Hi All! I guess I had more time this weekend to write than I thought! Thank you so so so much to everyone who favorited this story or added it to their story alerts. Special thanks to everyone who reviewed this story. I LOVE reviews! Please take a minute to review, it really means a lot and it inspires me to write and when I'm busy it's really the main thing that gets me to write. I would love to get ten reviews before the next chapter if that's possible... I would love any suggestions you might have. Also- I'm sure this chapter is ripe with medical inaccuracies but I think they work pretty well for the story so I'm just going to leave them. By the way, since Glee never really gave us a time line this is my mental time line: Sectionals in November, Regionals in February, and Nationals in May. I'm not sure if that is how the writers meant it to be but that is how I'm doing that. This means that in February Beth is born and Rachel's due date is like August-ish. Please bear with me if I end up changing that :) I think I might have mentioned that earlier but I just wanted to clarify. I don't think I have anything else to say other than enjoy this chapter!
Rachel pulled into the school at the same time as Quinn and Puck. She parked her father's red Prius, that she had just learned how to drive a month ago, near the bus. She hopped out of her car and walked over to them. Quinn was in the process have collecting all of her stuff and getting out of the car. Like Rachel and a couple of the other girls, she was already dressed in her gold dress. Rachel immediately noticed how the gold dress made Quinn's golden locks even shinier.
"Rachel!" Quinn called Rachel over to her as soon as she noticed her. She watched how amazing Rachel's figure looked in the costume. Rachel jogged over to where the couple was unloading the car. She watched Puck give Quinn a hand and help her out of the car. She couldn't help being a jealous. But not of Quinn.
"Hi Quinn! Hey Puck." Puck nodded, pecked Quinn's cheek and walked off to where Matt and Mike were standing with Brittany and Santana. Behind their back their pinkies were linked so that their boyfriends couldn't see them but Quinn and Rachel could. Santana was making Brittany giggle and she looked extremely pleased about it. Rachel glanced over there. Quinn noticed.
"You would think they would try harder to hide it?" Quinn commented gently. Noticing Rachel's confused expression she clarified, "How totally in love she is with Britt." She chuckled a little at her two best friends as she sidestepped forward so she was very close to Rachel. Very close.
"Oh... Um... yeah. I guess... Um right!" The rarely flustered girl muttered. Rachel suppressed the strange urge to put her arm around Quinn.
"Rachel-" Before Quinn could continue Mr. Schue called them to the bus. As they boarded the bus, Puck waved Quinn over to him. Reluctantly, Rachel sat by herself while Quinn sat with Puck. However, Rachel kept glancing back at Quinn who seemed to be trying to ignore some sort of pain. She had to say she was worried. Puck however didn't seem to notice and was continuing to allow Quinn to stare out the window as he talked to Mike about Mario Cruise or Kart or whatever it was that Puck seemed to love more than his girlfriend.
When Rachel noticed a single tear slide down Quinn's face, she couldn't take it any longer. She got up and walked over to Quinn. A couple of people looked at her funny as just a little bit ago she had preached about bus safety and how all student should remain sitting and facing forward.
"Quinn?" Rachel said sweetly leaning over Puck who barely seemed to notice any disturbance from his very important conversation, "Are you okay?"
"I... I'm fine. She just- she just kicked really hard." Another tear.
"Quinn, why don't we take these seats over here." Rachel suggested, not so subtly nodding her head at Puck. Quinn nodded and Puck stood up and allowed Quinn to squeeze over to where Rachel's hand was outstretched. She took it and smiled softly and her best friend.
They took their seats a couple rows down and Rachel slid in first allowing Quinn to avoid the trouble of going all the way in. Quinn followed suit, secretly thankful for the aisle seat that Puck had deprived her of.
"So... Quinn." Rachel prompted expectantly. She looked at the blonde and without even finishing her thought Quinn knew what she was going to say.
"Rachel... really... I'm fine. The doctor said I might be feeling some discomfort. Don't worry."
"I have to worry. I- I'm your best friend." Rachel exclaimed blushing.
"Well don't. I mean thank you. But- I mean- I'm not good at having people take care of me."
"Quinn you've got to let people who love you take care of you!" Quinn looked taken aback.
"Like you?" Quinn asked her voice dropping to a soft whisper.
"Like me." Rachel assured her.
"You- Your love me?"
"Of course. I mean- As friends."
"Right. As friends."
The rest of the bus ride there was no more interaction between the two girls.
Mr. Schue called to the students into the building and Quinn and Rachel walked into the green room hand in hand to each other. Quinn attempted ignored the pain she was feeling. Rachel however could tell. That was one thing about their friendship, even though it was only a week long one, Rachel could usually tell if something, namely Beth, was hurting Quinn. The two girls sat down.
"Quinn, can you please come join me in the hallway?" Quinn nodded and accompanied Mr. Schue outside.
"Alright so-" Quinn was holding in tears as another sharp pain, hit her. "Quinn, are you okay?"
"Yeah. Yeah sorry." She said nodding and holding back the pain. She wanted Rachel. She needed Rachel.
