Thank you for the reviews! Here's the second chapter, which focuses on Quinn.
Quinn has always wanted to settle down, to have children. Getting pregnant at sixteen wasn't in any of her plans though. She knew she made the good choice by giving Beth up. Beth's adoptive parents wanted Puck and Quinn to have an open adoption. After the first year, they were allowed to visit her twice a week. When Mr. and Mrs. Peterson decided to move to New York, Quinn made the choice to go study to Columbia so she could be close to her daughter.
She sees her once a week, sometimes she and Puck take her together to the park or to the movies. She and Puck have gotten closer over the years but they have never been together in a relation ship. In fact, Quinn met a man two years ago, and she has been with him ever since.
She lived with Brittany and Santana for two years during her studies and the two girls still live in New York. Quinn sees them often. Of course she is still in contact with Puck and Kurt calls her from time to time.
She has had no contact with a certain Rachel Berry since they graduated, except for the one time she came running into the hospital
New York, 2015
Quinn walks down the hallway after seeing her last patient for the day. She can't wait to go home and take a nice long bath and then have dinner with Kyle.
She isn't looking where she is going when she bumps into someone. The person falls down on the floor and Quinn gasps. She helps the person back onto her feet.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't see you. Are you OK?" She asks as the girl brushes off her what looks like expensive jeans. Then the girl looks up and Quinn feels her breath catch in her throat. "Rachel?" her chest tightens and she can't help but blink several times, making sure her eyes aren't fooling with her. "Rachel Berry?"
"Quinn, hi. I never thought I'd ever see you again."
"Yeah, crazy right?" Quinn shakes her head then. Crazy? Seriously? You could have just said, it's good to see you, or something.
Quinn looks down at Rachel, eyes her fancy clothes. The expensive jeans, the Lexus keys in her hand. Of course she has heard of her. Everyone in New York has heard of her. She is on every magazine cover, she is a celebrity.
She feels Rachel's eyes on her and thinks that she must not look like anything. She does not own fancy clothes. She could afford them. She just has other priorities.
"You work here?"
Duh, why else would I be wearing a lab coat?
"Yes, actually. I am an intern in psychology."
She notices the disapproving look Rachel gives her. She shrugs it away.
"Well, since you work here, can you tell me where I can find the ER?"
"You are in the ER. Who are you visiting? Unless you are hurt?" Her eyes wander over Rachel's body but she doesn't see any apparent injuries.
"No. I'm looking for my girlfriend, she was in a car accident."
"Y-your girlfriend?" she almost chokes on her words. She feels her heartbeat accelerate and butterflies in her stomach. She doesn't know if it's from the fact that she is jealous that Rachel has got a girlfriend, or because she's happy that Rachel likes girls? Why would she, she's straight. She is almost sure of that. "Um, what's her name?"
"Sara Cooper."
Quinn nods. "Let me check at the desk."
She walks away, feeling the petite brunette's eyes on her.
New York, present time
Quinn lets out a deep sigh as she enters the apartment she shares with Kyle. It's hers, technically. He has moved in just a few months ago. She is not surprised when she walks into the living room to find her boyfriend on the couch nursing a beer with Puck on the opposite end of the couch, a bowl of chips set between them as they watch the Superbowl. She rolls her eyes and clears her throat, getting both men's attention.
"Hey Babe," Kyle says and she walks to him and gives him a kiss on the cheek. "How was your day?"
"It was okay," she says, her eyes traveling to Puck. "Hey."
"Hey, baby mama." he greets with a smile.
"Hope you don't mind, some friends are coming here to watch the game."
"I think I'm just gonna crash at Britt and S. Less noise, more sleep."
"You sure?" Kyle asks, concerned.
"Yep." She kisses him one more time before rising to her feet and grabbing her phone. She dials Santana and Brittany's number. It rings four times before the answering machine picks up. "S, Britt, I know you're there, pick up please."
"What, Q?" Santana spits out into the phone, her breathing is ragged and Brittany if giggling in the background.
"Why are you panting?" she asks, then closes her eyes. She can be so gullible sometimes. "Never mind. Can I crash at your place tonight?"
"Why?"
"Because Kyle is bringing friends over to watch the Superbowl. How 'bout a girl's night? I'm cooking."
"Alright, bring your ass over here Blondie."
"Alright, see you in a bit."
-0-
Quinn doesn't even knock on their door anymore, there's no way they are going to stand from the couch anyway. She still knocks on the door as she opens it, her other hand covering her eyes.
"Can I come in? Is it safe? You're not fooling around?" she asks, peeking through her fingers. She hears Santana laugh and decides that it's safe enough to look. Santana and Brittany are sitting on the couch as expected, watching some crap on TV.
"It's safe Q. And please, don't say 'fooling around', it sounds so not mature," Santana comments. "Tell me you brought food?"
"I did," she holds up a paper bag and sets it on the coffee table. "Chinese?"
"So cool, thanks Quinn," Brittany says as she starts shuffling through the bag. Quinn smiles and shrugs.
"Welcome Britt. So what you guys are up to?"
