Two weeks went by of Rachel getting closer to her new parents and healing. She also got to know Meredith's hospital family and she had to admit she liked them. She was slowly getting used to being around all these people without flinching or staring at the floor instead of their eyes like she was trained to do with her father. She was happy to finally be cleared go home and be placed in Meredith and Derek's care. She was also happy to have Lexie. She found it very easy to talk to Lexie and to confide in Lexie.
Rachel was happy but questioned it and still had her guard up. Everybody was off their shift at the hospital and Rachel was going to go to her new home for the first time. After Derek opened the front door she walked in slowly and took in her surroundings. It was nothing like her home with her father which is something she was grateful for because it was one less nightmare to add to her list.
"I'll show you around Rachel." Meredith said holding out her hand for Rachel. She gave Meredith a small smile and took her hand. She was a little nervous after all this was a whole new family and she was trying to be as open and as little doubtful as she could be. She still couldn't believe these people could love her as they have because she was not used to it. Her father had drilled so much hate and doubt and loathing into her mind and soul that it physically hurt sometimes for her to breathe.
Meredith led Rachel around the first floor showing her the kitchen, living room, and bathroom. Then she led her upstairs to show her everyone's rooms and the second bathroom before she stopped at Rachel's room. Rachel's jaw literally could have hit the floor. She was shocked she had a king sized bed, a closet full of clothes, a laptop, and an acoustic guitar in the corner.
"Is all this for me?" She asked wide eyed as she walked around her room in shock.
"I hope you don't mind Arizona told me you could play so I gave you my old guitar."
"This is amazing Meredith. Thank you so much." Rachel gave Meredith a hug and thanked her over and over once again.
"It's okay Rachel you don't have to thank me. I wanted to. I'm going to go order some pizza for dinner while you get settled up here okay?"
Rachel nodded and sat on her bed when Meredith left just taking everything in. Nobody was ever this nice to her and frankly she was surprised anyone would want to be this nice to her. She walked over to her corner and grabbed the guitar and sat on her bed. She took a deep breath and started to sing
"When she was just a girl
She expected the world
But it flew away from her reach
So she ran away in her sleep
Dreamed of para- para- paradise
Para- para- paradise
Para- para- paradise
Every time she closed her eyes
Whoa-oh-oh oh-oooh oh-oh-oh
When she was just a girl
She expected the world
But it flew away from her reach
And the bullets catch in her teeth
Life goes on
It gets so heavy
The wheel breaks the butterfly
Every tear, a waterfall
In the night, the stormy night
She closed her eyes
In the night, the stormy night
Away she'd fly.
And dreamed of para- para- paradise
Para- para- paradise
Para- para- paradise
Whoa-oh-oh oh-oooh oh-oh-oh
she dreamed of para- para- paradise
Para- para- paradise
Para- para- paradise
Whoa-oh-oh oh-oooh oh-oh-oh.
La la la La
La la la
So lying underneath those stormy skies.
She said oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh.
I know the sun must set to rise.
This could be para- para- paradise
Para- para- paradise
This could be para- para- paradise
Whoa-oh-oh oh-oooh oh-oh-oh.
This could be para- para- paradise
Para- para- paradise
Could be para- para- paradise
Whoa-oh-oh oh-oooh oh-oh-oh.
This could be para- para- paradise
Para- para- paradise
Could be para- para- paradise
Whoa-oh-oh oh-oooh oh-oh-oh.
Oo-oo-oo, oo-oo-oo, oo-oo-oo
Oo-oo-oo, oo-oo-oo, oo-oo-oo
She was so focused on her singing that she didn't realize Lexie standing in her door way watching her that when she did notice her she jumped.
"I'm sorry was I too loud?"
Lexie giggled and shook her head no.
"No but you sounded amazing. You're very talented." Rachel smiled and shook her head and shrugged.
"I'm not but thanks."
"Dinner's here and everybody's downstairs." Lexie told her while helping her up and grabbing her hand. Before they made it downstairs Lexie turned around.
"They think you're pretty talented too by the way." She said and gave Rachel's nose a little tap and continued walking down stairs. Rachel blushed before hurrying downstairs. Everybody was downstairs and said hello to Rachel. She gave them polite smiles and waves but ends up sticking close to Arizona and Callie when everybody sat down to eat.
"We heard you singing when we came in your really good." Callie told her giving her a smile.
"Thanks it's just a hobby I picked up when I got sad or bored at my old home."
"How many other instruments do you play?"
"Not many just umm… drums, piano, bass, cello, viol…lin." Rachel said violin slowly as she realized everyone was gapping at her.
"I spent a lot of time in the music room at my old school…."
"Wow okay…" Derek said
"Do you speak any different languages?"
"Yeah Spanish."
"Está usted de algo?"
"Sí, yo soy fluido en la lengua de mi madre biológica me enseñó."
"Mi gusta." Cali said as Rachel grinned at her and Arizona shook her head.
"That is very cool of you Ducky." Lexie said.
"Anything else we should know about you Rachel?"
"Uh I don't eat meat and I'm a lesbian." Everybody either laughed coughed and nearly spit out there drink or high fived Rachel.
"Well at least I know in the future I won't have to shoot any boys." Derek said as everyone cracked up.
"Ah another lesbian in the family." Arizona said giving Rachel a fist bump.
The rest of the night was rather eventful. Rachel found it that she was comfortable with these people after 3 weeks of being around them in the hospital. They seemed like legit people but she still had her doubts. She still didn't trust easily but she would try. She was just afraid to get hurt. It scared her and she wasn't prepared to have her heart crushed again so she vowed to keep her emotions and thoughts under lock and key. After saying goodbye and helping to clean up even though Meredith told her she didn't have to she headed upstairs to get some sleep. She threw on some comfortable clothes that she found in her drawer and climbed into her bed. She hit the lights and kept her iPod close just in case she had another nightmare. The music would always soothe her.
In the middle of the night Rachel shot up in her bed, eyes wide open, and looked around to make sure she wasn't back with him and that this all hadn't been a sick dream she had. When she was sure she wasn't back in her own home she picked up her iPod and checked the time. She sighed when she saw it was 2 o'clock in the morning. She knew she was never going to fall back to sleep so she grabbed her iPod put one bud in her ear and went down stairs as she started to hum cold shoulder by Adele. She went into the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water. She sat on the stool and began to sing to herself quietly.
Upstairs Lexie heard a noise as she was leaving the bathroom and went to check it out. She climbed down the quietly and heard Rachel singing.
"What is she doing up this late?" Lexie thought to herself as she walked into the kitchen.
"Ducky? What are you doing up?"
Rachel jumped and looked up slightly scared. Lexie noticed her jump slightly and flinch.
"Hey you okay? Why are you up?" Lexie asked leaning over the counter to talk to Rachel.
"I… I had a night terror and I couldn't go back to sleep. S-so I came down here to get some water. I always drink water when I'm sad s-so I came to get some." Lexie gave Rachel a sad smile and ruffled her hair.
"Come on you can sleep with me in my room so you won't have any more night terrors okay? Like when I stayed at the hospital and held your hand so you could sleep." Lexie said. She observed Rachel and took in her body language at the moment. She would have to talk to Meredith about getting Rachel some counseling. Rachel looked so scared and lost and young and little.
"Okay." Rachel said as she grabbed hold of Lexie's hand. She remembered those nights when Lexie would stay with her and sleep in the hospital after her shift so that she would be able to get some sleep and she was grateful for it. If it wasn't for Lexie she would have been far worse than she was now.
"Come on Ducky I'm sure your tired." Rachel nodded and went upstairs. She fell asleep after 30 minutes and didn't have another night terror that night.