"Quinn, do you want to sit?" Quinn nodded softly. He pulled her out a chair and she lowered herself into it.
"Quinn, I need to know you're okay. I can't want to send you out on that stage if you are going into labour. I need you to be honest with me and tell me."
"I'm... I'm fine Mr. Schue, just Braxton Hicks contractions. I'll be fine."
"Alright Quinn, I trust you. But Rachel seems very worried."
"Rachel. Calm down." Mercedes said from across the room where Rachel was pacing back and forth. The club had literally parted as not to get in the diva's way.
"I can't. She is in so much pain I can just tell."
"Don't worry Mr. Schue's taking care of everything" Rachel nodded but jumped high when Quinn returned with Mr. Schue. Quinn walked over to Rachel and gave her a small smile.
"Are you okay?" Rachel said as soon as Quinn got over to here. Quinn nodded. "No you're not. I know you... are you having contractions?" She looked Quinn up and down. She was pale and her fists were clenched.
"I... I... no..." Quinn stuttered before turning her head. She knew that wasn't true. She had planned to ignore the fact that she was slowly but surely going into labor and then announce it AFTER the New Directions won Regionals.
"Quinn! You have to-" Rachel dropped her voice as Quinn glared at her. "You have to tell Mr. Schue... and Puck!"
"I know. I know but I just- She's weeks early- I just- After regionals-"
"Quinn stop mumbling you aren't making sense!"
"Rach. Rachel after regionals?"
"Quinn... this is more important than a show choir competition. This is you going into labor"
"Please! Please!" Quinn pleaded. Rachel couldn't resist that pout. It was Rachel's weakness and she knew it. "They're far apart and my water hasn't even broken yet. I have hours. I'll take it easy on stage and I'll be fine."
"Fine. Fine. This is why you shouldn't be performing..." Rachel muttered as the lights dimmed and went back on.
"Showtime!" Mr. Schuester called
"Good luck. And seriously be careful. No one wants the baby to get hurt." Rachel said.
"I could be saying the same to you." Quinn whispered into her ear Rachel walked into her outstretched arms giving her a quick hug.
The New Directions killed it. Rachel and everyone were all feeling really good. Well almost everyone. Quinn barely made it to the Green Room. She felt her contractions were coming closer and closer. Tears ran down her soft cheeks. And then she stopped.
"Quinn!" Rachel said as she noticed the blonde stopping in the center of the hallway.
"My water just broke." Quinn said eyes wide.
"Quinn!"
"Rachel... please... it hurts!" At the word 'hurts' Rachel sprung into action.
"Tina-" Rachel said swerving around and realizing that they had somehow lost the entire rest of the group except Tina, "Go get Puck and Mr. Schue. Quick!" Tina ran off. "Quinn... Are you okay?" She asked, not really sure why, she knew that she was in quite a bit of pain.
"Yeah... it... it hurts Rach. Will you come with me?" Rachel nodded and with a little tilt of her head Quinn could practically hear her saying, 'of course silly'. She smiled the best smile she could muster back at her.
Puck came in running and picked Quinn up, followed by Mr. Schue and trailing behind was the whole Glee Club. They got to the bus as quickly as possible. Mr. Schue was quick to explain the predicament to the driver who luckily knew where the nearest hospital was. Quinn was crying and they boarded the bus Quinn was sat with Puck who was eyeing the girl nervously.
"You 'kay babe?" Quinn nodded
"Are you okay Rachel?" One seat back, Kurt asked nervously noticing that the singer was quite pale.
"I'm fine, Kurt." Rachel eyes didn't leave the back of the seat in front of her except to peer around it to check on Quinn. The drive was silent and quickly they were at the hospital. Rachel was the first to leap out of her seat and follow Quinn and Puck to correct ward. Quinn was lowered into a wheelchair and Puck pushed her to her room. Rachel stopped at the doors with the others, prepared, as much as it would hurt, to say bye to Quinn there. But as Puck kept pushing Quinn, she stopped him.
"Wait! Wait. Rachel. Rachel please." She understood and took the girls outstretched hand.
The labour was quick and soon baby Beth was alive. At 6 pounds 11 ounces all three of the teenagers knew she was perfect. Rachel stood with Quinn the whole time. She was, of course, fairly freaked out about what she herself would be doing in seven short months but she stayed strong.
The glee club had left to go to the awards but Rachel, surprisingly, had not joined. Rachel was worried this was a mistake when Puck kept kissing Quinn and pushing hair from her face. She had never felt so jealous, or confused in her whole life. While Rachel knew this was about Quinn and Beth and Puck she couldn't help but think about herself. About how much it hurt that Quinn loved and Puck loved Quinn, and Rachel loved Quinn. She finally saw it. Seeing Quinn give birth, seeing her create a human, made her realize that her feeling for Quinn Fabray were in no way platonic. Rachel Berry was head over heels in love with Quinn Fabray.
But the last thing she wanted to do was ruin this day for anyone, so she simply tried to stay out of the room as much as possible. She was getting snacks from the cafeteria when Beth was taken to the nursery and was calling her dads a couple hours later when Quinn woke up from her nap and asked to go to the nursery to check on her little baby.
