A/N: Yes, I have not updated for two weeks. And I'm really, really sorry for the long wait. :( Schoolwork and tests just keep piling up, and writer's block really hit me hard. For that, I sincerely apologize. :( I hope this chapter makes up for the wait, even just a little bit. I'll do my best not to make you guys wait long for the next update. And again, I would really like to thank those of you who leave reviews, especially for those who are consistent in doing so. Knowing that you are loving my story makes me really happy! So, thank you, from the bottom of my heart! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and I would be really happy if you left a review!
A week had passed by without incident since Rachel had been admitted to the hospital. She and Quinn hadn't heard anything with regards to the blonde's father, and Rachel didn't want to think about it either. She sighed and shifted slightly, wincing at the pain she felt. It was official. She hated hospitals now. Just staring at the white walls while Quinn was away bored her to death.
Well, at least she was all set to go home this afternoon. The doctor decided to discharge her once he was sure that there were no further underlying injuries apart from her broken ribs. With the condition that she take it easy, of course. She snorted. Being careful was already a given, anyway. It's not like she wanted to break anything else in her body. Having two broken ribs was quite painful enough as it is.
Her attention snapped towards the blonde who was sleeping beside her, a pale arm draped across her stomach and their bodies pressed together. Smiling softly, she pressed her lips against the top of Quinn's head and closed her eyes.
"Mmm, Rach…" Quinn breathed out and snuggled closer to the brunette.
Rachel laughed softly as Quinn kept pushing into her, as though attempting to glue their bodies together. Any kind of pain would be worth it if it meant getting to protect the woman she loved, and having two broken ribs was no exception. She blushed, scratching her cheek in embarrassment at her sudden cheesiness.
"Mmf," she heard Quinn sigh. She grinned, knowing that the older woman was now awake.
"Good morning, sleepyhead," she teased as Quinn looked at her with hazy eyes.
"Morning," Quinn mumbled sleepily.
Rachel smiled and kissed Quinn sweetly, feeling the blonde smile against her lips. She grinned goofily as they pulled apart, making Quinn arch an eyebrow incredulously.
"Are the meds still in effect?" Quinn asked.
"Nope, that's just me," Rachel answered, her goofy grin still in place.
"Dork," Quinn teased.
"Well, I'm your dork," she shot back.
"True," Quinn laughed, pecking Rachel's nose.
Rachel laughed back, though her expression quickly turned into a grimace as she felt her sides throb. Though the pain wasn't as strong as when she got admitted, her sides still hurt a lot. Fuck her broken ribs.
"Are you okay?" Quinn asked with concern, her hazel eyes filled with worry.
"Ah, y-yeah," Rachel said, forcing a smile. "It's nothing. Just a little bit of pain."
"Are you sure?" Quinn pressed gently.
"Yeah. The pain's slightly better compared to a week ago," Rachel said reassuringly.
"Okay…" Quinn said softly.
"I just can't wait to get out of here," Rachel sighed.
"Me too," Quinn bit her lip, her gaze cast down. "But we still have to go to court tomorrow…"
Rachel sighed at the thought. Going to court meant that she and Quinn would have to face the older woman's parents once again. At least there was going to be the judge and maybe even a few police officers in there with them, meaning that Quinn's father wouldn't be able to attack her again. Unless, of course, he so desperately would want to land in jail immediately.
"Well, we've got an eyewitness so we don't have to worry about your dad getting away. Plus, people don't take kindly to violence against women," Rachel said in an attempt to reassure Quinn.
The older woman forced a smile, "Yeah. You're right…"
"Hey, it'll be alright. I'm fine and you're not hurt, and that's what matters. Okay?" Rachel said, cupping Quinn's face.
Quinn said nothing and smiled, though it still didn't reach her eyes. Rachel kissed her softly on the lips and laced their fingers together, noticing how perfectly their hands and bodies fit together.
"I'm just glad that you're staying with me for the rest of the summer," Quinn confessed in a small voice.
"Yeah, me too," Rachel responded with a smile.
