Chapter 23 - Reaching Out Part 2

"How was school baby?" Quinn asks later while preparing dinner.

"Ok" the small brunette replies before going back to her drawing.

Quentin took a good look at his daughter and sighed. He hated seeing her like this so much. "Did you speak to Mrs St. James?" Despite how much it pains him to call Rachel that, he knew that's what Bella knew her as.

"I don't want to talk about" she got off her seat with her drawing clutched in her hand as she walked toward the fridge. "Can I stick it here daddy?" she asks.

"Sure baby, here let me help" he took the drawing and placed it on the fridge door "that's beautiful baby" Quentin says smiling over the drawing.

"That's me, you and Jen" she explains with a bright smile that could light up the whole room.

"Jen huh, I see" Quinn said looking back at the drawing again. "Who's that?" He asks pointing at a figure that stood outside of what looked like a window staring miserably at the three happy people inside the house.

"She's not important" she simply said before going back to her seat.

Quinn sighed; he knew exactly who that was. This wasn't good, Bella was already considering Rachel as an outsider as the bad guy. Even after what she did Rachel doesn't deserve this.

"So um you happy to be going to Aunt Britt and San's?" The father asks changing the subject. Not wanting to look into the drawing at the moment.

The little girl eagerly nods her head making her little bangs bounce up and down "I can't wait to watch musical with Aunt San. She claims she hates them but really she loves them" she explained as Quentin laughed.

That is true, Santana had a love for musicals she just will never admit it. If those multiple musical DVDs she owns is any indication but still she denies it when asked.

"You know who else loves musical?" Quinn decided to try, just to ease her up a bit.

"Who?" Isabella asks hazel eyes wide with wonder as well as excitement at the thought of getting a new partner to watch musicals with her.

"Rachel" Quentin said and watched as Isabella's smile turned into a frown. God does she have to take up to Rachel so much like this. "Maybe you two can watch some of your favourites one day?" He asks but he was still cautious though. He just wanted to see where Isabella's view stood on Rachel.

"No thanks, I've got Aunt Sanny and Britt-Britt" she explained, interest lost in her voice as she went back to her drawing.

Quinn sighed as it was a way of Isabella letting him know that she doesn't want to talk about it anymore. So he dropped it not wanting to push the little girl too far before going back to fixing up dinner.

He still has to drop off Bells at Santana's and then go out to meet with Rachel then pick Jen up who was spending the night cause she will be driving him to the airport tomorrow. He just hopes things won't be a disaster during his absence.

•••

"Oh don't worry, I've got it" Jessie says charmingly with a dazzling smile as he reached for the plate in Rachel's hand who was getting ready to bring it to the sink.

"Um thanks" Rachel was still grasping the change of attitude in Jessie; it still shocked her to the core to be honest.

"Oh no problem, you just go sit down and relax and I'll fix you up a cup of tea?" He asks and Rachel stares at him blankly "Rach?" He calls after the brunette blanked out.

"Oh sorry I just" she paused in mid sentence and just decided to do as Jessie had suggested and stood up from her seat and went toward the living room.

Jessie watched her go with a gentle loving smile on his face but as soon as Rachel was out of sight, he dropped the smile and his face took on one evil smirk before moving toward the kettle and turning it on.

He grins evilly before pulling out a clear plastic bag from his pocket and shakes the content inside it before pouring some inside Rachel's mug nd waiting for the water to boil.

/

"And tea is served" Jessie announced after a few minutes placing Rachel's mug in front of her while he grips to his own.

"Oh I totally forgot that I had um promised an old friend of mine I'll meet with them tonight" the brunette said rushing off to get ready, she cannot be late, that won't look good for her to Quinn.

"Umm well are you sure you can't reschedule or something?" Jessie asks glancing down the hot steamy mug.

"Yeah I'm sorry Jessie, rain check that tea? Thanks" with a kiss on the cheek Rachel was gone.

"Ugh! Mother of-" he screams frustrated before pulling out his cell phone and dialing a number.

"You did it?" said a familiar voice.

"No! The bitch had another plan. Fuck sakes!" He yells with annoyance and anger.

"Just calm down, next time" the voice soothed.

"Yeah? Well I feel like I don't have enough time. I don't think I can put up with being like this forever" he declares sitting back down on the sofa.

"Well you got to if you want this to work; you want it to work don't you?"

"Yes of course. Fine, patient" he said this time less angrier, after the other person repeated Jessie's word the two hung up and Jessie annoyingly threw his phone on the couch and glared at the mug on the table.

•••

"And please don't forget her bedtime" Quinn said as he dropped off Isabella at Santana and Brittany's.

"Q please, this isn't the first time we're looking after her so relax" Santana said getting annoyed at her blonde haired friend.

"Yeah but not for this long, I mean I won't be back until Sunday and I-"

"Q shut the fuck up and just go meet up with your midget before you drive me nuts" Santana said not able to hide her annoyance.

"Okay 1. Language, 2. She's not a midget or mine...anymore" he adds afterward.

"And I'm really Naya Rivera, bitch please. Now get out of my house" the Latina said kicking Quinn out of said house.

