 3:00am.
Songs Included:
'Just Like Paradise/Nothing But A Good Time' – Mitchell Jarvis and Ensemble, Rock of Ages
Fly, Fly Away' – Kerry Butler, Catch Me If You Can
'Can't Take My Eyes off You' – Lady Antebellum
Chapter Six: Send Her My Love: Part One
The sky was still dark when Quinn woke from her dreams; after which she was resigned to reading her English Literature book in silence, without the aid of lamplight. The pages creased against her fingers and she sat intrigued at the events that surreptitiously unfolded within every chapter. She occasionally took one eye off the page and watched Finn wriggle childishly against the stiffly quilted chair underneath a warm blanket, which one of the kind nurses had left for him. Quinn would wake up from one of her short naps to find Finn nibbling on a home-baked cookie or sipping a cup of surprisingly delicious herbal tea, that an unusually attentive group of nurses had prepared for him free of charge. They had also managed to prepare a pod-like sleeping area beside her bed, together with a warm, woollen blanket and a welcome mug of hot steaming cocoa. Quinn smiled, folding over a corner in her book and settling down slightly against the surprisingly soft hospital pillows. She managed to catch a few moments sleep before Dr Carlson, who was visibly tired from working the night shifts, came through the door to examine her. Finn woke up with a start, to the image of his girlfriend's cervix being examined. Quinn's legs were spread open and she managed to turn her head to face him, waving slightly as he pulled his chair closer towards the bed.
"I'm guessing you haven't woken up to something like this before?" Quinn laughed slightly, still resting the book between her neck and stomach. Finn smiled, leaning forward to take her hand. Dr Carlson threw his sterile gloves back in his stainless steel pan and bent her legs together that they met. Quinn leant back quietly, trying to remain positive and calm before Dr Carlson delivered his diagnosis.
"We're going to have to perform a caesarean" Quinn noticed Finn had edged closer towards her, folding his arm around her shoulder. Dr Carlson pulled a piece of paper from his clipboard, wheeling himself around the other side of her bed.
"You should have progressed to this point but in actual fact you're far behind and it's causing more problems for the baby" Quinn smiled, watching Dr Carlson drag his pen across his chart, trying to illustrate the detailed diagnosis. Finn held her shoulder tightly, trying to sit beside her comfortably. Quinn smiled as she watched his gentle expression against his adolescent face.
"Do whatever you have to do, Dr Carlson" Quinn nodded indefinitely, rubbing her stomach as Finn tried to hold her carefully in his arms. Dr Carlson left them for a moment to contemplate their options.
Quinn held her boyfriend's hand quietly, holding her hair and throwing it over her shoulder. Quinn managed to take his hoodie from the edge of the bed, pulling her arms through the baggy sleeves. Finn watched her carefully make room for him on the unusually narrow bed. They both felt for the baby that was still fluttering inside of her with gentle tremors. Finn held his hand across her bump, noticing something unfamiliar about the baby's movements. The short bursts of life seemed inconsistent and irregular that Quinn was right to be concerned about her daughter's welfare whilst she was inside her. Finn smiled, trying to think of something reassuring and compassionate to say. Quinn shook her head, whispering softly underneath her breath.
"She's not supposed to be doing that" Quinn managed to edge over onto her side leaving Finn to follow suit, fitting in beside her as she lead his hand around her stomach. Finn held her tighter, eventually he was nestling his head over her shoulder. Quinn turned her head as Finn waited patiently for the corners of her mouth to turn upwards into a gentle smile. Quinn shook her head, uncertain and reluctant to oblige with his silent request.
"No, we can't smile. It's not the time to smile and be happy because nothing has happened yet. She hasn't come out yet, my baby hasn't come yet" Quinn snatched her shoulder away from his neck, stealing away the temptation from his mind. Finn listened subjectively to her ill-chosen pronoun and watched her stumble away from the bed and collapse in the hospital chair. Quinn held onto either arm of the chair, squeezing the rough texture with her trembling fingers.
Quinn leant back as Finn attempted to make amends, kneeling to her side. She watched him carefully, holding his hand with sparingly innocent reassurance. Finn smiled, leaning over to somehow speak to her as gently as possible. Quinn managed to pull her sleeves down over her bruised fists. Finn smiled, watching her carefully zip up his hoodie till her paper-thin nightgown was well covered.
Dr Carlson opened the door slightly, ready to explain the procedure. Quinn still remained surprisingly poised, with her head bent awkwardly against the back of the chair. Finn smiled, still crouching beside the chair, in a brief, unsubtle attempt to console her before Dr Carlson took out his customary metal clipboard.
"We're going to have to perform the caesarean. I'm sorry but the labour's not progressing enough for me or the baby to be satisfied" Quinn pulled herself up from the chair and sat herself at the edge of the bed. Finn smiled, trying to move as silently as he could. Quinn watched his arms stretch over her shoulders; she closed her eyes, taking in the surprising familiar combination of Finn's warm, homely scent and the sterile, hygienic odour of her hospital room.
"I just thought labour would be easy. I guess you can't always get what you what" Quinn laughed at her witty remark, wiping her eyes quickly so that no-one would see her. Finn managed to catch a couple of tears on his hand, noticing her fractured speech.
"I'll be with you every step of the way, as far as they'll let me" Dr Carlson nodded quickly, registering a sometimes broken connection with his patient. Quinn smiled, trying to realise what she'd packed ten hours ago in her small duffel bag, as a way of creating an unsuccessful diversion. Finn listened carefully, watching her deceptively open face. Quinn was then gently coaxed into giving him a small smile to prove that she was going to be fine.
Quinn smiled, waiting for Dr Carlson to leave before she lay back along the bed. Finn knew she was still masking her worries with a quick smile and a warm, friendly flick of her hand. Finn leant back carefully beside her, still holding her fingers with admirable attentiveness.
Quinn held her bump cautiously in her hands, contemplating with apprehension the next few hours that be the difference between life and death for her baby. Finn, tired and wary of his girlfriend's delicate state, took his arm around her shoulder and squeezed the top of her arm carefully. Leaning his head on top of hers, Finn spoke to her with surprising unease and timidity.
"I read once that 12 women per 100,000 can die from…"Quinn held the palm of her hand over his mouth, attempting to stop any other medical facts from escaping his lips. Finn realised he'd gone too far; discussing the averaging of deaths through caesarean was an obvious mistake that he probably should've realised before telling his extremely pregnant girlfriend.
"Stop that, you always do this. With the statistics, the puppy-dog eyes and the babying" Quinn dug her fingernails cleverly in the skin on the top of his hand. Finn shrieked with a slight femininity as he rubbed his wrist with caution. Quinn suddenly realised she had gone back to her originally bitchy behaviour. Quietly cursing her abruptness, Quinn nestled her head carefully against his arm. Finn smiled, leaning over her, kissing her forehead quickly before taking the light on/off cord easily between his fingers.
