Thanks for everyone that commented or subcribed after the first chapter, I was not expecting so many to read it so thank you :) I am not the greatest writer, not compared to some of the bloody amazing writers on this site, but I hope you are at least liking what I am writing, and your comments show me what bits you like more than others so I always enjoy reading them. Anyhoo here is chapter 2.
2.
"Q…Quinn what are you doing here?" Rachel sat up with as much speed as her body would allow her. She looked at the blond, who still had her hands over her mouth. Feeling slightly self conscious she raised her hand up to rub over her balding scalp. "Oh God" and reached over to the head scarf on the night stand and began tying it around the top of her head, embarrassed she looked at her hands cradled in her lap "Sorry"
Quinn stood there unsure of how she felt. This girl she had known all her high school life, the girl who she never considered a friend and had tried to break for years. That same girl was currently in a hospital bed looking half the person she knew and completely defeated. It was strange and horrible to see Rachel so weak and ill, and she was unsure about why this affected her this much.
"I…I…What are you doing here…oh god I know why you're here but…when…how" She knew she never made much sense but at the moment this whole situation made no sense. She was unable to move and she was beginning to feel like a complete idiot.
Rachel began to fidget; she really hadn't planned for this. She didn't want anyone at McKinley to find out, especially the blonde that was still just standing at the base of her bed with her mouth slightly agape. There was a silence as both tried to feel comfortable in the situation they found themselves in. Rachel looked up at Quinn and saw the girl divert her gaze from her.
"I'm sorry you had to see me like this Quinn but why are you here, is one of these a family member?" she asked timidly trying to divert the subject away from herself.
"err… no I…I'm on a volunteer thing with the church, I … sorry but what happened?"
"Cancer happened Quinn" Rachel could always be trusted to be blunt.
"I know that but when did it happen, you weren't even ill or anything"
"I was diagnosed over the summer, spent most of it in here getting treatment … So is this your first day volunteering here?"
"Uh yeah … what type of Cancer have you got?"
"Leukaemia. So are you enjoying it so far…volunteering I mean"
"I dunno, I only just got here really … how come nobody knows at school?"
"I guess I'm not really friends with anyone enough to tell them, besides what can anyone do?"
"Finn's your boyfriend, didn't you tell him?"
"No Finn and I broke up at the start of summer, are you just going to question me about my being here Quinn?"
Quinn looked at her, and Rachel could almost see the thousands of questions swirling around in the girls brain. She expected the questions, what she didn't expect was to see the emotions attached to them, especially from a girl who made it obvious in the past that she didn't like her very much.
"You can sit down, you know" Rachel said while pointing to the chair beside the bed and saw Quinn eye it hesitantly.
Quinn sat down slowly but immediately began to feel awkward again, so she stared at the hospital band around Rachel's wrist. That's when she really noticed how fragile Rachel was, her wrist was tiny, smaller then usual and had different shades of bruising going from the back of her hand all the way up to the inner crease of her elbow. On her other hand were more bruises and from out of the sleeve of her hospital gown was small tube attached to nothing. Rachel's collar bones protruded from her upper chest, she had lost so much weight, and she was tiny before to begin with. Quinn don't know how long she sat there noticing these differences before a male voice interrupted her, she glanced up and saw a doctor standing at the base of the bed.
"Hey Rachel, how are you feeling today?" The doctor stood quite casually flipping through the charts and nodding at what he was looking at.
"Oh well I'm okay I guess. I haven't been sick today and my gums have stopped bleeding, so I suppose today is a better day" Quinn caught the brunette give a smile but noticed it was missing something, she looked back up at the doctor who gave a small nod of his head and a smile.
"That's good to hear, so are you ready for the next course of Chemo?"
"Not really but I have no choice do I ... Oh sorry Quinn this is Dr. Hughes, Doctor this is Quinn, a girl from school"
The pair exchanged nods before the doctor focused on Rachel again.
"So the nurse will be around shortly, I'll be back after okay"
"Okay" she smiled at the doctor who smiled back and walked away.
Quinn looked back at Rachel, "I should go, I'm sure you don't want me here while you're having your treatment"
"Okay, if you want" A slight look of fear passed over the smaller girls face.
Quiin took a deep breath, she could tell Rachel didn't want to be left alone, "Will there be someone with you when you begin your treatment?"
Rachel shook her head.
Quinn nodded and sat there still. She really didn't know what to say. Guilt was slowly consuming her, this girl she had been torturing since forever had been dealing with this all summer and she couldn't help but feel like a complete jerk for acting the way she had toward her.
"Do you want me to .. Um .. Should I stay or something"
Rachel turned to look at her and gave a slight smile, "You don't have to, I mean I'd prefer if someone were here, I don't like this part of the treatment very much and it helps if somebody is here to keep my mind of what's to come."
Quinn nodded her head again, "Where are your dads?"
"work … they left this morning. It gets kinda lonely here without anybody. So how is school?" Rachel asked..
"Erm … well everybody is wondering where you are actually, besides that nothing much, just the same I guess."
An awkward silence fell between them, how could it not with the history they had. Quinn sat there as layer upon layer of guilt kept piling up inside her.
"I'm sorry Rachel … for all the crap I put you through." Quinn lowered her head unable to stop her tears any longer.
Rachel looked at the top of Quinn's bowed head, kind of surprised at where this sudden apology came from. She took a deep breath, "Apology accepted Quinn, thank you for offering to stay here with me"
Quinn lifted her head and their eyes met properly for the first time and both girls smiled. Quinn felt herself relax a little.
"So tell me how your summer has been so far, it will be nice to hear there is life out there besides this hospital" Rachel asked genuinely excited to hear Quinn's answer.
So Quinn told her everything making sure not to leave out any details. She found herself smiling when Rachel would giggle at something amusing within the story; and she listened closely when Rachel would contribute her own little stories. Eventually the nurse came and while answering the 101 questions Rachel was firing at her, Quinn also found herself paying attention to everything the nurse was doing as she attached a IV bag of orange fluid to the tube that she had noticed earlier, which apparently went into Rachel's chest.
After everything that was Quinn's summer was told, it fell silent between the pair again.
"Does it hurt…The tubes in your chest and everything?" She asked as curiosity got the better of her.
"At first it did but not anymore. it's the side effects from the chemo that are the worst, I get really sick .. its not nice."
Quinn nodded. "I'm sorry you've had to go through all this on your own Rachel"
"Well I've had my dad's but it has been nice having you here today Quinn, its made what would have been another boring day much better."
Quinn smiled, "Well maybe I can stop by tomorrow, see how you are … that's if you don't mind of course"
Rachel's smile almost lit up the room, "That would be lovely" she yawned, "sorry all our talking has tired me out"
"wow Rachel Berry getting tired from talking, I never thought I'd see the day" Quinn laughed and Rachel giggled too "I better get going" she glanced at her watch and her eyes widened, "wow I've been here nearly 3 hours I should definitely leave you to get some sleep"
"I'll see you tomorrow then"
"yup, now get some sleep"
Rachel rolled her eyes " okay mom, thanks again for staying today"
"no problem, bye Rach"
"Yea bye Quinn"
Rachel's smile never left her face until her eyes closed and she fell asleep.