Seven months pregnant lying on his bed with tears in her eyes; she had just got the phone call she was dreading. Things had been good between them for a while. He had taken care of her and went to doctor appointments with her. He was being a good baby daddy. She he had moved out of Sam's. She slept in his bed. He wouldn't have it any other way. She no longer worked. The only time they had fought was when they found out they were having a boy and then it was over names or colors for the room. She can't believe he did this to her. She knew he couldn't help his line of work but he could at least try to be more careful. She remembered how it was calm yesterday. How it was just him and her eating dinner and talking. She wished she could go back and never pick up the phone. She knew when you get a phone call at three in the morning it was never good. It was made worse by the fact that he wasn't here so she knew it was about him.
She was asleep until her son decided it was time for soccer. She had sat back against the headboard wishing she could share this with him. She glanced at the clock it was two forty-five and worry built in her throat. He had said he would be home by twelve. She decided to get a glass of milk to help her go back to sleep but before she left the room her cell started playing Don't Stop Believing it was Finn's personal ring. She should have ignored it at least then she wouldn't be sobbing so hard that she couldn't breathe. She turned around and picked up the phone.
"Hello?"
Finn's breathing was harsh and she could hear yelling in the back ground.
Rachel, its Finn. I have bad news.
She sank to the bed. Her chest hurt.
"Just tell me what it is Finn."
Puck got shot he's on his way to the hospital. He said to tell you he loves you and the baby. You don't need to come to the hospital but we need you to call Kurt.
When Finn said that she realized that Noah thought he was going to die. If he thought that then it was bad.
"Okay I'll call Kurt. What do you want me to tell him?"
Just tell him that Puck got shot and he'll know what to do.
He hung up and she did as he said. After the phone call she broke down and started sobbing in the pillows on the bed that smelled like him. She doesn't know how long she laid there and cried but she knew that Sam, Artie, and Mike were in the living waiting for her to pull herself together. She heard the bedroom door open and she just sobbed harder as Sam lay behind her wrapping her in his arms. When she was finished and was stable she asked if he would take her to the hospital. He nodded and went back into the living room.
It was seven am when they got to the hospital where Finn, Santana, Quinn, and Brittany were sitting. Finn stood when he saw her, "You didn't have to come. I was going to call you once he got out of surgery." She just shook her head at him and sat beside him. Santana picked up her hand, "How are you feeling B?" She smiled at the Latina, "I'm fine San." They sat in silence once in a while one of them would ask if she needed anything which was really annoying her.
At eight ten a surgeon came out asking for the Puckerman family Finn stood up, "That's us." Rachel didn't stand she didn't trust her legs. She couldn't look at the man's face. She didn't want to see the empathy there. "Mr. Puckerman lost a lot of blood and his right lung was collapsed. When he arrived we didn't think he was going to make it. He died on the table. We resuscitated him. He's in ICU but he's stable if a few of you want to go back to see him."
She let out the breath she was holding. They all looked at her thinking she would be the first to go see him, "Why don't you guys go on back. I need a minute." San, Britt, Mike and Finn went back. Sam and Quinn went to the cafeteria, "Do you want anything?" She smiled at him, "No thanks Sam." After they left she walked out of the waiting room.
She ended up on a bench in the hospital garden. She was sitting with her face in her hands and praying to which ever god would listen. She was so scared that he would die and now that he was safe she was pissed. She didn't want to see him until she was calm. She was afraid she'd say something she couldn't take back. She checked the time and knew she had to eat or she'd pass out.
They called her phone but she wasn't answering. She knew they would panic but right now she need to think by herself. She knew she wasn't mad at him but scared of losing him. So she avoided the hospital instead she ended up at Shelby's. Beth opened the door, "Rachie!" "Hi Beth is Ma here?"
The little girl skipped down the hall calling for Shelby. As soon as Shelby caught the sight of Rachel face she knew that her daughter was dying inside. Shelby wrapped the woman in her arms and held her as she cried. When she started gasping for air, Shelby moved her to the couch, "Honey you need to calm down it isn't good for the baby." "I-I-I k-know b-but I c-can't h-help i-it." Beth who had gone to get the picture she had drawn for her sister saw and climbed in between her mother and sister. Beth hugged Rachel and Rachel hugged her back.
She doesn't know how long they sat like that but she woke up with Beth on the couch. Beth's hand was on her belly and her head was Rachel's chest she smiled. Beth always had her hand on Rachel's belly when they sat together. Beth had picked up the habit for Puck. She looked at the DVD player to see the time. Seven thirty and it was bright outside. She had slept through the night for once. She poked Beth to wake her, "but ma it's not a school day." Rachel laughed so hard. Beth grumbled and got up heading for the kitchen. It was in that moment she knew what she had to do. It would be hard but worth it.
She followed Beth into the kitchen where Shelby and Beth were at the table. "Do you want some breakfast?" "Sure." The ate in silence; Shelby kept scrutinizing her face. Beth went to change for the day. "Are you going to go see him today?" She sighed leaning back in her chair rubbing her stomach. "Yes I am." Shelby nodded, "and?" "And what I going that's it." "Rachel," her voice said don't do anything stupid and her face was sad. Rachel knew she might disappoint everyone with her decision or maybe someone would approve. Did it matter? It was her life, her child, and she had the right to decide right?