AN: First off thanks to those who reviewed on the last chapter, means a lot. And second this chapter takes place a couple of weeks after the events of the last one, just so you know. Oh and it's a little T rated at the beginning, but it's nothing too bad.
Anyways, read. enjoy. review!
Jacob jerks awake, the deep sleep that had encompassed him evaporating in a single breath. Exhaling deeply, he slumps back against his pillow and rolls onto his side. With closed eyes he blindly reaches out for the figure next to him, only to get nothing but air. His eyes flash open at this, realizing with a start that the space beside him was unoccupied.
Panicked, he quickly pushes himself upright, his frantic gaze darting in all directions for the girl he distinctly remembered being at his side when he had fallen asleep. He launches himself out of their bed without a second thought, running out of their room and into the empty hallway. His heart pounds against his chest, throbs in his ears like a drum, as he moves at an inhuman speed searching all the upstairs rooms.
When he comes up empty handed, he races for the stairs descending down them as quickly as his feet will allow before, out of impatience, deciding the forgo the last steps altogether and hop over the railing instead.
His first instinct is to check the backyard but his body seizes at the possibility of a small owl flying out to greet him if he does, making these past few days just a devastatingly realistic dream his wistful mind had conjured up. It certainly wouldn't be the first time his mind had played tricks on him.
Despite this uncertainty, he wills himself to continue his search. It doesn't matter which form he finds her in, as long as he finds her and can ensure her safety. Thankfully he spots her immediately upon approaching the back door, the golden waves of her hair shimmering under the pale cool light of the moon. Relief like no other fills him body and soul as he pushes aside the sliding glass door and steps outside. His heart still pulsates a rapid beat, the rush of adrenaline still coursing through his veins.
She's gazing up at the starry night sky, a fond, distant sort of expression on her face. Wordlessly he walks to her and when he's close enough, comes up behind her and slides his hands around her waist.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" she sighs, her hands immediately moving to cover his. He gently pulls her body to his, encouraging her to lean back against him. She does so without hesitation.
"I've been out here a hundred times," she murmurs, still admiring the stars above. "But never at night. I almost forgot what a difference sunlight makes." The trembling hitch in her breath and the way she squeezes his hand indicates to him that she was talking about more than just the sky.
He holds her tighter in response and leans down as far as he can, burying his face in the crook of her neck, his every fiber taking comfort in her scent, in her being.
Quinn lifts one of her hands and raises it up behind her, her fingers threading themselves into his hair, caressing. "Talk to me." she requests, her plea a breathless whisper. "I need to hear your voice."
To ensure that this is real. That you're real.
She hadn't said it aloud but Jacob knew it was what she meant. He knows because he's been needing the same reassurance ever since they were reunited.
"You haven't been sleeping." He presses his lips to her shoulder, then rests his chin there. "Why?"
"If this is a dream I don't ever want to have to wake up from it." she responds quietly, resting her head against his, eyes closing contently. "I can't wake up if I never fall asleep."
"I highly doubt Rachel would approve." he comments lightly, already picturing the small brunette lecturing them both on the importance of proper sleeping habits.
"If you rat me out to her you'll be sleeping on the couch for the next month." she threatens in the same easy tone, making him laugh.
He turns his head and places a quick kiss to her neck. He straightens his posture and with his arms still wrapped around her waist, moves her around so that they were facing one another. "We've spent the last seventy-five years wishing, praying, dreaming, for this moment." he murmurs, his lips quirking in spite of himself when her arms slide around his torso.
"It's gonna take a while before we're able to truly believe that all of this is actually real." Taking her face in his hands, he gently tilts her head, his lips descending to her forehead. "But in the meantime you can't keep avoiding sleep." he sighs, pressing his forehead against her own and locking onto her gaze seriously. "You need to rest."
"How do you do it?" she questions, dismayed. "You seem to have no trouble falling asleep whatsoever."
"Worrying takes a lot out of me, I guess." He pulls away and straightens back up again, shrugging aloofly.
"Worrying? About what?"
"Same things you are." he says quietly, his hand coming up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Waking up one day and realizing this was all just a really convincing hallucination. Losing you again." he says with a grimace, his gaze flickering away. Losing control again, he almost adds.
"You aren't going to lose me." she promises with a firm shake of her head. She cups his cheek, redirecting his gaze back onto her. "Hey. You're not, okay? We're not going to lose each other. Not again."
