"Finn and I are proud to announce... that we're finally getting married." Rachel's voice rang out with excitement, her eyes shining as she proudly displayed the ring Finn had bought her. Anticipation hung in the air as they awaited the reactions of their friends and classmates, but the response they received was not what they had expected.

Puck was the first to break the stunned silence, his tone laced with playful sarcasm. "When's the baby's due date?" he quipped, earning a few chuckles from those gathered.

"Wait, guys, have you both carefully thought this through?" Mr. Schue interjected, his brow furrowed as he took a seat in one of the chairs at the front of the class, concern etched on his features.

"Yes. And our parents are totally behind us, and your plan to stop us by telling them totally backfired, Mr. Schue."

Kurt raised his hand, his expression a mixture of disapproval and concern. "Actually, I'm the one who told them," he admitted with a disgusted face looking at the couple. "Because I think you guys are making a mistake. A huge mistake."

Quinn, her voice tinged with skepticism, spoke up next. "When's the wedding?" she asked, her enthusiasm noticeably lacking.

"The date is TBD, but I can assure all of you that we're going to have a very simple and elegant ceremony at the Justice of the Peace, which all of you are invited to, and we're registered at Samuel French."

"You guys aren't mature enough or old enough to properly face this type of commitment."

"If you don't support us, then I feel sorry for you, and you're not invited to the wedding. Which makes me really sad, because I would have loved to have seen you in a bridesmaid's dress, Quinn."

Rachel's gaze then turned to Kurt, her disappointment extending to him as well. "And you as well, Kurt," she added softly, her heart heavy with the weight of his disapproval.

Tina offered a small smile, her voice filled with understanding as she spoke up. "I'd be happy to be a bridesmaid, Rachel," she offered, reaching out to squeeze her boyfriend's hand in a show of solidarity. "I'm not sure I'm ready to get married, but I do know what being in love feels like."

"We'll be there," Mike added, offering his support with a warm smile.

"Thanks, guys," Finn responded with a grateful smile, his eyes reflecting a glimmer of hope. "And we hope the rest of you all change your minds because it would mean a lot to us if you were all there."


"Looking hot, Fabray," Isaac's voice, filled with admiration, drew Quinn's attention as she approached him. A smile spread across her lips at the sight of him leaning casually against the hood of his car. He was impeccably dressed in a sleek, all-black suit paired with a crisp white shirt and a perfectly tied black bow tie. His usually tousled hair appeared neatly styled, and the clean-shaven look added an air of sophistication.

Returning his compliment with a playful grin, she bit her lip coyly before moving closer. "Right back at you, Hargrave," she quipped in response, her eyes trailing appreciatively over his figure. As he opened the car door for her, she felt a rush of warmth at his chivalrous gesture.

"M'lady, you have your dress behind you if you want to change," he offered, his voice soft and inviting as he gestured towards the back seats. She nodded gratefully and slipped into the car, closing the door behind her. With practiced ease, Isaac rounded the vehicle and settled into the driver's seat, starting the car with a confident hand.

Once on the road, the sun cast a golden glow over the landscape, while a gentle spring breeze danced through the open windows, carrying with it the promise of a beautiful evening.

"Aren't you afraid to take the car?"

Isaac met her gaze in the rearview mirror, his expression thoughtful. "Are you saying that because of my parents' accident?" he inquired gently. Quinn nodded, and he offered her a reassuring smile before focusing back on the road. "My mother was more afraid than I was," he admitted with a shrug.

"Sometimes I have nightmares about the accident. The pictures of the accident kept coming up on the news, and I often had horrible nightmares thinking that you hadn't survived."

"I'm sorry I worried you, baby."

Quinn shook her head, her eyes brimming with emotion. "I'm just glad you're okay," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "Sometimes... sometimes when I look at the scars you have from the accident, I thank God you survived."

"I never liked looking in the mirror," he confessed sheepishly. "I asked my mother to give me a small mirror, just enough so I could see my face and hair." He shifted uncomfortably, his gaze dropping to the road ahead. "I know that now you can hardly see the scars, but when I was younger, they were noticeable, and I didn't

"Well, they remind me that my boyfriend is the bravest person I know."

"You're the one to talk. You're brave, Quinn. Always have been and always will be. Why don't you sleep for a while? I promise I'll let you know when we arrive."

"But I like talking to you."

