"I don't understand what you're saying. Cut the doctor crap and tell me if my daughter and Quinn are alive! Spit it out!"
"Noah, calm down. Let the doctor speak," Rachel said in an effort to relax the frustrated father.
"As I was saying, it appears that Quinn has suffered from a partial abruption, meaning that her placenta was separated from her uterus. It was probably caused by a case of preeclampsia."
Puck's fists clasped his fists tightly, his body shaking slightly.
"You still haven't answered my question. Are they alive? I could care less about prechlamydia or whatever it is."
"Preeclampsia," Rachel corrected.
"Whatever," he muttered.
"Both the baby and Quinn are stable as of late. They will have to stay for a few days under observation though. The high blood pressure should resolve itself within a couple days, a week at the most."
Puck, Rachel, and Judy Fabray sighed simultaneously.
"When can I see her?" Mrs. Fabray asked urgently as she fidgeted with the hem of her skirt.
The doctor sighed and looked at his watch.
"She's had a rough night and hasn't woken up yet. Normally I would advise against visitors, but because you're her mother I will make an exception. If you would just follow me down this hallway, I'll bring you to her room."
"Hey! What about us? We're her family too, if not more than her actual family," Rachel persisted.
Puck nodded in agreement. Mrs. Fabray tossed a glare over her shoulder at the bold brunette.
"Well, Mr. Puckerman and Mrs. Fabray are considered immediate family so they will be able to see her more freely. It really depends on how she is feeling. I will let you know when you can see her."
With that Mrs. Fabray followed the doctor eagerly down the hall, her high heels clicking loudly against the floor.
Mrs. Fabray's heart was beating a million miles per minute as she trailed after the doctor, leaving the two teens behind.
After a five-minute walk and an elevator ride, the two arrived at a deserted hallway labeled ICU. The woman hesitated slightly upon arriving at a room with a sign reading "Fabray".
"Are you ready?" the doctor asked carefully.
"I'm ready," she whispered softly.
The doctor led her slowly into the room.
The room was painted light blue and had paintings of yellow daffodils on the walls. The woman laid her eyes upon a single bed with white sheets and a turquoise blanket in the center of the gloomy room.
The girl lying in the bed did not even resemble Quinn Fabray. Her cheeks were pale, void of any color, and her golden hair was messily splayed against her pillow. Mrs. Fabray barely noticed the slight rise and fall of her daughter's chest.
Slowly, the woman walked towards the bed in which her daughter inhabited. The fluorescent lights flickered slightly. She laid her hand against her daughter's arm and bowed her head.
"Oh, Quinnie," she breathed.
The girl remained still, save for the movement of her chest. The room was silent except for the beep of the monitor next to the bed.
A tear slid down the woman's face as she leaned down and kissed her daughter's forehead. Her skin was cold and clammy.
Then, Quinn's eyelids moved slightly, and her foot twitched at the end of the bed.
"Quinnie?" she asked again this time directing her voice at the girl in the hospital bed.
The woman's heart lifted. Her daughter must sense her presence.
"Rachel," Quinn murrmured, her eyes remaining shut as her lips curved into a soft smile.
"It's me, Quinnie. It's your mother. Please, baby, wake up now," she pleaded desperately.
Quinn's eyelids fluttered once more except this time they opened slightly. She squinted at the brightness of the room and blinked a few times.
Still disoriented from the pain medication, the girl jumped at the sight of her mother sitting beside her bed. Then she drank in her surroundings, the pale blue walls, the beeping monitor, the pain she felt in her lower abdomen.
It all rushed back.
Her baby. Singing to her baby in the bathroom. The searing pain in her stomach. Collapsing to the floor. Puck's strong arms holding her up. Rachel's look of panic before she blacked out.
Quinn tried to lift herself up, but she felt a jutting pain in her stomach that sent her back onto the pillow.
"Don't move, Quinn," the doctor advised. "You'll rip out your stitches, and trust me, you don't want to do that."
She took the doctor's advice and remained still.
"What happened to me?" she choked out, her voice raspy and unused.
The doctor walked over to the other side of the bed, clipboard in hand.
"You had what we call an abruption due to a case of preeclampsia. Your placenta tore away from your uterus causing the bleeding and the pain. You are very lucky, Quinn. You got here just in time. We performed a c-section a few hours ago, and it is a miracle that there weren't any other complications."
