Rachel sighed. It'd been a week since Quinn showed up at her door upset about her mom. And she still hadn't said anything about it. Every time the tiny brunette tried to bring it up Quinn would smile that lopsided smile and kiss her. Making Rachel forget what they were talking about in the first place. It was frustrating because even though Quinn was good at faking it. Almost too good Rachel could see her cracking a bit under the pressures of taking care of her mom, school, Glee and everything else she was doing.

"Quinn."

"Hm?"

Quinn looked up from the book she was reading.

"We need to talk about your mom."

"What about her?"

Quinn's voice was flat and she went back to reading her book.

"Well how is she for starters?"

"She's doing better. They think she should be able to come home on a few days."

"That's great!"

"Yeah."

Quinn smiled a bit.

"How are you doing?"

"What do you mean?"

Rachel shook her head.

"Don't play dumb Quinn. You know what I'm asking."

Quinn paused. She didn't want to talk to Rachel about this... It was her burden. Her problem. Rachel didn't need to be bogged down by it.

"I'm doing alright."

"Quinn..."

"What?"

"You can't keep shutting me out."

"I'm not."

"Yes you are! We haven't had a meaningful conversation since that night! Whenever I try to bring it up you change the subject or distract me somehow. This isn't healthy! You need to talk about what is going on with you. If not with me than Santana? Or your uncle? You can't go at this alone. You're going to need some help."

Quinn didn't say anything. She just scratched the back of her neck.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Aren't you going to say anything?"

Quinn sighed and rest her forehead against Rachel's.

"I'm sorry."

"What? Why?"

"Because I didn't mean to make you upset. This is my issue I didn't want to bring you into it. I'm sorry."

"Quinn that's not the..."

"Hold on. Let me finish please."

Rachel nodded.

"To be honest Rachel I don't know how I feel. Sometimes I'm okay. Then I'm sad or angry. Other times I don't feel anything at all. I don't know how to answer your question. I guess I'm mainly confused. Lost. I don't know how to make this better. And I want to. I want to fix it so damn bad! But I can't! I can't! There is nothing I can do! I couldn't protect her! This is my own fault! She's like this because of me! And I hate it Rach! I fucking hate it!"

Quinn bit her lip to try and stop the tears from falling but she couldn't. She tried to wipe them away but more came. She didn't want to cry anymore. She needed to figure out how to keep her mother safe. Keep her father the hell away from her.

"Hey."

Rachel cupped her girlfriend's face and wiped her tears gently. Quinn looked up at her and Rachel smiled.

"Thank you for telling me."

Quinn shook her head. She shouldn't have said anything.

"No, don't. Don't think you burdened me with this. I'm your girlfriend Quinn. I'm here for better or worse. I love you and I will stand by you through anything. I love you so much baby."

Quinn didn't say anything. Sure Rachel felt like this now but how would she feel in a week? A month? What if mom doesn't get better? Or she gets bad again? I can't lose her! That would kill me.

"Quinn? Don't go baby. Don't shrink into yourself. It's okay to have emotions. It's okay to be hurt. It's okay not to be okay. You're a person, and people feel things baby."

She pulled Quinn closer. Quinn hesitated. She wanted to believe Rachel but every time she let her guard down she seemed to get hurt... Or someone else got hurt. And she didn't want anymore pain. For anyone.

"Quinn stop. Stop fighting me."

Quinn scooted onto Rachel's lap and wrapped her arms and legs around her. She nuzzled into the smaller girls neck and placed a gentle kiss to it. She has a lot to sort out. But right now in this moment she has Rachel. And she wanted to enjoy that for as long as she could.

"I love you Quinn."

Quinn chuckled, "I love you too Rach."