The room was quickly lit as Quinn watched the childish dimples along either side of his slightly wearied smile. Quinn took out her bag and rummaged through it quickly, hoping to find what she was looking for. Finally, she took out her small leather diary and folded back the pages carefully. She also took out her pen from the pocket of her bag, writing quickly with an elegant flourish. Smiling, she managed to pull out an invalid ticket stub and stuck it down the bind of her leather-bound diary. Finn leant over curiously, trying to catch a glimpse of the diverse and equally dangerous content of the ex-cheerleader's diary.
Finn smiled, carefully leaning over her shoulder. Quinn noticed his quiet interference, folding over the pages quickly. Finn managed to snatch away the old ticket stub, still marvelling at the fact Quinn had kept it for so long. The holographic security mark was still retaining a hint of its original shine and the date and all the other information hadn't faded to both their surprise. Finn had managed to coax Quinn to come with him to the Kings of Leon concert for days after they began dating. Quinn had discovered she and Finn had similar musical tastes, after he cleverly leant Quinn his prized record collection, which was something he very rarely did.
Quinn knew he didn't like to share out his music very easily because most of his old LP's used to belong to his dad. Finn owned what would be considered the modern greats; anything from the Strokes to the questionable tastes of Parliament.
Flashback – A year ago (Quinn and Finn have 'going steady' for 2 and half months)
Quinn listened quietly inside the confines of her room, turning up the volume occasionally to escape her parent's constant arguing. Quinn returned to her English homework, typing casually on her surprisingly reliable laptop. The titles of her essay were always very vague and inconsistent. The latest confusing dissertation was to 'Find similarities within Truman Capote's 'In Cold Blood' and Harper Lee's 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and discuss the comparisons in detail', Quinn stared at the scarily distant piece of paper and tried to open as much of her cleverly disguised intellect as possible. The class had managed to read both books in close detail, discussing and analysing each chapter and the separate, individual characters as closely and detailed as they can. Quinn still relished the chance in escaping the suffocation and apparent duty she had to bear, being daughter of two of the most respected Christians in all of Lima, Ohio and having to serve under the snappily sarcastic Sue Sylvester without becoming too distraught after one of her coach's wittily mean remarks about 'being water boarded'. Every time, she found herself excited at the prospect of sitting in a class of English enthusiasts and reading about characters whose lives were more messed up and tragic than hers; apart from being the daughter of alcoholic Christians and the almost integral part she has to play, being Head Cheerio, Quinn Fabray was secretly a genius when it came to things like 'dramatic irony' and 'iambic pentameters'.
Quinn read through the most comparable chapters and quickly smiled, realising what was hiding between the book's thick bind. The ticket was wedged stiffly along the pages of 'In Cold Blood'. Quinn managed to pull it out carefully, smiling as she noticed the band's name. She reached over to get her hands on the phone, dialling fiercely. She twisted the phone cord between her fingers carefully, waiting for Finn to pick up. Quinn waited patiently at the end of the line, studying a small photo of a rather risqué party she and Finn had been to which had inadvertently ended up on Facebook over two short hours.
"Hey Quinn, what's up?" Quinn smiled, leaning back carefully against her chair. She managed to read an extra chapter before being excited by their conversation. Finn was lying across the bed as his mum began to tidy around his room, picking up an odd sock or two and throwing them into the wicker basket that she was carrying against her hip.
"Thanks for the ticket. It must've cost a small fortune" Quinn smiled, holding up the ticket as she watched the holographic stamp glint in the light. Finn laughed quietly, taking the ticket from his bedside table.
"Yeah, I had some of my birthday money left over" Quinn smiled, easing the door open, noticing a brief silence outside of her bedroom. She returned to her desk, taking the framed picture with her. Resting her legs along the top of her desk, Quinn leant back, testing the limits of her surprisingly sturdy chair.
Quinn smiled, laughing whilst Finn spouted out his quiet cursing as he stumbled clumsily over the pile of his dirty washing. Finn realised he still had his phone tightly fixed in his hand. Quinn held the photograph's frame carefully in her hand, laughing at Finn's surprisingly impish expression; folding his arm across her shoulder and leaning his head against the softly tousled mass atop her strong, unnerved head. Quinn was smiling brightly, staring in the intriguing way that seemed to entice people into her world. Finn was not oblivious to her stare; he knew he could easily entice her to smile without the usual 'bitchiness' that was intended.
Finn wasn't easily influenced by the average high-schooler, including his friend; McKinley's renowned 'lothario', Noah Puckerman, however hard he or anyone tried to persuade him to return to singledom. To him, Quinn was an angel; his angel…
The Foy Theatre, Mid-Western Regionals 2010 (Quinn is still living at Finn's)
…Somewhere, nestled deep in Finn's psyche was a secret. The girl formerly known as 'Man-hands' or any other rude and ridiculous expletive by former head cheerleader turned humble mother-to-be, Quinn Fabray, had quickly professed her love for the quirky, young quarterback. They were standing, nervous but ready to take their place, to sing their hearts out to the waiting crowd. It was surprisingly quick and less exaggerated than Rachel's usual, dramatic monologues. Finn stood shocked and confused, thumbing down his tie, listening for the opening chords of their homemade medley of 'Just like Paradise/Nothing but a Good Time'. Quinn was still standing behind the dark red, velvet curtain, rubbing her bump carefully, staring at the bright lights ahead of her.
Leaning towards her strictly on impulse, Finn kissed Rachel's lips which were supremely glistening with the sheer amount of lip-gloss. Rachel smiled, trying to smooth out the netted skirt of her dress. Finn sighed as the music began to play out through the auditorium. Rachel skipped past the crowd, rushing towards the steps.
Quinn was still waiting, tapping her feet along the thick panels of wood. Puck was still sending over-exaggerated gestures to her former cheerleading 'buddy', Santana Lopez. She had been ineptly trained in ignoring his flirtatious advances; focusing her attention on more important things like her overdue pregnancy or her impending finals. Finn brushed past her, smiling awkwardly as she joined him, along with everyone else on the chorus. Quinn smiled, skipping down the steps carefully, trying to get to Kurt as fast the others would let her. Kurt managed to spin her around carefully, pulling her arm along his shoulder and the other around her waist, as the music hit an almost euphoric climax.
Finn was still assigned to Rachel as his partner; dancing and singing together. Quinn knew she had to use her extensive persuasive skills to get Mr Schue to understand what she really wanted. Mr Schue was adamant since it would somehow confuse the judges but Quinn battled on with her proposal. She even cajoled Finn into doing his part, rushing towards her every moment he had and throwing some interesting 'shapes' around her. Mr Schue desisted, still retaining that well-known professionalism the club had gotten used to, awarded Quinn her routine and her own solo-song which surprised them all.
When the first part of the medley had died down to rapturous applause and delight, Quinn stood in the centre of the stage, nervously shaking as Mr Schue stood at the back of the auditorium, smiling directly at her. Finn was elsewhere, standing behind her and smiling with his usual hidden pride. Quinn took a deep breath, looking out at the attentive crowd. Rachel bit down hard on the edge of her bottom lip as she looked surprisingly frightful and nervous. Quinn held her fingers carefully around the microphone and listened carefully to the opening of her song;
"When I was a child, my eyes were clear, I saw the good side
That's the kind of second sight that doesn't last too long
Then when I was lost, I heard a voice that brought me healing
That's the kind of special hope he brought me with his song
They only saw the magic tricks, the smoke and mirrors
Was I the only one to ever see the boy?