"Where's my baby?" she barely croaked out, her entire body entering a paralyzing panic.
"As of now we have her in an incubator. She is doing alright considering the circumstances. She was born a month early so she is underweight and underdeveloped. We will keep you both here for a week under observation, but if your child's doesn't show signs of development she will have to stay here longer."
Quinn let out a breath of air she hadn't realized she had been holding in.
"Thank you," she breathed.
Her mother was staring at her as if she had two heads.
"What are you doing here?"
"I-I went to the Regionals to see you sing. After the first group went the announcer said New Directions had forfeited, and a woman sitting next to me whispered about that when she went to use the restroom there was a pregnant girl giving birth or something. That's how knew it was you and that something was wrong. I called Santana and she told me what had happened and where you were. I got here as soon as I could. How are you, baby?"
Quinn winced. She wasn't her mother's baby anymore.
A few months ago her mother had sat idly by as her father kicked her out of her house and sent her on her way, calling her a disappointment and a disgrace.
"Where's Daddy?" she asked softly, trying not to strain her voice.
Her mother's face froze.
"Uh…I left him."
"You what?" Quinn said a little too loudly.
She immediately flinched backward in pain. Mrs. Fabray sighed and looked down at her hands.
"He cheated on me; well he's been cheating on me for the past two years. I kicked him out."
Quinn blinked.
Had she woken up in some alternate reality where her mother had a mind of her own and could stand up for herself?
Suddenly, her mother leaned in and grasped Quinn's hand.
"Quinn, honey, listen to me. Come back home with me. I want us to start over, be a family again. We can turn the guest room into a nursery for the baby."
-/-
Rachel turned to Puck and saw clear tears running down his face. She caught one with her thumb.
"What is it, Noah?"
He sniffled softly and wiped his face with the back of his hand. Then he looked down at the concerned brunette and a faint smile graced his lips
They were happy tears like the ones she had cried upon feeling Quinn's baby kick for the first time.
Quinn.
Rachel suddenly felt a strange impulse to run after the doctor. She needed to see Quinn as soon as possible. Her heart felt like it would explode if she didn't.
Quinn made her feel special and safe. Rachel adored the girl's golden locks when they draped naturally and perfectly over her shoulders, her hazel eyes when they glimmered with happiness as she smiled.
Her body shook as she let out a sob of relief. Noah took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly.
The two walked back into the waiting room. The anxious show choir took in the pair in front of them, Rachel with her pink puffy eyes and Puck with his tear stained face.
"What happened?"
"Are they okay?"
"Are they dead?"
Rachel took a deep breath but didn't utter a word. It seemed as though her brain had stopped functioning and words no longer poured out of her mouth. Luckily, Puck took the lead and spoke for the first time since hearing the news.
"Quinn and the baby are fine. Quinn's mom is with her now. I don't know when we'll be able to see her. I don't think you guys will be able to see her until tomorrow though. You guys don't have to stay or anything. It's been a long night and I think we all could use some sleep."
The kids nodded in agreement and began packing up their things and whispering to each other about the news. Mr. Schuester rounded up the gang and directed them to the bus. Finn turned to look at Rachel with puppy dog eyes.
Rachel wasn't paying attention to him. Mr. Schuester made his way over to Rachel who hadn't moved since Puck had broken the news.
"Rachel, are you coming?" he asked, looking curiously at the normally chatty diva.
Rachel stared blankly.
"No."
Mr. Schuester's jaw dropped to the floor in disbelief.
"Uh- not that I don't admire your sudden concern for Quinn, but I think Puck and Quinn's mom have got it under control for now. Come on, Rachel. Let's go."
"I am not leaving until I see for myself that Quinn is safe," Rachel growled.
Mr. Schuester backed off and let her stay. Once he and the rest of the team had left, Puck and Rachel took their seats and waited. After a few minutes of awkward silence, Rachel decided enough was enough. She needed to see Quinn.
"I have to use the restroom," she announced loudly to the empty waiting room.
"No one's stopping you," Puck replied.
