This is a two part chapter. It's Valentine's Day for Quinn and Rachel :) Happier times. And there will be happier times next chapter too... for the most part... That's all I'm saying.

Current standings:

Girl - 11
Boy - 4

I'm still taking votes for the gender. Please remember, I'm not taking any suggestions for the name of the child. Name is already selected, it's a unisex name which is why gender doesn't matter.

Oh yea, and thanks to Jennception for looking this over for me as always. :D

The First 24
Chapter 18

February 14 – 8:30AM

She'd been… happier. To say the least. Yes, that's what she told everybody. It wasn't exactly a lie either. She was happier. She wasn't back to her original self, but she was a lot better than she was at her breakdown. Her sessions with Emily twice a week were definitely helping.

Quinn had gotten much better with being touched. She was even able to hug Santana and Brittany at the airport when they left. She'd been able to hug Tina every time she visited the studio to see Mike. She hadn't been able to get too close to Mike yet, but he understood and didn't hold it against her. He still treated her like one of his best friends. Mike Chang was the definition of a perfect gentleman. While Quinn was on set watching Rachel with one of her shoots, he'd always offered to get her some food, or even just sit with her to keep her company. There were several times where he just took residence in the seat beside her and neither talked – rather they enjoyed the other's company. Mike knew a lot of things about what happened. Thankfully, he never asked questions. Someone like Mike would help her to finish her healing process when it came to men.

"I think I'm ready…" Quinn finally spoke. The past two weeks had been hell with any kind of intimacy with her and Rachel. Thankfully, Rachel hadn't pushed anything on her and let her go at her own pace. And every time when she started to freak out, she was right there to hold her and comfort her. Whether they were in bed, or on the sofa, anywhere in the house, Rachel was always there to calm her down.

Two days ago, Quinn had actually allowed Rachel to see her naked. The blonde had mustered up the courage to join her in the shower.

February 12 – 8:49PM

"How was filming today?" Quinn looked up from her paperwork. She'd just finished taking and passing her California BAR Exam a week ago and was now perfecting her resume for potential jobs. The only response she received though, was a grumble. "That bad?" She closed up her folder before standing up to help Rachel out of her jacket.

"Jason was horrible today." Rachel helped herself to leaning against the taller blonde once her coat was removed. "He gave us a 15 minute lunch break, which is when I called you. Then he decided to only give us two ten minute breaks. Honey, my feet and my back are killing me."

Quinn's eyes closed as she nuzzled her nose against the brunette hair tucked under her chin. "Why don't you go and take a shower and I'll get you something to eat."

"I love you." Rachel didn't even hesitate in pressing her lips to the blonde's. She couldn't have been happier to see small signs of her old Quinn starting to return. She'd missed the loving, caring woman she fell in love with and married.

Quinn felt her body start to react to the kiss. It was a mixture of positive and negative. Thankfully, most of her wanted to pull Rachel even closer to her. The positive reaction far out-weighed the negative. She was easily able to overcome the urge to push her wife away and run to hide. "I love you too." She finally responded when their kiss broke apart. "Now go and shower."

"Alright, alright, I'm going." The brunette giggled softly before retreating to their bedroom. Coming home and seeing her wife had honestly been the highlight of Rachel's day. Just as she was getting used to the woman being on set with her – keeping her chair warm – she stopped coming. Rachel understood though. There were things that needed to be done. Like Quinn's exam, changing their license's, getting their new vehicle registrations. Quinn was able to handle all of that except Rachel's license.

She reached out to flip the radio on as she stripped for her shower. There was never a moment when Rachel Berry-Fabray could shower without music. She immediately began humming along to the song playing. It stopped for just a moment – replaced with a heavenly sigh as the hot water instantly relaxed her tense muscles. Her eyes fell closed when she tilted her head back to look up at the water. Rachel was so caught up in the feeling of the water, and the sound of the music that she didn't even realize she'd been joined. That was… until a familiar set of arms wrapped around her waist from behind.

"Quinn!" Rachel nearly screamed – jumping out of her skin by the surprising, yet very welcomed intrusion. "My goodness… you scared me." She spun around slowly to look up into Quinn's very hesitant eyes.

The blonde had no idea what inside of her sparked her actions. She was scared. There was no telling how she would actually react to the skin to skin contact with her wife. "I… I'm sorry…" Without really thinking, she took a step back, exposing herself to her wife's gaze. "I can go." Her hand reached up to push the curtain aside, but it was grabbed by Rachel. When she felt smaller fingers thread between hers, she instantly relaxed.

"No… please stay." Rachel carefully stepped closer, closing the gap between them for a kiss.

Nothing more than a few shared kissed happened in that shower. But it was such a huge step for Quinn to be able to completely relax near her wife.

