Here's chapter 11! I hope you enjoy. As usual, any mistakes are mine, and I don't own glee. Thanks for reading.

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Thursday came faster than anyone could have imagined. Artie, Tina, Mercedes, Sam, Kurt and Blaine sat nervously in reception, counting down the seconds until visiting hours began. Time passed slower than ever, with each minute becoming unbearable.

Finn came to the reception to collect them, greeting them all with hugs and sad smiles through tight lips. Nobody said anything as they walked down the dark, narrow corridors of the hospital.

They stopped outside Rachel's room, and Finn turned to face them all.

"She's been struggling lately, super weak and tired. She's nervous, but she's still Rachel." He said as a small smile formed on his face.

The group nodded like bobble heads, clinging to each other's hands. Finn paused before continuing.

"She's been dreading this all week. Do you all want to go in together or separately or...?"

Artie gazed up at Tina and wrapped his arms around her waist. She gave him a small nod as he turned back to Finn.

"We'll go first."

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Kurt rested his head against Blaine's shoulder, his hands tightly wrapped around Mercedes. He was sandwiched between the two, and his heart was beating at an uncontrollable speed.

Artie and Tina had emerged from the room in floods of tears, neither wanting to hang around the hospital any longer. Mercedes and Sam walked in hand in hand, and soon it was just Kurt and Blaine left to go in.

"Blaine, where's Santana and Brittany? Have they already been?" Kurt knew Santana wouldn't handle it well, and Brittany's main concern was controlling Santana, in an attempt to prevent any outbursts.

"Santana told me she thinks it's best for both of them if they go when it's just the two of them. They've both been distant the last few days."

"Reality, I guess."

Kurt flicked through numerous magazines in order to try take his mind off what was about to happen, yet found himself daydreaming as he carelessly gazed into the glossy images.

"I really don't want to..." Blaine whispered into Kurt's ear. He had been preparing himself for days. Nothing was ever going to hurt this badly. He just couldn't comprehend that it was actually happening.

"We have to. We've hardly even seen her since she got sick. I don't want to see her under these circumstances, but I do want to talk to my best friend one last time."

Kurt felt like throwing up. He had lost his mother, and although the memory was faint, he vaguely remembered the pain. He had nearly lost his father twice, which of course was awful, but would never compare to this. His dad made it. Rachel wouldn't. This was pain that would stay with him until the day he died. This was pain like no other.

They remained silent as Mercedes and Sam came out of the room. Sam was pale, with puffy red eyes. Mercedes had cried all her makeup off, and was avoiding eye contact with everyone around her.

Dear god, this is it. I have to go in and face her. I have to go in and say goodbye.

Blaine thought. He had known that this moment was coming, but now that it was here, the pain was excruciating.

They walked in and saw her. She was pale and scrawny. She looked so fragile, so breakable. Tears began forming in the two mens eyes as they approached her bedside. However, they were surprised to see her dry eyes and smiling face.

"Don't be sad. I'm so happy to see you guys. To be honest, dying a slow and painful death is rather boring."

Kurt and Blaine were shocked. They didn't know what to expect, but they certainly did not expect Rachel to be smiling and making humor of the situation.

This set them off even more, as Blaine began to bawl his eyes out, followed by Kurt. Rachel's bottom lip began to quiver slightly, as she made a desperate attempt to pull herself together.

"I've really missed you guys. I wish we had more time, but I guess this is it. I want to leave with a nice last moment with everyone. Crying feels good, but I've cried so many tears over the last few months, it's made me realise I just want to be happy. I want to leave with happy memories."

Finn sniffed a couple of times before quietly leaving the room. Once he was gone Rachel leaned over to whisper to Kurt and Blaine.

"He won't let me see him cry. I'm worried sick about him. Promise me you'll help him. Everyone else is far away, I need you to look after him. The baby is going to become his main focus, and he'll try deal with all this by himself. Promise me you'll stand by him."

Kurt took a deep breath and looked into his best friends eyes. She looked so weak, but her huge brown eyes were so full of life. The Rachel Berry spark was still there.

"Of course. We're going to love that baby so much, but Finn will always be our number one priority. From what I can see he hasn't prepared himself for what's going to happen. We'll be by his side, and the baby's, through thick and thin."

Blaine nodded in agreement, unable to get a word out without sobbing. Pull it together Blaine.

"And one other thing." She began while rolling her eyes.

"With all that has been going on, we haven't discussed names, and we probably won't. Please oh please help him with naming her. Don't let him give her a ridiculous name that he thinks I'd like. Give her something girly and, I can't believe I'm saying this, non broadway related. This girl deserves her own identity."

