Chapter 7
Rachel sat silently in the garden, her daddy next to her, a cool glass of iced tea in his hand. He looked over at his daughter and sighed sadly. She looked tired and a little bit depressed, and in need of some comfort.
"I arranged a driver to pick you up when you land in Los Angeles. His name is Demetri, and I told him to take good care of you."
Rachel rolled her eyes. "I know daddy, you told me five times already."
Before Rachel met Quinn, she was offered the opportunity to fly out to L.A. for a couple months at a special music program. She jumped at the chance to attend the program, which boasted famous singers and performers as graduates. Rachel was stuck at an impasse, her mind telling her to go and to become who she was destined to be – a star. But her heart…her heart was telling her to run to Quinn's arm and never turn back.
"I wish your dad and I could come with you, but you know how the restaurant gets in the summer…" Her fathers had been adamant about flying out with her, to help her get settled.
"Daddy…I think it's for the best. It'd be easier for Quinn if I'm gone."
He fixed her with a serious stare. "You're the one I'm concerned about."
She looked away from him, staring at the gardenias and lilies, which lined the iron fence. "Once I tell her…I'm going to want to go away."
"Leroy!" A voice interrupted them, making Rachel close her eyes in pain. "Rach!" She could hear Quinn behind her, and could even see the ever-present smile on the blonde's face, though she refused to turn around and look. "Rach, don't open your eyes until I tell you to." She could hear Quinn's feet slapping the pavement as she jogged away.
Her father stood, then bent down in front of her, taking her chin between his fingers. She looked up at him, a frown on her face.
"Listen – it's the character that's the strongest that is given the most challenges in life. Take that as a compliment sweet pea." He whispered, kissing her on the forehead before moving back inside the restaurant.
"Are your eyes closed?" She heard Quinn's voice approaching, and the opening and closing of the fence.
"Yup," she shakily called back, plastering a smile on her face for Quinn's benefit.
"No peeking," the blonde called to her again. "Put your hand over your eyes, I can't tell."
Rachel did as she was told, putting a hand over her eyes. She heard something being placed in front of her, and then the ringing of a bell.
"Okay, open 'em."
When she opened her eyes, a cherry-red bike stood before her, fixed with a bell and a large ribbon on the front. There was even a basket.
"A bike," she whispered standing up. "You bought me a bike." She ran her fingers over the handlebars, and then rested them on the wire basket. "With a basket."
"Yeah, I got it at Rudy's, down on Madison. He specializes in restoring vintage bikes. This one had your name all over it," Quinn smiled at her.
Rachel couldn't hold back anymore, and launched herself into Quinn's arms.
"I think she likes it," Quinn declared cheekily. "You okay? I was worried about you last night. You kinda freaked out on me."
Rachel's eyes fluttered shut, rubbing her hand slowly up and down the expanse of Quinn's back, still snuggled in her arms. She withdrew a tiny bit, her mouth at Quinn's ear. "I'm going away."
Quinn immediately pulled back. "What?"
"I'm going away."
"Why?"
Rachel swallowed, tears already collecting in her eyes. "I should've told you. I just…I didn't have the courage to tell you." She took a deep breath, collecting her thoughts as she looked into Quinn's confused eyes. She took Quinn's hand, guiding it slowly to her chest, right where her blouse was unbuttoned the slightest bit. "About a year ago, I had surgery. I had a heart transplant."
Quinn broke out into a happy laugh, bringing Rachel back into her arms. "Oh my God, I thought you were going to say you were a man or something." She then pulled away just as quickly. "Wait, am I hurting you? You're okay now, right? You're healed." Quinn searched her eyes, as she nodded sadly. "You could've told me that."
"I know I should've told you. I'm really, really sorry I didn't. But I…I…" She stopped mid-sentence, reaching into the waistband of her skirt to retrieve a small pink letter. "I found this in your house."
Quinn took the letter, looking at it quietly.
