Quinn was sat in the back yard with Gabby playing with Louie while Jay worked on fitting the new kitchen counters with Matt, Kelly and Will.
"I feel like we hardly see you anymore" Gabby told her as Louie sat down with a juice box.
"I know" She sighed "Work has been crazy but amazing, and then it's been getting the house ready, but we need a girl's night soon"
"Getting sick of spending every night with Jay?" Gabby asked.
"It's not that exactly" She replied "But there's a lot of nights watching sports with Jay and Will, or hanging around with the guys, sometimes you just need a change"
"I work in a firehouse" Gabby pointed out "I totally get it"
"Hey Fabray" Kelly called from the back door "Aren't you supposed to be helping?"
"I'm helping watch Louie" She called over her shoulder lifting her glass of wine in the air.
"It is the best job" Gabby agreed clinking glasses with her.
Kelly just rolled his eyes and went back to helping Matt. Quinn had ordered lunch for everyone from a place down the street. Gabby brought Louie and walked to go and pick it up with her. She set it all out on the table in the back yard when they got back and called everyone out to take a break. Jay opened the cooler and handed out the beers. It was not something she had thought about before but she loved this relaxing in their backyard with their friends and family on a warm day, it was perfect.
"Woah" she said holding her hands up as Jay came towards her covered in paint "Don't you dare"
He smirked grabbing her up in a big bear hug and kissing her on the cheek. She looked down at her arms and outfit that were covered in paint in disbelief.
"What?" He asked innocently "I just wanted to give you a hug"
"You are so lucky there are witnesses so I can't hurt you" She laughed.
"At least now you look like you've lifted a finger" Will teased.
"I bought the food and the beer" She pointed out.
"No, I bought the beer" Kelly corrected.
"I just didn't think there should be too many cooks in the kitchen" she shrugged.
"Me and Nat have set a date for the wedding" Will said defusing the situation "So Jay I need you to plan the bachelor party"
"You should go to Vegas" Kelly suggested earning himself a glare from Quinn.
She was ok with a lot of things but a guy's only bachelor party to Vegas wasn't at the top of her list.
"I'm not sure Nat would be thrilled with that one" Will said shaking his head with a smile.
"We still need to go big though" Jay said "Last night of freedom and all"
"Last night of freedom?" Quinn asked raising an eyebrow.
"You know what I mean" He said with a smile "Last night celebrating for what a great life he's going to have"
"So, whipped" Kelly muttered under his breath.
"Well I think it's great" Matt said putting an arm around Gabby "We've actually been talking about it, and adopting Louie"
"Oh my god that's amazing" Quinn said excitedly "You're such great parents too him"
Louie was currently asleep snuggled up on Gabby's lap. Her and Matt were couple goals in Quinn's eyes. They had gone through a lot but really done everything to make it work because the love was there.
"So, my news isn't as exciting now?" Will asked teasingly.
"Well I don't get to go to a bachelor party" She replied with a grin.
It was early evening when everyone had left. The kitchen was finally finished. They had been redecorating for a few weeks and had been moving in furniture. They had just finished putting together a tv unit and sat down on the couch.
"This feels like de ja vu" She said resting her head on his shoulder.
"Except this time, I'm not turning up on your doorstep uninvited" He nodded putting an arm around her.
"You weren't uninvited it's just I wasn't the one who invited you" she laughed.
"Thank god for Will" He said smiling at the memory "I didn't think you'd give me another chance after not recognizing you"
"I don't hold grudges" She said.
Jay leaned back and gave her a look that clearly said he didn't believe a word she was saying.
"Maybe a little" She corrected herself "But I would have given you a second chance"
"I am pretty great" He agreed "You had to come round"
"Right" She giggled "and oh so modest"
Quinn just shook her head as she picked up her phone with her Mom's number flashing on the front.
"Hello?" She said
She hadn't spoken to her Mom in a few weeks. She knew she should have really touched base before then.
"Quinnie it's Cornelius" Judy said barely able to get the words out.
"Mom are you crying?" She asked sitting up "Where are you?"
"At the hospital, please come" Judy said.
"I'll be right there" She said hanging up the phone and standing up.
"What's going on?" Jay asked concerned.
"My Mom said Connor's Dad's in hospital, I need to get down there now" She said frantically looking for her keys.
"Hey" He said putting his hands on her shoulders "I'll drive you, come on"
When Quinn got to the hospital, she knew she looked completely disheveled, she was wearing leggings and an oversized t-shirt with paint marks on it, but she didn't care. She spotted Connor first and threw her arms around him.
"It's his heart" Connor told her "He's in surgery now"
"How are you doing?" She asked
She knew it must be hard for Connor with the complicated relationship he had with his Dad, but he still cared of course.
"We argued" He said sitting down and putting his head in his hands "If he doesn't make it"
"Hey" She said putting a hand on his shoulder "Don't do that to yourself, he knows you love him, and he loves you. Look at me and my Mom all we do is fight but we still love each other"
Jay squeezed her shoulder before walking over to her Mom who had just walked back into the waiting room.
"Mrs. Rhodes" He said, "Can I get you anything, a coffee or…?"
"Yes, please Jay" Judy said sitting down next to Quinn looking a little dazed before turning to Quinn and frowning "What on earth are you wearing?"
"I'm going to write that up as you being in shock still" She said "Have you been given any updates?"
"Not yet" Connor answered for her "Ava is operating"
"She's a great surgeon" She nodded.
Jay came back with hot drinks for everyone. She smiled gratefully and walked down the hallway with him to stretch her legs.
"You don't have to stay" She told him "I know you've got to be at work in the morning"
"How many times do I have to tell you I'm not going anywhere" He told her "You'd do the same for me, I want to be here"
"I just don't even know what to say to them" She sighed leaning into Jay as he put his arms around her.
"You don't need to say anything" He said "You just need to be here"
She knew he was right but it was hard to just stand around not being able to do anything to really help. She was just glad he was there with her.
"We should go and visit your Dad" She said thinking about when Jay's Dad had gone in for heart surgery "See how he's settling in, check if he needs anything"
"You know he'll bite our heads off" He pointed out.
"He doesn't scare me" She shrugged "And he's your family so I care"
Quinn took a seat with Jay and her family. She knew they would be in for a long night no matter what happened.