She placed her hand over her stomach, before peering back up at the boys.

"I'm scared, Rach." Kurt whispered.

"You deserve more. This girl deserves a mom, and she's never going to know the sound of your voice, or your one liners. She'll never see you in a show." He finished before dissolving into a pool of tears.

"I may be gone." She mumbled, finally allowing herself to cry.

"But she'll have a mom. I'll be a memory, sure, but she's going to have so many mother figures, and so many father figures, including you two. She may not know it yet, but she's one lucky kid."

A nurse walked in a few minutes later with a sympathetic look on her face. She could hardly get out her sentence without her voice shaking.

"I'm so sorry Rachel. Visiting hours are almost over. I've tried pulling some strings but I can't get you any extra time."

There were tears in her eyes as she glanced over to Kurt and Blaine.

"Two minutes?" Rachel asked hopefully. The nurse gave her a small nod before walking out of the room.

"Ok. Well, I love you guys so so so much. I'm not sure how it works up there but I'll be looking out for you. I can't put into words how sorry I am. Just..." she continued sobbing before trying to finish her sentence.

"You've had such a huge impact on my life. I may have only gotten 24 years, but thanks to you guys they were 24 amazing years. I'm so sorry I have to leave. Thank you for everything. Look after the baby for me, and please, help and look after Finn. I love him."

Blaine continued sobbing uncontrollably but leaned in and embraced Rachel in a hug he wish would last a lifetime.

"I'll miss you, Rach. Thank you for blessing us with those 24 years. I love you to the moon and back."

Blaine stepped back and to allow Kurt to hug Rachel.

"Rachel Barbra Berry. You'll never know how much of an impact you've had on me. A good impact. As a matter of fact you saved me. I'm going to miss you so much, but do not take it out on yourself. This isn't your fault. I love you so so much."

The three of them were in puddles of tears when the nurse returned. She bit her lip nervously. They knew it was time.

"Goodbye. I'll see you guys soon. Thank you and I love you." Rachel said simply before closing her eyes, knowing she couldn't cope watching them walk away for good.

They each kiss her on the cheek before painfully turning away for the last time. They emerged from the room and are greeted by an empty hallway.

"Blaine, will you go start the car, I just...I think I need a minute." Kurt whispered as the dabbed his eyes with a tissue. Blaine nodded and released his hand from his tight grip, and Kurt watched him disappear into the dark hallway.

He spun around on his heals and lightly tapped on the door three times. It has become their code over the last few months. The same nurse, Kassie, answered the door with a wink as she stepped out.

"Be as quick as you can, Kurt. We don't know when Finn will come back and visiting hours are actually over in two minutes." She discreetly whispered to him as he slipped in the door behind her.

"Will do. And thanks for helping us pull this off Kassie. You don't know how much it means to us. Especially Rachel."

Kassie smiled as her eyes became slightly glassy with tears.

"I'll miss you two. Although I won't miss all the sneaking around. Now go before Finn gets back."

Rachel was sitting upright in the bed as Kurt returned. She was wearing her 'bad news' face.

"Rachel." Kurt said in a warming tone. She better not try delay this any longer.

"I know, I know. I haven't finished it." She muttered. "I just need a little more time. I'm waiting until we have our heart to heart."

Kurt sighed impatiently and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Rachel, you promised you'd be finished by today. Seriously, a heart to heart. You're not living in a romance movie, and may I remind you it's Finn we're talking about here."

"I know. I'm sorry. It's just, I know I'm writing the first one, but really it's my last one. After all the months of hard work it's finally coming to the end. I'm just not ready to say goodbye."

Kurt sat down on the edge of the lumpy hospital bed and gave her a tight hug.

"I know this is the last one, but it's only the beginning for Finn, and for everyone else. I get that your not ready to let go, and that you want it to be perfect, but whatever you say in it, Finn will love."

Rachel smiled and squeezed his shoulders.

"You're right. You always know what to say. It's one of the things I'll miss most about you. That was a great fake goodbye by the way." She teased as he began blinking back tears.

"Shut it Berry or you'll set me off again. I'll come by in a few days when Finn's not here to collect it and we'll say our real goodbye. Ok?" Kurt warned, knowing the chances of her having it ready before her so called 'heart to heart' were slim.

"You're not getting rid of me that easily, Kurt. You're not getting it until it's perfect. Now get out before Finn gets back. I love you!" She called as he got up and began walking back to find Blaine.

"Love you too." He replied as he shut the door and made his way to the car park.