"That's me," Rachel told her shakily, pointing to it for emphasis. Quinn looked up at her, an unreadable expression on her face. "I'm going away tonight, um, so you won't be reminded." She watched as Quinn's eyes tracked her face, and even her chest, right where her heart was beating. "I didn't know – I swear to God I didn't know. I'm so sorry, I don't what else to say but I'm sorry." At this point she was crying, tears making their way down her face.
Quinn was stone-faced, opening and closing her mouth a few times before coming up with a response. "I've got to go."
"Okay," Rachel choked out. "Okay."
Quinn didn't look back as she made her way out of the garden, the letter still clutched tightly in her hand, leaving Rachel standing alone in her garden, a collection of flowers and a new bike her only company.
"You're not going to try to check that in at the airport are you?" Hiram asked as he watched Leroy load Rachel's new bike into the van.
"Hiram, let her take it," Leroy responded, wiping his hands on his pants as he finished loading it up.
"We can bring it over to you when we come over," Hiram shot back. Leroy gave him a look, which Hiram slouched back at.
"Rach, I did check the machine – still no call from her," Wally told her sadly as he came up to the group. Brittany put a comforting arm around her shoulders.
"Oh, well now you better stay," Hiram acquiesced.
"Mr. B, sometimes you have to runaway to see who follows," Brittany told Hiram sagely, kissing Rachel's temple. She had been in correspondence with Santana about Quinn, but all she could get from Santana was that Quinn was upset and not talking.
"We told her we would follow her, but we can't get there until the fall," Hiram insisted, as everyone rolled their eyes.
"Are you sure she knows you're leaving?" Leroy asked her.
"Yeah," Rachel nodded. "I told her I was going away."
He sighed in response, turning to pack away the rest of her luggage in the car. As he did so, the rest of the group hugged Rachel goodbye. She hugged Hiram the longest, who wasn't so keen on letting her go.
"Alright," he finally pulled back, patting her lightly on the cheek. "Away you go."
She turned to Brittany next, and they hugged tightly and she squealed as Brittany lifted her into the air. "Okay Britt! I love you too," she said as the girl finally put her down.
She got into the van after her fathers, turning and waving at everyone as it slowly pulled from the curb. She couldn't help but wish a certain blonde would come, run after her, and demand that she stay.
But no one came.
Across town, Quinn sat with Santana at the top of one of her father's buildings, her head in her hands. Santana slowly rubbed her back, being the sentimental and comforting friend for once.
"Q-"
"I don't want to talk," came the muffled reply.
Santana sighed, continuing to rub her back as her best friend cried.
Rachel woke almost a week later to bright sunshine streaming through her window. She got out of bed, pulling back the shades and looked out onto the street where people were just starting their day. She sighed, still not feeling the happiness that she should be. She closed the shades, getting ready for her classes that day.
They weren't too hard, and she liked all of the people she was working with. There was a man named Kurt who was especially nice, and his boyfriend Blaine, who were from New York as well, so they got along great.
She was currently sitting outside one of the studios, leaning back against the wall with her eyes closed. She heard footsteps approaching, and she peeked one eye open to see Kurt and Blaine making their way towards her hand-in-hand. She internally groaned, because although she was happy for them, she knew that she missed having someone by her side like that.
"Hey diva," Kurt greeted as the two took a seat on either side of her.
"Hey," she responded, despondent.
"Okay, I've had enough. You're at one of the best music programs in the country, and you're moping around. So tell me…is she married?"
Rachel turned towards Kurt, surprised. "It's a long story."
Kurt scooted closer to the girl. "Well good thing we all are overly punctual. Class doesn't start for an hour."
So Rachel began the tale that was she and Quinn, going into all the details and information she could in an hour. By the end, she was exhausted but felt a little better after being able to talk to someone new about it.
"Wow," Blaine said.
"Wow, indeed," Kurt agreed. "My, my Rachel Berry, you certainly have some drama in your life."
Rachel chuckled, albeit sadly, and leaned back against the wall. "I certainly do."