Quinn looked at her baby's face through the glass. There she was. So beautiful and pure. As she looked at her longer she saw what Puck and Rachel and all of the nurses had been saying about her looking like Quinn. She had her nose, and her lips, and the small little curls were Quinn's same shade of blonde. It made her smile.
She felt Puck walk up to her. He didn't touch her and for a moment that just stood in silence watching the little human they had created. She asked the question before she could stop herself.
"Do you love me?" Puck looked at her hard. He took in every little detail of her face. He formulated his answer slowly. She didn't mind. She just looked right back at her.
"Yes. But you don't love me." Quinn was taken aback. "Don't say you do. I know you don't. I see the way you look at Rachel. You don't look at me that way." Quinn felt herself blush. Here was Puck, the school's number one badass, analyzing her feeling in front of their daughter about Rachel Manhands Berry. This was not happening. The words tumbled out of mouth before she could stop herself.
"I'm not gay."
"I didn't say you were. But I know that you love Berry. God knows why, but you love her and she clearly loves you back." Quinn was speechless. Puck continued, "But can I please be a part of Beth's life. I really love her." Quinn nodded before catching herself.
"Who said I was going to keep her?" Puck looked at her.
"I can tell. You look at her and you melt. You can't give that up." Quinn nodded.
"You're… You're right. I want to keep her." She knew as she said it that it was true. She couldn't give up that child she had created. She already loved her so much. For the first time, everything just felt so right.
"Will you please name her Beth? Can we name her Beth?"
"Of course. Beth Noelle Fabray-Puckerman." Quinn could swear Puck's eyes welled up with tears.
"Is Noelle for Noah?"
"Yes. I want her to be named after world's greatest guy. Her dad. You're her parent just as much as I am." Quinn felt tears roll down her cheeks, looking up she could see them on Puck's as well. He turned to leave. "Wait. Puck? Can you… can you ask Rachel to come over here?" Puck smiled and nodded. Quinn leaned forward to the glass and looked at her baby girl and felt and overwhelming sense of love.
Puck found Rachel sitting in the hallway trying to wipe away tears. He was surprised, she had never seen Rachel honestly upset over something over than a solo.
"Rachel? Are you… are you okay?" She nodded.
"Yes, of course, sorry I'm really emotional for some reason." She said her voice cracking as she stood up and smoothed over her dress. The gold fabric was getting wrinkled and she wished she could change into something less fancy.
"Because… because of the baby?" Puck pointed to Rachel's still flat stomach. Rachel looked shocked.
"You know?"
"Crap. Sorry, Quinn told me."
"It's okay. I'm actually kind of glad you know. I just feel kind of lonely"
"I'm sorry, Rach. If it makes you feel any better Quinn and I just broke up." Rachel tried to ignore the feeling of happiness she felt at this. 'Other people's pain shouldn't bring you happiness' she chastised herself.
"I'm sorry. Because of the baby?"
"No. Because of you." He answered simply. Rachel looked up at him confused. "She wants to talk to you, she's at the nursery. Do you want to go over there?"
"I would love to." She got up and made her way to the nursery thinking over what Puck had said about them breaking up over her.
Quinn was thinking that perhaps Rachel wasn't coming when she saw the figure of the short brunette approaching her.
"Rachel!" The two hugged tightly, their whole bodies pressed together, for the first time without Quinn's bump.
"Oh Quinn congratulations! Are you keeping her?" Quinn nodded.
"Beth Noelle." She said in response
"She's beautiful like her mother." Quinn blushed. She loved when Rachel complimented her. She then remembered that she wasn't the only one in the hallway and she hadn't even checked on Rachel yet.
"Are you okay?" Quinn asked
"I'm fine." Rachel replied confused
"When I was at your stage I couldn't even think about labor. You had to experience it." Rachel understood.
"Well while I am thoroughly freaked out I am also excited as after the labor comes a beautiful baby." Quinn smiled.
"You want to keep your's then?" Rachel nodded
"Yes actually. I think I decided that when I saw Beth. I don't want my daughter worrying about who her mother is like I always have." Quinn felt sorry forgetting that Rachel had been brought up by two gay dads so the subject of biological parents, especially mothers, must have been a hard one.
"I'm sorry…"
"Don't be." Rachel assured her "Quinn?"
"Yes?"
"Puck said you two broke up because of me." Quinn blushed, "What does that mean?"
"I… Rachel… I think I'm in love with you."
"I think I love you too." Rachel stepped closer to Quinn until their noses brushed. Slowly their lips connected. It was soft and sweet. They got closer and Rachel brushed Quinn's hair through her fingers as they kissed and kissed. Neither girl had ever been this happy. Their bodies pressed against each other, both girls felt a feeling of this is right. Quinn forgot about her religion, about what people would say, about all of what she thought and lost herself in Rachel. Rachel forgot about the years of torment, of the two babies, and she let herself fall into Quinn, allowed herself to love Quinn. They kissed and they kissed and they kissed for quite a while.