"Okay, okay I'm going" he said as Santana glares at him. "Bye Britt, bye baby" he calls as Santana was leading him toward the door.

"Bye Q" was heard so is "bye Daddy, have a save trip" Aww, he had the best daughter.

"Stop shouting before you wake my son, now bye" and before Quentin can say anything he found the door being slammed in his face.

"Rude" he mumbles shaking his head. Same old Santana, he muses before getting in his car and driving out of the massive park and away from the mansion-like house.

He never understood why Santana had decided to buy a mansion seeing how it's just her, Brittany and Ethan, who was barely a toddler but to each their own he guesses.

•••

Rachel walked the long path of the small familiar lake, she shut her eyes she let the breeze from the lake was breez through her and making her relax.

She walked a little more distance before reaching her destination, "their" spot. She and Quentin had deemed this spot theirs from their first date, where Quinn had made a surprise picnic and they had shared their first kiss here. The brunette smiles at the memory as she placed herself down and just stared ahead at the water, lost deep into her thoughts.

"Hey" Rachel turned around as she heard the calm familiar voice.

"Hi" she responds as she listened to Quinn take a seat beside her. "I love coming here, it's relaxing and refreshing" Quentin said after a few moments of silence.

"Yeah" Rachel agrees before turning her head toward Quinn and stared at him for what felt like the longest moments.

Quentin really did well for himself. Although now matured and lost his teen boyish look, he was still handsome but now just a little older with a well shaved shadow.

"You're staring" Quinn said without looking at Rachel and the brunette blushes bashfully at getting caught.

"I'm s-sorry" Rachel fumbles and Quentin finally looked at her and chuckles, the blush on Rachel's face visible making her look so cute 'wait what'.

Shaking his head at the thought, Quinn cleared his throat. Time to get serious; he needed answers "why?" He finally asks "why are you back Rachel, and after 5 years. Why now?" He glances at her.

Rachel looked down ashamed to look at those hazel eyes that make her heart skip a beat "I-" she stopped because really she had no good reason to why she was back besides Jessie picked Lima because this was the easiest option for them.

At realising Rachel wasn't going to reply, Quinn scoffed "You weren't even planning on coming back, were you" He stated more than questioned.

"That's not true Quentin, I-I just. I wasn't ready to come back-"

"Wasn't ready? It's been 5 years Rachel, FIVE! How ready were you planning to be before coming back to your own daughter's life?" Quentin was seething now.

"I don't know, I thought she would be better off without me. Both of you would have" the brunette replies as she watched Quinn stand up to pace in front of her.

"Well you got one thing Rach, we would have and we are so why don't you and your lover boy pack up your things and just disappear again out of our lives. Would do everyone good" shaking his head Quentin took off to the direction he came.

"Quentin wait, please" Rachel begged chasing after the blonde "Quinn!" Rachel cries.

"What? What Rachel!" The blonde yelled stopping and turning back to face the brunette "You want to tell me more about how you never wanted to get to know your own daughter? How you would much rather live in another world and not even know how she turned out to be?"

"No! That's not it! I tried this before Quentin, and as much I would like to get to know Lizzy I know she hates me. I should have just stayed away, that time should have taught me a lesson-"

Quinn quickly cuts off Rachel's rambling "What are you talking about? What-"

This time it was Rachel who decided to cut in "Lizzy's first birthday. I came" she stated calmly and quickly.

Quinn would have missed it if it wasn't for the quietness around them except for the crushing waves "what?" He asks not believing her.

"I came because I just couldn't miss it, I couldn't missed my baby's first birthday I just couldn't but-"

"But what? You got scared like the coward you were?" Quentin asks angrily which disappeared as soon as he saw how his word hurt Rachel "Rach I'm sorry I-"

"No you're right; I was a coward heck I still am. I was a coward for walking out on you like that; I know I was only thinking about my own needs and not yours. So you have every right to hate me and you have every right to not give me permission to see Isabella, because really what am I to her if not just the woman who carried her" Rachel said, tears freely running down her face.

Although when Rachel came back her intentions were to talk to Quinn, see if he still wanted to give them a chance but that plan stopped midway when Rachel had run into Charlie.

The older blonde had told her that Quentin as well as Lizzy were better off without her. She told Rachel to just leave and don't bother coming back. But if Rachel's intentions were really 100% true, she would have come home against Charlie's words but she didn't. She gave the present she had brought for her daughter to the blonde and a letter for Quentin, explaining herself.

By the way the blonde was acting, Rachel guessed neither the letter nor the gift reached him but then again she can't blame Charlie for protecting her brother.

Quinn's face took in remorse as he watched the girl he once loved or still loves? Cry her heart out. He calmly approaches and took his thumb and wiped away a tear. He always hated it when Rachel cried, it broke his heart.

"I don't hate you and although you're right, you really don't deserve a chance with Bella, you still are her mother. You're not just a woman who gave birth to her" Quinn explained and Rachel got hopeful. "I just-" he paused not sure how to actually word his question.