"Well, if it wasn't for your sorry ass, we would be in our bedroom right now." Santana says, rolling her dark orbs. Quinn blushes and clears her throat.
"S, don't talk to Quinn like that, she's our guest."
Santana immediately softens. "You're right babe, sorry Q."
Quinn is speechless. For the several years she has known Santana, she discovered pretty quick about the girl's temper and easiness to curse. The only person who can calm her down is Brittany, and it has been that way ever since the two girls met. Just a simple touch, a simple whisper from the blonde are enough to calm the feisty brunette down. They are soul mates, Quinn is sure of it. They are meant to be together forever.
She wishes she had that kind of relation ship. Of course she has Kyle and she loves him very much. But he is not her soul mate, neither is Puck or any other guy she has dated for that matter.
She sighs as a smile plays on her lips when Brittany kisses Santana's cheek and feeds her some white rice. Santana laughs out loud when Brittany tries to eat with the chopsticks but fails and huffs. Her gaze then travels to Quinn, who is looking blankly in the air.
"You okay, Quinn?" the blonde asks, concern washing over her face. Quinn nods but stays silent until Santana scoops over and pats the spot next to her.
"Get your ass over here, Q." she orders and Quinn obliges. "What has got you all broody?"
"Nothing," Quinn answers. Santana raises an eyebrow. "Fine...Do you remember Rachel Berry?"
The Latina rolls her eyes and scoffs. "ManHands? Duh, how can we not? Her voice is unfortunately registered into my brain like...forever."
"Have you read any magazine lately?" Quinn asks, fidgeting with the cushion she has set on her lap.
"No. Why?"
Quinn reaches into her purse and pulls out a People Magazine and sets it on the brunette's lap. Rachel is on the cover, and she looks as if she 's screaming at the person taking pictures of her. She has sunglasses over her eyes and a scarf wrapped around her head but she is recognizable.
The words below the photo are in white and big font.
Is the former Broadway Star on the verge of depression?
"There's more inside." Quinn says and the girls next to her start flipping through the pages.
There are photos of Rachel wearing a tiny dress that barely covers her butt, high heels and a cigarette in her hand. She is kissing a blonde girl Quinn has never seen before and is apparently unknown to the paparazzi. There is another photo, apparently from the same night because Rachel is wearing the same dress, where she is pinned against the wall by another woman, still a blonde but her face is hidden by her long hair.
Santana looks up as she tosses the magazine on the coffee table. "Berry is a lesbian and likes to hit several girl in one night, so what?"
"She's Rachel Berry," Quinn emphasizes. "The prude, neat, organized girl who used to wear plaid skirts and argyle sweaters back in High School. Look at her!"
"The girl likes to party! And obviously she doesn't like paparazzi," Santana says, eying the cover. "What's with the sudden concern?"
Quinn is caught of guard. She doesn't even know. She saw the magazine, and it made her heart ache. That's that. She doesn't have any further explanation to give.
"I...I don't know."
"Because you like her," Brittany chimes in. Quinn's eyes widen and she shakes her head. "You used to, in High school."
"I didn't."
"Yes you did. You weren't very subtle, Quinn. I didn't need you to tell me, it was obvious. But she wasn't gay back then. Or at least she didn't know she was. That's why you've never told her," Quinn looks down and continues to fidget with the hem of the cushion. Brittany narrows her eyes. "You still like her, don't you? I remember the day you bumped into her at the hospital. When you told me about it, you had that sparkle in your eyes. The kind of sparkle Santana has in her eyes when she talks about me."
Quinn is dumbfounded. What Brittany has just said about the High School part is true. She used to find herself attracted to Rachel. But that's it.
"I-I'm not gay."
"Maybe you're not for any other girl. But for Rachel you are."
"I'm with Kyle. We love each other." Quinn says. Santana scoffs and rolls her eyes.
"Gay beard."
Quinn opens and closes her mouth, without being able to say anything. "That's not true."
"Whatever you say, Q. C'mon, let's eat this shit before it gets cold."
Quinn remains silent the rest of the evening. When she gets home, the guys already left and Kyle is already in bed. When she's settled on the mattress, he turns around ans kisses her shoulder, wrapping an arm around her middle. He whispers 'I love you', and she believes he means it.
She believes she means it too.
-0-
"Dr. Fabray," Quinn hears from a distance. She yawns and keeps her eyes closed. "Dr. Fabray." Her shoulder is being shaken and Quinn shoos up.
"What?"
"Your shift is over. You should go home." The nurse kindly says and Quinn smiles warmly, rubbing her eyes with her balled fists.
"Thanks." She walks out of the exam room where she has been taking a nap and walks to the desk, placing her charts back in the ranks.
"24-year-old woman, drug overdose. There were two empty tablets of sleeping pills on the table. She is stable for now."
Quinn's eyes travel to the gurney and she can stop the gasp that's threatening to escape her mouth at the sight or Rachel laying on the gurney. She looks like an angel, her eyes are closed, her dark hair sprawled out around her face, her lips forming a thin line.
She almost looks as if she is in a peaceful sleep.