So now they want to clip his precious wings and bring him down
But in his heart and soul's the kind of good they can't destroy
So now I wanna see him fly, fly
I'll be your alibi, my baby
Fly, fly, fly away
We didn't get to say goodbye, goodbye
No need to tell me why, my baby
Maybe it's because you'll fly back home to me one day"
Quinn took a small step back as Finn held her hand, pulling her small frame towards him. Quinn was soon twirling around the stage as the music came to a brief interlude. Finn never let go of her hand, trying to pull her into his arms carefully. Quinn listened quietly; reaching for the microphone stand as the brief musical interlude had ended, leaving her with the next lines to sing alone, unaccompanied.
"Baby, when you're in the clouds, please keep a lookout
Maybe, darling, find a hideaway for you and I, you and I
And now I wanna see you fly, fly
I'll be your alibi, my baby
Fly, fly, fly away
We didn't get to say goodbye, goodbye
No need to tell me why, my baby
Maybe it's because you'll fly back home to me one day
And I'll be waiting for you there
You'll fly back home to me one day"
Quinn smiled, looking out at the applauding crowd. Finn watched her carefully, beaming proudly at his girlfriend's quiet achievement. The audience returned to their seats, with their eyes still fixed firmly on the final performance of the night. Rachel was the last person to leave the stage, still thinking about the kiss that she couldn't easily forget. Quinn walked excitedly into the spare rehearsal room to a rapturous applause. Will was the first to agree that his hesitance at letting Quinn sing or even dance was completely misjudged. Kurt gave his new best friend a much-deserved hug before giving her a surprising compliment that wasn't either judgemental or backhanded. They managed to wait patiently, sitting or standing near the loudspeakers ready for their cue. Quinn composed herself near Finn, pulling her fingers through her hair that was stiff and unmanageable with twenty canisters-worth of hairspray doused over it.
The suspense was slowly killing them; Quinn was quietly relieved her small effort was over. Finn sat at her side, rubbing the side of her stomach, laughing quietly at their baby's harsh and lightly painful response. Rachel stood up, rubbing her hands together gleefully, excusing the wicked pun. Kurt was holding Mercedes' hand, waiting patiently underneath the large speakers. His eyes caught Quinn's and he smiled, trying to initiate a silent conversation between them. Finn noticed her, watching their quiet camaraderie. Quinn laughed as Finn nudged her quickly, holding out the upper-side of his palm. Quinn rested her head along his shoulder, folding her arm around her bump and smiling. Finn smiled, turning slightly as Quinn rubbed her legs along the edge of his knee.
"So this is it?" Quinn smiled, holding up her hand as Finn gave her a celebratory high-five. Her eyes darted quickly to the fame-hungry soprano, Rachel, who was crouching over the couch, gently critiquing her own musical talent. Quinn smiled, trying to silently make amends for all the hurt she had caused especially when Rachel's unrequited love for Finn was concerned. Rachel eventually found Quinn's warm, comforting smile, returning the expression a little less warmly. Quinn turned to Finn, taken aback by Rachel's underlying ferocity.
"I suppose, are you doing okay?" Quinn smiled, twisting her necklace between her fingers. Finn leant across the back of the couch, resting his hand along his cheek. Rachel watched them carefully, crossing her arms tightly across her chest. Quinn nodded, pulling up the top part of her dress quickly.
"Yeah, I'll be back in a sec. The baby's pushing on my bladder and I need to pee" Quinn smiled, trying to push herself up from the sofa, holding a protective arm around her stomach as she walked down the quiet corridor carefully. Rachel turned and began to follow her. Finn noticed Rachel tread carefully towards the door and quickly confronted her.
"What are you doing?" Rachel watched as Finn squeezed her arms, obviously disaffected by their secret and discrete encounter backstage; before they would hopefully take the trophy home to take its rightful place along with their last award for their commendable effort at Sectionals.
"I just need closure; we both said and did horrible things that we both need to be forgiven for" Finn thought through her reasoning and smiled, looking to the door for Quinn. Rachel hugged him tightly and ran down the corridor, throwing open the toilet door. Quinn was leaning over the sink, pulling back her hair and smoothing out her makeup with the tip of her fingers. Rachel took the space next to her and adjusted the invisible straps of her bandeau dress, watching her friend's distant expression with her usual analytical accuracy. Quinn took out her eyeliner and began to apply it sparingly around her lower lid, smudging it carefully out from the corners. Rachel turned to her carefully, placing a hand across her back as a gentle sign of reassurance.
"I'm sorry, Rachel. If you've come here to gloat and prove that you're the best 'soprano' or have amazing 'vibrato' or whatever, I don't want to hear it. I came in here to just reapply some eyeliner and then go out to hug my boyfriend" Quinn took a quick pile of toilet paper and began to dab her eyes again. Rachel smiled, still trying to console her friend with a warm greeting and a friendly hug. Quinn began to sob, holding her hand calmly over her mouth.
"Quinn, I'm not here to gloat. I wanted to apologise for trying to take Finn away from you, when he obviously has very strong feelings for you and I am by no means an object of his affections" Quinn shook her head and smiled, blowing loudly into her scrunched up tissue papers. Rachel bowed her head, heading towards the door.
"Wait, Rachel. He loves you. With us, it was just the clique-ish things that fed our relationship not the magic and chemistry that you have with him. It just so happens that I'm having his baby, otherwise we'd have broken up by now and he'd be off singing show tunes with you" Quinn hugged her friend, balancing her head along Rachel's shoulder. Rachel smiled, trying to escape her less-than guilty thoughts that were flying uncontrollably inside her head.
They both stood quietly for a moment, remembering before they were in Glee Club together and news of Quinn's 'immaculate conception' hadn't spread down the corridors of their tiny high-school, where Rachel was just simply known as 'Man-hands" and Quinn was both the head of the cheerleading squad and the school's Celibacy Club and her status within McKinley High was quickly on the rise.
"Finn kissed me. Yes it happened but it wasn't real. The reason we didn't do anything else was because he was insanely in love with you. He still is, we're just friends. Believe me, I wanted 'things' to happen but they didn't because Finn doesn't have the same feelings that he has for you…" Quinn shook her head and smiled politely, still holding onto Rachel's hand and listening guiltily to her heartbreaking confession. Rachel squeezed her hand carefully, occasionally watching Quinn rub her stomach with her newfound maternal instinct.
"There's always going to be camaraderie between the two of us but that's just smoke and mirrors, all he ever talks about is how excited he is at becoming a father and how much he loves you" Rachel stepped forward to somehow hug Quinn, taking her arms around her neck. Quinn laughed quietly, holding onto her silver, floral headband with her spare hand.
"I'm really sorry for calling you 'Man-hands" and everything else" Rachel smiled, patting her friend's stomach carefully. Quinn leant back to give Rachel a better angle, bending her arms against her hips. Quinn turned her head carefully, listening to the quiet blur of sound that was flooding the corridor outside. Rachel's eyes widened as she pulled Quinn out of the toilet and ran down the corridor, still squeezing Quinn's hand as they found their rehearsal room. Finn had been listening casually to their laughter as they came round the corner, holding onto each other's waist tightly. Quinn leant over and whispered into Rachel's ear, which was quickly returned with a 'toothy' white smile and Rachel's surprisingly natural laughter.
