AN: So there it was, the catalyst for this whole story; Beth is in New York. Sorry this chapter was so much later than I said it was going to be. This is shorter than I wanted the chapters to be but I decided to post what I had edited. I went back and uploaded edited versions of the first two chapters because there were issues with mixing of tenses. Also someone left a review asking if there is going to be more Brittany and more Santana and her own baby. Don't worry that will definitely come. This story is just getting started really.

Chapter 4: Myocardial Infarction

"Santana, what should we do?" Tina was standing to the side behind Santana with her arms wrapped around herself. Santana was still just standing there staring. It was starting to get weird. Tina turned her around so they were talking face to face.

"I don't know."

"She's just here. In our hospital."

"Mhmm."

"She looks so much like her."

"I know."

"We have to tell Quinn, right? I mean if we didn'tâ€Ĥ"

"Tina,"

"How do you just not tell your friend that the child they gave up for adoption – "

"TINA," Santana said loudly and placed her hands on Tina's shoulders.

"You're right," Santana began, "we have to tell Quinn. I'm going to call Rachel. We'll let her break the news, okay?"

"You're right! That's a good idea."

A million thoughts were going through Santana's head. The first was 'Holy Shit', and then she thought about how much the girl looked like Quinn. She also thought about what to tell Quinn. They had to tell her; which is why she was going to let Rachel do it. Rachel would be the best person to deal with whatever reaction Quinn had. Beth turning up at the hospital also made Santana think of her own child. Santana was missing her son terribly. Brittany only contacted Santana about Jake. Santana had a day off the next day and Brittany was dropping off Jake at Quinn and Rachel's so she could spend time with her son and so she could have a Saturday to herself. So many thoughts were going through Santana's brain and she tried to focus on calling Rachel.

Back at the Berry-Fabray residence Rachel's phone vibrated and she was hoping that Santana calling meant she was going to explain why she rushed out of the house after a mysterious phone call. She took her phone into the bedroom and answered it while she grabbed a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt to sleep in.

"Hello", Rachel said with a questioning tone to her voice. Santana didn't have time for games though.

"Is Quinn in the room with you?"

"No?" Why would that matter, Rachel thought?

"Good. I need to tell you something, and I need you to think rationally about this before you tell Quinn anything, okay?"

"Okay? Santana, what the hell is going on?"

"Beth is here." Rachel froze. "I'm sorry, what?" she managed to choke out.

"Beth. Is here. At the hospital. Appendicitis."

Rachel was hearing words but she was trying to wrap her head around the timing and just, everything. "You're sure it's her?" Santana hummed in the affirmative. Rachel had so many more questions but because she was a parent she asked, "Is she alone?"

"Tina says it seems like it. She was brought in by the woman listed as her guardian but she left."

"Wait, guardian as in one? I thought she was adopted by a couple?"

Santana sighed, "I did too. Apparently stuff's changed in 11 years." The pit in Santana's stomach told her there was a bad story behind the reason for that particular change, and she could tell Rachel got a similar feeling.

"Have you or Tina talked to her?"

"No, I couldn't, I mean, what would I even say? I'm not her doctor. Listen, Rachel," Santana paused and forced herself to think about what this all meant for Quinn, for Rachel, For Beth, "Tina asked me what to do about the fact that Beth is here. I didn't know so I called you, because you've always known what to do when it comes to Quinn. We don't know why Beth has a different guardian. I know Quinn knows all the legal stuff, and she knows that she signed her rights away, but she hasn't stopped thinking about her. You know Quinn still feels guilty even after 12 years and, I, I don't – it doesn't feel right for her to not know that Beth is right here, and –" Santana's words broke off the way they sometimes do when emotion takes over and suddenly letting the words pour out becomes too much; like you've realized that with every sentence you're drowning yourself in your own reality. Rachel was quiet on the other end of the line, contemplating what Santana had said. Santana composed herself enough to speak again.

"What are you going to tell Quinn?"

"I don't know. It was hard enough for her to deal with when Beth was hundreds of miles away, but to find out that Beth has been in New York? How did she even end up in New York? God, I, I'm gonna go Santana. I have to process like you said."

"Yeah, okay. Bye, Rach."

"Bye, San. And hey, tell her Happy Birthday, okay?"

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Rachel sat on the edge of her and Quinn's bed with her phone still clutched in her hand. She knew it wouldn't be long before Quinn would come and find her but she was still having a hard time with the processing. If she chose not to tell Quinn, that would require Tina and Santana to keep a secret from Quinn as well. Rachel and Quinn had promised long ago to never keep secrets from each other and Rachel knew it wasn't in her to keep this a secret.

Logically it shouldn't make a difference because Quinn had never been Beth's mother, she had signed her rights away and given her to a family that could take care of her better than a 16 year old who had been kicked out of her house could. Quinn could go on with her life just as it was if she wasn't told because the girl had never been a part of her life. Realistically however, Rachel knew that Beth was very much a part of Quinn's life. On Beth's birthday of all days she was aware of that. She was still staring at the dresser, with the drawers still opened from her forgotten pajama search, when she felt weight on the bed next to her.

"You okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I might as well have," Rachel mumbled. "What?" she heard Quinn reply.

"Umm, nothing. Nothing."

"You sure you okay? Who was that on the phone?"

"Santana," Rachel stated, fidgeting under Quinn's gaze.

"Isn't she at the hospital? Did she say what Tina wanted that was so urgent?"

"Yeah, she is. Listen, Quinn," Rachel began. She took a deep breath, turned to face her wife and took Quinn's hands in her own. "Santana gave me some news. It has to do with Beth." Quinn's face was confusion with all her other complicated emotions underneath.

"Beth?" she asked with pain and more confusion in her voice. Rachel knew she had to be prepared for any reaction. She bit the bullet and started telling Quinn what she knew. When Rachel was done Quinn was staring off at nothing just like she had been. Tears were brimming at her eyes and Rachel could hear Quinn's breaths quicken.

"I don't know exactly what this means for you, what can come from it, but Tina, Santana, and I, we all thought it was the right thing to tell you. If for nothing else then to know she's alive and well." Rachel glanced at their alarm clock and broke the hug she had Quinn in then placed her hands on her wife's shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "I have to go put Grace to bed. I'll be right back, okay?" Quinn could only nod. When Rachel returned Quinn was lying on her side hugging one of their throw pillows. Rachel lied down next to her and wrapped Quinn in her arms and eventually they drifted off to sleep.

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