I'm back, guys!


Over the course of the ensuing week, Rachel stayed in St. Rita's Hospital, which, to her surprise and pleasure, provided her with unusually munificent accomodations. To the right of her bed was a window about four feet six inches in height and three feet in width, allowing a generous amount of warm, soothing sunlight to enter. This window provided Rachel with a picturesque scene; she could see the garden. Though many of the plants had been stripped of their leaves in the winter, she was nonetheless enchanted by their snow-covered skeletons swaying in the winter wind.

Despite the doctors' best efforts, all their technology proved futile in determining their patient's status - whenever she was taken to be scanned, the machines would short-circuit and fall to pieces. Still she struggled to walk, and sleep evaded her, distorting her features that she resembled a wraith more closely than a girl; moreover, she was prone to vomiting and stomach cramps. At the very least, however, she could feel her strength gradually returning, and though recovery was slow, within a few hours of waking, she could raise food and drink to her mouth.

During this period, she maintained frequent contact with her peers. Quinn was the first to visit her, within no more than twenty-four hours of Rachel's admission; attired in white, with lilies in one hand and a large satin handbag in the other, she seated herself by Rachel's bed, giving a weak smile. "I came as soon as Artie told me you were taken here. Are you okay?"

Rachel looked up. "Yeah, I'm fine. Look, there isn't much I can tell you about what happened, it was a really nasty accident."

Quinn nodded. "I know, it's not something that's easy to talk about. It must hurt like a bitch. Now, I hate to be the devil's messenger, but I took the liberty of getting your homework for you, and Mr. Schuester sends his regards. In hope that you'll be well enough to perform, he added some suggestions to your music. Keep these in mind, we're all counting on you."

Rachel enjoyed the pleasure of Quinn's company for what seemed like hours, and when it was time to say goodbye, it was a little harder than usual. Notwithstanding, she was rarely lonely, often treated to frequent visits from the club's regulars, who almost always brought gifts, from food to cards to stuffed animals, all of which she welcomed with a smile. Artie came regularly, both for the sake of pleasant banter and to check on her health. On Wednesday, he sent her a text message:

"Rachel,

I talked with your parents a while back, and they both saw the creature. When we went to your house, we checked the place thoroughly, and I didn't see any sign of the creature. Apart from the blood on the carpet of your bedroom, which can be easily cleaned, it just seems to have disappeared. You remember the stink of the thing, right? I couldn't even find a vague hint of it, so when you feel better, you can go home!"

She nearly jumped out of bed from joy as she turned to welcome Sam and Puck, who were just entering the room accompanied by a pretty redheaded nurse holding a tray with soup and Coca-Cola.

Finn, however, had failed to visit Rachel until Friday at three o'clock in the afternoon. He said nothing as he walked in the door, greeting the invalid with a grin and a nod. As he seated himself in a nearby armchair, he noticed the look of spite on his girlfriend's face. It was unnerving, and Rachel could see in his eyes that he was truly afraid. Biting her lip, she raised herself into a sitting position.

"Why are you here?" she growled, contorting her mouth into a snarl.

"I came to see you. Look, I know, I know - what happened is unforgivable. I'm now fully aware of all the capabilities of the creature I gave you. It was stupid and perverted of me, and I'm sorry." he replied, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"That's an understatement, you sick son of a bitch! Do you understand what it is or what it's capable of doing?"

Finn winced. "Yes, I'm totally aware of it, I was the one that asked Artie to create it in the first place."

The girl was leaning over now, hands firmly grasping the sheets. "But why? Why? Is this some perverted fantasy of yours, to see a girl getting raped?"

"I can't take it away, I just can't. Don't you see? I can't stop it!" Finn was trembling, hands over his scalp.

In her mind, Rachel had already severed their relationship. It didn't matter that Artie designed the creature, nor that Finn lacked the power to annihilate the creature. As she turned to the window, she fixed her eyes upon a young woman in a blue coat, crossing the street alone, head held high. Looking back at Finn, she sighed, raised her right arm, and pointed to the door. Finn understood, rising quickly, hands in his pockets. As he pulled his coat about him, he nodded to Rachel once more and hastily fled the room.

Suddenly, Rachel felt like something had stung her. As she placed her head back onto the pillow, she realized she was fighting back tears. The girl couldn't hold on any longer, pulled the pillow over her face, and started to sob. It was a dreadful sound, and it seemed that the pillow did nothing to muffle it. For a full minute she cried; when at last the tears ceased to flow, she tilted her head towards the window. Pure, white snow was falling again, and as it fell, she imagined herself being cleansed. Looking to Quinn's lilies in the vase, she smiled and drifted off to sleep.