This was a welcome diversion from the usual Berry-Fabray bitchy and verbally cattish fights, mostly about Rachel's underlying feelings for the Head Cheerleader's boyfriend. Quinn sat beside both Rachel and Finn, holding onto Finn's arm as Rachel leant over her shoulder protectively. Quinn pulled her boyfriend up carefully from the couch, rushing up the stairs and out onto the vast stage that managed to withhold three show-choirs and the mass of heavy trophies. Finn surveyed the audience and laughed, watching Quinn curtsey slightly; with her arm still fed tightly through the space between his hand and waist.
The drum-roll began and the choirs waited patiently, tapping their feet along the hard wooden boards. Jesse St James was still visibly boasting with envious prematurity. Quinn watched Rachel carefully, staring at Jesse, trying to poorly intimidate him and Vocal Adrenaline. Finn bowed his head, studying Quinn's pained smile carefully. Rachel turned slightly and listened secretly to Quinn's laboured sigh. Finn managed to grab her arm in time as Quinn hit the floor quickly. Rachel surrounded her and held onto her other arm, adjusting her weight until she was able to rest Quinn on the right-hand side of her waist.
Rachel and Finn managed to take Quinn into the rehearsal room, setting her down on a chair and talking to her sweetly. Rachel handed her a glass of water, watching her dry lips touch the icy rim of the glass. Finn squeezed her hand and sighed, trying to work out with his lacking knowledge of biology, why Quinn had fallen so randomly. Rachel rushed upstairs and explained to Mr Schuester as snappily as she could.
"We lost" Rachel murmured, crossing her arms across her chest and slumping down along the couch. Finn patted Quinn on the shoulder, leaning across the back of the sink. Quinn smiled, pulling herself up from the chair and walked up to the stage, blinded slightly by the bright stage lighting. Mr Schuester was still standing on stage, watching the theatre empty, smiling guiltily. Quinn walked up to her choir teacher and listened to his laboured sigh. Quinn noticed the trophy clutched firmly in his hand, it was surprisingly small and barely fit inside his palm. Mr Schuester stepped back and watched Quinn point to the trophy and smile with her gentle sympathy.
"I'm sorry, Mr Schue. I let you down and I shouldn't have pressured you into giving me a song" Quinn stumbled across the stage and sat herself down at the edge, dangling her feet over the side. Mr Schue stood over her, trying to sit himself down beside his gently humble 'soprano'.
"It was my fault, Quinn. I shouldn't have pushed you, I should've left your performance the way it was" Quinn nodded, trying to knock her heels against the front of the stage. Mr Schuester listened carefully to her sharp intake of breath as she leant back, resting rigidly along her arms. Quinn watched the spotlights swerve across the stage as she spread her fingers across the wooden panels.
"I'm going to console the rest of the guys. Do you want me to tell Finn, you're out here?" Quinn glanced down at her swollen feet, trying to relax in her restrictive position. Mr Schue walked away from her and off the stage, still humming along to their home-made medley. Quinn smiled, waiting for Finn to comfort her discretely in his usually sweet gestures and awkwardly complimentary words. Finn swept past her, squeezing his hand along the edge of the stage. Quinn tried to ease herself towards him, pulling abruptly on his shirt sleeve. Finn turned his head, holding onto her hand that was still clenched around his arm. Quinn smiled, tucking her hand neatly underneath her heavy baby bump. Finn listened to her laboured sigh, letting his hand droop over her bump.
"Can I?" Quinn smiled, nodding quickly. Finn patted her bump, watching the baby flutter lightly underneath his fingertips. Quinn leant back and delighted slightly in the attention. Finn edged himself closer towards her, pulling his hand away from her swollen belly. Quinn held onto his waist carefully, resting her cheek sensibly against his chest. Finn laughed as the baby thumped Quinn violently along her side.
"I don't think we've ever finished a song together" Quinn turned away from his scarily innocent stare and smiled, adjusting her skirt as she tried to pull herself up from the stage floor. Finn meanwhile was already trying to assist her with his carefully positioned arms. Quinn rushed to the stairs that had been left after Vocal Adrenaline's show-stopping performance. Finn chased after her, still stumbling up the stairs and smiling. Quinn smiled, trying to stand up strongly along the top step. Finn laughed as Quinn pulled on his arm, threading her fingers through his as they slowly began to listen to the light chords underneath the piano player's fingertips.
Quinn took a deep breath and looked out to the empty theatre, watching Finn take his position. Quinn smiled, trying to pull her hair out from underneath the collar of her dress, wedging the thin silver band between her fingers. Quinn smiled, tiptoeing carefully along the second step.
"I know that the bridges that I've burned
Along the way
Have left me with these walls and these scars
That won't go away
And opening up, has always been the hardest thing
Until you came
So lay here, beside me, just hold me, and don't let go
This feeling, I'm feeling, is something I've never known
And I just can't take my eyes off you
And I just can't take my eyes off you"
Finn watched her sit herself down on the third step, neatly tucking her legs to the side and watching him proudly. Finn laughed as he stood above her, stretching out his arm. Quinn accepted it and pulled herself from the step and against his chest. She pursed her lips and began to sing her verses in her usual sultry tones.
"I love when you tell me that I'm pretty
When I just wake up
And I love how you tease me when I'm moody
But it's never too much.
I'm falling fast, and the truth is I'm not scared at all
You climbed my walls
So lay here, beside me, just hold me and don't let go
This feeling, I'm feeling, is something I've never known
And I just can't take my eyes off you
And I just can't take my eyes off you"
Quinn smiled, pulling his arm around her waist carefully, still singing delicately as the tears quickly rolled down her cheek. Finn held her comfortably around her waist, leaving a small amount of space for her to breathe. Quinn nudged him lightly, inviting him silently to join her in singing the final lines.
"So lay here, beside me, just hold me and don't let go
Oh this feeling, I'm feeling, is something I've never known
And I just can't take my eyes off you
And I just can't take my eyes off you"
Quinn took her silent bow and smiled, squeezing his hand tightly. Mr Schuester pulled back the curtain and smiled, clapping his hands as silently as he could. Finn noticed the flicker of light that had been caught off Will's now-invalid wedding ring and laughed, rushing towards the curtain. Quinn took this chance to hug her choirmaster, who always seemed to inspire them all to achieve whatever they wanted. Will laughed and applauded their impromptu concert for lifting his spirits.
"Finn and I wanted to ask if we could still come to Glee Club after the baby's born" Quinn still held onto his waist, dabbing her tears away with her edge of her index finger. Finn whispered his quiet "please" and stood back, watching Quinn rub the edge of her stomach. Mr Schuester, tucking his hands behind his back and deep into his pockets, smiled as Quinn folded her arm along the strong breadth of Finn's back.
