CHAPTER FIVE

OVER REACTING ANYONE?

SPRING 2011

RACHEL'S HOSPITAL ROOM

"So Rachel; you should be able to go home in two days time." The doctor said in a kind voice. "I have talked with your fathers, and they have reassured me; that they had taken the proper steps on making your home safe for you."

Rachel's head lowered as she tried in vain to stare at her hands which were playing with the end of the blanket covering her waist. "Yes they have informed me of their task this past week. They have assured me that I don't have to move from my second floor bedroom. Which makes me quiet relieved. After all that bedroom had been mine since I was born."

Rachel lifted her head, "I would hate to be in an very unfamiliar place on my first day home. Especially not being able to see anything. I can roam freely in that room with my eyes closed." She couldn't keep the sharp bark of laughter form her voice, "Although my eyes are closed now aren't they. All the time. Even when they are wide open." Her hand rose and touched the white bandaged that was rapped tightly around her head. "Even with this stupid gauze wrap around my eyes." Her hand lowered as she couldn't bare to touch it.

"The bandages will be unwrapped in two more weeks." The doctor said.

"Thank you for telling me this without Quinn in the room doctor, I didn't want her to hear my raw reaction to the news of finally going home." Rachel said her voice firmly under control once more. "Please do not inform her of slight pity party that I was under."

"Of course not." The doctor said in a kind understanding voice.

"You should be about your rounds doctor, after all I'm not your only patient." Rachel said turning towards the light of the window.

"I'll see you again in a few hours Rachel." The doctor said as he stood staring at the blind girl in the bed in front of him. He just simply stared for a several minutes before leaving the room.

Rachel balled up her hands bringing the damn blanket in between her fingers. Bringing her hands up to her mouth; she muffed screamed into them for a good ten seconds. Until finally she lowered her hands from her feverish face. "Get a gripe of yourself." She fiercely whispered to herself.

"Baby." Rachel's head whipped around at the sound of her mother's voice.

"Don't tell Quinn." Rachel quickly said.

"I won't." Shelby said as she moved forward to the bed. Sitting on it feeling her daughter's cross legged knees on her hip. She reached up and stroked the side of her daughter's head. "Oh baby." She whispered.

"This is the only time that I'm going to pity myself." Rachel fiercely said. "It's also the only time that you get to break mom." Her hands gripped her mother's raised arm. "Promise me."

"I promise." Shelby said. "Thank you for allowing me to share this with you."

"I only want my mom right now. Dad and Daddy are of course wonderful at comforting me – but this – this thing that I have no control over – I just want my mom." Rachel brokenly whispered. She leaned forward, and rested her head against Shelby's chin.

"I'm never leaving you again baby. Never again." Shelby promised as she wrapped her daughter tightly into her beating heart.

Rachel's arms wrapped around her mothers back holding tightly. "I have so much that I want too talk to you about, mom. But; I'm so scared too." She whimpered after several minutes of silence. She kept her arms firmly around her mother.

The door banged opened. Rachel jerked out of her mother's comfortable hold, her head twitched to where the sudden noise was. Her mouth opened in a whimper. "Perhaps it's not such a wise idea to allow you to visit Rachel." Quinn's harsh voice said.

"My mother can visit me whenever she feels like it." Rachel couldn't keep the snarl from her voice. Her nerves were shot to pieces – otherwise she would have been able to read correctly Quinn's inner fight within herself. "Stop being so rude, Quinn." She reached out and gripped her mother's hand firmly in her own. Her thumb caressing the top of Shelby's hand.

"I can't believe that you can so easily allow her to slid back into your life, Rachel. After everything she had so willing put you through." Quinn shook in anger at the sight of Shelby being all motherly to Rachel. "She's just feeling sorry for you because you are blind, Rach. Once you either grain your eyesight back – or she gets bored, she'll be out of your life faster than you can say 'hey mom I'm your daughter'."

"She's not your mother." Rachel said in a voice that held no malice. She just stated the true facts was all. Holding up her chin, "Before you continue this bashing of my mom, Quinn, just remember that Shelby isn't Judy. These are things you need to say to your mother." Her voice soften. "Don't be afraid for me."

Quinn's jaw clenched.

Shelby pulled Rachel gently away from her. Raising her right hand to caress her daughter's smooth right cheek. "It's okay." She softly said. "Baby, things Quinn needs to get off her chest right now is about me."

Rachel stubbornly shook her head. "No mom. It's not right for Quinn to speak to you in this fashion." Her head tilted to the right. "You don't need to clench your jaw like that Quinn. I can hear your teeth scraping against each other. Relax. Now!" She barked the last.

Quinn blinked. Great. She's bossing me around like she has every right too. I should have moved out the moment I realized what Rachel had done for me. Than Rachel wouldn't be here right now. She would be still signing to her hearts content with both her eyes seeing life. She tried to obey Rachel's commend, but she couldn't. Her brow furrowed as she realized that she couldn't obey commands on the turn of a dime any longer. Her father was going to kill her.

"Quinn." Rachel said as she pushed Shelby from her. Holding her hands out to reach for her missing friend. "Q-quinn."

Quinn couldn't take the fear in Rachel's voice. She quickly made her way to the bed. Shelby just had enough time to get off the bed, before Quinn crashed onto it. "I'm sorry Rachel. I didn't mean to make you so fearful. It's just that I ..."

Rachel's hands rose to touch Quinn's face. Her fingers gently probed the skin underneath. Quinn's eyes closed as she felt Rachel's fingers rise higher. Her breath hitched as she felt Rachel's gentle touch on her cheek bones. "I'm never going to be disappointed in you for disobeying me. I'm not going to abandon you for your free will." She softly whispered. "You are my family."

Tears rolled freely down Quinn's pale cheeks. "Russell will kill me for being so damn weak." She croaked out.

Shelby felt a tightness in her chest. She fully knew that Quinn was speaking the truth. She personally only had a hand full of encounters with Russell Fabray since she had returned to Ohio. All of them left a bad taste in her mouth. There was a evilness in the man's soul that frightened her to the core of her soul. She had watched Rachel very careful ever since Rachel met Quinn in pre – school. She fully knew that Giovanni, and Kristopher felt it two. Even though she never contacted the two men since Rachel's birth.

"We'll get a restraining order against Russell. For the rest of your life. He won't be able to get within ten states of you or Beth. Whatever state or country you chose to visit – he has to leave." Rachel said in a sure firm voice.

"Th-than-thank y-y-y-you." Quinn leaned her face into Rachel's hands.

Rachel sighed gently. "I get to go home in two days. The doctor told me not a half hour ago." She leaned forward, and kissed Quinn's wet right cheek. "I can't wait to get home." She kissed the left cheek. "Be with my family once more." She kissed the right cheek once more. "All my family." She kissed the left cheek.

Quinn slowly nodded. Her eyes lifted, "I'm sorry Shelby." She softly said.

Shelby leaned forward and put her right hand on Quinn's cheek. "I deserved it, Quinn. I know that you wish you could direct your anger at your own mother – but your anger was justly against me also. There is nothing to forgive you for." She sighed, "I hope that you will allow me to prove that I'm not like your mother. That granted I make my share of mistakes concerning Rachel – I do love her, and want, no, need her in my life."

"I trust you with Beth's life. If I can do that with my own daughter – than whom am I not to trust you with Rachel." Quinn got out from the tightness of her chest.

END CHAPTER FIVE