Chapter 17

Rachel POV

"Rachel, our blood test results are accurate up to 99.9% so you can rest assured that these results are correct. Our tests show that you are not pregnant."

Rachel felt a huge sigh of relief as the doctor finished his sentence. She wasn't pregnant.

"It is not unlikely that someone in a high stress job could sometimes be late with their monthly cycle. Do you feel that you have been under any stress lately, Rachel?" The doctor was asking her.

"Um, I guess. I mean my husband just finished a six month road tour so he's been away from home and I guess I've been stretching myself thin by performing six nights a week while he was gone."

The doctor nodded. "Yes that may contribute to it. I would suspect that now that your husband is home, you should try and relax and your monthly cycle should resume as normal. However, it is entirely possible to skip the entire month as you balance out again. That shouldn't be too much to worry about however, so let's just follow up next month if you still have not started menstruating."

Rachel looked over at Finn and saw his face crinkle at the conversation.

"Ok thank you very much for your time today." She said excitedly as she stood to shake his hand. He walked them toward the door and ushered them back to the waiting room.

Rachel almost skipped out the front doors of the building. "Oh I'm so happy." She said as she turned to face Finn. She looked up at him but could not read his face. "Are you happy?" She said shyly.

"Uh yeah I guess." He stumbled through his words. "I mean, I guess it's a good thing right? Not like we had room in the apartment for a kid."

"Exactly!" She exclaimed.

They took a cab back to the apartment and were surprised to see it bustling with people. Rachel pushed through the crowd to find Kurt. She found him in the kitchen with the music blaring.

"Kurt?" She yelled over the radio. "Kurt!"

Kurt turned and then squealed, "Oh I'm glad you're here. Where have you been? You knew I had a ton of things to finish before it started!" He said half angrily.

"Started?" Rachel questioned.

"Quinn's surprise baby shower?" His hands were on his hips. "Oh don't tell me you forgot!"

Rachel had forgotten, in all the mess of her own worries, she had completely forgotten that she and Kurt were throwing Quinn a shower today. Normally showers were done when the person was closer to delivering but Quinn was going back to Ohio for a few months to see her family now that Noah was no longer touring and they wanted to make sure they sent them off with style.

"Oh my God Kurt, I'm so sorry I forgot. I was at the Doctor's."

Kurt stopped fuming at her for a moment. "Oh God, are we having two showers?"

"No, I'm not pregnant." She said with a huge grin.

"Oh. Well I guess Congratulations are in order?" He turned and went back to putting the cookies on a plate. "You are both happy about that right?" He handed her the tray of cookies.

"Of course, I mean it's not like we were all going to live here with a baby."

"Of course you weren't going to live HERE with a baby; I was already planning to kick you out!" He joked.

Rachel laughed and took the tray to the living room. Finn was sitting on the couch with a beer in his hand talking to Sam. He looked up at her and Rachel swore she saw sadness in his eyes. But he smiled at her and she sat the cookies down as Noah came running into the apartment.

"Ok I had to ditch her, but she's almost here….."

He was out of breath and bent over when the door opened to slam him on the bottom.

"Noah Puckerman, I can't believe you closed the elevator door on a pregnant woman!" Quinn entered the room and then looked around at everyone staring, mouths agape.

"Um….Surprise?" Noah said looking up at her.

Quinn's face reddened and then tears welled up in her eyes. "Oh my God you guys shouldn't have." She squealed.

"Surprise!" Everyone yelled in unison amidst the laughter.

Rachel walked over and took Quinn's coat. "Happy surprise shower!" She exclaimed and Quinn hugged her tightly.

"Thank you Rachel."

Rachel was flanked by well wishers trying to get near Quinn and Noah so she quickly excused herself from the center of attention. She watched as Finn gave his congratulations to Quinn, curious as Quinn whispered in his ear and she noticed that Finn shook his head sadly at whatever she asked. Quinn frowned and then hugged him again.

"Rachel, can you help me grab some drinks; I made bottles with beer in them for people to drink out of." Kurt was beaming at his party planning skills.

"Gross, you want them to suck on bottle nipples?" Rachel stared at the bottles in the basket.

"Duh, what straight guy wouldn't want to do that? Nipples AND beer!" Kurt rolled his eyes and left with a basket full of baby bottles. Rachel started to gather more of them into her own basket.

She marveled at how small they were. It was amazing that a tiny little bottle like this was enough to feed a small baby. She felt a knot in her throat that she quickly choked back.

"There you are." Quinn paused. "Oh my goodness what is that?" Quinn gasped staring at the basket in Rachel's hand.

"Kurt thinks this will satisfy the boys with nipple fetishes, I think." She laughed.

"I guess even gay guys understand the true mentality of straight guys." She shrugged and leaned against the counter. Rachel watched as Quinn reached down and rubbed her stomach. She wasn't large yet, but she was starting to show if you looked at her long enough.

"How are you feeling?" Rachel asked.

"Pretty good, old I guess." She laughed. "I don't remember my ankles hurting like this the first time around, but I feel good otherwise. I'm trying to enjoy it this time around. Trying to notice the things I disregarded with Beth."

Rachel was curious. "What do you mean?"

"You know…things like that first kick. I remember in high school I thought I had eaten too many hamburgers and was plagued with horrendous gas. Only to find out months later it was my baby kicking."

Rachel giggled. "It feels like gas?"

"Yeah like bubbles. It's hard to explain. I started feeling them this week. And I just lie in bed and close my eyes and imagine this tiny little pea floating around in there, causing all this havoc that it makes bubbles in my tummy that I can feel. It's pretty amazing." Quinn was positively glowing from head to toe.

"I bet." She said, a feeling of sadness sweeping over her.

"And I went to the Doctor on Monday and Noah and I got to hear the heartbeat." She was giddy with excitement. "It's the most amazing sound your ears will ever hear. Like an ocean pounding all around you. I've never felt so in tuned with anything in my entire life."

Rachel smiled. "You'll be a good mom, Quinn."

"Thanks. I hope one day we see a little Berry-Hudson roaming the halls. Though for your sake I hope that baby takes more after you than Finn because God help your body if it comes out Finn sized."

Rachel tried to laugh. "Oh Lord, I'm not sure Finn and I are ready for that just yet."

"You never know. When you least expect it, that's when it hits you."

"What?"

"The baby buzz! One day you're not even thinking about it and the next…" Quinn snapped her fingers and then took the basket out of Rachel's hands. "I think I'll go feed Noah's nipple fetish, if you don't mind." She winked and disappeared around the corner.

Rachel sat at the table in the kitchen alone. Her hand ran across her tiny stomach. She wasn't pregnant, but she had the weirdest feeling like she had lost something.