A/N - Wow, the insecure writer in me thanks you for all the reviews, commnts and PMs. I'm definitely writing more and have the story finally all mapped out. It'll be about 16 or 17 chapters so we're half way through. For all of you who requested for more Rachel/Quinn interaction, I present to you Ch8. Enjoy! Thanks to thefrick for suggesting the song. It really fits the chapter (IMHO).

My Future In Your Hands

Lean on me, when you're not strong

And I'll be your friend; I'll help you carry on.

For it won't be long, till I'm going to need

Somebody to lean on.

Bill Withers

The next seven weeks were extremely busy for Quinn as she carried a full load at the hospital and took on full responsibility for Rachel's treatments, researching well into the night as she called around the country checking up on new clinical trials. It was exhausting and she was bone tired but she loved what she did and seeing Rachel actually trust her and listen to her was an unbelievable feeling.

She rubs the back of her neck, stretching her arms to work out the kinks as she makes her way back to her office. She had one more call to make before going home for the first time in forty eight hours. Her surgery had been a success and it made her feel good that she managed to save a life today. Mr. Webber was going home with restored hearing and just in time to hear the cries of his first grandson. It was gratifying to be able to make a difference and she never took it for granted.

"Hey." Rachel had been waiting for an hour for Quinn to finish with her surgery. She had been in to talk to the oncologist, Dr. Drew, and get her dose of medication. She had expected to see Quinn there only to be told that she had been called away for an emergency surgery. She knew that Quinn didn't have to be at all her consults especially with other doctors but she tended to make the extra effort regardless. It meant something to Rachel to have her there and she wanted to convey her thanks but also do something for Quinn although she really wasn't sure what she could offer.

"Rachel, how did it go?" Quinn's pleasantly surprised to see her sitting in her outer office. She gives Rachel the once over, noting that she does look tired although it was good that she did not look as pale as she did last week. She looks around for Tina or Tony but doesn't see them. "Are you waiting for a ride, I could drive you?" She shifts uncomfortably as the crick in her neck causes her to grimace. She bends her arm behind her back, trying to reach the sore spot that the eight hour surgery had produced.

Rachel's still trying not to talk too much but she misses communicating and wants to have a real conversation instead of relying on texts and written messages. Her voice is soft as she notices Quinn's discomfort. "Dr Drew was very positive. He says that the chemo is working although I'm going to be feeling more of the side effects in the next few days. I just have to stay positive and think of the future." She had read up on all of them, from the fall in blood count to higher susceptibility of infections. She's more worried about hair loss and losing her sense of taste. Overall though, she does feel fatigued but she pushes herself anyway.

Quinn's surprised when Rachel guides her to the sofa and places her hands on the base of her neck slowly massaging the sore spot that she could not reach.

"You don't have to do that." She tries to get up, only to feel Rachel's firm hand on her shoulder.

"I know but you can't reach it and you look exhausted." She can feel the tenseness of Quinn's body slowly melt away as she lets out a soft sigh.

"You should be at home resting. I'll drive you, just give me a mi.."Quinn again tries to get up, only to be stopped by Rachel's raised voice.

"Don't." Rachel raises her voice, exasperated with Quinn. "Why do you do that?" She looks at the doctor who finally turns around, a questioning look on her face.

"Do what?" She doesn't want Rachel to shout as she places her hand on Rachel's arm. "I'm sorry, don't raise your voice, and just tell me what you mean."

It's difficult to explain that she needs to feel like she's helping as well. She doesn't like to feel powerless and know that she's been driven by something out of her control. These past few weeks have left her tired and irritable, barely able to use her voice for just about anything. "I need to do something. I want…I need to feel useful." Again, her voice goes soft because she's showing her vulnerability to someone, who in the past has used it against her. She knows now that Quinn has changed but she's not sure if she'll ever feel fully comfortable in her presence.

Rachel still cannot help but feel the soft flurry of worry in the pit of her stomach as she exposes more of herself to Quinn. The texts and written messages gave her some sort of protection, forced anonymity of sorts where she didn't have to look at Quinn. The messages back and forth allowing her to let her guard down somewhat. However, here in the office, sitting next to her, she feels unsettled, not perturbed but just different than sitting with Tina or Marcie or any of her other women friends.

Quinn slowly nods, understanding the pressure and apprehension Rachel is under. Her disease is slowly taking over her daily routine and she's worried that her life has irreparably changed to revolve around it. All her future plans falling by the wayside and she is probably feeling like her life is out of her control. All she really wants is to feel like she can do something else besides just going for her treatments. "So, if you could move a bit to your left, it would be a godsend." Quinn turns her back to Rachel as she moves her ponytail out of the way.

