Chapter 9

Rachel POV

Rachel was always on time, for everything. It started at birth, Shelby had told her that she was born the exact day she was due. She was on time for every day of school dating back to Kindergarten, every day of work, every appointment, every ShowTime, every party. Rachel was NEVER late. Not even by a second. So this week started off extremely confusing for her. She was 2 minutes late for work on Monday, 45 minutes late for her dentist appointment on Wednesday, and 2 hours late arriving for Quinn's birthday party on Friday night. Things like this didn't happen to her, EVER!

"Get yourself together, girl" Rachel scolded herself in her bathroom mirror. She sat down on the edge of the tub and started the water running, her fingers skimming across the stream coming from the spout as the steam billowed through the room.

"Have you heard from Finn today?" Kurt sang through the crack in the bathroom door. "I've hardly heard from Blaine since we got back from Tennessee three weeks ago."

Rachel hummed softly, "Mmm, let me think." Rachel tried to remember her last conversation with Finn. He had been in San Diego, right? Was that two or three days ago? Everything had been a blur this week. "I think they are about halfway done with the west coast part of the tour. You know how busy they get when they don't have a day off between shows."

She dropped her towel onto the floor and sank down into the bubbles as Kurt entered the bathroom. "I know, I sure am ready for them to be home for a bit." He grumbled as he slid down the wall and settled next to the door. "I know I've been grumpy this week and let's not even get started on the mess you've been this week."

Rachel frowned and splashed a few bubbles toward Kurt. "I've just had a spot of bad luck, Kurt." She pouted as she thought about the issues she had all week. She slid on the ice on her way to work on Monday, tripping through the door at 2 minutes past call time. No one noticed except for Kurt, but she managed to push it out of her mind until she lost her subway card on Wednesday and had to walk the ten blocks to her dentist appointment, causing them to cancel her appointment.

She tried to pass it off as bad luck when she broke her heel on the way to Quinn's party. That was until she was splashed by a puddle of standing water and mud while limping past the bus stop to sit down and fix her shoe. She sat in a wad of chewing gum while trying to break off the other heel of her shoe and was attacked by a rabid cat while climbing the stairs to Quinn's apartment 2 hours after the start of the party.

"Rachel, we thought you were dead." Quinn screeched as she opened the door. Staring at Rachel's muddy hair before her face turned pale. "Oh my God, were you robbed?" She asked quietly as she pulled her into the apartment.

"Rachel, did you hear me?" Kurt's voice pulled out of her thoughts and back into the bathroom.

She shook her head. "Sorry, just distracted."

"I said; maybe once Aunt Flo goes home, things will straighten themselves out for you." Kurt repeated himself.

Rachel nodded lazily and then shot straight out of the water. "Oh my God Kurt, what is today?"

Kurt startled on the floor. "Uh, Sunday?"

"No Kurt, what is the date?" Rachel was counting on her fingers.

"Um. 18th. Yeah it's the 18th." Kurt grabbed a towel and handed it toward Rachel who was no longer covered by the bubbles. "Modesty, girl." He scoffed.

Rachel was lost in thought, was it really the 18th? 3 days. How did she not notice? 3 days. She was 3 days late. Rachel was never late. Rachel Berry had missed her period by 3 whole days.

"Oh my God Kurt, I'm pregnant!" She screamed.

"Rachel…..Rachel…." Rachel could hear Kurt's voice, but he seemed so far away. She couldn't be pregnant. Could she? She had seen Finn three weeks ago. They had definitely had sex. But Rachel was on the pill. She always took it religiously. Except…..

"Rachel, will you talk to me?" Kurt was now staring at her from inside the bathtub. Rachel looked down at his clothes clinging to his small frame. She blinked a few times. "Are you actually sitting in the bathtub?" She said quietly. He looked down and then frowned. "Rachel, seriously, why would you think you are pregnant?"

He stood up and grabbed the towel around his waist. "Kurt, remember the night in hell? The mouse?"

Kurt laughed, "I've tried to forget that night, please don't remind me now. I've finally stopped having nightmares about it."

Rachel was shaking her head furiously. "No Kurt, that night, I didn't take my pill that night. With all the commotion, I forgot because we went back to the garage that night. I didn't even remember until the next day when I was taking my pill in the hotel with Finn. But he told me that no one gets pregnant after forgetting one time."