"You can't promise a thing like that, Quinn." he sighs, his hand covering hers for a brief moment before slowly taking away from his face. "We might not ever run into another batshit crazy tribal woman whose hobbies include cursing people but that doesn't mean we can't die. What if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time and I'm not there to protect you? Huh? What if you get into a car accident? Or what if someone decides to bring a gun to your school? What if…" He chokes on his words, overwhelmed by the seemingly infinite number of horrific scenarios his restless mind was conjuring up a mile a minute. He couldn't lose her again. He just couldn't.
"Jacob, honey…"
Quinn sounds as though she's miles away, the rapid pounding his heart was doing drowning out her voice more and more by the second. Suddenly he can't focus properly, his vision becoming unclear. Swallowing hard, he jerks back out of instinct, his body wavering and heaving while he tried desperately to utilize his every ounce of strength to rein in his distressed wolf. It was too much.
His legs give out on him then, his body crumbling under their weight. He falls to his knees with a low thud, his muscles still quivering with the urge to phase. Slowly, he sits back on his heels, head bowed along with his shoulders. Ever since the curse was broken it felt like he couldn't hold it together anymore. Not even when he had first started phasing all those years ago and was learning to control his wolf did he have it this bad.
"Jacob."
Her voice breaks through the sound barrier that time and without thinking, he reaches for her, his arms automatically wrapping themselves around her legs in his hasty attempt to pull her closer. Though initially caught off guard, she's able to maintain her balance. While he holds onto her for dear life, she cradles his head against her body, softly whispering words of love and reassurance to him.
A violent shudder escapes his body and he clings to her tighter in response, his face pressed firmly against her stomach. His throat burns from resisting the urge to breakdown completely, tears and all. Quinn's seen him at his worse before but by comparison this was a new low by far.
"I'm right here, Jacob." she croons, her fingers massaging his scalp in that soothing manner she used on both the man and the wolf. "Right here."
He squeezes his eyelids shut when he feels her leave a promising kiss on his head, but the tears manage to escape anyway. "You deserve so much better than this." he says thickly. "I wish I could give you back the last seventy-five years of your life."
"I don't." he hears her say. "I got to spend every minute of it with you. Granted not in the form I had hoped for…but I always had you by my side."
"That's something that is never going to change." he vows solemnly, finally finding the strength to rise up from his knees. He takes her back into his arms the second he's upright and resumes his secure embrace, needing to feel her heart beating right along side his.
He wants to hold her forever. She fits so wonderfully in his arms and grips him with the same intensity that he does her. They stay like that for a long while before he eventually decides they should probably return to their bed. Even though his natural body heat is enough to keep her from feeling the night chill, he doesn't like the idea of her being exposed to this kind of weather for too long. Never has.
Leaning down, he shifts his arms underneath her, effortlessly lifting her off the grass. She rests her head contently against his shoulder while he takes her inside and maneuvers through their darkened home. When they reach their bedroom, he strides over to the bed and gently deposits her on her side. He walks around to join her but stops upon noticing the small blades of grass stuck to her bare feet. Shaking his head, he sits down on the edge of bed by her feet and starts plucking the remnants of their dewy lawn off her skin. Noticing this, she wiggles her toes in attempt to get them off herself.
Feeling how icy her skin was, he murmurs, "I'm surprised your toes haven't fallen off, they're so cold."
When he's done he clasps both hands over one foot so that she could soak up his warmth. He waits until her foot no longer feels like a popsicle before promptly switching to the other to give it the same treatment. Before he can finish he senses Quinn pushing herself upright, scooting down to the edge of her bed where he sat. He glances back at her in curiosity but doesn't say anything when she settles in his lap, her thighs on either side of his.
Meeting her gaze, he silently marvels at the simple splendor that is his wife, her beauty enough to make him catch his breath. She ghosts her lips over his, barely touching, and a pleasurable shiver breaks out across his skin. He lets her tease him for a few moments before bringing her closer and kissing her deeply. Her lips are just as soft and warm as they've always been, the very taste of which brings about such pleasure that it makes his head spin and entire body ignite. Nothing has ever felt so right.
As she cups his face, his hands slide down her waist where his fingers start molding and caressing her hips. In the meantime his lips travel from her mouth across her cheek, to her ear and down the column of her neck. He gently nibbles and sucks on her sensitive skin, intent on leaving his mark. He gasps suddenly, caught off guard by the enticing sensation of her hands sliding under his shirt and up his back.