When the doctor had said the previous day that Rachel was going to be discharged this afternoon, Quinn suggested that she stay at the older woman's place for the rest of the summer. This was because Kurt and Santana might be out of the loft most of the time and Rachel might have no one to take care of her most of the time, so Quinn raised the idea since she was also free for the whole time. Plus, she really didn't have anyone to go home to, so Rachel agreed to the idea. She also thought of it as a way to make up for the large amounts of time they couldn't see each other when school was still in.
Kurt had given it some thought but ultimately agreed in the end. Santana said yes without missing a beat, and Rachel rolled her eyes at the immediate answer. It wasn't surprising at all, considering that it was Santana.
Still, she felt kind of bad about it. It meant that Quinn was going to do everything: clean the apartment, cook their meals, and wash her clothes until her ribs were fully healed. And she hated not being able to do anything to help. It was just her nature as a person to help people out, especially Quinn, since they were girlfriends now. She really should find a way to make it up to Quinn once she was fully okay and set to go.
Quinn smiled at her and she found herself smiling back. God, was she lucky to have someone like Quinn as her girlfriend.
Later that afternoon, they hobbled down the hallway and into Quinn's apartment complex. Well, more like Rachel was doing the hobbling and Quinn was supporting her. Walking hurt, but even breathing was painful. The doctor advised her to breathe as normally as possible to avoid any complications that would involve her lungs, but God, breathing hurt like a bitch. Thank God for pain meds, especially those that don't make her loopy and drowsy.
They finally made it inside Quinn's apartment, and Rachel gingerly sat down on the couch, wincing a little in the process. The blonde looked at her, worry clouding her features. Taking the blonde's hand, she smiled reassuringly, or tried to at least. She was pretty sure she was grimacing instead of smiling.
"We don't have to do this tomorrow," Quinn said, eyebrows furrowed and her hazel eyes clouded with concern.
"Maybe, but… I want this to be over with before your father finds a way to worm out of this," Rachel said, rubbing Quinn's hands with her own. "And the sooner we get this over with, the better. I don't want him to hurt you, and we both know he's more than capable of doing that now that he has your address."
Quinn chewed on her lip and sighed, "I know… Just… Don't overexert yourself tomorrow, okay?"
"I promise," Rachel said softly, looking deeply into Quinn's hazel orbs.
Rachel watched as Quinn's features relaxed, though there were still traces of apprehension and worry. She knew that she wouldn't be able to take those feelings away, but she would try her best not to make them any worse. Her heart thudded loudly against her chest as Quinn laced their fingers together, butterflies erupting in her stomach and a loving smile curling at her lips.
"C'mere," she murmured, motioning for Quinn to lie down on the couch.
The older woman smiled and lay down on her back, her head resting on Rachel's lap. Rachel threaded her fingers in Quinn's blonde tresses and massaged her scalp, making the blonde sigh contentedly. Tender moments like these, she realized, was all she needed with Quinn. For nearly all her life, she believed that grand romantic gestures were the way to go. Buying a plane ticket at the last minute when the other person was bound to leave, braving through storms to get to the love of your life, rose petals scattered on the bedroom floor when you're about to make love for the first time… She thought that those were what you had to do to show the other person that you really do love them.
But being with Quinn like this… It completely changed her perception about said grand gestures. Just by cooking dinner in the apartment, staying by her side all throughout her stay in the hospital, making sure that she wasn't in pain… They were simple things done, yes, but to Rachel, they mattered a lot. The way Quinn's hazel eyes were filled with tenderness and adoration when they gazed at each other, the way their bodies fit together perfectly like pieces of a puzzle, or the way their fingers laced together, filling the empty spaces in between.
After what happened to her with Kate, she never thought she'd find someone worth loving again. Someone who would never break her heart and love her unconditionally for who she was. She was… broken after that, to say at the least. Hence the many one night stands and meaningless flings. It was a desperate attempt to look for that someone, and now that she looked back on it, she realized that it was all a big mistake. But then, if she hadn't done those mistakes, would she have met Quinn? Would she have had the courage to flirt with Quinn and inevitably have had sex with her that night?
She didn't know for sure, but she knew that she was meant to meet Quinn. Maybe the development of their relationship was backwards; having sex on multiple occasions before getting to know each other little by little. And the morning after that night… Quinn had asked her name and a few things about her. It was something that no one night stand would ever do. Usually, the other person would up and leave right after the sex or the morning after, before the other woke up. It lead her to think about what she would have done if Quinn hadn't asked her to go out after they had sex? Or if she said no, and left right after?
