CHAPTER ONE

THE LIFETIME PROMISE

THE HOSPITAL

Quinn just stared unseeing at the nurse desk area. She just stared waiting ….. waiting …... waiting for anyone to tell her how Rachel was. To tell her that Rachel had finally woken up.

"Hey; the time will just seem that much longer if you keep staring." A low deep male voice spoke next to her right ear.

Quinn swallowed, than she began to choke. There was a lump blocking her air hole. She felt firm and strong arms wrap tightly around her. She felt a hand began to gently thump her spine. She begged her eyes to remain locked on the nurse desk as she fought to get her breath back.

"Nice and easy there." The male voice gently said as Quinn finally got her breathing under control. She felt her head resting against the firm chest. Her eyes still stared clued to where she thought the person whom was currently saving Rachel's life would be standing. "Quinn! Rachel wouldn't want you working yourself up into unconscious waiting for her news on her."

"It's what I deserve." Quinn whimpered. "I should be the one in there fighting for my life."

"No Quinn." Kristopher Berry said in a harsh voice. "What happened too Rachel was unfortunate. But you aren't too be blamed for it."

"I was the one whom brought that damn Slushy cup to Rachel." Quinn barked. "I'm the one whom demanded that Rachel should have thrown it in my face in the crowded hallway. I should have pulled her into a bathroom or an empty classroom." She banged her hand into the wall. "But no, I wanted everyone to see that Rachel slushy me." Hot tears rolled down her cheeks. "It's my fault that Rachel is in so much pain."

Before he could say anything else a doctor stopped at the edge of the room. "Rachel Berry." He said in a tired voice.

Quinn jerked out of Kristopher's arms, and leaped to her feet. "How is she?" She demanded.

"Are you family?" The doctor right eye brow rose.

"She's as close to family as she can get." Kristopher stood to his feet. "How is my daughter?"

"She's weak." The doctor replied. "She's very weak. We managed to get her back to consciousness …. but she slipped right back into the shock coma that she was in when she was brought in. She did this four times in a matter of two hours."

Quinn's heart stopped.

"She's all right now." The doctor said as he looked into Quinn's hazel eyes. "Her body has finally stopped going into shock mode. She's sleeping a natural sleep right now."

"What room is she in." Quinn cut in before the doctor could continue.

"I'm sorry, but you can't visit her." The doctor said.

"She's family. Just as my husband told you." Giovanni cut in.

"I was going to say that you can't visit her right now. I have a few things to tell you first." The doctor patiently said.

"What's wrong with Rach?" Giovanni asked in a low voice.

"She's blind." The doctor bluntly said.

Silent tears rolled down Quinn's cheeks.

Shocked silence lit the air in the waiting area as the rest of the Glee club heard this news. Will felt Shelby grip his hand even more tightly. They were standing just behind the Berry's and Quinn.

"It may be temporary, or it may be the rest of Rachel's lifetime. I'm sorry." The doctor sighed. "Until the swelling goes down, we won't know the full damage." He sighed, "I wanted to prepare you for what you will see once you walk into Rachel's room. Her eyes are bandaged. They will remain bandaged until the swelling goes down. She is hooked up to a heart machine. She'll be in a lot of pain – so we have a morphine drip in her."

"What room is Rachel in?" Quinn asked in a low voice.

The doctor looked at the Berry men for their consent. They dumbly nodded as they took in everything that the doctor had just told them.

"Follow me." He looked around the room, "Family only."

Shelby stood rooted to where she remained at Will's side as the Berry men and Quinn followed the doctor.

Kristopher turned his head, "Coming Shelby?"

Shelby blinked. "Y-yes." She whispered as she pulled away from Will, and started towards the tall African American man whom was holding out a hand for her. She placed her hand into his and felt the comfort that he offered through his hand.

RACHEL'S ROOM

Quinn stopped dead as she eyed the closed door to Rachel's room. She felt her hands shaking at her sides. She tried to swallow – but the lump was back. She felt her right arm raise and her palm rested on the cold wood of the door.

"If you don't want to go in, Miss. Fabray, than I suggest you go back to the waiting room." The doctor said in a mono tone. He didn't meant be rude, but he had his rounds to tend too after all. But he couldn't while these people were outside one of his patients room.

Quinn stiffened.

"She's not going anywhere." Giovanni said in a firm voice. "Give her time."

"Look, I can't leave you until you go inside Rachel's room. But I have other patients whom need my attention also." The doctor sighed. "I don't mean to be insensitive here, but I'm a busy man."

"Than you'll be off of Rachel's case." Quinn said her eyes still locked on the door.

The doctor sighed. "As you wish." He said in a stern voice.

"Quinn you have no call -" Kristopher said in a gentle voice.

"Don't I." Quinn barked out in a harsh laugh.

Kristopher sent an apologize look at the doctor. The doctor received it and accepted it. "Miss. Fabray, I'm the only one on staff right now whom is able to treat, and protect Miss. Berry in the way that she needs. I'm the only one whom can protect Rachel."

"We'll see." Quinn stiffly said.

The doctor sighed deeply. He decided that the best option right now was too keep his trap shut. "If you think Quinn is stubborn …. wait till Rachel is awake and herself once more. " Giovanni softly said in the his ear. "You are going to have your hands full."

Quinn took a deep breath and slowly touched the door handle. She gentle pulled it towards her. She felt the door being taken from her, so she let go of the handle. She took a step into the sterile room.

Then another. After four steps she stopped dead in her tracks. What she saw broke her heart.

Rachel lying in the middle of the single bed. The white sheet pulled up to tuck just above her chest. The stale rose colored pale blanket pulled up and tucked just underneath the top of the sheet. Tubes were sticking out from her nose, she saw that wires were sticking out from underneath Rachel's hospital grown – and she knew those were connected to the cups that were placed around her heart, and lungs. She saw that white gauge was wrapped tightly around the brunette's head.

"She's so small." Shelby whimpered. "B-baby." She moved passed the still Quinn over to the bed. She put a shaky hand on her daughter's cheek. "Baby?" She begged her daughter to answer her. "Mommy is here."

Rachel remained still.

Shelby bent her head and kissed her daughter's white forehead. Resting her cheek upon it she allowed a single tear to slowly fall. "How did this come about?" She whispered.

In the silence of the room the words hit Quinn like a thunder cloud.

She found herself moving forward once more. She found that she was sitting next to Rachel on the other side of where Shelby was resting her head against her daughter's forehead. She found that Rachel's fingers were intertwined with her own. Lifting the hand so she could kiss the back of Rachel's hand, "I promise never to leave your side, Rachel Berry, not ever. I'll be your eyes for however long you need them to be. You are my life. Now and for always." She rested the back of Rachel's hand against her cheek, "You are going to fight me on this decision …. but know this I'm always going to be by your side. You are my life."

Shelby slowly raised her head and turned to look Kristopher and Giovanni straight in the eyes. She read in them how deeply concerned they were of this development. She knew that they agreed with her that this wasn't a healthy way of dealing with the situation that Quinn was taking.

Shelby turned and looked down at her daughter's bandaged face. Perhaps only you can protect Quinn from this dark road that she has claimed for herself. Baby if you don't, than Quinn will be lost to us all.

END CHAPTER ONE