"If you're going to sing like that, we definitely need you back" Finn studied Quinn's innocent smile and wished he could figure what was flying inside her mind. Quinn listened to the silent applause as the club thundered up the stairs and spread out along the stage.
"We may not have won the trophy but we came together as a family because that's what we are; a family. And now we're going to do what families do; hug each other!" Mr Schuester opened out his arms and laughed, waiting to be bombarded with his club's flailing arms as they wrapped themselves around each other. Quinn laughed, feeling the warm heat against her back as Kurt edged in closer towards the hyperactive embrace. Finn bent his head downwards, smiling as Rachel led the chorus of 'We are Family'. Tina held her arm around Artie's neck and laughed, resting her legs against his lap. Quinn joined in along with the chorus, tapping her feet along the stage in her unusually perfect rhythm.
The rest of day was spent at Finn's house; reminiscing about the days when they didn't know each other and when there was no friendships or relationships between them. Quinn sat between Finn's legs, folding her arms over her bump comfortably. Kurt was admiring the retro décor, brushing his hand across the dusty mantelpiece. Mercedes was still trying to figure the controls of Finn's tired Xbox, fighting off aliens along with Tina who managed to beat Finn's top score. Puck was raiding the liquor cabinet, effortlessly spicing up several people's afternoons. Quinn smiled as she took out her hair-band, letting her hair tumble along her shoulders. She excused herself from the circle and rushed upstairs to change out of her sparkly bandeau dress.
Finn smiled, taking a generous gulp from his glass of lemonade. Quinn laughed as she stumbled across the floor of her temporary bedroom, trying to pull her stretching maternity jeans underneath her growing bump. Taking a delicate blouse from the top drawer, Quinn smelt the subtle fragrance of her mother's perfume. The scent lingered on the air for a second as she held it tightly inside her clenched hands.
"Quinn, I…" Puck crept upstairs, creeping carefully across the creaking floorboards. Quinn shrieked slightly as she pulled the blouse across her bump, concealing her modesty as Puck flew through the door.
"Turn around, turn around. I'll talk in a sec, just turn around" Quinn pulled his arm so he was facing towards the door, failing to notice the mirror that was hanging above the sturdy desk. Puck grinned cheekily, watching Quinn struggle to pull her blouse over her head. Quinn turned and groaned, eventually pulling her arms through the delicate sleeves. Puck turned around and smiled, watching Quinn brush through her hair carefully. Taking a clip from the dresser, Quinn tucked a few stray away hairs behind her ear and secured it quickly in place. Puck walked across the room and smiled, pulling out a small package from his back-pocket and handing it to Quinn.
"It's for the baby, when she's born. Mum used to have one for my little sister" Quinn pulled out the large white baby towel from the envelope and smiled, admiring the towel's embroidered hood. As she ran her fingers across the stitching, Puck edged closer towards her. Quinn read the name quietly, noticing the absence of Finn's surname as well as Noah's own. Fabray had been omitted, to be left with Katie. Puck had obviously remembered Quinn's name that she'd chosen and Quinn was happily grateful for this special addition, folding the towel and tucking it carefully amongst the busy mass of baby clothes. Puck smiled, watching Quinn pass by the doorframe and walking down the stairs to her waiting guests. Quinn stumbled off of the bottom steps and almost fell into the lounge, holding onto the back of Finn's leather couch. Tina paused her game and knelt against the bottom of the sofa to watch her friend laugh weakly. Puck stood behind Quinn, trying to brush past her subtly.
Quinn laughed as a tiny flutter fled across the circumference of her bump, Finn rushed to her side, holding his arm around her waist. Quinn shook her head and smiled, pulling his hand over her bump, waiting for his excited response. Quinn watched his awkwardly innocent smile as a foot kicked the palm of his head delicately. Quinn listened to everyone's quiet exclaim, waiting individually for their turn. Kurt indulged in rubbing his hand along the surprisingly neat bump as Quinn leant back, resting her hands against her hip. Finn initiated a group high-five as soon as everyone had finished, feeling for slight tremors from underneath Quinn's skin. Quinn leaned forward over the back of the couch and felt the warm heat that perspired from Finn's hand as he held calmly onto the edge of her fingers sneakily.
"What are you going to call her?" Quinn nodded her head and wedged herself between Finn's legs. Finn smiled, pulling a thickly-bound book from underneath the couch cushion and flicked through the pages, whilst Quinn explained the in-depth reasoning behind the name.
"Katie Elizabeth Hudson" Quinn smiled as Puck noticed the omission of his surname, stumbling through to the kitchen as Quinn followed after him. Puck reached up through the cupboard, trying to find a short glass. Quinn listened to his deep sigh, still rubbing the edge of her blouse.
"Why, Quinn? Am I not good enough for you? I worked my ass off to provide for the kid and you suddenly don't use my surname" Quinn crept up to him, letting a string of tears trickle down her cheek. Puck turned around abruptly; squeezing the upper part of her arms, listening to Quinn's fractured speech.
"You don't think she's going to have a messed life as it is without wondering why she doesn't look anything like the man who's supposed to be her dad. I wanted to spare her the humiliation" Quinn shook herself free, rushing to the kitchen sink, pouring a tall glass of water. Puck shook his head, pulling her towards the back of the kitchen cabinets. Quinn held the glass carefully between his fingers, hesitating to throw it over him. Finn listened carefully to the silent bickering, diverting his attention towards his losing battle over the Xbox. Quinn leant back against the bank of kitchen cabinets, tying a bow with the ties of her blouse. Puck took a sip from his glass and followed her willingly across the kitchen.
"Nine months ago, I was the head-cheerleader, the bitchy girlfriend of the school's star quarterback; not pregnant and worrying about whether or not I made the right decision to keep my baby. I thought it was the best thing to do; to keep her own 'dad's' surname" Quinn listened quietly to the sound of subdued laughter and crept back into the living room. Finn threw down his controller and held her tightly, pulling his fingers through her hair gently. Quinn clung onto the back of Finn's shirt and began to sob, trying to speak calmly through her inconsistent crying.
"Should we k-keep your name?" Quinn leant back as Finn locked his fingers around her waist. The others watched in shock, creeping slowly towards the door. Quinn noticed them try to leave and smiled, waving goodbye as they each made their way outside onto the porch. Puck was still calming down in the kitchen, watching Quinn rest her hands over her bump which had been stretching to hold the weight of her child, their child.
"If it makes you feel better. We can use yours for the time-being" Finn smiled, trying to edge closer to the refrigerator, pulling open the stiff door and taking out a bottle of root beer from the top shelf. Quinn still hung onto Finn's waist, linking her fingers through his jean's loopholes. Finn smiled, popping open the cap of the bottle and set it down along the work-surface. Quinn smiled, pulling her hands from around her waist and re-adjusting her hair slightly. Puck excused himself, taking his hoodie from the back of the couch. Quinn noticed his lingering stare, hoping he would quickly leave them be. Finn rubbed his hand down the edge of her thin blouse, making quick use of the limited space between them.