Would she still have run into Quinn again afterwards? Or would they never have seen each other again?
She didn't realize that she was too caught up in her own thoughts until she felt Quinn's hand squeezing hers.
"Rach…?" Quinn asked tentatively, and Rachel looked down to meet her eyes.
"Yes, Quinn?" she asked, pushing the thoughts away from her mind. She didn't want to think of what might have happened had she not accepted Quinn's offer to take her out. It left a sinking feeling in her stomach, to think of even letting Quinn go after that night.
"Where did you go just now? You seemed… so lost in thought," Quinn said softly, hazel eyes searching Rachel's deep, brown ones.
Rachel swallowed thickly. She wasn't sure if Quinn wanted to hear what she just thought of. But Quinn just knew her too well, able to read her emotions with just a single glance. She'd never lied to Quinn throughout the course of their relationship, but she was pretty sure that the older woman would also be able to tell if she was lying. Quinn was just too good at reading her.
"I'm not sure you want to hear it…" Rachel mumbled, averting her gaze from Quinn.
"Unless you're thinking about breaking up with me… then I'm sure there's nothing worse than that," Quinn said in a small voice, eyes filled with insecurity.
Hearing the sorrow and pain in Quinn's voice made Rachel snap her attention back towards the older woman.
"What? No! I- I would never break up with you, Quinn!" Rachel said quickly, her heart clenching at the thought of ever even thinking of doing it. She could never do that to Quinn. She would never even dare entertain the idea.
"I'm sorry for jumping to that conclusion… I just… I'm sorry…" Quinn choked out.
"No, I should be the one who's sorry," Rachel said guiltily as she looked into Quinn's pained hazel eyes. "I'm sorry for making you think that…"
"Don't be, Rachel… I shouldn't let my insecurities get the best of me… I know you would never hurt me like that," Quinn said in a strangled voice.
"I'm sorry…" Rachel whispered, her hands gently stroking Quinn's hair. "But are you sure you really want to hear it? I don't want to hurt you anymore than I already have."
"I don't think that anything could be worse than us coming to the point of wanting to break up with each other…" Quinn said softly, her hands reaching up to stroke Rachel's face.
Looking into Quinn's eyes, Rachel knew that the older woman was right. Nothing could potentially be more painful and heartbreaking than the thought of the other entertaining the idea of a breakup. They weren't together for that long, she knew, but she could not fathom the idea of living without Quinn in her life. The older woman understood her and cared about her in ways she could never imagine, ways that she was sure no other person would do for her. She never felt this way about anyone before, not even with Kate. Somehow, she felt that she and Quinn were made to last. And she hoped that she was right.
"I was… thinking if I would have had the courage to flirt with you if I didn't gain the earlier confidence from my one night stands… About if I would still have seen you if you hadn't asked me out, or what would happen had I said no. But then again… you weren't just a one night stand for me. And I knew that I wasn't just a one-time thing for you, either. When you asked about me the next morning… I knew that I made the right decision by saying 'yes' to your offer to take me out. And maybe we had our relationship backwards, but… It worked out. It worked out for the best.
"It didn't crash and burn and you know me at my absolute worst and you never thought for a moment about leaving me. Because of that, I know for sure that meeting you in that bar was meant to happen at one point or another. And for me, that's more than enough for me to believe that what we have is right. That it's not something worth tearing apart and burning into ashes. And I know that you're worth it, Quinn. You're the only person that's worth it for me. Not Kate, not Carrie, not anyone else but you. Just you…"
Her eyes never left Quinn's as she spoke until the end, her eyes reflecting the words she wasn't sure when the right time to tell the older woman was. Quinn's hazel eyes mirrored the emotions she was feeling; soft and filled with so much love. But maybe, just maybe, this was the right time to tell Quinn. She didn't need to plan a grand romantic gesture and confess her feelings for Quinn on the top of the Empire State Building or run through the airport and shout what she felt at the top of her lungs.