He pushes his nose into the crook of her neck and swears against her skin, his breathing becoming more labored with every teasing drag of her nails. It's been so long since they've had this kind of intimacy - or any for that matter - that he'd nearly forgotten all the little things she used to do to drive him wild.
He waits until he no longer feels like he's going to combust from her touch before lifting his head. "Trying to seduce me, Miss Fabray?" he questions, the smirk evident in his voice. Meanwhile he has to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from moaning aloud at the way her fingers continue to tease the length of his back.
"That's Mrs. Black to you." she whispers breathily around a smile.
He rumbles approvingly and grasps the back of her thighs. "Damn straight." He pushes himself upright off the bed with her still in his arms, then sets her back down. Her feet barely touch the floor before he descends on her again, capturing her lips with fervent heat. She pushes herself up onto her toes, hands pushing up his shirt while returning his kiss with equal fervor.
Together they peel off his shirt and toss it aside. Deep down he wants to slow things down, to take his time with her, savor every second, but with the way her hands are moving all over his chest, his arms, his back, he really doesn't see that happening.
He takes her in his arms once more and carries her back to the bed. He quickly makes work of every cloth barrier separating them, idly throwing the pieces of torn fabric over his shoulder as he goes. When she's underneath him and without a scrap of clothing on her, he takes a moment - several actually - to admire every inch of her small perfect body. Their eyes connect and the look in her eyes brings him back to that night in the coves all those years ago on their wedding night.
His body relaxes above hers as the urgency in his desire simmers down, reminding him of how he truly wanted to relish in this moment with her. Quinn tries to pull him down to her, her body quivering with anticipation and need, and maybe even nerves, but he stops her before she can do so. "Wait."
Glancing down at the only thing she was still left wearing, he takes a second to unclasp her necklace, the one her wedding band dangled on the end of, and slides the ring off the chain. Her lips curve into a smile as he takes her hand and easily slips the band on her ring finger where it belonged. He keeps his gaze fixated on her as murmurs his undying devotion to her in his native Quileute. She does the same with such affection that it overwhelms him a great deal. And here he thought he couldn't possibly love her more.
With a surge of emotion for the one he loves mind, body, and soul, he closes the distance between them and proceeds to make love to her like it's the first time all over again.
Afterward they lie in a contented silence, her head resting on his chest while he leaned his against the headboard. It isn't long before he hears her breathing deepen, evening out as sleep overcomes her. He continues to run his fingers affectionately through her hair. He presses his lips to her forehead every so often, quietly reveling in the feel of her body in his arms.
Weeks pass before the idea of returning to school even crosses Quinn's mind. Honestly with everything that has happened it was the last thing she was concerned about. Rachel of course promptly headed back to McKinley the Monday following their return to Lima but she opted to postpone doing the same for obvious reasons. She'd just gotten Jacob back and there was no way in hell she was about choose wasting eight hours a day in classroom after classroom over spending time with him.
However it's been over a month since they've been back in Lima and Rachel's subtle - not really - hints about her coming back to school have gotten increasingly frequent in the last week or so. Like every other minute frequent.
Part of her had been debating whether or not she should just drop out of school altogether (it isn't like she doesn't have a handful of high school diplomas down in the garage already) but every time she did she just thought about Rachel and glee club and how much she would miss that time spent with them if she did decide to quit for good. Besides Rachel would probably would pester her nonstop if she ever dared to do such a thing.
Shaking her head, she continues about her morning routine like it's any other day. She does her best to keep her focus on the task at hand, making breakfast, and not on the nerves fluttering around inside her making her slightly nauseous. She doesn't relish in the idea of spending any amount of time away from Jacob but she knows they can't just lock themselves away in their house and live in their own little private world for the rest of their lives.
Though this past month of doing just that has been pretty wonderful. Lounging around the house, making love, talking to each other for hours on end, just being in each other's presence had them on cloud nine. It was almost worth the past seventy-five years of heartache to get to this period of unparalleled bliss. It astounded her how such simple things like going to the grocery store or watching television together could make her so embarrassingly happy.
Distracted by these thoughts, she doesn't even hear Jacob come downstairs so when he sneaks up behind her and places his hands on her waist, she practically jumps. "Sorry." he apologizes though instantly amused by her reaction. He places a quick kiss to her temple before she can turn around.