"Are you sure? Has anything other than the shower happened to make you feel like you were ready?" Emily looked up from her notebook at her patient. Quinn had made a lot of improvements over the past two weeks. Mainly because she decided to open up and accept the help that she so desperately needed.

Quinn diverted her eyes down toward the floor before speaking. "So much has happened Emily… All the time we've spent together has helped me to relax around her. I don't panic when she hugs me from behind anymore. I don't jump every single time I hear her voice… or even a noise for that matter. I'm pretty sure I'm ready."

"Does Rachel know?" Quinn shook her head as an answer to her question. "What do you have planned for tonight?"

"I still haven't exactly figured out all of the details. This is the first Valentine's Day I haven't had anything planned. I just hope Rachel won't be disappointed."

"I'm sure she'll love whatever it is you do for her Quinn. She loves you with everything-" Emily's sentence was interrupted by Quinn suddenly standing up and running out of her office. The first time it happened Emily chased after her, having assumed she'd done or said something wrong. By the fifth time, she knew what it was. The pregnancy was taking its toll on Quinn. Part of her felt sorry for the woman having such a bad case of sickness. For most women, it tended to hit the same time each day, but Quinn was part of the unlucky percentage where it would hit out of nowhere. Hopefully though, Quinn would fall into the majority and the sickness would pass within the next month.

"Sorry about that…" Quinn whispered when she reentered the office.

Emily just shook her head with a sympathetic smile on her face as Quinn made her way back toward the sofa to sit down. "I told you before you don't have to apologize. I'm used to it by now Quinn." The younger woman shifted in her seat before poising her pen to write again. "Have you and Rachel discussed anything about the baby?"

Quinn visibly tensed at the question. Her and Rachel had talked about it. A little bit.

February 10 – 10:00PM

A smile played on Quinn's lips as she watched her half naked wife walk from their bathroom to the dresser for clothes. "You're so beautiful Rachel."

The brunette blushed under her wife's gaze and from her words. "Thank you Quinn." She pulled on a pair of short shorts before letting the towel fall from around her body. "Stop staring at me!" She quickly covered her chest with a tank top before quickly crawling under the blankets. Quinn's unwavering gaze made her feel self conscious.

"But I can't help it." Quinn turned onto her side before tucking her head safely against Rachel's shoulder. "I'm lucky to have you." A comfortable silence fell between them. That's when it hit her and she knew she had to ask her. She just prayed Rachel was still awake. "Will you still love me when I'm fat and moody?"

Rachel shifted onto her side to look into sad hazel eyes. "You won't get fat Quinn."

"I'm pr… pregnant Rach. It's gonna happen eventually."

The brunette reached out to brush some rogue hair out of Quinn's face and smiled softly. "And whenever you start gaining baby weight, I'll be right there to support you in any way I can."

"I don't want to get fat…" Quinn's voice was so soft… so defeated. Sure she bounced right back from her pregnancy with Beth. All the baby weight dropped off of her in no time. "I'm not 16 anymore Rach."

"I'm not 16 anymore either Quinn." She tilted her head to the side, mostly unsure of where Quinn was going with that statement.

The blonde's eyes closed for a moment before she continued. "What if I can't lose the weight? Will you still-" She wasn't able to continue her statement, since Rachel's lips on hers cut her off.

"Don't you dare finish that sentence Quinn. I will always love you. Weight or not. Mood swings… 2AM cravings. I'll love you through all of it." She stole another kiss before resting her forehead against Quinn's. "Do you think it's going to be a boy or a girl?"

"Would it matter to you either way?" Rachel shook her head in response. "I guess… I'm hoping it's a girl. Because of my issues with guys. I'd be afraid I'd push away from the baby if it was a boy…"

"What I think though… I think that deep down inside you'll hold the child close, regardless of if it's a girl or a boy. Your motherly instincts will kick in, just like they did with Beth. It tore you up to have to give her up all those years ago. I don't think you'd be able to push the baby away if it were a boy. In a way, I think you would cling to it even more if it were a boy than if it were a girl." Rachel carefully tucked her head into the crook of Quinn's neck and closed her eyes. "We'll just have to wait to find out what we're having. You're only two months along now baby, we don't have to really plan anything just yet."

"Wait…" Quinn pulled away to sit up. "The Rachel Berry wants to wait to plan something?" She couldn't contain her laughter. It was so unlike Rachel to not want to plan something.

"I'll have you know, that it is hard for me to not want to plan every tiny little detail of this entire pregnancy of yours… I just… I don't want to force you to be ready for this you know?" Rachel gently grabbed her wife's hand and threaded their fingers together. "It's you and I Quinn. I'll always be by your side through everything that happens. Alright?" Quinn nodded with a small smile on her face before cuddling back up to her wife and closing her eyes.

February 14 – 1:30PM

Quinn rubbed her eyes. Even with the flowers in the back of her SUV – furthest away from her – they were still irritating her allergies.

