I do now own Glee, nor do I own "Never Grow Up", which belongs to Taylor Swift. Enjoy!

Chapter Two: Just Try to Never Grow Up

Your little hands wrapped around my finger
And it's so quiet in the world tonight
Your little eyelids flutter 'cause you're dreaming
So I tuck you in, turn on your favorite night light

To you, everything's funny
You got nothing to regret
I'd give all I have, honey
If you could stay like that
- "Never Grow Up".

"I don't understand how someone hasn't snapped you up and made an honest woman out of you yet,"

She laughed lightly, fixing the bandages around his chest. "Oh Harry, you do know how to flatter a girl." The old man gave her a smile, his eyes crinkling softly with the action, drawing her to his clear blue eyes. She smiled sadly; his eyes were so full of youth, and yet, age had robbed him of most everything else. She had come to conclude in her years working as a nurse, that age and time were the biggest robbers of all. Eventually, they could take everything from dignity to sanity to mobility from a person, not to mention loved ones and friendships. Quinn shook her head - it was never good to dwell on matters like those for long.

"Have you been sneaking whiskey in again?" She asked him, eyebrow raised. She was sure she could smell it off of the man.

He copied her action with his eyebrow, "Why do you ask?"

"Harry James… Hand it over," She held out her hand to him expectantly. He picked it up and kissed it lightly. She struggled to maintain a strict expression and not laugh, "Come on,"

He sighed, and slid a bag out from under his bed, "Fine. Take all of my relaxation away."

"That's what the pills are for." she quipped, taking the bottle away. He shrugged nonchalantly, giving her a wink with those startling blues of his. He would have been a good-looking man in his youth, she always thought. He had had fair hair, sallow skin and blue eyes that looked as if the sun found its sparkle in them. His face was worn now; with all the signs of a good life around his eyes, and yet, giveaways of hard times engrained into his forehead.

Besides his physical appearance, he was charming and chatty - which was always welcome. He was by far her favourite patient, which was why she may have paid more attention to him than she should have, but every nurse had their favourites. It was expected. They were trained to maintain emotional detachment, but Quinn was finding it increasingly difficult with this patient.

"How was that date with the young fellow from the other ward? Tom? Was that his name?"

"Tim," she corrected, now adjusting his pillows and bed. "Oh, he wasn't very charming. I think I got two words in and that was about it. I do know his life story now though.. It's not very tragic, and not half as exciting as he thinks."

The old man laughed a little, "Ah, he wasn't good enough anyways. He's always making sly remarks. For a doctor, he's not very clever." Quinn nodded fervently; she sure had to agree with him there.

"Now get some rest Mr. James, you know you've another big operation coming up." He waved her away, believing he was too manly and strong for that kind of carry on, and she moved to the next patient. Glancing at her watch, Quinn saw she was off in ten minutes, and she had to get home in time. She was lucky enough to be babysitting on a Sunday night. She wasn't even meant to be in work today, but was asked to cover for a friend, and couldn't bring herself to decline. Her friend was pregnant, so she felt somehow obliged to be extra nice to her - even if she was somewhat jealous of her friends expectancy.

Quinn hadn't even got a boyfriend. She wasn't going to have a family for a long time. Although, every time someone asked if she had any children, Quinn's mind screamed at her. Yes, yes you have a child! Beth, say Beth.. You have a daughter named Beth!

Quinn pushed her thoughts to the side and approached the next bed, "And how are we feeling today Ms. Gogan? I hope your throat has cleared up a little?"

Her apartment wasn't flashy, nor was it quaint, but it was exactly what Quinn wanted. Two bedrooms, one bathroom, a kitchen and a living room; not too big, and not too small. She was able to store all of her clothes in her spare room and keep her bedroom clean, which was Quinn's favourite part of having a spare room. Also, it came in handy when friends came to stay, and would also be where her goddaughter would sleep tonight. Quinn quickly punctured holes in the top of a packet of quick-make lasagne and put it into the microwave for several minutes. After, she got changed into more casual clothes, tossing her uniform into the wash.

Sitting down with her dinner, she sighed. Glancing around the room, Quinn wondered how she was going to occupy her little hell-raiser tonight. One of Quinn's old disney favourites would work for later on in the night, but until then, she had to keep the girl's attention also. Her eyes landed on the kitchen, and she raised her eyebrows in thought, perhaps they could bake?

Or would she be setting herself up for disaster?

She had little more time to contemplate this, as the doorbell rang incessantly. Quinn smiled despite herself; that was most definitely Brooke. "I'm coming, I'm coming!" She shouted, laughing.

The blonde opened the door and the little girl fell in, hugging Quinn tightly with a large grin across her face, "Quinnie, I can't wait for our sleepover!"

"Well you're here now, let's get it started!" She scooped the four-year-old up into her arms, "But first - I want a proper hug, and a kiss," She happily complied, and then ran into the sitting room to lay out the dolls she brought on the coffee table. Quinn turned to Finn, who had been the one to drop her off, "We'll be just fine."

"That's what you think," He joked. "Rachel is still getting ready, but thank you from the both of us. It's not often we get out!"

"It's your anniversary, go enjoy yourself. And anytime," She smiled politely.