"You nearly scared me half to death." she exhales, her heart still palpitating from the sudden start.
"Yeah well you were on the verge of burning the eggs." he responds, reaching past her and turning down the heat on the stove. "I called your name but you didn't seem to hear me. What were you thinking about?" he wonders, curious.
She cups his cheek and smiles. "Just how unbelievingly happy I am." she answers honestly, pressing a kiss to his lips.
"Doesn't compare to how happy I am." he murmurs as he pulls her closer to him.
"Still debatable." she remarks, sighing against his lips when he presses his forehead against hers. Turning them around, he backs her up against the countertop, his lips descending on hers without another word. She melts into him instantly, a breathless moan escaping her when he parts her lips with his and dives in for an ardent kiss.
She would have gladly spent the rest of the morning making out with him against the kitchen counter, but when his kisses travel to her neck she stops the time on the stove clock, the green numbers alerting her that she was going to be late for school. She gasps slightly, not only from this realization but from the sudden sensation of Jacob's teasing lips on the sensitive spot under her jaw.
"Jacob, I have to get going…school."
She gently pushes away from him, promptly ignoring her body's silent protests to do just the opposite. "I'm going to be late."
He releases a heavy sigh. "Are you sure you don't want to wait another week or something?" He continually strokes her back, reluctant to let her go.
"I'd rather get it over with now." she sighs, lifting her gaze. "We can't spend every waking moment together you know."
Jacob scoffs his disagreement. "Says who?"
"Says me." She pushes herself onto her toes and presses her lips to his. "Besides it'll only be for a little while." she reminds, pulling back.
Scowling, he shakes his head. "A little while is like half an hour, forty-five minutes tops. Not eight freakin' hours."
"You can visit me during lunch if you'd like." she appeases. "And if you take me to school now, then you'll have to pick me up after."
Jacob makes a show of pretending to consider her offer, making her shake her head. "Or how about you stay here with me and we just forget about this whole school thing? God only knows how many times you've taken geography. There are still the same amount of states their were last time you were in high school."
"True," she reluctantly concedes with a slight laugh, "but I miss glee club. I miss being around those guys. And I'd like to finally be able to personally congratulate them on winning regionals."
Frankly she had been surprised when she'd gotten the news of their victory, considering they had lost one of their strongest voices and gained two new members who had to be bribed into joining glee club just so they could qualify to compete. Nevertheless the first place trophy was well deserved (she'd seen the video of their performance online with Jacob and Rachel).
They had killed their competition with their amazing dance moves and brilliant song selections. She was insanely proud of them, as was Rachel - though admittedly the latter had gone into a weeklong funk upon realizing the New Directions could win a regional competition without her.
"Fine. Let's go." Jacob sighs, caving in grudgingly. "You get your things I'll be waiting in the car."
"Right." She pecks his lips and walks around the counter just as he leaves the room to retrieve her bag off one of the chairs.
Before exiting the kitchen though, she makes a quick grab for the bacon she had cooked, wrapping it in a paper towel before hurriedly following in Jacob's wake.
"So how does it feel?"
Quinn's heading toward glee practice after school when she crosses paths with Rachel and is met with this inquiry. Her brow furrows as she has no idea as to what the brunette is referring to. "How does what feel?"
"Successfully going through an entire school day without Jacob." Rachel explains, turning on her heel to walk alongside her toward the choir room.
"Well technically I didn't make it through the entire day." she responds somewhat sheepishly. "He came to see me during lunch and we hung out on the bleachers for the hour."
She also ended up ditching three of her classes just so she could sneak off with him - but she's not about to tell Rachel that and risk receiving a lecture about it.
Rachel throws her an accusatory glance. "You said you had to make up a test." she pouts.
Quinn raises her shoulders in an innocent shrug as she keeps walking. "Do you think if I asked Mr. Schue would let Jacob sit in on practice?" she asks, looking back at Rachel expectantly.
"You seriously can't go one more hour without seeing him?" Rachel asks, incredulous.
"It's not a matter of can't but more of I don't want to." she retorts. "So do you think Mr. Schue will be okay with it?"
"Even if he's not I'm still staying."
She turns around in time to see Jacob walking down the adjacent hallway toward them. "Or I'm just gonna kidnap you. Haven't decided on which one yet. Hey," he properly greets, leaning down and kissing her lips. "Long time no see." He smirks.
