Quinn's perfect Christmas didn't go exactly to plan. Lily had insisted they join them for Christmas dinner. It seemed more like Rufus wanted her there but Lily wouldn't let on that she didn't actually want Quinn there. What made it worse was that Serena, Nate and Anne would be joining them.
"We just couldn't stand the thought you two being alone on the holidays" Lily said warmly.
Chuck was fooled by Lily because he had never had a caring mother figure. Quinn didn't buy her act. She thought Lily was the type of woman that would throw you under the bus if she had to protect herself.
"We were happy at the hotel but it was so lovely of you to invite us" Quinn replied matching her smile.
"I'm glad you invited us I wanted to share some new with you" Chuck told Lily.
Lily smiled expectantly.
"Quinn and I are engaged" He continued.
"You're what?" She asked pausing with her champagne flute mid air.
"Congratualtions" Rufus said standing up to hug them both "Tell us how it happened"
"Well he actually asked me a week ago but I told him he had to do it properly" Quinn smiled taking his hand "So last night he took me out to central park, we had hot chocolate and then he got down on one knee in the middle of the park"
"That's very sudden" Lily said unable to keep her voice even.
"Are you ok?" Chuck asked Lily
"Just surprised" She replied trying to recover herself "Does Nate know?"
"Not yet" Quinn replied.
"I see, so it should be an interesting dinner" Lily said downing the rest of her champagne before hugging Chuck "Charles you know I want what's best for you"
"This is what's best for me Lily" He told her "Quinn makes me happy, I've become a better person since I met her"
Nate, Serena and Anne came in carrying presents.
"Merry Christmas" Serena called in her overly cheerful voice.
The surprise showed on hers and Nate's faces as they noticed Chuck and Quinn were also there.
"Quinn you look amazing" Anne said giving her a huge hug "Merry Christmas"
"Merry Christmas" She said smiling warmly and hugging the older woman back.
"So have you found out if i'm having a grandson or granddaughter yet?" Anne asked sitting down and taking a glass of champagne from the table.
"I told you I want it to be a surprise" Quinn laughed.
"Does Nate want that?" Asked Serena.
"Nate hasn't come to any appointments since the first one but it's not really the time or place" Quinn snapped before putting a smile back on her face. "Mr Humphrey do you need any help in the kitchen?"
Quinn was trusted with stiring and opening cans. She made herself busy and tried to calm down. She didn't want to argue with anyone but Serena always had to make comments about her not involving Nate when in truth Nate never made an effort unless he felt threatend by Chuck's presence.
"So I noticed your ring" Anne commented walking over to the kitchen.
Quinn blushed.
"I was going to tell you it didn't seem like the right time" She replied sheepishly.
"I'm sad about my sons choices" Anne said putting a hand on Quinn's shoulder "But i'm glad Charles is looking after you"
"Thank you" She smiled back "I will tell him"
"I think Lily just did" Anne said looking over to the living room where Chuck and Nate were stood inches apart.
"How could you do that to me" Nate demanded shoving Chuck.
"Nate your girlfriend is stood right next to you she's going to think you still love Quinn" Chuck pointed out.
"She's carrying my child!" Nate yelled back.
"Nate" Quinn said standing between them "Chuck makes me happy and has taken care of me, we are together and you just need to accept that the way I had to get used to you being with Serena"
"So he's just gonna step up and play Daddy?" He asked
"Nate you are this child's father but if you want to be a Dad you need to be there" Quinn replied. "Now it's christmas and we're ruining this for everyone else so I think we should talk about this later"
"I want to talk about it now" Nate said looking down at her.
"Outside then" She said walking towards the elevator.
"How did things get so messed up" He sighed when they got outside.
"Sometimes things don't work out how you planned" She replied simply.
"But Chuck of all people, he's a bad guy Quinn" Nate told her taking her arm.
"Oh and I need a stand up guy like you?" She laughed
"I made one mistake" He replied defending himself.
"Nate you're a weak person, you follow and stick to what you know. You refuse to rock the boat. Chuck has stood up for me and been there for me no matter what the concequences. He's loyal and he loves me. He's one of the best people i've ever met and if you can't be happy for me then that's too bad because I love him" She told him turning to walk back inside.
"Quinn I love you, you know we had something" Nate said grabbing her arm.
"Had, past tense" She replied coldly.
He forced his lips on her willing her to feel something for him.
"What's going on?" Chuck asked stepping outside.
"Nothing" Quinn replied pulling her arm back.
"Did you kiss him?" He asked
"Do you really have to ask that?" She asked looking him in the eyes.
Chuck didn't hesitate before turning to punch Nate.
"Stop it" Quinn shouted as the two of them rolled around the ground hitting each other.
"What is going on out here?" Lily demanded followed by Anne and Serena.
"This is all your fault" Serena spat out running to help Nate unaware of what had gone on.
"Are you ok?" Anne asked Quinn who was holding her stomach.
"I think the baby is coming" She replied wincing in pain.
"But you've got another 8 weeks left" Anne said clearly worried.
"She's going into labour?" Lily asked taking Quinn's other arm in a rare moment of genuine concern.
Chuck and Nate stopped fighting at the commotion.
"What's going on?" Nate asked.
"We need to get to a hospital now!" Anne said pushing past her son.
Chuck was already on the phone calling his car around. It was only around the corner so he knew it would be there almost immediately.