Rachel got up and walked towards the restroom. Once she was out of Puck's line of sight, she dashed into the elevator, not caring that she had no idea where Quinn's room was. The doors of the elevator opened and she exited hurriedly. She ran up to the nearest nurse.
"Where is Quinn Fabray's room?" she asked bluntly and loudly.
"Uh- come with me," she responded nervously.
Rachel was practically breathing down the poor nurse's neck as she was led to Quinn's room. Her heart was pounding out of her chest, and her palms were moist with sweat.
All she could think about was Quinn. They had to forfeit Regionals. They had to lose to Vocal Adrenaline. All of their hard work was ruined.
Rachel could care less.
All that mattered right now was Quinn.
Finally the two arrived at a door labeled "Fabray." Rachel was about to run in when she heard two people's voices. They sounded as if they were fighting.
"No, mother, I am not going to do that."
"Quinnie, I love you and this will be good for us! We can be a family again."
"We never were a family, Mom! You could have stood up to him and protected me, but you didn't. You're a coward and I can't- I can't forgive you."
"Please, honey, I'll do anything. I forgive you for getting pregnant. I'll even let you date that Finn boy. He may have been responsible for impregnating you but he seemed nice."
"Finn? Please, I am totally over Finn. Like he'd even take me back after what I've done to him. Plus he's in love with Rachel. Oh, and for your information he didn't impregnate me; Puck did. But you wouldn't know that because you were too busy kicking me out to give a damn about my life!"
"What is going on with you? I don't even recognize you!"
Rachel heard Quinn sigh.
"You know why you don't recognize me, Mom? It's because I'm not the girl you abandoned. I know now who I am, and I've accepted it, something you are incapable of doing. God forbid I tainted the good name of Fabray! God forbid I embarrassed you and Daddy! God forbid I was gay! God forbid I got pregnant! God forbid-"
Suddenly the room was silent. Rachel pressed her ear harder into the door.
Did Quinn just say that?
"Quinn, I highly advise you to calm down and rest. This is not good for your current condition," a male voice pleaded.
Rachel assumed he was the doctor.
"No, I will not calm down."
"Who's Rachel?" her mother asked randomly.
Rachel's body froze.
"What?" Quinn asked, equally taken aback by the question as the girl eavesdropping in the hallway was.
"Who is Rachel? You- you said her name before you woke up. Is that what you want to name the baby? I honestly was thinking of something a bit more Christian, but if this is what you'd like to name her I am willing to compromise."
"Oh, thank God you are willing to compromise on the baby's name. You're such a saint."
"Don't use that tone with me, young lady! I asked you a question. Now answer me!"
The woman's voice was shrill and made Rachel's blood boil.
"Rachel is this girl in Glee club."
Mrs. Fabray rolled her eyes.
"Enough, Mom! I love being in Glee club. It is the only place in my life where I feel like I can be myself. No fake laughter or smiles, no putting on a happy face, no lying about who I am. Rachel accepts me for me, the real Quinn not the fake Quinn I've been hiding behind my entire life. It's funny how a girl I've tormented is so willing to accept me and love me, and yet my own mother won't even fight to keep me in her life!"
Quinn was screaming at the top of her lungs, her voice filled with anguish. Rachel winced at the thought of Quinn in any more pain.
"What do you mean she loves you? Didn't you just say you tormented her?"
"Yes, I tormented her. I did things you wouldn't believe. I cannot explain to you how much I hate myself for what I did to her. She didn't deserve any of it. See, I was jealous of her. I'm still jealous of the fact that she doesn't have to pretend to be something she isn't. And because of her, I've changed."
"Changed how, Quinnie? Has glee club and this Rachel girl completely melted your brain?"
"Stop calling me that!" Quinn screamed, her breathing now audible.
Rachel peered through the window. Quinn was lying in the bed, her hands clutching her stomach, her breathing labored. The girl's face contorted in pain, breaking Rachel's heart.
The doctor stood closely by her side trying to calm her down, even though Quinn tried to push him away.
All of a sudden, the girl's expression changed. A tear ran down her cheek. She seemed to be contemplating something, something Rachel couldn't seem to understand, her sixth sense failing her.
"Please, Quinn, let's stop this. I am sorry for letting your father kick you out. I was wrong. Please, forgive me, honey. I'll take care of you and your child. We can be a real family."
"I'm gay."