Playfully rolling her eyes, she links her arm with his so that they can continue on their way toward the choir room.
"So Quinn have you given any further thought about what we discussed in Chemistry earlier today?" Rachel inquires with an air of hopefulness.
She has to purse her lips in order to keep herself from rolling her eyes once more. "The answer is still no, Rachel." she sighs, shaking her head.
"Don't act like you don't know the song, Quinn." Rachel huffs, dismayed by her persistent refusals. "Because I know for a fact that you do."
"That doesn't mean I want to sing a duet with you my first day back to glee." she responds as nicely as she can. Not to say she has a problem with singing with Rachel, she just doesn't feel comfortable marking her return with a performance right off the bat. That was more Rachel's things than hers.
Jacob's arm moves around her shoulders. "C'mon babe." he implores, kissing her hair. "I wanna hear you sing."
Rachel beams brightly, knowing if she at least had Jacob on her side she stood a better chance of getting what she wanted.
"Fine." she relents, unable to help her groan. In the back of her mind she reasons that Rachel will just pester her until she gets her way so she might as well give in now and save herself the trouble later.
Her and Jacob follow Rachel through the open doorway and Quinn releases his hand in order to talk to Mr. Schuester who was in his adjoined office.
Getting an okay from Mr. Schue wasn't difficult, not that she imagined it to be, since he was a fairly lenient man. When she's finished speaking with him, she heads over to the piano where Rachel was undoubtedly instructing Brad, their pianist, on the cues for their performance while Jacob just looks on amused.
Admittedly she starts to feel herself getting a little nervous about singing. Jacob's never seen her perform before and suddenly she's very aware of this fact, making her extremely self-conscious. Singing on her own in front of the group was nerve racking enough as it was and to have Jacob in the audience only amplified things. She kind of feels like she might be sick.
Needing a distraction, she takes it upon herself to introduce Jacob to the few glee guys that were already hanging around the risers. She introduces him as her boyfriend because that's what Rachel had apparently told the others and because she really doesn't want to make up some story explaining how a seventeen year-old was able to get married so young (hence the reason she keeps her wedding band on her necklace while at school).
Despite the age difference Jacob was able to get along with the guys just fine, bonding over the typical male interests like sports and cars and of course music. After a few minutes she decides to leave them to their own devices, opting instead to intervene against Rachel's harassment of the band people.
Gradually the glee girls - and Kurt - make their way into the choir room and take to the risers. As soon as she successfully pries Rachel away from their violinist, she leads the short brunette back to their seats, only stopping when she catches a glimpse of the slack jawed expressions of their fellow teammates. Her brow furrows at the sight and out in habit, she exchanges a questioning glance with Rachel.
"Who the freak is that?" Santana wants - no, demands - to know. Following the Latina's eyes, Quinn quickly realizes she, along with the rest of the glee girls (and Kurt), was referring to Jacob.
"Please tell me he's our new member." A hopeful Kurt says.
"That's Jacob. Quinn's boyfriend." Rachel responds, expecting her added emphasis to get them to tear their gazes off of him. To Quinn's surprise they don't even bat an eyelash let alone turn their attention to Rachel.
"Damn Rachel no wonder you tried to get your mack on with him. He's super fine."
Quinn blinks, not expecting any of them to be so…taken by Jacob. They were acting like he was Ryan Gosling or something.
"I just gotta!" Santana snaps all of a sudden, jumping out of her seat and storming over to the other side of the room where Jacob and the guys were still talking.
"Hey Gigantor." The Latina grabs Jacob and actually pulls him up out of his seat, then spins him around to face her. "I'm Santana but you probably already know that. Now if you'd please, take off your shirt."
"Excuse me?" Jacob glances over her shoulder at Quinn, severely confused and slightly frightened. Considering it's Santana he's completely justified in feeling so.
"I wants to feel up on them abs you've clearly got hiding under that shirt of yours. And I wants to feel up on them now." Santana retorts, her tone teetering on impatient.
Okay. Ogling her guy is one thing but feeling him up is a whole other thing that so isn't about to happen on her watch.
"Santana…" she warns, coming up behind the brunette and easily pulling her away from her Jacob.
Santana rolls her eyes then whips out fifty dollars from the inside of her Cheerios top. "I'll give you fifty bucks if you let me touch him wherever I want."