"You believed that from a guy who thought you could impregnate someone in a hot tub?" Kurt narrowed his eyes.

"I'm serious Kurt. I'm three days late. Rachel Berry is NEVER late." She shouted.

"Okay quit yelling at me." He sat down on the toilet, toweling off his feet. "So we go down to the CVS and buy a test. It's just three days Rachel."

"Kurt, three days!" Rachel was staring down at Kurt, her towel wrapped firmly around her as she put her hand to her stomach. "I'm not ready to be a mother. Finn's not here, I'm too young for this. Broadway! Oh my God I will have to quit." Rachel was starting to hyperventilate.

Kurt grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. "Rachel get a grip. Stop being such a drama queen. It's a baby, not the end of the world."

Rachel's eyes snapped to his. "This is my life. What am I going to do?"

"Come on; let's just go to the store." He tugged on her arm and she pulled back.

"No. I can't. Not tonight." Rachel's eyes starred down at the ground. "I…I just want to be alone."

"Oh come on Rachel, you're being ridiculous…"

"No. Please Kurt, its fine. I…I'm just overacting. I'll go to the store in the morning, I promise." She smiled softly and Kurt stared at her intently.

"Rachel…" He started and then stopped. "Ok, we'll go in the morning." He said as he turned toward the door. "Just try and relax and get some sleep, alright."

She sat down at the edge of the tub and dried off her hair, humming to herself as she tried to remain calm. Pregnant. She would just deal with this tomorrow. She couldn't even think of it right now. She stood up quickly, feeling a slight rush of dizziness as she leaned against the sink. She just needed to sleep.

She dressed quietly, trying to silence the voices in her head as she pulled the covers over her. She needed to sleep. She had a show tomorrow and nothing and no one was going to stop her from being a star.

"Rachel would you please get off that stage, you're going to hurt yourself." Rachel heard Finn calling to her from out in the seats. "Finn?" She yelled into the darkness of the theater. "Finn is that you?" Rachel walked toward the edge of the stage when the spotlight hit her in the face. She covered her eyes, trying to drown out the lights. "Rachel, please be careful." She heard Finn's voice again and walked to the stairs. "How did you even get up there? I told you not to get on that stage in the state you are in." Rachel saw Finn come into view at the front of the theater.

"Finn, I'm fine. What is wrong with you?" She asked as he reached out to help her down the stairs. "I can't have you falling down and hurting the baby." She heard Finn say as she looked down. She was startled when she saw the size of her stomach protruding from her view. "Oh my God." She exclaimed. Finn looked at her puzzled. "What's wrong hunny?" Rachel grabbed her stomach and felt a pain hit her. Finn lunged forward, "Oh Rachel, I told you being on this stage would hurt the baby." Rachel felt her feet come out from under her. "No I'm not….I'm not ready to…."

Suddenly she felt pain and the urge to push and Finn was at her side. "Push baby, you're going to be a mommy now." Rachel stared up at the lights. "No Finn, I was just on stage, I have to do a show." Finn smirked at her, "Rachel, you know that's over now. You're a mom." Rachel looked down and screeched at the sight of the 2 year old sitting in her arms. "Finn." Rachel yelled loudly. Finn walked closer to her, he was wearing coveralls with his name on his shirt. "Rach, I have to go back to work now, you know we can't afford for me to miss too many days." Suddenly she wasn't sitting in a theater; she was sitting in a small dirty home. Her apron was torn and Finn's face was dirty. "Don't worry; my mom will be home to check on you and all the kids soon."

The crying startled her as she realized she was surrounded by children of all ages. Some were lying on the floor on blankets, others were tugging at her apron yelling for food, and even more of them were sitting in high chairs crying and screaming as they flung peas across the room at each other. The timer on the oven started to ring and ring and ring….

"No…." Rachel screamed as she sat up in bed. Sweat was pouring from her forehead and she clutched at the blankets around her.

The phone on her bed side table was ringing. Finn's name shone on the screen, his face illuminating the room.

She lay her head back down on the pillow, pushing the sound of the phone out of her mind, sinking into the warmth of her covers until the ringing stopped.

Rachel was pregnant. And this was just the beginning of her nightmare.