"Do you have a pass ma'am?"

She smiled softly at the young man at the security gate before digging out her guest pass from her purse." Here you go." She handed it over to him for inspection. Once he nodded, he reached into the guard house to open the gate for her.

"Here you go ma'am." He passed the item back to her before going back into his hut.

Quinn tossed her pass back into her purse and let out the breath she'd been holding. Why did it have to be a man on duty? She'd made it through her entire day without having to interact with anybody of the male form. But now, as she pulled into a parking spot beside Rachel's car, she needed to clear her head. Jim wasn't there.

"Filthy fucking whore!"

She pushed the images aside. Instead, she focused solely on Rachel. It was a technique that Emily helped her master. Everything she thought of brought a smile to her face. Soon, she was relaxed enough where she could face the mass of people inside the studio.

After retrieving the flowers and the box of chocolate covered strawberries. Vegan of course. Quinn never understood how Rachel could tolerate the taste of vegan chocolates. She cringed at the mere thought of eating any herself.

A few sneezes and watery eyes hit her before she got inside. She smiled when she saw Rachel on one of the sets – in the middle of a scene. It was one where her character was discussing what to do about her current relationship as opposed to her budding one with another man. It was in a small living room set. The living room that was part of Rachel's character's apartment. Quinn took residence in Rachel's chair to watch the scene between her wife and woman who's name she learned to be Amanda.

"What are you gonna do Jane?" Amanda took a sip from her cup before looking at Rachel.

The brunette let out a heavy sigh before roughly running her fingers through her hair. "Scott's been trying really hard lately." She lifted her gaze to look the younger woman in the eye before continuing. "But Logan… my god Abby… he's like sex on legs. Everything about him is perfect. He doesn't even have to try with anything he does."

Amanda just smiled. "Think you just answered your own question girl."

"Cut!" Jason yelled before standing. "Lunch time everybody. Try to make it quick. I want to get out of here early today." He made his way off set quickly, probably to fetch food for himself.

Rachel was in the middle of a conversation when she noticed a figure sitting on her chair holding a bouquet of roses and a red box. "Well isn't this a lovely surprise." The brunette picked the flowers from her wife's hands before inhaling their scent. "How on earth did you manage to get these with your allergies?" Rachel carefully placed the flowers on a nearby table before taking a seat on Quinn's lap.

"Let's just say it was a long drive from the grocery store." She shifted a little bit to place the box onto Rachel's lap. "Got you something else too."

The brunette's eyes lit up when she opened the box. She didn't hesitate in taking a bite out of one of the strawberries. "Here…" She offered the other half of it to Quinn who only shook her head. "Please?"

"You know I like real chocolate." Rachel's lower lip jutted out in response. "Please don't pout." Quinn's resolve was quickly diminished as Rachel continued her pout. "Fine!" She opened her mouth to allow Rachel to feed her. Forcing back her initial gag reflex, she forced herself to chew and then swallow the food in her mouth. "Still prefer the real thing."

Rachel leaned down to kiss her gently. "How was your appointment with Emily?"

"It went well. Told her about what I had planned for you tonight." Quinn spoke with a small smirk on her face.

Rachel's eyes lit up yet again. "What's that?"

The blonde chuckled softly. "You have to wait until you get home to find out about that." Rachel pouted again but it only drew more laughter out of Quinn. "Don't even try that, I'm not caving this time."

"Fine!" She got off of Quinn's lap in a huff. "You're lucky I love you." She threw a playful glare at the blonde before retrieving her purse. "I got you something too…" She sat back down across her wife's lap while she dug through her bag. "I hope you like it." She placed the small velvet box in Quinn's hand before letting her purse drop back to the floor.

Quinn examined the box for a minute before pulling off the ribbon and popping it open. Her breath caught in her throat. It was a silver charm bracelet. Beads spelling out the word 'STRENGTH' were surrounded by a pair of heart charms and charms with each of their birthstones. "Rach…" She blinked her eyes several times to ward off the oncoming tears. But it didn't work. A few still managed to escape and slide down her cheeks.

"Do you like it?" Rachel wiped away some of Quinn's tears and watched her pick up the bracelet to get a better look at it.

"It's perfect. Thank you." She cupped Rachel's cheek to give her a lingering kiss. "Help me put it on?" She held out her left hand, allowing Rachel to hook the bracelet around her wrist.

"I was thinking… since I can't always be with you, all you have to do is look down and I'll be right there." She placed a gentle kiss on the bracelet on her wrist.

"I love you Rachel."

"And I love you Quinn. More than you know."

Next part will be up next week :D Valentine's Day is a two parter, sorry this is a little shorter, but I can guarantee that chapters will start to get longer. I can tell you for a fact that chapter 20... is 6,500 words long.