She nearly rolls her eyes. She'd nearly forgotten how nutty the Latina was. "Not going to happen Santana." she sighs, taking Jacob by the hand and leading him over to the other side of the room, far from Santana.
"Is she always like that?" Jacob questions to her in a low whisper.
"Crazy? Yes."
They take to two seats off to the side in the top row and automatically Rachel follows, settling herself down in one of the seats in front of them even though it's not her usual spot front row center. A few chairs away Santana's still grumbling about wanting on Jacob's abs.
Just then Mr. Schuester emerges from his office, blissfully unaware of what had been going on. "Alright guys." he announces in his usual jovial tone, clapping his hands together. "So before we get back to work does anyone have anything they'd like to share?"
He looks around the room expectantly, sighing only slightly when Rachel's hand shoots up in the air. "Right, Rachel. Take it away." He reluctantly offers up the floor to her but when he sees Quinn rising from her chair to join her, his interest admittedly increases.
When they reach the center of the room, Quinn - on a spur of the moment - decides to speak up before Rachel has the chance to. "Before we start I'd just like to say that I'm really happy to be back here with you guys, I missed you all a lot, and that I'm dedicating this performance to Rachel," She turns and gestures to the unsuspecting brunette to her right, "who I can honestly say is the truest friend I could ever have." she says earnestly, meeting her gaze. "I am so very grateful to have you in my life and I hope that one day we," Her gaze flickers to Jacob in the audience. "Can repay you for all that you've done for us."
Rachel's so taken aback by this that she actually misses her cue when Brad starts off the music. Beaming, Quinn silently encourages her to start singing. The song Rachel had chosen was For Good from Wicked, a song they both honestly thought was the perfect song for them to one day sing together because they liked to think they had been changed for the better since befriending one another.
"I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you…"
While she sings Quinn starts to feel herself getting a little choked up, realizing that without Rachel none of this would have been possible. She would still be that lonely girl living a cursed life for the rest of eternity. She probably would have never gotten Jacob back and they would have had to continue on existing without each other.
"Because I knew you…
I have been changed for good…"
They finish the song hand in hand with wide smiles on both their faces. As the last note rings out, they look to each other and share a hearty laugh (and a few happy tears) at the loud applause they receive from the rest of the club. Quinn throws her arms around Rachel and gives the shorter girl a grateful squeeze.
The moment is perfect until she's overcome by a sudden bout of nausea that has her all but pushing Rachel away in favor of bolting for the nearest exit, with one hand clasped over her mouth.
She barely makes it in time to the girl's bathroom before she finds herself expelling her stomach of today's lunch into a toilet. She doesn't even realize that Rachel had caught up to her and was now holding her hair back for her.
"Babe are you okay?" Jacob asks worriedly when Rachel helps her back to her feet after finishing.
She grimaces slightly at his voice, having hoped he wouldn't follow her in here and seen her like this. "Yeah I'm fine."
She moves past him and walks over to the sink where she promptly rinses out her mouth. "I don't know what happened. One minute I was fine and then all of a sudden…" she shakes her head, drifting off. "I can't remember the last time I've gotten sick."
"Well you're technically no longer cursed so maybe it means you're susceptible to illness again." Rachel offers, grabbing a few paper towels from the dispenser and handing them to her.
"I suppose so. But this came out of nowhere. It's not like I haven't been feeling well or anything lately." she responds as Jacob presses his hand against her forehead to check for a fever.
"You feel fine." he murmurs, dropping his hand.
"You don't think…"
Lifting her gaze, she feels her brow furrow as she stares back at the suddenly wide-eyed Rachel. "Think what?" she asks, confused.
"Oh my god!" Rachel clasps both hands over her mouth, her eyes glowing. For a split second Quinn wonders if Barbra Streisand had just walked in behind them. "I'm going to be an aunt!"
Quinn and Jacob both stare at her like she's grown another head.
"What?" Rachel exclaims indignantly. "Don't you two give me that look. Nausea and vomiting can be the first signs of pregnancy and contrary to its name morning sickness can happen at any time of day." she promptly informs them, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's a definite possibility."
"Rachel…" For all they knew she could just have the stomach flu or something and she isn't about to let Rachel get her hopes up, especially about a sensitive subject like this one.
But unfortunately for her, Rachel is a persuasive little devil and within twenty minutes she finds herself being dragged into the nearest drugstore along side Jacob.