"And I like talking to you too," he conceded with a fond smile. "But you woke up early today, and it's been a day of many emotions. You need to rest, baby."

"You really know how to compliment a girl, Sunshine," she muttered sarcastically, though a playful glint danced in her eyes. "Telling her she looks like a freaking racoon."

"Then you're the prettiest racoon I've ever seen. Sleep, seriously. We still have 30 minutes left."

"Okay," she relented with a soft sigh, her resistance melting away under his gentle persuasion. "But only because I want to, and not because you're telling me to."

"Whatever you say, baby."


"Wow, Rachel, you... You just... You look..." Finn's voice trailed off into a murmur of amazement as his gaze fell upon his fiancée, clad in her resplendent white dress. His brown eyes widened with awe as he took in her radiant beauty, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

Rachel couldn't help but smile at his reaction, her heart swelling with love and excitement. "You do, too," she replied, her voice soft yet filled with joy. "Ready to go in there?"

"Just-just-just hold on just a second," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper as he continued to drink in the sight of her. "I-I just want to... take a second just to... remember this. Us."

However, their private moment was interrupted by the distinctive sound of a notification echoing through the hallway. Finn reached into his pocket, retrieving his cell phone to read the message that had interrupted their reverie.

"Oh, it's Isaac," he announced with a smile, his attention momentarily diverted. "Sorry. 'We had to run home to get Quinn's bridesmaid's dress. Be there in 15.' Great." Despite the interruption, his smile remained bright as he extended an arm to his future wife. "Well, Miss Hudson-Berry, everyone's waiting."


Isaac sat behind the wheel of his car, the soft glow of the sun filtering through the windshield, casting intricate patterns of light and shadow across the dashboard. His fingers tapped nervously against the steering wheel as the phone beside him lay silent, its screen momentarily dimmed after his conversation with Finn.

His gaze flicked to the rearview mirror, where his girlfriend lay sleeping peacefully in the backseat. Her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, the gentle cadence of her breathing a soothing backdrop against the backdrop of the bustling world outside. A small smile played across Isaac's lips as he watched her, a surge of warmth flooding his chest at the sight of her serene expression.

Suddenly, the tranquility was shattered by the sudden blare of a horn, a jarring cacophony that pierced the air like a sharp knife. His heart leaped into his throat as he whipped his head around, his eyes widening in terror as he caught sight of the massive truck hurtling towards them at breakneck speed.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as adrenaline surged through his veins, sharpening his senses and quickening his reflexes. His hands tightened on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white with the force of his grip with the effort as he made a desperate attempt to evade the collision, wrenching the wheel to the side with all his strength. The screech of tires filled the air, mingling with the acrid scent of burning rubber as the car lurched violently, its tires protesting against the sudden change in direction.

But it was too late.

The world erupted into chaos as the truck slammed into the car with bone-jarring force, the deafening sound of metal on metal reverberating through the vehicle. Glass shattered into a thousand glittering fragments, showering the interior like a hailstorm as the car spun wildly out of control and everything around him seemed to tilt and spin around him. Isaac's body was thrown violently forward, the force of the collision sending him reeling against the constraints of his seatbelt.

Isaac felt a profound sense of helplessness wash over him. The edges of his vision began to blur and despite his best efforts to fight against it he found himself unable to do so. Through the haze, he heard Quinn's anguished cries calling out to him, her tone laced with fear and desperation but try as he might, his mouth moving soundlessly as he struggled to form words.

He wanted nothing more than to reassure her, to let her know that he was okay, but the words remained trapped within him, leaving him trapped in a silent world of pain and confusion. And then, with a final, agonizing lurch, with his last thoughts being of his girlfriend, he succumbed to the darkness.


As Quinn's consciousness slowly emerged from the depths of shock-induced oblivion, she found herself enveloped in a swirling vortex of disorienting sensations. The acrid smell of smoke assaulted her nostrils, mingling with the metallic tang of blood that hung thickly in the air. Each inhale felt like swallowing a mouthful of rusted iron, making her stomach churn with nausea.

With a groan, her eyes fluttered open, her vision blurred and swimming as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. The harsh glare of sunlight filtered through the shattered windshield, casting fractured patterns of light and shadow across the interior of the car. Every movement sent a jolt of pain lancing through her skull, the remnants of the impact reverberating in her aching surged within her as her gaze darted around the wreckage, searching desperately for any sign of her boyfriend. But what she saw made her blood run cold.

