Hello dear readers, as a warning, Quinn and Puck's conversation gets pretty dark, but that's to be expected. Since it's about a cut, there are mentions of blood, but it's not very graphic. The Rachel and Jesse part will be much lighter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or its characters. I also do not own the two songs that will be used in this chapter, which I will fully credit at the end so it does not ruin the surprise.
Quinn's POV
I looked down at the linoleum floor as Rachel, Jesse, Tina, and Artie left the room; I was willing myself not to look at Puck, though I could feel the pressure of his eyes on my neck.
"I'm sorry that this was the way I got you to agree to talk to me. I honestly didn't think it would turn into this much of a mess," said Puck.
"I forgive you. Seriously, I'm not mad anymore," I whispered, while still not looking at Puck, yet knowing to add the extra reassurance to my statement.
"Quinn," he started, clearly waiting for me to look up at him. Reluctantly, I lifted my head up to meet his gaze.
"Yes?"
"I screwed up telling Jesse, and I really am sorry."
"And I really do forgive you. I don't exactly have the energy to stay mad at you, but I wouldn't be anyways because even though your brain wasn't, your heart was in the right place."
"You're probably the first person, well, besides my mom, who's acknowledged that I actually do have a heart."
"I am a smart girl, a smart girl who owes you an explanation."
"I guess you don't really have to tell me."
"Yes, I do. I have to tell you for two reasons. One, because if I don't, you're always going to wonder and it would be awkward, and two, I love you and it's about time that I stop hiding from the people I love."
"I-
"Psh, I know you love me, but now is not the time for that. So, do you want me to start at the beginning?"
"I take it this is a long story."
"I'm 16 and have already had a baby, what do you expect, a nice little fairytale?"
"You do look like a fairy princess."
"I'm going to take that as a compliment, and also pretend that you told me to start at the beginning. Really it all began when I was born, no actually when my dad was born, but I'll pick a beginning that happened later in the story, you know? "
"Uh… sure."
"Just be glad that I'm talking to you, Puck. Hmm… a more fitting beginning… oh, I know where to start! It all started when my parents kicked me out of the house after Finn told my parents that I was pregnant. Well, really my dad kicked me out and my mom, the submissive ditz that she is, let him go through with it. Then, as you know, I moved in with Finn, and never heard from either one of my parents. A couple of weeks later, I moved in with you, because obviously I couldn't live with Finn. He and his mom were both really mad at me, but at least they didn't leave me out on the street. They waited until I found a place to stay. Once again, I didn't hear from my parents, until about a week ago, that is."
"What? Was it your dad or your mom, or both of them?"
"Patience, Puck, I was just getting to that. Keep holding my hand, because we're about to get to the scary part. OK, so about a week ago, I got a phone call from my mom, saying that she had kicked my dad out because he had been cheating on her, and that she wanted to meet with me. Of course, I didn't exactly want to see her again after all that had happened, but I agreed to see her for dinner that night for Beth's sake. I thought that if my mom had been working hard to put the bottle down and become stronger, then maybe we could repair our relationship a little bit so that Beth could have more than one grandparent in the picture. The meeting was a little awkward, but I was impressed. My mom told me that she had been alcohol free for one month and showed me some materials she had gotten from Alcoholics Anonymous. I told her about Beth, and we were about to arrange for me to bring her over so that my mom could meet her, when we heard someone opened the door, which was unlocked. The man walked in muttering something about picking up his stuff, and when he walked by, I realized that he was drunk, and was my d-dad."
"Oh, Quinn," murmured Puck as he rubbed my arm soothingly.
"I-I'm OK," I cried, "I can finish."
"If you want to continue later-
"No, I need to tell you, and I need to tell you now. It's just, I need you to know, Puck."
"OK, Quinn, but you can stop at any time."
"Anyways, so my dad, who I could tell was drunk by the way he was walking, and he locked eyes with me. It took him a moment to realize that it was me, Quinn, his daughter. He started…
"Quinn-
"He started yelling at my mom and then he started h-hitting her. He was yelling about how she could ever let such a disgrace back into her life. Then he started yelling at me about how I was such an embarrassment. He told me that he heard that, in his own words, that I kept my mistake whose father turned out to be thug. I… I got mad and said that she was a beautiful baby girl named Beth, and that you were Noah Puckerman and that you were a good man. That made him even angrier, and then he started to… hit me."
"WHAT? Quinn, what did he do to you?"
"I tried to protect myself, but then he became furious and said that he'd beat me until I bled to death. Then, he started pounding me even harder and I was cr-crying really loudly. Since he was drunk, he staggered and I was able to get away and I ran to the kitchen. I found a knife and cut my arm, careful not to get too close to my wrist, and lay down on the floor. My dad stumbled in and saw me on the floor with all the bl-blood and believed it, because he was so w-wasted, and he l-left," I sobbed.
"Quinn, it's going to be OK. You're OK. He's not going to hurt you again," murmured Puck over and over again until I had calmed down. I could tell that he was suppressing his first reaction to my story, which was anger at my father.
"Oh, Puck," I whispered.
"Why didn't you tell me, Quinn?"
"I was hiding. I didn't want to think about it. I'm so sorry, Puck."
"It wasn't your fault Quinn; it was your damn dad's. I'm going to kill him!"
"No!"
"He hurt you, Quinn. Nobody is allowed to hurt you."
"Puck, please, don't hurt him."
"Quinn, he beat you up. I'M GOING TO KICK HIS ASS!"