"You know you don't have to go through with any of this if you don't want to." Jacob tells her as they walk along the soft drink aisle to pick up some ginger ale (she still feels queasy). Meanwhile Rachel's back in the pregnancy test aisle consulting the nearest salesclerk she could find on which brand of tests provide the most accurate results.
"I know that." She only let Rachel drag them here to shut her up - and to get out of having to return to the choir room after nearly throwing up in front of everyone. Glancing back at him, she asks, "Do you really think it's possible?"
"Anything's possible, babe." he responds, turning and plucking a six-pack of ginger ale and a gallon of water off the shelf next to him. "You and I are living proof of that."
"This is just all happening so fast." she sighs, her arms folding over her chest uneasily. "I mean what if it turns out that I am and then I just lose it again?" She ducks her head feeling her tears threatening to give way. "I can't go through that again, Jacob."
Jacob sets down the ginger ale and steps forward, taking her in his arms. "Look I can't promise you that won't happen but I can promise you that whatever happens we will get through it together. We always do."
A warmth spreads through her bones at his words, Jacob having always had the uncanny ability to comfort her beyond measure with a few words and tender hug. Lifting her gaze, she cups his cheek appreciatively, her eyes then fluttering close as the space between them decreases. He's inches shy of her lips when a voice interrupts them.
"Well that clerk was of no help to me whatsoever. All he did was hit on me." Rachel huffs, making her way towards them with at least half a dozen boxes in her arms. "Then again I should have known better than to expect any useful information from a high school dropout. Pretty sure he was one of the seniors who sent me to that crack house when I was a freshman." she mutters. She quickly shakes off the traumatic memory and looks back at them with expectant - and excited - eyes. "Any who. Are you guys ready to do this?"
"It's okay, Quinn." Rachel assures sometime later when the three of them are at her and Jacob's house. "I really shouldn't have forced this on you."
She couldn't go through with the tests after all - or at least that's what she told Rachel (she loved the girl but she nervous enough as it was and Rachel bouncing around like a hyped up golden retriever puppy proved to be a little too much for her to handle).
"It's fine. I'll text you later." she promises, walking Rachel back to her car.
"If you do end up taking the tests in the meantime and you do find out that you're pregnant -"
Quinn makes a show of rolling her eyes. "For the last time Rachel we're not naming our future child after you! Or after Barbra Streisand either." she adds, cutting off the brunette before she could throw out that suggestion again.
"It's the least you could do!" Rachel protests, severely pouting. "After all I am the reason you two are even able to have sexual intercourse again!" she reminds.
"Gah, Rachel." Quinn wrinkles her nose, immediately pulling a face. "You know I hate it when you say things like that. It's weird."
Rachel brushes her off and says grudgingly, "I'll settle for a middle name if I have to."
"Rachel for all we know I'm not even pregnant." she sighs tiredly, yanking open the girl's car door for her. "I may not even be able to get pregnant." She does her best not to let that very idea depress the hell out of her.
"Quinn I was right about your curse and I am right about this. I'm right about a lot of things actually but that's not the point. The point is you are going to have a baby and that baby should have a wonderful name. Like Rachel."
"You are without a doubt the craziest person I've ever met."
"What?" Rachel scowls. "Rachel literally means bright star! It's beautiful."
Quinn casts her a disbelieving glance. "It does not." She should know. The first time she had been pregnant she'd spent many a day reading up on possible baby names.
"Fine it doesn't." Rachel snaps, peeved that she'd been caught in her own lie. "It actually means ewe which is a female sheep if I'm not mistaken. But it should really be changed to bright star or at least something along the lines of. There would probably be a lot more Rachels out there if it was. Once I become a big successful Broadway star I'm sure someone will decide to change it."
Quinn shakes her head and all but pushes Rachel into her car. "Again I reiterate you are insane."
"I am not insane, my dads had me tested!"
When she finally gets Rachel to go home, Quinn heads back into the house and locks the door behind her (though only knows what good it'll do - they had made the mistake of giving that girl a key a while ago). She quickly walks up the stairs and returns to their bedroom where she found Jacob patiently sitting on the edge of their bed.
"Did you look at them?" she questions, figuring he would do so in her absence. "They should be ready."
He pushes himself off the bed and shakes his head. "No, I was waiting for you."