All she needed to do, all anyone needed to do was to say those three words and absolutely mean them. She opened her mouth to speak the three words she'd been dying to say for quite some time now, but before any words could escape, Quinn sat up and captured her lips in a tender kiss. Her eyes widened in surprise at the sudden action, but immediately recovered and kissed Quinn back with an equal, if not stronger, passion.
Quinn's body pressed against hers gently, careful not to crush her under her weight and possibly cause any more damage to her broken ribs. Their lips fused and melded together, neither one wanting to break apart, too lost in the emotions that they were feeling. Rachel just kept on kissing Quinn, not ever wanting to go a day without this. Without looking into Quinn's bright hazel eyes. Without seeing Quinn smile so beautifully that any angel would hide in shame.
But at the same time, they had to. They had to pull away at some point, though they both did not want to. And unfortunately for Rachel, she couldn't kiss Quinn any longer in the state she was in. If her ribs were intact, then she could have kissed Quinn longer, get lost even more in those soft lips that encased her own. But the need for air was much stronger with her injuries, so she had to pull away.
Breathing raggedly, she opened her eyes and looked deeply into Quinn's bright and beautiful hazel eyes. She was entirely sure she had never seen eyes as beautiful as Quinn's. They were so easy to get lost in, and God did she want to lose herself in those beautiful green orbs forever.
Taking a deep breath, she cupped Quinn's face and gently stroked the older woman's face. She decided that this was it. This was the absolute right time to tell Quinn how she truly felt about her. And if not now, she would have to say it at some point. The time was now. She was sure, and it was right.
"I love you, Quinn," Rachel finally said, her voice rough with emotion. "I'm in love with you."
Her brown eyes looked straight into Quinn's hazel ones, meaning every word she had said. She loved Quinn, she was in love with Quinn with an absolute certainty. Her past actions may have already shown this; the way she fully opened up to Quinn about her past, the way she made love to Quinn on that piano bench in the auditorium and yet again in the older woman's bed, the way she protected Quinn from physical harm and any more emotional damage from her parents… She knew that actions speak louder than words, but she had to say those words. It was inevitable, and sometimes, words were needed for reassurance, for absolute certainty and surety.
"I-" Quinn choked, her hazel eyes brimming with tears. Happy tears, from what Rachel could tell. "I'm in love with you too, Rachel…"
Rachel could feel the raw emotion in Quinn's voice as she heard those words back. Her heart thudded fast and loud against her chest she was pretty sure that Quinn could hear it. But she couldn't help it, Quinn still looked perfectly beautiful and breathtaking despite her tear-streaked face. And the fact that Quinn loved her back… It was more than enough for her to start crying herself.
"You're right… Maybe we really were meant to meet each other that night. You saved me from future heartbreaks and from potentially digging myself further into my insecurities. I was a bit terrified at first… when I realized that I had fallen in love with you. I couldn't help but think of the worst, but in the end, I realized that you would never hurt me. And when you protected me from my father… that was when all my fears and doubts finally went away.
"You could have easily broken things off with me after that waitress flirted with you, but you didn't. You read me and reassured me that you weren't going to leave. And most important of all, you listened to me. That was all I needed; for someone to understand and love me for who I am. And you're that person, Rachel. I'm really happy that I met you."
Rachel smiled softly as Quinn poured out all her emotions. If anything, Quinn had saved her, too. If she hadn't met Quinn at the bar that night, she might have gone out with another woman and went on more one night stands and have more meaningless sex, laying herself bare to strangers. Meeting Quinn changed that. Quinn saved her from ending up like Kate, and for that, she was really grateful.
The timing really had been perfect, and being with Quinn was also perfect in itself.
"The timing really is perfect, huh?" Rachel said, voicing out her thoughts.
"I'd like to believe so," Quinn smiled and pressed her lips against Rachel's again.
Rachel couldn't help but smile in the middle of the kiss. Broken ribs be damned, at least she was able to protect Quinn.
"I love you," Quinn murmured against her lips, their foreheads touching and their eyes staring deeply into each other.
"I love you, too," Rachel said with a smile.
She meant those words, and she knew that Quinn also meant them. For as long as Quinn was with her, she knew she could take the older woman's bastard of a father down. The need and desire to protect Quinn from harm was what would strengthen her in court the next day. She would make sure that Quinn's father would never lay a single finger on her girlfriend ever again, no matter the cost.