Quinn was on her daily jog with Ollie when she was hit with a realization. She ran home, jumped into the shower, and climbed into her truck.
When she got to the restaurant, it was late, but some of the lights were still on inside, which was normally a good sign. She clambered out of the truck, collecting herself a bit before she strode in.
As usual, the men were sitting around the table, playing cards with cigars hanging from Wally and Emmett's mouths. They all looked up at Quinn's entrance, and she noticed hope lingering in all of their eyes.
"She's not here," Hiram announced, turning towards her a bit.
"Are you hungry? I'll make you a plate of pasta," Leroy offered, and Quinn wanted to cry because they were being so nice to her.
"No, that's alright Leroy." She stood silently for a moment. "She left?"
"Yeah, it's been about a week now," Hiram told her.
"Well, I've been thinking…the dedication's next week, and it would mean so much to me, and to Liz." She stopped for a moment, thinking about her deceased fiancée. "I miss Liz...I will always miss her." She took another breath. "But I…I ache for Rachel."
The men sat silently, taking in Quinn's heartfelt words. It seemed to sober them up, as they all put their playing cards down. Hiram stood, approaching Quinn and laying a hand on his shoulder. "Come with me for a moment, Quinn."
He led them to Rachel's garden, where he sat down in one of two bright yellow lawn chairs, and Quinn sat in the other one. "Only Rachel can tell you the name of every flower in this garden," he began. "I know about one or two myself," he told her, looking silently around the garden. "Now, Quinn, this is none of my business, but I know that what's happened has been overwhelming. And I know it's going to take a while for you too sort it all out. But while you're sorting it all out, I want you to remember that in all times, I prayed that Rachel would have a second chance at life. I knew that if someone was truly watching over her, the heart she got would have to be from someone very special if it were to be at home in Rachel." He paused, and Quinn waited patiently for him to continue. "When she met you, her heart beat truly for the first time. And maybe it was meant to be with you always."
Rachel was in one of the parks by her apartment, eating lunch. Blaine and Kurt had left a couple minutes ago to see a movie, and Rachel declined to join them. She swung her legs back and forth as she put her music book back into the wire basket of her bike.
All of a sudden, a bunch of kids came up to her, surrounding her bike excitedly, ringing it's bell. Rachel smiled at their excitement.
"Do you guys like the bike?" The kids all nodded, happy smiles on their faces. "Do you want to ride it?"
"Really?" One girl asked, already half on the bike. "I promise we'll bring it back."
"Go ahead," Rachel smiled, watching as the little girl biked off, the kids running after her in laughter. She sat back on the bench, finishing off her sandwich while reading a book. She only looked up again as she heard even more laughter coming back towards her.
She watched as someone pedaled the bike with one of the smaller kids in the basket, blocking their face, and she shook her head at their silliness. The bike stopped in front of her and two hands lifted the little boy out of the basket, and she came face to face with Quinn.
"We brought your girlfriend back," said the little boy, and the rest of the kids ran off, high fiving as they raced away.
Rachel smiled at Quinn, her voice caught in her throat. "Yes, they certainly did." She didn't even know where to begin with what to say to Quinn. So she started with, "You came all the way to L.A.?"
Quinn got off the bike, putting it on its kickstand, coming to stand before Rachel. She twiddled her thumbs nervously, a soft smile on her face. "I did."
Rachel fell into her arms, tears already making their way down her cheeks. She laughed in merriment as Quinn twirled her around. She pulled away and Quinn held her face in her hands, wiping her tears away with the pads of her thumbs.
"I love you Rachel."
Rachel sobbed, kissing Quinn in obvious happiness, even though she was crying. They kissed for what seemed like forever, until Quinn lowered her head, laying it silently on Rachel's chest, listening to her heart.
Rachel smiled, kissing the top of Quinn's head. "I love you too. So much."
fin
A/N: There will be one more chapter, which will probably be the epilogue. Thank you for reading.