Exhaling deeply, she starts them off toward the bathroom. She pauses halfway though, losing her nerve all of a sudden. "You read what they say." she tells him, turning and pushing him in front of her. "I can't do it."
She purses her lips out of anxiety, wringing her hands nervously while Jacob walks up to the sink and casually picks up one of the sticks. She waits with bated breath by the door, having a feeling she might need its support either way. It feels like hours pass, but in reality on a matter of seconds, before Jacob finally turns around to face her.
"Well?" He's purposely disguising his reaction and she does not appreciative it. "Jacob, what does it say?" she all but impatiently pleads, almost going up to him and snatching the stick out of his hand. Almost.
Wordlessly he closes the distance between them and holds up the stick to her face. All she can see is that little positive sign on the small screen. She stares at if for seconds but it takes longer for mind to properly register what it means. Glancing back at the others, Jacob informs, "They're all positive."
Her gaze fits back to Jacob and she can't help but narrow her eyes at him, sensing something was off. "Why don't you seem surprised?" she wonders, brow quirked questioningly.
"Well technically I'm still a wolf." he responds with that infamous Jacob smile of his playing across his lips. "Still got the perks." He taps his nose with a wink.
"How long have you known?"
"Not long, promise." he assures, laughing lightly at her incredulity. "it was Rachel's doing really. When she brought it up today, I just, I don't know I realized your scent had changed. Maybe if I wasn't currently trying to give up my wolf I would've caught on sooner…" he drifts off with a shrug.
Quinn stares at him in wonder, her mind still busy processing this life altering news, though she can feel that she too was smiling and couldn't stop.
"Rachel's going to have the freak out to end all freak outs when we tell her." she comments, needing a distraction from the delightful joy bubbling up inside her. Though she wants nothing more than to jump up and down and cry she knows better than to get her hopes up too much. There still stands a chance of history repeating itself.
"This is a happy moment, Quinn." Jacob murmurs, sliding his arms around her waist and gently pulling her to him. "Don't let your worries take away from it, okay? Things are going to work out this time around. I can feel it."
She eventually lets go of her worries, pushing them far out of her mind, and in response is able to freely bask in this afterglow of this beautiful moment with her husband. They head out to the back porch after their initial little celebration in the bathroom, sitting side by side, admiring the last of the day's light together. There were no words for a while, just the two of them sitting silently enjoying the breeze, watching the sun's slow descent back into the horizon.
"What happens now?"
"Whatever you want." he answers, glancing back at her.
"Do you want to stay here?" she asks curiously. They've talked about their future in regards to like the places they would want to visit or things they would want to do but they hadn't really discussed where they would settle down. Would they remain in Lima or find somewhere new to raise their family? Or would they go back to one of the many towns they've lived in over the years and return there?
"I know you do."
It's true. She does want to stay in Lima, or at least until graduation. Rachel's her first real friend and now that she no longer has to deal with the burden of being cursed, she can allow to herself to get close to people again. In this case those people would be the rest of glee club.
But at the same time this is Jacob's life too and she doesn't want to force him to live in a place that he doesn't want to. "But do you want to stay here?"
"Honey I don't care where we live." he sighs, lightly bumping his forehead against hers to hold her gaze. "You're my home. You always have and always will."
"You're mine too." she whispers against his lips, her fingers resting against his jaw. "My husband, my lover, my best friend. My everything."
"Funny how even after all this time I still can't believe your mine." he sighs, his eyes alit with admiration while he leans into her touch.
Even though she can feel herself starting to get a little misty-eyed she doesn't try to keep the tears at bay. "The feeling is entirely mutual." she guarantees, her lips curving into a soft smile before being captured by his deliciously warm ones.
AN: Sorry if you hate it but I'm never any good with endings. Anyways big thanks to all of those who read, reviewed, favorited, and/or alerted this story! It always astounds me when any of my stories get any measure of support because this pairing is kind of out there. lol.
Now to get back to Where the Wild Things Are. I'm hoping I'll be able to get out the next chapter over my spring break. I've already started writing some of it (almost forgot how much fun writing Santana is) so yeah, for those of you waiting on that story, I plan to update soon.
Thanks so much for reading!
P.S. Anyone else super excited for Glee's 100th? I know I am, like embarrassingly so. But I can't help it, I've waiting five seasons for a Quick duet and I am finally getting it (on my birthday no less!).