AN: Whelp, here I am, sort of back again. In which I mean that I won't be updating as often. I know a lot of you enjoyed the daily updates but to be honest I'd rather not update daily when in stagnant mode because I'd rather not post anything than update with something that I will eventually regret because I find it personally sub par.

I do apologise for taking so long; I just couldn't get the story how I wanted it no matter how much I tried so I thought a good break would do the trick.

Anyway, this chapter will start with Quinn's point of view before switching to Rachel's and moving backwards in time so that we can see the context of the tail end of the conversations.

Also, mistakes *shakes fist* in the last chapter, especially at the ending. Thank you to Rikku who pointed it out. The date is supposed to be May 17 2012 NOT 2073.

There will be undoubtedly mistakes in this chapter, I do apologise for those and I hope that they will be at a minimum.
Apart from that, I hope you will enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 21:

November 21st, 2073

Despite the fact that Lu-Lu wanted Bell to keep on reading the prior night, because she had to know what happened next and what Rachel was talking about since Quinn didn't hear the whole of any of the conversations she walked away from; Bell insisted they get some rest to which, when Lu-Lu looked at the time she realised how late it actually was.

She apologised about wanting to know, but Bell had just laughed and waved her hand dismissively, saying that it was alright.

Today, Lu-Lu was sitting and knitting in the conservatory as she looked outside at the chilly weather. It was now just after lunch and she hadn't seen Bell anywhere.

She kept knitting as she tried to keep her mind busy until eventually the other woman showed up.

"Hello," Bell said, "I'm so sorry, I overslept, I didn't realise I was so tired,"

"That's okay, I've just been spending time knitting," Lu-Lu said.

"I forgot that you took up knitting,"

"Well, I'm glad I'm not the only forgetful one around now,"

Bell just laughed, "Are you up for the next part of the story?"

"Yes, I'm, what are we reading again?"

"The story of Rachel and Quinn,"

"Oh right, right, which part again? Was it the clichéd they slept together in the lake house part?"

"Way past that, Rachel just got her sight back and Quinn thinks that Rachel has cancer,"

"Right, yes, I want to know what's going on,"

"Alrighty then, would you like a cup of coffee first though? The supper cart is on its' way,"

"That sounds lovely,"

As the two waited and then thanked the Caregiver who was passing out cups of tea or coffee as well as biscuits, they eventually settled down as Bell began to read the next part of the book.

May 17 2012

Today was not a good day for Quinn, she was back again at the lake house in tears, she was grieving and crying, Santana had followed her there and was there to just hold her, Rachel was going to die and there was nothing she could do about it.

As always it started out with her hearing the tail end of a conversation.

Quinn and Santana were walking to the Glee Room that day and noticed that Tina and Brittany were in there talking in hushed voices, so they did what they natural could do, they listened in on the tail end of the conversation.

"I guess I should tell you then," Brittany was heard saying.

"What's going on? Why was Cassie crying in the bathroom and why did Rachel run away?"

"She just found out that she has cancer, I couldn't hear if it was Leukaemia or Ewing's Sarcoma, though Ewing's makes more sense as it is tied to having broken bones before, though that is just an assumption I made from watching a television show,"

"Oh my god,"

"Yeah, Rachel's really upset about the news and just wants time to let it sink in,"

"Poor girl, she always seems to be getting bad news,"

"Yeah, that sucks,"

Quinn felt her heart stop, Ewing's Sarcoma was a cancer in the bones, if Rachel had it, then that meant she was going to die and there was nothing she could do about it. Quinn just didn't think as she ran to her car and to the lake house, ignoring those around her.

Santana just patted her friend's back until her tears finally subsided.

"You'll be okay Q," Santana said.

"No I won't," Quinn said back.

"But you have to be, look, we don't know if Brittany was talking about Berry or if she was talking about Cassie, okay,"

"She said broken bones and Ewing Sarcoma, it's not hard to figure out it's Rachel,"

"But what if it's not? Either way you have to be there for her, because she will still lose something by the end of all this, her life, or her best friend,"

Quinn sniffed as she nodded with a sigh, "I don't want to lose her yet,"

"I know you don't Q,"

-page break-

Back in Lima, Rachel had returned home and collapsed in her bed in tears.

She didn't want this to happen, but it seemed that life was going to deal her another blow. Only this time it was fatal.

And things were going so well too.

She and Quinn were starting to become friends again, though quite a bit slower than before, but it was a necessary thing; she just wasn't willing to move that fast into a relationship of any sort right now, okay that's a lie, she wasn't willing to move that quickly with Quinn no matter how much she still loved the girl. She figured time would be a good thing for the two and moving slowly back into some form of a friendship would take a good first few steps.

Then of course there was Cassie who had been a godsend, the red head just had a way of making Rachel smile again no matter what.

For the first time in a long time Rachel had felt genuinely happy and as the weeks went by she was having the time of her life as she hung out with Cassie and of course Brittany and Tina. Especially on their hikes.

