A/N: Newest chapter, hope you like it. Thank you to all of you who have review, please keep it up. Disclaimer: I do not own GLEE or any of its characters. GLEE is the property of FOX and it's creators.

Ch. 8

"Are you going to say anything or just stand in my doorway all day." Rachel jumped at the sound of Quinn's voice. She'd arrived about ten minutes ago but as she stepped in the room and saw what she thought was a sleeping Quinn she paused. She hadn't been here since the blonde woke up. One would think it would be easy to walk into the room, considering how many times she'd done it over the past month Quinn had been in the hospital, but this time it was different, it was like walking in for the first time all over again.

When she had gotten the courage to go in, four days after the accident, she'd broken down in tears, guilt that was bubbling inside her finally exploded as she saw the formerly strong cheerleader frail and broken with tubes and wires attached to every surface of her body. No one had blamed her for the accident, it hadn't even been confirmed that Quinn had been texting at the time of the accident, Quinn's phone had been completely smashed in the accident, but Rachel knew. The times she'd been a passenger in Quinn's car could be counted on one hand, but it was obvious Quinn was a careful driver, Rachel had seen her ignore many texts while driving. No she didn't know for sure, but Rachel inside her heart knew Quinn had ignored her normal "no texting" rule and answered her frantic messages. For the past visits Rachel had been able to simply sit next to her friend, talk about mindless things, and inform Quinn that she'd done well at her NYADA audition. It was easy because Quinn couldn't respond, Rachel didn't need to confront the reality that she'd put Quinn in this hospital bed, because with Quinn asleep and everyone telling her it wasn't her fault, Rachel could live in a world of denial where she was not responsible.

Now it was different, Quinn was awake, and Rachel would have to face the friend she'd hurt by her selfishness, her incessant need to bother and text Quinn until she showed up at the courthouse that day. Fear and guilt warred for dominance as a fake smile was plastered onto her face.

"Sorry, I thought you were sleeping." Rachel leaned in and gently hugged Quinn who returned the gesture the best she could.

"I usually am. Between the drugs and PT I am exhausted most of the time."

"I'm sorry." Rachel choked. She hadn't planned on breaking down in front of the girl, Lord knew Quinn had more to worry about than assuaging Rachel's guilt, but the volcano that had been spewing for weeks erupted.

"For what?" Quinn pushed herself up turning slightly towards Rachel.

"For putting you here. For being so God damn selfish, telling you not to come to the wedding and then texting you nonstop until you answered. I'm so sorry Quinn, this all of it, its all my fault."

Quinn's exasperated sigh halted Rachel's guilt rant. "Don't, don't do this Rachel."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do this now, but I feel horrible, Quinn you may never walk again because of me."

"Damn it Rachel, stop." Quinn yelled. Her chest rising and falling quickly and her heart monitor racing, beepbeepbeep. Rachel's eyes went wide as she saw Quinn struggling, her hand itching to push the nurse's call button. She leaned towards it, "Don't you even dare think of touching that button." Quinn leveled her eyes at Rachel, "Give me a moment."

Rachel did.

For once she listened.

"Now listen closely to me," Quinn said after the heart monitor had slowed to a beep…..beep…..beep. "I don't remember the accident Rachel, I won't lie to you and tell you that I do, but what I do know is that this, my accident it is in no way your fault. Was I texting while driving, possibly, and that is my fault and dumb ass decision if I did, especially since I never had before. What I also know is that the driver who hit me, he had a seizure behind the wheel Rachel, so he couldn't stop his car even if he saw me. Either he ran the stop sign, or I did, or both of us, no one knows. All we can chalk this up too is an accident, pure and simple. Now stop feeling guilty. It does you know good and it sure as hell does me no good. Your apology, it doesn't get my memories back, it doesn't fix my shredded lung, nor does it restore the nerve functioning in my legs. So stop right now. Do you understand me?"

Rachel could bow her head in acceptance. Quinn's words hurt but they were liberating. The car crash, it was a real accident in every true sense of the word. A small part of her soul felt responsible and probably always would, but Quinn was right, her guilt-ridden monologs would not help Quinn. Quinn needed her friends to be strong for her, to support her, and if Rachel truly wanted to help Quinn than she would have to forgive herself.

"Your right but…" Her eyes met Quinn's and tears slid out, she had to say this, she needed Quinn to understand, to know, "I was so scared Quinn, when they told us, I…I felt like a part of me broke." She shook her head this wasn't coming out right. Normally so loquacious, now she stumbled worse than Finn as he learned a new dance. "We haven't been friend for long, but in that time you've become one of my best friends Quinn. Even when we were at odds, we were honest with each other, brutally so and maybe to a fault, but I always respected you for it. No matter the status of our relationship at that moment, we were there for each other. That is special Quinn."

Quinn smiled softly and squeezed Rachel's hand, "It is. I don't know why but your opinion it's always been important to me. Your one of my best friends too Rachel, I respect you so much for your determination, your kind heartiness, your honesty, and your loyalty to all your friends, even to those who hadn't earned it." She tilted her head slightly in acceptance of her own word's truth. It was one thing Rachel always admired about Quinn; no one could say that Quinn Fabray claimed to be something she wasn't. Quinn always admitted her wrong doings and took the consequences. It was an admirable quality, but in Quinn's case it often led to self-deprecation, unfortunately Quinn was great at that as well.

"You always deserved my kindness Quinn."

"Debatable." Quinn retorted with a wink. "Enough of the hot and heavy, so tell me about the wedding, how is married life?"

"Oh," Rachel didn't know no one had informed the blonde that the wedding hadn't happened, "Quinn we didn't get married."

"What?"

"I couldn't not without you there." Rachel felt herself blush a little, it was embarrassing to admit that Quinn's attendance had been so important to her that she'd postponed the wedding.

Quinn's jaw literally dropped, "Your joking right?"

"No." Now it was Rachel's turn to level Quinn with her gaze, "I told you earlier, you are one of my best friends Quinn and I could not get married with out you at my side, especially after your resistance to the whole thing. I know you only wanted what was best for me, and you were right."

"I was?"

"Yes, you told me and I'll summarize here, that I was too young to get married, that I had a great future in front of me, and that I didn't know what I would want ten years from now. That if Finn were the one for me, he'd be there when I was finished school. I just wish I had listened sooner. So Finn and I have decided to wait a few years to get married. If we are meant to be, we will still be together in four years."

"Wow, I sound wise." Quinn laughed and Rachel joined her.

"You are."

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