He chuckled, "Careful what you say, Fabray. I could hold you to that." He handed Quinn a bag with Brooke's things, and then began to back away. "Thanks again, and we'll pick her up tomorrow at around two. That okay?"

"That'd be great," Quinn nodded and bid goodbye to her old friend. She and Finn weren't exactly close; she was closer to Rachel, but they were friends at the least. Not in the sense that they would go out together and do things alone, but that they could carry a conversation without pause or awkwardness no matter where they were.

"Oh, you brought your dolls," She announced, surveying the large range of Barbie's and princesses that the girl had lain out. "Do I get to pick which one I can play with this time?"

Brooke looked to be contemplating the request for a moment before shaking her head adamantly, "Nope. But you get to have my second favourite," She thrust Barbie Rapunzel towards Quinn and sighed, "I wish I had hair like her."

"Nooo, then think of how often people would stand on it!" She argued, and Brooke laughed.

"Don't be silly, I just presseded this button and her hair goes back in! No one steps on it, silly billy goat." Her eyes widened then, and she excitedly rooted through her bag of dolls, "I gots a new doll, Quinnie! He's my favourite boy." She finally found him, and pulled it out of the bag triumphantly.

"Meet Sam."

Quinn felt a little pang at the name, and took the doll from her hands to have a closer name. Of course, the only similarity to Sam that the doll had was its six pack and blond hair, but it made Quinn smile nonetheless.

"And my favourite girl," Brooke began, holding out the doll that had been in her hand the whole time, "is Quinn. Her real name is Sleeping Beauty, but that's not really a name is it? I think Quinn is much nicer cause its like you and you're really pretty with blonde hair. Sometimes I wish I had blondie hair but then I think that it looks too like my Barbie's and Janet Bigly might make fun of me! She's really mean!" Brooke didn't seem to need to pause for air, but handed Quinn a brush so she could fix Rapunzel's hair. She then proceeded to change 'Quinns' clothes, "I don't like her very much. Before I branged my dolls to school and she called my mommy doll stupid! She's just stupid. I love my Mommy and I love my dolls so my mommy is one of my dolls. It's perfect cents."

"Sense darling, sense. And yes, it does make sense. Which one is your Mom?"

She held up the only brown haired doll of the bunch, who did look a little like Rachel as she donned a head-microphone and a glitzy costume, not unlike Rachel did every other night for her shows. "She's beautiful, Brooke."

The little girl beamed, "I know."

It had taken longer than Quinn expected to get Brooke to quietly sit and watch 'The Little Mermaid', but once Quinn informed her that Ariel was a princess, there was much less of a fight. She also happily changed into her pyjamas without much of a struggle, which made Quinn very happy in return.

Unsurprisingly, the chatty and clever girl had asked questions throughout the whole movie. Quinn had to constantly tell her to wait and see, or to elaborate on how people knew that mermaids didn't really exist. Quinn would've liked to just tell her that they did exist, and to look out the next time she is at the beach, but Rachel always chastised her for fantasy lies like that. Except Santa Clause and the unicorn of course.

No, Quinn could never understand why a unicorn was acceptable either. She reckoned it was Rachel's own secret fantasy creature.

Peeking down at Brooke's face, hidden by her hair, she saw that she was fast asleep. Her head was lying on Quinn's lap, so it was difficult to move it at all without fear of waking her. The ringing of the phone made her jump, and in turn made Brooke jerk, but thankfully the youngster remained in her slumber.

Carefully, Quinn pushed Brooke off of her lap and approached the phone. It was rather late for anyone to be calling, but usually Finn and Rachel checked up on her during the night - or else it was Santana with another drunken ramble. Santana and Rachel were the only people that Quinn had remained in contact with after school. It was perhaps a sad fact, but all truth nonetheless. She supposed as a result of remaining friends with Rachel she had contact with Finn, too, but that was only since they got married five years ago.

She looked back at Brooke, ensuring she was still asleep, and smiled upon seeing that she was. Brooke was one of the best things in Quinn's life right now; she would do anything for that little girl. She felt like in Brooke, she got to do the things and see the progress that she never could with her own daughter. That was probably why Quinn took her out on so many day-dates to various places. Of course, it always helped that she could usually hand the child back at bed time, where her parents would proceed to look after her.

Brooke wasn't truly that much of a handful; she was just quite loud and excitable. It was only when she became genuinely hyper that she became a problem - which was why Quinn always avoided giving her too many sweets. Or any at all sometimes.

The ring of the phone again made Quinn jump, and she picked it up hastily so it wouldn't wake her goddaughter, "Hello?"

"Q-Quinn? There's.. theres," Hiccoughs and hysterical crying made the person difficult to distinguish. Quinn felt her heart jump in her chest and her throat run dry. "There's been an acc-acci-accident.. Oh Quinn, my baby.." She wailed.

She recognised that voice. Quinn dropped the phone and fell back against the couch, her whole body shaking. She cupped her mouth with her hands and forced her tears back, refusing to let her thoughts roam. Her stomach lurched, and Quinn ran to the bathroom and emptied the contents. Retching over the porcelain bowl, it hit Quinn that she still had Brooke…

… and Quinn had no idea on the state of her parents.

Thoughts? You'd know I'd love to hear them :)

xCNx