She cannot see Rachel's big smile but the massage is doing wonders for her mood and she relaxes into it. "Hmmmm, that really feels good. If you ever need another job." She realizes her mistake as soon as he words leave her mouth when she feels Rachel's hands still. "I..I didn't…"

"No, I took classes' years ago knowing that with all the dance training I put myself through, the least I could do was pamper myself with small massages. And Tina never complained either. I think she thought I should go professional right until the time I won my first Tony." Rachel sounds wistful as she reminisces about her past. A time when all she really had to worry about was a call back for an audition.

Quinn doesn't want to spoil Rachel's mood any further but she's invested in her cure and she need Rachel to know that. "Dr. Drew is the best and you need to take his advice. I'll look at the scans tomorrow and I have a call with Dr Bonner in LA. She has information on how we can use her new prototype computer program to simulate our expected treatment so that we can determine how successful it can be. And there's also proton therapy that I am reseaching." She feels Rachel's strong fingers kneading out the knots at the base of her neck as she goes over her plans for the next day. She tries to hide her sudden yawn when she realizes how tired she really is.

"When was the last time you slept?" It wasn't that Rachel didn't believe Quinn's words but she's beginning to realize that Quinn really was doing her all for her. She was pushing herself to keep her promise. It was a surprise but also a revelation.

"What time is it? I left my apartment Monday at around three." Quinn yawns again, this time not hiding it. "Ok, so we both need to rest. Come on, I'll drive you home." She reluctantly gets up, her tense shoulders already missing Rachel's magic fingers.

"Have you eaten?" It's the first question that pops into Rachel's mind because it did suddenly go blank the second Quinn moved away.

"Not for the past ten hours, have you?" She knows that Rachel's appetite would have decreased drastically because of the antiemetic drugs and the chemo. "We could go to Blossom." Tina had mentioned it two weeks ago when Rachel came in for her first round of chemo. It as one of Rachel's favourites and she had looked it up, knowing that sooner or later, Rachel would lose her appetite and it would be good to have food delivered that she enjoyed. However, she can see that today has taken its toll on Rachel and it would seem that she needed more than just vegan food. "Maybe not Blossom but definitely Cocoa V. I mean who can say no to vegan chocolate."

Each time, when she thinks she's done being surprised by Quinn, she discovers something else. "Why are you doing this?" She does not mean to ask it out loud but she can't understand why. Rachel does not want to sound ungrateful or to question Quinn's motives but she really wants to try and understand the woman before her because the Quinn she knew from school didn't seem to exist anymore.

It's not that she does not expect the question. Quinn had been anticipating it for some time but she still pauses before she answers wanting to put some weight behind her words. "Because it's the right thing to do after all the wrong things I've done." She grabs her leather jacket from the stand and shrugs as she looks at Rachel. "It's the best answer you're going to get because I am starving and I need empirical proof that vegan chocolate taste just as good." She smiles when she sees Rachel nod as she holds open the door for her.

#$#$#$#

They're laughing like old friends, filled with desserts and coffee. It's finally comfortable for Rachel as she smirks when Quinn describes her first surgical procedure on her cadaver. "I mean I could not look below his navel for two weeks." Her mortified tone and expression sending Rachel into another fit of giggles.

Quinn hears her phone go off and glances at the number before answering, surprised at the caller but taking the call anyway. "Hi, I thought you were going to call at the end of the week." She glances furtively at Rachel, not wanting to call Shelby by name and already half standing to go to a more private place as she signals to Rachel that she needed to take the call.

Rachel nods her understanding as she sees Quinn make her way outside, her head bent down as she runs her free hand through her hair. She looks like she did in high school but softer somehow in some aspects and so very different in others. Rachel shakes her head, surprised at her thoughts. She's not used to thinking so much about Quinn without remembering all the bad memories of high school.

The changes are myriad but in the end, she recognizes Quinn's conviction. It had got her through a lot and Quinn was using it now to help her and for that, she was incredibly grateful. She sees Quinn, pace back and forth, her hand again running though her hair, and finally clenching it by her side, like she's frustrated. She hangs up but does not make a move to re-enter the restaurant as she stares at her phone for a good minute before swiping at her eyes.

"Is everything ok?" She can see the tears in Quinn's eyes as she tries to blink them away. Rachel wants to ask who had been on the phone but she's not fully sure that the tentative link they have forged is strong enough yet and she does not want to risk it.

"Yeah, I um.." She had been surprised that Shelby had called ahead of schedule and frightened as well. Rightfully so it seemed as Beth had got into an accident and Shelby needed another doctor's opinion. Only she wouldn't give Quinn any specifics of how or why the accident had happened. It was infuriating but it was also Shelby's prerogative. It didn't matter that Quinn knows she'll spend the entire night worried that Beth could get worse or the doctors in Lima may have missed something. She wasn't going to get any more information. Shelby had said she had been discharged and was already home but it still made her worry. "It was a consult and I think…I hope she's going to be fine."

Quinn does not realize she's crying until she feels Rachel's arms around her and it's a trigger to let go as she sobs as quietly as she can into Rachel's shoulder, for the first time in the longest while, letting go with someone else around.

End Pt 8

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