"Puck, please, don't! Please! I'm begging you! It'll make me happier if you don't hurt him!"
"Quinn…"
"Please, Puck?"
"Fine. But when you get out of the hospital, I'm calling the police."
"Thank you, Puck, thank you."
"You're welcome. You look tired, and I can tell from putting my hand on your forehead that you're still burning up, you poor thing. You should go to sleep. I'm here. You're safe. Nobody is going to hurt you ever again."
"I don't think I can go to sleep after reliving that."
"What if I sing you to sleep?"
"That might help," I smiled.
"Just relax," he whispered, before starting to sing softly. (Softly to lull me to sleep, and because Beth was asleep against his chest.)
The dawn is breaking
A light shining through
You're barely waking
And I'm tangled up in you
Yeah
I'm open, you're closed
Where I follow, you'll go
I worry I won't see your face
Light up again
Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the wrong words seem to rhyme
Out of the doubt that fills my mind
I somehow find
You and I collide
I'm quiet you know
You make a first impression
I've found I'm scared to know I'm always on your mind
Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the stars refuse to shine
Out of the back you fall in time
I somehow find
You and I collide
Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the wrong words seem to rhyme
Out of the doubt that fills your mind
You finally find
You and I collide
You finally find
You and I collide
You finally find
You and I collide
I fell asleep easily and remained asleep; unbothered by nightmares and the reality of everything that had happened to me that past week.
Rachel's POV
"Do you think Quinn cut herself? Do you think she's depressed?" I asked Jesse nervously.
"I honestly have no idea what I think about any of this, Rach," he answered.
"She seemed like she's still pretty sick."
"Yes, but I'm sure she'll get better. Puck told me that she's responding to the antibiotics, just a little more slowly than her doctor would like. But, Puck also said that the doctor told him that she'll be fine. And you accuse me of worrying."
"You're worried about her, too."
"Don't tell anybody that I said this, especially not Quinn, but I am a little bit worried about her. We just have to remember that she's going to be OK."
"Maybe physically, but if she cut herself…"
"We don't know what happened yet, but I'm sure that whatever happens, Puck will help her through it."
"Yeah," I said, trying to seem unworried.
"You need to relax, Rachel."
"I'm fine, Jesse."
"No you're not. Don't think I can't see those bags under your eyes."
Dammit. Jesse always seemed to see through me when I was lying to him. I hadn't been sleeping lately, and even when I wasn't feeling sick because of morning sickness, I still hadn't been eating very much. I knew it wasn't good for me and the baby, but I was already under the stress of being pregnant at age 16 and hiding it from the glee club. And Quinn being in the hospital hadn't exactly helped.
"And I know that you've been throwing up a lot Rachel, but even so, you're not eating very much."
"I'm fine, Jesse, I'm just under a lot of stress."
"I know you are, Rachel, but it's not good for you. You're worrying me."
"Jesse, how many times do I have to tell you that you worry too much?"
"You're pregnant, you're not eating, and you're not sleeping. I think that gives me the right to worry."
"You're as overdramatic as I am. You make me sound like an anorexic insomniac."
"I don't mean it like that. I'm just saying that you need to take care of yourself, even if that means not being as busy as you normally are."
"I can handle my life, Jesse."
"Rach, please? Try to not stress yourself out so much? And why don't you talk to me about those kinds of things? I can help you."
"Fine, I'll try, but only for you."
"Of course, because you love me. And I'm harassing you because I love you."
"Jesse St. James, you act like you're my mom sometimes."
"That's my job."
"Your job is to be mom?"
"No, it's to love you and to take care of you."
"I love you."
"I love you, too, Rach. Please don't scare me by not sleeping and eating again."
"I'll try. And you're right, I am tired."
"Then go to sleep."
"Right here? At the hospital?"
"Yes, you need to sleep."
"What if Puck and Quinn need us?"
"Then I'll wake you up."
"I don't know…"
"You don't have a choice."
"Actually, since I am the one who is deciding whether or not to go to sleep, I believe I do have a choice."
"Not with me as your boyfriend. Go to sleep, Rachel."
"No, but I'll sleep well tonight."
"I'll sing you to sleep."
"Jesse-
"You don't have a choice."
I was about to argue, but then Jesse started singing the first song that we ever sang together.
I've been alone with you inside my mind
And in my dreams I've kissed your lips a thousand times
I sometimes see you pass outside my door
Hello, is it me you're looking for?
I can see it in your eyes
I can see it in your smile
You're all I've ever wanted, (and) my arms are open wide
'Cause you know just what to say
And you know just what to do
And I want to tell you so much, I love you ...
I long to see the sunlight in your hair
And tell you time and time again how much I care
Sometimes I feel my heart will overflow
Hello, I've just got to let you know
'Cause I wonder where you are
And I wonder what you do
Are you somewhere feeling lonely, or is someone loving you?
Tell me how to win your heart
For I haven't got a clue
But let me start by saying, I love you ...
Hello, is it me you're looking for?
'Cause I wonder where you are
And I wonder what you do
Are you somewhere feeling lonely or is someone loving you?
Tell me how to win your heart
For I haven't got a clue
But let me start by saying ... I love you
My eyes were closed and I was leaning my head on Jesse's shoulder. The last thing I heard was Jesse murmur, "Go to sleep, Rachel."
So, this was an overall angsty chapter. The usual lightness of the story will probably return next chapter, but Quinn and Rachel's problems aren't going to magically disappear. The song Puck sang to Quinn was Collide by Howie Day, and the song Jesse sang to Rachel was Hello by Lionel Richie.