"I love you, Quinn" Quinn smiled, standing awkwardly on the edge of her toes, pulling tightly around his neck. Finn lifted her chin slightly, pressing his lips sweetly against hers. Quinn rubbed the edge of his cheek, still startled by the sudden act that she had been a part of. Quinn quickly pulled his head towards her, kissing his lips gently. Finn waited until she lifted her head upwards, letting her sweet kisses seep into his skin. Quinn smiled, lifting her hands across his shoulders. Pulling along his neatly-ironed dress shirt, Quinn pressed her fingers against his subtly stretching muscles.
Finn smiled, nudging her arm as they made their way carefully through to the living room. Quinn wrestled carelessly with her conscience as she began to pull herself cautiously onto the couch. Seeing her struggle tirelessly, Finn laughed as he assisted her quickly. Eventually, Quinn was resting between Finn's legs, poring carefully over their currently demanding situation. Finn noticed a sudden change in his girlfriend's behaviour as her sighs became laboured and unusually consistent.
Pulling his numbing arm out from underneath her stomach, Finn rummaged carefully into the depths of his back pocket. Quinn noticed the struggling and laughed, taking his hand from his pocket. Finn cursed gently as a light 'chink' was heard as the mystery gift fell to the floor. Quinn smiled as he leant over the edge of the couch, reaching for the gift. Finn held the gift loosely in his hand, stealing it away from her gaze. Quinn struggled to prise it away from his fingers, attempting slowly to entice him in revealing it. Finn smiled, stuffing his pocket quickly. Quinn crossed her arms and did not press him any further, instead choosing to sit back down again. Finn rested the length of his arm along the couch, smiling slyly, rolling the gift around secretly along his fingers.
The rest of day was spent in careful silence; Quinn smiled, and occasionally pulled Finn's hand along her stomach as the baby gave her a gentle kick.
Lima General Hospital, Present Day
Quinn remembered quickly the intense emotion that drove all of them towards undoubted success. She did not feel it as much as Rachel but she knew something was pulling her to succeed. Her baby was quickly becoming her everything; her daily routine had to be neatly managed because of her little baby Drizzle, including getting rid of her daily moisturiser as the scent of the lotion caused her to retch at regular intervals.
Quinn smiled quickly, pulling the sleeves of her hoodie down over her wrists. Finn was listening to her mumblings, helping Quinn to pull her sleeves even tighter over her hands. Quinn turned over, trying to find a more comfortable position, folding her hands over her stomach. Finn held her hand carefully, shuffling up to the bed. Quinn smiled, rubbing his arm carefully, trying to speak without her tired huskiness. Finn laughed at her several attempts, holding the cup of ice-chips to her lips. Quinn tried to rub his arms carefully, sucking quickly on her ice-chips. Finn tucked her hair intricately behind her ear, taking a breath before taking a deep breath inwards.
"Baby, you have to calm down" Quinn smiled, rubbing the inside of his arm, talking to him with a quietly hypocritical undertone. Finn bent his head into the empty space around her arm, running his fingers along her waist attentively.
"I can't help it. I don't like the idea of you being like this" Quinn laughed contently, feeding her fingers through his damp, sticky hair, kissing the edge of his cheek softly. Finn smiled, listened carefully and buried his head underneath her arm like a child. Quinn managed to pull her arm from underneath his head, dipping her fingers into the plastic cup and dabbing the icy water along his neck.
"You're going to be in there, holding my hand the whole time. If anything happens, you'll be the first person to know about it" Quinn smiled, pulling his hand closer to her stomach, holding it in place carefully. Finn threaded his fingers between hers, taking his time before opening his mouth again.
"I'm just so tired, it just makes me more nervous" Quinn smiled, trying to pull open the drawer beside her bed. Finn looked up and laughed, taking the photograph carefully in his hands. The picture was almost fading and the picture frame was rusting at the edges. Finn rubbed the glass and flicked away the dust quickly. Quinn leaned over and listened to his sighs of memory. Finn fed his hand carefully through the knotted threads of her hair, trying to remember the day vividly.
"I packed my bag weeks ago and couldn't forget this" Quinn smiled, tapping graciously against the glass. Finn listened carefully to his girlfriend's quiet and surprisingly calm exclaim. The photo was then lifted carefully onto the bedside table and quickly forgotten. Quinn lifted her hands quickly to her cheek and sighed carefully.
Dr Carlson opened the door and smiled, trying to initiate some sort of doctor-patient conversation. Quinn noticed him in the corner of her eye and ushered him into the room, wearing a grin on her perfectly bronzed face. Finn moved out to make room for Dr Carlson who sat alongside the bed, carefully folding over the pages over his customary clipboard.
"We're going to get you down to theatre now" Quinn smiled, holding her bump comfortably in her hands. Finn watched her hair tumble carefully along her shoulder. Quinn managed to pull herself up against the back of the bed as Finn tried to unzip his hoodie and pull it off her shoulders.
Finn smiled, folding his hoodie over his arm and following his unconscious girlfriend out of the door. He rushed down the corridor, turning every corner and trying to keep his breath. Quinn's hands tumbled along the bed, her sense of perception and gravity were quickly deteriorating. Dr Carlson held on tightly to the strong metal bars on either side of the bed, running down the corridor into theatre.
After a confusing trip down the corridor, Finn threw open the door quickly and rushed to Quinn's side, taking her hand and pulling the chair up to her. Dr Carlson was still there, after administering the epidural carefully into her lower back. Quinn waited for the epidural to seep effortlessly up her back as Finn held onto the edge of her fingers. Quinn listened carefully to the mixture of words that were slowly becoming less definable.
Finn was pulled into a separate room as Quinn was quickly sedated as painlessly as possible. The nurses surrounded him, covering him in the usual sickly green-coloured hospital uniform and pulling a hospital cap carefully over his drooping, adolescent hairstyle. He listened nervously to the squeaking of the bed's wheels and was slowly told to remain calm before he opened the doors to theatre. Quinn was still lying on the bed carefully, watching the glinting lights above her head.
"She's in here. You can sit down next to her and just speak to her as calmly as you can" Finn held onto the edge of her fingers carefully, resting his chin along the pillow. Quinn turned her head and smiled, breathing deeply as a thin green drape was pulled up to cover her stomach. Finn stood up from his stool and sighed, still squeezing her hand with every ounce of his support. Quinn watched him sit back and rest his chin against her stiffly 'puffed-up' pillow.
"What's going on?" Quinn asked, tapping her fingers carefully and listening the muted beeping from the monitors.
"Nothing yet, they've just put in a couple of tubes" Finn watched carefully as the heavy clip was attached to the tip of her finger. Quinn smiled, pulling on the knots in her hair. Finn helped her untangle the last knots carefully, holding closely to the edge of her fingers.
"I want my mum. I really need her now" Quinn could feel the tears trickle carefully along her clearly defined cheekbones. Finn dabbed her cheek carefully, pulling his surgical cap over his hair. Quinn lay back and closed her eyes for a split-second, gasping as Dr Carlson pushed the needle carefully into her arm.
Finn pressed his forehead against hers and sighed, pulling at her hair intricately. Quinn leant towards him, squeezing his hand and listening again to the distant noises at the edge of the operating table. Finn managed to lift his head up against the edge of her hairline. A tear trickled slowly down the bridge of his nose as he nudged Quinn's cheek sweetly. Quinn smiled slightly, pressing her hand against her chest, wrestling with her overly fragile emotion. Finn lifted himself from the rigid stool, studying the room carefully.