"Are you ok?" He asked taking her hand from Lily who had gone to tell Rufus what was happening.
"Well I'm scared and in pain" She spat back
"Everything will be ok" Nate reassured her.
"You stay away from me this is all your fault!" She said turning on him
"So Puck was right about the demon side" Chuck joked.
"Do you really want to go there right now?" She questioned before wincing in pain again.
Anne and Chuck helped her into the car followed by Nate, Serena, Lily and Rufus.
Quinn was in too much pain and too concerned about her baby to argue. She was rushed straight into hospital.
"Only one person" The nurse said stopping the group from following.
"Go on Nate" Chuck said stepping back letting go of Quinn's hand.
"Thanks man" Nate said offering up a small smile.
"It's too early" Quinn cried to the nurse "Will my baby be ok?"
"We're going to do everything we can to look after you both" The nurse reassured her.
"The baby will be fine look at how strong its mother is" Nate told her taking her hand.
The doctor who had been carrying out tests turned to speak to her.
"Quinn your baby is distressed and I need you to push, it's very important we deliever your baby now" He told her.
Quinn knew she couldn't let herself break down she just had to do what she was told to save her baby. She pushed when she was told to and delievered her baby a lot more quickly than the first time. This time there was no cry and the team of doctors took her baby straight over to the other side of the room away from her.
"What's happening?" She asked tears streaming down her face too worried to feel how exhausted her body was.
"It's ok" Nate said taking her hand but he looked just as worried as she felt.
"The doctor is clearing her airways and putting her on oxygen" The nurse told her.
"Her?" Quinn asked "It's a girl?"
"Yes you have a baby girl" The nurse confirmed.
One of the doctors came back over.
"Quinn your daughter needs to go to special care you can go and see her we are confident she will be ok she is only 4 pounds and needs a little help to keep warm so she's going to be in an incubator. She needs a bit of oxygen but we'll do another check shortly" He explained.
"Can I go now?" She asked
"We'll get you a wheelchair and the nurse will take you down" He told her.
"Nate will you tell everyone what's going on before you come down?" She asked.
"Sure" He said squeezing her hand trying not to get emotional.
Quinn was taken down to the special care baby unit. Her baby girl looked tiny in the incubator.
"Hey baby girl" She whispered putting a finger through to stroke her tiny arm "You gave Mommy a really bad scare but you need to get better ok, you have so many people waiting to meet you"
Nate came back through to sit with her.
"Hey" she said as he sat down "You can hold her other hand if you want to"
He took a deep breath trying to control his emotions.
"It's ok to cry you know" She reassured him.
"This isn't how I pictured any of this" He told her "I'm so sorry"
"Don't be, we just all have to be strong for her it doesn't matter what happened before" She told him. "I forgot how much things change when they arrive, I just wish I could hold her"
"What do you want to call her?" He asked stroking her other tiny hand.
"How about Ava-Grace?" She suggested.
"I like it" He replied
"Ava-Grace Archibald it is then" She said with a smile.
"Archibald?" He questioned
"Nate I meant what I said we're not together but you're her Father, it's up to you to be a Dad and I want you to be involved for her sake" She replied "Plus your Mom would never forgive me"
"I'll let Chuck come in for a bit" Nate said standing up.
"Are you sure?" She asked
"Yeah, I think you need him" He replied standing up to leave "Besides I best go tell my Mom what's going on before she bursts a blood vessel".
It was killing Quinn that she couldn't just pick up her daughter and hold her. She looked so tiny and helpless.
"She's beautiful" Chuck said stroking Quinn's hair and kissing her cheek.
"Hey" She said her voice cracking.
"It'll be ok" He soothed "I'll get in the best doctors"
Quinn rested her head on Chuck's shoulder still holding Ava's tiny hand.
"Not the christmas we had planned" She commented "I'm sorry"
"I'm with you and your daughter, exactly where I want to be" He told her holding her free hand.
"She's lucky she has so many people to love her, She needs to get better" She said eyes full of tears.
"She will she's your daughter" Chuck replied.
"I need to call Santana, and Puck and Shelby, My family...there's so much to do but I can't leave her" She said feeling overwhelmed.
"We'll take care of it you just need to stay here with Ava, everyone else can make calls and do whatever you need" He reassured her.
"Will you just sit with me a while longer?" She asked leaning into him as he held her.
"As long as you want me here" He replied trying to comfort her.
Chuck and Nate took turns to come in to see Ava and Quinn but Quinn refused to leave the room. The nurse wanted her to rest but there was no way she would be able to sleep or stay calm if she had to leave her baby.
It was around 3am when the doctor came back to her to give her another update.
"Ava is responding well and we can take her off the oxygen however she will need to stay here until she gains more weight and we can observe that she is eating and keeping temprature" He told her.
"She's going to be ok?" Quinn asked.
"She's a little fighter" He replied with a smile "She'll need a heat lamp but we can move you both into a private room, you can hold her if you like"
Quinn nearly broke down again as the nurse handed Ava-Grace to her to hold. There was nothing like holding your child for the first time and although it had been an awful day it was still amazing. It wasn't tinged with the same sadness as it had been with Beth where she had known she would be handing her over to someone else.
Quinn sat up for at least another hour just watching Ava sleep until exhaustion finally won now Ava was on the mend.