While at first she couldn't see anything, she could hear the beauty described in Cassie's voice and that was fine by her and she enjoyed just being with someone who enjoyed her company and over time their relationship grew. Though not as people thought.

Cassie had a boyfriend back in her hometown in California State, though Rachel hadn't quite asked which town the girl was from. She had found out by accident as it was Brittany who had spear headed that conversation.

"So Cassie, I'm curious, are you a bicorn, unicorn, pancorn, acecorn or just a plain old horse?" Brittany asked as Cassie looked confused and Rachel had started laughing.

"Pardon?" Cassie asked.

"What type of something corn are you? Me, I'm a bicorn because I like girls and I like guys,"

"Oh, I get it, you're asking if I'm bi, gay, pan, asexual or straight, right okay,"

"Or anywhere on that spectrum really, I'm just curious, you're very touchy with Rachel, but not in the I want to take you to a room and have sexy times with you kind of way,"

"Oh, right, right, sexy times with Rachel, that would be interesting,"

"Are you interested now?" Rachel asked in a tease.

"Nope, sorry, I'm just a plain old horse," Cassie answered, "And I have a stallion of my own thank you, his name is Tim and he's back in my hometown in California,"

"Aww, that's so cute, so did it take you a while to get to meet him and all that?"

"What makes you ask?"

"Because your brother said that you were hopeless,"

"Damn him, yes, fine, I was a shy girl before okay, not many people wanted to be my friend and I didn't know if he would be interested in someone like me,"

"What do you mean by someone like you?"

"I, um,"

"Not ready to talk about stuff that deep yet?" Brittany offered.

"Yeah, sorry," Cassie said.

"It's okay, don't be sorry, I'm just curious,"

"But you're in love with someone aren't you Rachel?" Cassie said as she looked at Rachel.

"What makes you say that?" Rachel asked.

"You have that look about you,"

"Oh, I, yeah, I am, I just don't know how to let her go yet, she is forever invading my brain no matter how angry I am at everyone and everything, if you know what I mean,"

"I think I do, but I won't pretend to understand how you feel,"

"Thanks,"

"Oh shoot, Brittany," Tina said looking at the clock.

"What?" Brittany asked then looked at the time, "Oh snap, we have Glee, we gotta go or we'll be late, see you two afterwards?"

"Yes, we will, have fun you two," Rachel said as she waved in their general direction.

When the two were gone, Cassie had looked at her and said, "Rachel, I don't fully know yet what you've gone through, but I do want to let you know something,"

"Oh?" Rachel asked.

Cassie slowly put her hands on Rachel's face and said, "One day you will meet someone you will love you with all their heart like I do, and you will be happy again whether you see or not because it won't matter, because you will feel all that love and all that joy, I promise you that,"

"Okay," was all Rachel had said as she place her hands on top of Cassie's.

"I love you Rachel, you mean everything to me and I want you to be happy,"

"And I'm sure that one day I will be, but right now I just can't believe it,"

"I know and it makes me sad that you were hurt so much that you can't seem to believe it, but trust me, they will be out there for you,"

"Okay,"

Cassie just smiled.

"Oh, and for the record, I love you too, in a purely non-sexual way of course,"

Cassie couldn't help but laugh at that.

November 21st 2073

"Oh, so that was the tail end of that conversation that Quinn heard," Lu-Lu said with a small laugh.

"Yes, it was," Bell said, "Of course Rachel and Cassie had no idea that Quinn had heard that small part of the conversation, they just continued talking until Glee was over,"

"I see, so, what happens next?"

"Right,"

May 17th 2012 (still)

Rachel was still lying on her bed in tears, she reminisced the time she had had with Cassie until this point; until today when she received the news that would make her life face a sadness and pain she wished she never had to experience for a very long time.

The day at school was incredibly average and Rachel found that she was bored most of the time.

Although with that being said she was still thankful every day that she could see again, no matter how boring her days were.

She had a good catch up with the girls at lunch, Quinn eventually had to disappear with Brittany to go meet Coach Sue about something with regards to Cheerleading routines so it was just her, Cassie and Tina.

As they were conversing, Rachel could tell that Cassie was on edge about something but she couldn't figure out what, but she respected her space and didn't press her about it.

Just after school however and before Glee was due to start, as Rachel and Cassie would normally wait for Tina and Brittany to finish with Glee, Cassie dropped the news.

"Rachel," Cassie started.

"Yes?"

"I, I have something I need to tell you,"

"What?"

"I'm sick,"

"Sick?"

"Yes, I,"

"Are you going to the doctor?"

"Yes, in California,"

"What?"

"I, a few years ago I was sick, so sick that I was in hospital for a long time, it's how I met Tim, he was there for a broken leg and I, people treated me differently, like I was this fragile little girl, this doll, and I hated it,"

Rachel just nodded her head, she didn't want to interrupt so she let Cassie continue talking.

"I had leukemia," Cassie said as Rachel felt her heart drop.

"What?" she stuttered.

"But I was going fine, I was responding well to treatments and I was getting better, I was in remission,"

"But?"