"We need to start covering the area with an anti-bacterial wash. It's going to be cold so just try and take your mind off of it" Quinn laughed with careful sarcasm, gasping as the wash was scrubbed cautiously across her stomach.
Finn smiled, pulling down his surgical cap over his drooping hair. Quinn turned to him, sighing as the doctors surrounded her, masked in their hygienic coveralls. Finn lifted her head up as she rested her hand along the pillow, rubbing either side of her pale, distant face carefully. Quinn watched him carefully, catching the light in his dark eyes. Finn smiled, trying to listen carefully to anything that seemed out of the ordinary as the doctors prepared to make the delicate incision.
Quinn closed her eyes, letting her eyelashes brush against her cheeks gently. She suddenly leant forward, feeling a strong impulse to punch down on Finn's hand. Dr Carlson patted his forehead with the back of his hand, throwing down the cotton swab across the metal dish. Finn watched carefully as Dr Carlson muttered something inaudible to one of his colleagues, occasionally glancing over at the poorly adjusted sixteen year-olds who were still being kept 'in the dark'.
A sudden sensation fled up her back as Quinn squeezed the life from Finn's hand. Dr Carlson gasped as he managed to pull out the baby's body with careful ease, with his fingers fastened firmly around her ankle. Dr Carlson began to wrap the baby carefully, ushering Finn over discretely. Quinn thumbed her fingers through her hair carefully; Finn crept around the bed and held his breath.
"That's a really long…" Finn watched as Dr Carlson held the baby tightly, pulling the thick towel around 'her' thin, red body; still laughing at Finn's naivety. Another of his colleagues held out a pair of surgical scissors which Finn eventually held onto.
"Is she okay?" Quinn whispered silently, still resting carefully along the stiffly decorated operating table. Finn had managed to separate mother from baby and hold 'his' daughter briefly, walking past the surgeons and sitting down carefully on his stool. Katie's scrunched up face exuded newborn innocence, her fingers were carefully tangled up amongst her warm towel and her dark hair was gently knotted along her non-existent hairline. Finn laughed carefully as Katie opened her mouth to let out her first, overdue yawn.
"She looks like a giant raisin" Quinn smiled, pulling down the soft towel around her gentle face. Katie began to open her dark green eyes with childish curiosity, first focusing her attention on the dark blonde blur whose fingers had become accidentally lodged between the warm towels that Katie had been wrapped tightly in.
Katie rubbed her lips together, noticing the blurred mess that was going to be her daddy, slowly disappearing as a flurry of green-coated carried her away. Quinn studied the careful expressions of the collective array of surgeons, with her surprising analytical flair; pulling Finn's hand closer to the edge of the bed. Finn turned slightly, watching her eyes burn with tears without reservation. Quinn spread out her hands, closing her eyes as Finn dabbed his fingers along her palm.
Finn watched the doctors wheel Katie away in a suffocating incubator. Dr Carlson knelt down beside the operating table and sighed. Quinn listened to his laboured breathing with unusual analytical flair and purpose. Finn folded Quinn's hand underneath his chin, allowing his metaphorical, masculine wall to break down as his tears rolled down the edge of Quinn's fingers. Quinn turned her head slightly, watching his eyes dart across her face, flushed and naked from make-up that would ineffectively conceal her imperfections.
"We noticed the baby's breathing was inconsistent and it seems she has a hole in her heart" Quinn swept her finger along her cheek and closed her eyes, pulling on the edge of her hair. Finn left his palm bare, rubbing her forehead as Quinn wept, hiding her face carefully within her hands. Quinn held her now empty stomach, scratching the inside of her anaesthetised arm deliberately. Finn brushed his hand along her cheek, feeling the cool temperate cold underneath his fingers. Quinn watched the empty door attentively, still acknowledging Dr Carlson's quietly considerate diagnosis.
"The hole isn't as big as we expected so it's not going to cause any major problems for her but we're going to have monitor her hourly" Finn touched the edge of his chest, testing his irregular heart-beat. Quinn placed her hand against his, dabbing her fingers along either side of his shaking hand as he stared into the mellow depths of her usually fiery eyes. Finn managed to purse his lips against the edge of her cheek, pressing his fingertips against the palm of her hand. Quinn noticed the slight movement as the same group of doctors began to wheel her out of the now empty theatre.
Quinn noticed the same, familiar doors that led onto more wards packed with expectant mothers, waiting for their babies to be born. She envied their position as she was wheeled carefully into her room, complete with fresh flowers that dangled carelessly over the edge of the vase. Quinn folded her arms over her empty stomach, opening out her palms as Finn took back his original place beside her bed. Quinn smiled, pulling his hoodie from the arm of the chair and folding it quickly around her shoulders.
Dr Carlson sat himself down at the edge of the bed, attempting to answer any precautionary questions. Quinn tapped her fingers against the bedside table, ready to ask her questions but deliberating closely on the delivery.
"When can we see her?" Quinn smiled, squeezing the edge of Finn's fingers carefully. Dr Carlson bowed his head and stared down quietly at his feet. Quinn leant forward, pressing her doctor further.
"As soon as she has been equipped with everything she needs to keep her safe and comfortable" Quinn smiled, hoping it would be sooner than expected. Finn held her hand calmly, pulling the chair closer to her bed. Quinn bent her legs across the bed, leaning underneath Finn's chin neatly. Finn rubbed the edge of her cheek carefully, pressing his lips against the thinly plaited lengths of her hair. Quinn managed to let the corners of her lips curve, into a politely intimate smile as Finn felt her tears trickle effortlessly along the bridge of her nose.
Quinn pulled her hair through a round loop as she stretched out her hair-band between her fingers. Finn smiled, watching her naked fingers carefully, her slightly glittery fingernails still held some of its original shine. Quinn edged herself against the bed, tucking her hands neatly into her lap. Finn's hair drooped slightly as he pressed his lips sweetly against her cheek as Quinn brushed her fingers along the tightening skin along his neck. Quinn nudged his cheek slightly, waiting for his naively sweet response. Finn laughed, pulling out a small, thinly-decorated gift, neatly fastened together with a thin, shiny piece of ribbon. Quinn smiled, folding out her hand out gently, watching the tiny specks of glitter spark out underneath the lamplight.
"This is for you, I picked it out a year ago and couldn't find the right way or place to give it to you" Quinn smiled, pushing her finger through the gap between the folds of paper. Finn listened to the tear in the paper, pulling on her hand carefully. Quinn managed to let out a slightly childish squeak, holding the ring comfortably along her palm. Finn held her hand calmly, pointing to the delicate detail around the white-gold band. Quinn smiled, admiring the supreme glint as the small, miniature diamonds danced underneath the subdued hospital lighting.