"What happened Rach, why are you back here in Lima and not in New York taking Broadway by storm?" He asks the one question that's been eating at him since bumping into Rachel.

Rachel sighs as she sinks back onto the sand and Quentin follows.

"A lot" the brunette whispers as her voice broke before diving in to telling Quinn exactly what she told her fathers "and that's that" she ends after her story tell.

Quentin shook his head at the story. Both angry at that douche Rachel married and angry at Rachel for settling for a guy like him. What kind of husband wouldn't pay for his own wife's operation? Really, who?

"So you married Josh-"

"Jesse" Rachel cuts in as Quentin growls dangerously both in jealousy and anger.

"Because of a pregnancy scare?" He continues not bothering to correct himself, what's his face doesn't deserve the privilege of Quinn remembering his name "I can't believe this" he mumbles before standing up and shaking his head at Rachel.

"I had no choice Quentin" Rachel tries, she felt like she needed to explain herself to him.

"Yes you did Rachel! We all have choices but you just chose not to use that choice so instead you agreed to a marriage you weren't ready for. Well isn't that just swell" he sarcastic stated.

Rachel finally stood up from her position "I just, I was alone and I didn't know what to do" she whispers as Quinn went to speak, she quickly cuts him off. "It was different with us and you know it. You were there; I had our friends and family. Jesse is" she paused trying to find a better word to use without saying just exactly who Jesse was.

"He's Jesse" she grimace at word "I'm so sorry Quinn, I know nothing I say will justify my actions and I wish I could take them back because I would in a heart beat, I would" Rachel says feeling her heart constrict. "Just please, give me a chance. Let me prove it to you. Please" she begged.

Looking at Rachel pleading and begging broke Quinn's heart, the brunette's soft, kind and beautiful brown eyes instead of sparkling like they used to. They displayed hurt, regret and guilt and Quinn knew he could never say no to her. No matter how many years it has been, Quentin Fabray could never say no to Rachel Berry.

Sighing, Quinn opened his mouth to speak "I can't trust you 100% yet but I want to give you a chance, prove me wrong. Prove to me that everyone is wrong for telling me I'm making a bad move with giving you a chance".

"Cause I swear Rachel if you hurt that little girl I'll never ever forgive you" Quinn said all this time looking at Rachel's eyes, wanting her to know how serious he was.

"I promise, I just want my baby back" 'and you' Rachel thought as an after thought.

"Good because despite it all, I know Bella needs you too" Quentin manages a small smile.

"So what are you saying?" Rachel asks her voice fairly small, like a child as she looked up at Quentin with big hopefully brown eyes and the blonde just melted.

"What I'm saying is, don't hurt my daughter" he says in all seriousness as Rachel nods eagerly.

"Then I grant you permission to be in Isabella's life with a promise from you to not hurt her. If you're going to pack up and leave like last time, I want you to tell me now so I don't set her up to get hurt"

"I promise you Quinn, I want nothing more than to be in that little girl's life again" Rachel said seriously and Quinn nods, he's still not sure but he's willing to try.

"Okay, then I erm guess that's it" he awkwardly said scratching the back of his head then was surprised when Rachel wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him.

"Whoa" he said being taken by surprise. After the surprise wore off and he circled his arms tightly around her waist and held her closely like he used to.

Quentin placed his chin on top of Rachel's head as he felt his heart pick up a pace. How can he still feel like this after five years?

Rachel closed her eyes and wished this wouldn't end, nothing felt better than being in Quinn's arms again. Nothing was better than being in the blonde's arms. Whenever Jesse hugs her it's either fake or forceful but with Quentin, everything felt so right. Everything felt so in place.

"Thank you" Rachel says before pulling out of the hug and both exes tried to morph they're disappointment at the hug being broken with a smile.

"I erm, I should go, teaching tomorrow" Rachel fumbles with the material of her jacket shyly and Quinn found it to adorable but fights off the urge to smile.

"Um yeah, yeah sure, um do you need a ride or?" Quinn offers and Rachel smiles at the offer and now she wished she hadn't taken Jessie's car only so Quinn could drive her and be in his presence longer.

"That's sweet but I have a car, thank you" with a final wave goodbye and a shy smile Rachel turned on her heel and walked away with the biggest smile on her face.

"I'll call you!" Quinn calls as Rachel turns back around once more. She flashes a smile and waves as Quinn waved back.

Quentin watched as Rachel walked out sight and let out a content sigh as a smile breaks out on his lips until his phone buzzed alerting him of a new text.

He took the device out of his pocket and flipped it open to the read the text.

'Where are you' - Jen

Quentin didn't know why but he felt guilty, over what he had no idea, it's not like anything happened between him and Rachel. All they did was talk, there's nothing to feel guilty about.

He thought as he typed out a reply before turning and walking the opposite way toward his car.

'On my way'

TBC

I know I said we'll get so see Rachel/Bella in this chapter but I felt it best if it wasn't so it'll be in the next chapter. It's mostly mother/daughter bonding.

Thanks so much for all your wonderful reviews, they means a lot :)

"Never Regret Something That Has Ever Made You Smile