"I, I've gotten worse,"

"But you look just fine,"

"But I'm not feeling fine anymore Rachel,"

"No, you can't be,"

"I am, Rachel, I, it's not leukemia, doctors have told me that I have Ewing Sarcoma,"

"You have what?"

"Ewing Sarcoma it's cancer of the bones, and I, it's spread pretty bad, the doctors said that they weren't sure how late they caught it as E.S. can sometimes have similar symptoms as other illnesses and I, I tried to keep it from you Rachel because I didn't want to be the bearer of bad news,"

"But I would have understood,"

"I know, but I was scared, people don't treat me the same when they find out I have an illness of any sort and I didn't want that to happen,"

"I wouldn't have treated you differently, you know that, I was blind Cassie,"

Cassie couldn't say anything but, "I'm sorry,"

"No, you're not going to die, you're going to get better,"

"We don't know for sure, we can only hope, but I am returning to California as they have the treatment I need there and the rest of my family is there as is Tim,"

"Is this why you wanted to get married so soon?"

"Yes, because I want that chance to be with him before I go, I need to know, will you still be there?"

Rachel just looked at her, "I can't, I need time to process this,"

"Rachel?" Cassie started but Rachel had already started running as Cassie walked towards a bathroom to try and dry her tears and then collapsed on the ground.

Rachel for her part just ran, she ran into Brittany who stopped her, "Whoa, Rachel, what's wrong?" she asked.

"Ewing Sarcoma, she has, oh my god, Brittany, she's going to die, and I, let me go," Rachel said in a panic.

"Rachel, just wait,"

"Let me go,"

"Rachel?"

"I SAID LET ME GO, DAMMIT,"

And with that Rachel was gone.

So here she was at home, crying and unresponsive to any texts that were sent her way. Her Dads, when they arrived home, were there for her, but they didn't say anything, they just held her as she cried.

November 21st 2073

"Oh dear, poor Rachel and poor Cassie," Lu-Lu said as a tear fell down her face.

"Yeah, Cassie was saddened that she had to leave," Bell said, "But obviously the fear of leaving this world so soon and so young, that scared her even more,"

"I would imagine so,"

"Her last words to Rachel were actually, 'I don't want to go',"

"Oh my god," Lu-Lu said as she wiped a tear from her face and took a moment before asking, "So, did Rachel go to the Wedding in the end?"

"Yes, she did, but the wedding wouldn't be for another three weeks,"

"I see, and did something happen in the meantime?"

"Yes, as always,"

May 20th 2012

It was now a Sunday and Rachel was sitting at the park as she watched the ducks in the water and the sunset that was slowly setting in for the day.

It had been about three days now and she was feeling sad and miserable about life.

Cassie was moving as soon as her family were finished with finalising all their paper work; and of course packing up the house. They were going to get a Real Estate company to sell the house on their behalf.

She sighed, she hadn't seen the other girl since Thursday, but she just couldn't face the fact that this could be the last time she'd ever see Cassie alive again.

She looked up into the red sky as she watched the birds in the air and she wished that she was up there with them with no worries at all, just feeling the air and the freedom of being able to just take off whenever she needed to.

Brittany and Tina gave her the space she needed and for that she was grateful, Quinn however did not as she wanted to try and be there for Rachel but the brunette wouldn't let her.

In fact, earlier on in the afternoon, Rachel had gotten so angry at the blonde for not leaving her alone that she actually screamed at her,
"STOP TRYING TO MAKE THINGS BETTER QUINN, THERE IS NO BETTER FROM THIS, STOP TRYING TO BE THE QUINN YOU THINK YOU WERE BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, YOU ARE NOT HER, YOU ARE NOT MY QUINN AND YOU PROBABLY WILL NEVER BE MY QUINN AGAIN, LEAVE ME ALONE,"

Words, they have the ability to bring someone up and the ability to crush their very soul, Rachel knew that the blonde meant no harm, she just wanted to be there to try and help her through the situation as soon as everyone found out that Cassie had cancer.
She knew the blonde was concerned for her and that she cared.
But Rachel needed the space to think, she wanted time to think over how she was going to be there for her dying friend. She regretted yelling at Quinn what she did, she really did, but she needed space and Quinn didn't seem to understand that at first.
Quinn was seen physically tearing as the words had left Rachel's mouth; but she wanted to try again anyway only to have Rachel run away from her grasps.

Rachel had assumed her Daddy had stopped Quinn from following her because the blonde didn't chase after her that and she finally found herself at the park where she could just be.

Unfortunately for her though, that peace didn't seem to last that long as she finally heard footsteps behind her. Quinn had caught up to her, or so she assumed.

"If that's you Quinn, I told you, leave me alone, I need space to think," Rachel said.

"Nope, not her," a voice said as Rachel spun around and her jaw dropped.

"Santana? What the hell do you want?"

"To talk,"

"About what?"

"Everything, and you are going to stay here and listen, okay?"

AN 2: And we will stop it there. The next chapter will be Santana talking with Rachel as the two have a small heart to heart and I will see what I do from there. Until next time team.