"I love you a little too much right now" Finn managed to kiss her again sweetly, pulling on the tips of her fingers, pushing her hand down further against the stiff bedcovers. Quinn watched Dr Carlson pull the door open, pressing the clipboard against his doctor's coat carefully. Finn teased her slightly, folding his girlfriend's arm tightly behind her back, tightening the muscles in her shoulder sorely. Quinn felt the enticing burning sensation as she pulled on the edge of the covers, watching Finn sit back in his original seat. Quinn turned along her left-hand side, resting her cheek against her hand numbly.
"She looked so helpless, in her tiny incubator and with all the tubes around her. I just wanted pick her up and tell her everything's going to be okay. Cos I'm her dad, Quinn, that's all I've ever wanted to be, ever since she was a little tiny speck" Quinn nudged the length of his hand, watching the quick flicker of nerves between his fingers. Finn smiled, listening attentively for her fractured speech as Quinn managed to purse her lips thoughtfully.
Quinn looked over her arm, watching Finn squeeze her sweetly scented skin. Finn nudged her skin, kissing the edge of her hand as they waited in careful silence. Finn smiled, pulling her fingers apart from his hand, realising that Quinn left tiny, shallow indents in his skin. Quinn stretched out her fingers across the bed-sheets, chipping away the slightly glittered nail polish.
Dr Carlson tucked his hand neatly around the door, opening it ajar. Quinn rubbed Finn's cheek, as Dr Carlson sat himself at the end of the bed. Finn tucked his hand neatly behind her back, listening calmly to the courteous doctor's mute response. Quinn smiled, trying to pull at her ponytail quickly, moaning as her fingers snagged the tiny strands of hair. Finn left a careful imprint against the bedcovers, pulling his girlfriend's hand carefully into his lap. Dr Carlson filed through his papers, clicking the top of his pen and smiling.
"We're monitoring her in every possible way and she has shown enough improvement so you should be able to see her in about an hour" Quinn smiled, dabbing the rims of her eyes slightly, watching Finn bite childishly onto his fingernails, and sucking carelessly on the edge of his lips. The thoughts lingered amongst them, Quinn, unable to speak, pulled her quivering body carefully from the bed. Finn slowly recoiled from the chair, willingly following her down the crowded corridor.
Quinn fought her way quickly through the crowd, watching the night quickly disappear underneath the sun's darkly-lit canvas. Finn managed to catch hold of her arm, squeezing her unusually dry skin. Quinn listened carefully to his sickly sweet declarations, turning to him quickly. Finn held his arms tightly over her shoulders, letting her tears dampen the dark material of his shirt. Quinn dragged her fingers across his back, rolling her cheek along his chest. Finn smiled, allowing the muscles in his shoulders to relax and his arms to pull tighter around Quinn's waist. Quinn smiled, pulling her sleeves over her bruised knuckles and leaning against Finn's damp palm. Finn listened carefully to the distant murmurings, hoping Quinn would keep pressing herself against him as he silently enjoyed playing the part of her 'protector'. Quinn released herself slightly, focusing her attention on her doting boyfriend.
"Are we ready to go back? I can't take you running off again" Quinn fed her fingers through Finn's arm as she pulled them through the passing crowds. Dr Carlson had disappeared from the room, leaving behind a slip of paper disclosing their baby's visiting hours. Quinn smiled, taking her bag carefully onto the bed. Finn sat himself down in the chair and smiled, stretching out his arms over his head. Pulling out a pair of her old jeans and a pretty blouse, Quinn scraped her hair up to the nape of her neck. Finn smiled, taking her hand quickly as Quinn held the door apart with the edge of her fingers. Quinn nudged his cheek, sweeping her hand across his slightly stubbled chin. Finn relaxed back into his chair, listening carefully to his girlfriend's light footsteps across the cold floor.
Quinn opened an empty toilet door, pulling out her spare clothes. Untying her papery-thin nightgown, Quinn slipped it carefully down and over her shoulders. The material had left dark red marks along her arms and across her back. Scratching at the bruises, Quinn watched her reflection carefully between the gap in the toilet door. The marks had spread across her back, the colour became more defined and the pain began to plague her more until her fingers grew tired. Quinn closed her eyes and pulled up her old, worn-out jeans. The final button pressed against her skin as Quinn leant against the back of the toilet door.
Quinn folded the papery-thin hospital gown over her arm and watched her reflection carefully in the mirror. Her hair was thin and unusually lifeless, trailing along her shoulders as she examined her tired appearance in her usual analytical detail. Quinn held out her arms crookedly, glancing down at the empty space between her hands. Sighing gently, Quinn held her belongings carefully as she opened the toilet door.
"Quinn, where is she?" Quinn turned quickly, catching of him. Puck was standing awkwardly, holding a carefully wrapped behind his back. He'd managed to change into a neatly-ironed shirt and his trademark 'bad-boy' leather jacket. Quinn smiled, listening carefully to his insistent tone. Puck watched her empty belly curve slightly underneath her blouse, the folds of her skin had disappeared and the stretching bump had been replaced with a smoother, flatter exterior. Quinn tucked down the collar of her blouse and continued her path down the busy corridor.
"Where is the kid?" Quinn shook her head and smiled, pulling a thin strand of hair out from in front of her eyes. Puck pressed her further, rummaging through his pockets quickly. Quinn held onto his arm carefully, watching Puck flatten his trademark Mohawk.
"The kid is in Intensive Care, fighting for her life" Quinn listened quietly, pulling Puck to a seat. Puck smiled, holding out his gift proudly. Quinn held it quickly in her lap, pulling on the wrapping paper between her fingers. Puck opened out his jacket, pulling out a thick envelope from his inside pocket. Quinn took the envelope from him courteously, opening the thick brown package. Puck watched her carefully, taking the money from her as Quinn fell back in her seat.
"Money, is that what this whole 'fatherhood' thing is about to you?" Quinn snatched away the bundle of money and threw it back quickly into the thick brown envelope. Finn took the envelope and tucked it back into his pocket, listening to Quinn's light footsteps. Puck watched as she disappeared through the crowd, folding the nightshirt tightly across her arm. Quinn held the collar of her blouse, rubbing her fingers along the dusky pink material. Puck smiled, holding the abandoned gift carefully in his lap.
Quinn shook the door handle quickly, fighting back her tears. Finn watched her quickly, pulling on the door handle. Quinn smiled, folding her clothes into her bag and returning to the window. Finn followed her carefully, watching the distant traffic escape the hospital parking lot. Quinn dabbed the windowpane slowly, waiting for the cold damp condensation to roll down the window and along the sill. Quinn released her hand from the pane; instead she dragged her fingers across the windowsill. Finn watched as she pressed her forehead against the cold glass, pulling the edge of his sleeve carefully.
Finn nudged her cheek, squeezing her palm carefully. Quinn smiled, tiptoeing slowly over to the opposite side of the small, dimly-lit room. Finn opened the door, still holding onto Quinn's hand carefully.
"Where are you taking me?" Quinn smiled, noticing an absence of people around her hospital room. Finn held her hand carefully, pulling her into his arms.
"To see Katie" Quinn wrapped her arm across his waist and smiled.
Author's Note: YES! I've finally finished writing another chapter! Sorry if it sounds a bit open-ended but I just wanted to leave it on a nice cliffhanger. Enjoy! P.S. Sorry for any grammatical errors, especially with missing words.