Isaac lay slumped against the mangled wreckage of the steering wheel, his body contorted into a grotesque and unnatural position. Blood trickled from a deep gash on his forehead, staining his face a vivid crimson. Her heart constricted with fear as she realized the severity of his injuries, a strangled cry escaping her lips.

"I-Isaac," she choked out, her voice trembling with fear and desperation. Each word felt like pushing against a heavy weight, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she fought to stay conscious. "Isaac, can you hear me?"

Summoning every ounce of strength she could muster, she forced herself to move, her limbs heavy and unresponsive as she fought against the overwhelming tide of pain. With painstaking effort, she reached for the door, her fingers trembling as she grasped the handle. The metal felt icy cold against her skin, sending shivers down her spine as she pushed it open, the hinges creaking in protest at the strain.

Ignoring the searing agony that shot through her body with each movement, Quinn staggered to her feet, her muscles protesting with every could feel bile rising in her throat, threatening to choke her as she struggled to hold back the overwhelming tide of emotion threatening to consume her.

With trembling hands, she reached for her phone, her fingers fumbling against the shattered screen. as she struggled to dial a familiar number. Tears blurred her vision as she pressed the buttons, her heart pounding in her chest with a frantic urgency. Finally, a voice answered on the other end of the line, and Quinn felt a rush of relief flood through her veins.

"W-we...we've had an accident," she managed to choke out, her voice raw with emotion. "Please...please help us."


As Sabrina felt the car lurching through the streets of Lima at a breakneck pace, a sickening sense of dread settled in the pit of her stomach. The world outside blurred into a chaotic whirlwind of colors and shapes as they sped through the city, breaking several traffic rules in their frantic rush to reach their destination. When Quinn's frantic voice crackled through the phone, her heart plummeted to the depths of her chest, a sense of impending doom washing over her like a tidal wave. She knew that a call from her was a rare occurrence, and the urgency in her tone sent chills down her spine.

As the words spilled from her son's girlfriend trembling lips, Sabrina's mind reeled in disbelief, memories of the past flooding back with a visceral intensity. The accident that had left Isaac orphaned six years ago loomed large in her mind, casting a shadow of fear over her thoughts.

"SABRINA, WAIT!" her husband's voice rang out, but she paid him no heed as she flung open the car door and sprinted towards the emergency entrance of the hospital. Every step felt like an eternity as she fought against the tide of fear threatening to overwhelm her.

Inside the hospital, her gaze swept over the faces of the Glee Club members, her heart seizing in her chest until she spotted Quinn, her features etched with anguish and fear. Without hesitation, she rushed towards her, her maternal instincts kicking into overdrive as she reached out to grasp her trembling arms.

"Are you okay? Is he okay? What happened?" she bombarded her with questions, her hazel eyes brimming with tears.

The girl's tears flowed freely as she collapsed into her embrace, clinging to her as if she were her lifeline in a stormy sea. She returned the embrace, her heart aching at the sight of the girl's devastation. Once Quinn had regained some semblance of composure, she pulled away slightly and with trembling lips, she began to recount the events that had unfolded, her voice choked with emotion.

"I...I was sleeping," she began, her voice barely above a whisper, "Isaac insisted. The next thing I knew, there was a horn blaring, and the car started spinning out of control. I...I tried to call him, but...but he didn't answer. He was injured, Sabrina, badly. A deep cut on his forehead, a broken arm, fractured ribs... I don't know what 's hurt, Sabrina. He's hurt bad."

"Listen to me, Quinn, this isn't your fault. None of us could have foreseen this. Let's get you looked at, okay?"

As the doors of the emergency room swung open, Alec, Bailey, Jayden, and the twins rushed in, their faces etched with worry and tears streaming down their cheeks. Their collective anxiety was palpable as their eyes sought her.

"I-Is he okay?" Alec's voice trembled with fear as he addressed Sabrina, his eyes searching hers for any sign of hope. It was a question they both knew the answer to, yet dreaded hearing spoken aloud. This was a cruel echo of the nightmare they had lived through six years ago.

"I don't know," she admitted, her voice tinged with anguish. "The doctor hasn't come out yet."

Alec's jaw tensed, his hands clenching into fists as a surge of frustration and helplessness washed over him. He began to pace the length of the hallway, Bailey trailing after him, her voice a soothing presence amidst the storm of emotions.

"Come on, baby, you need to calm down," she urged gently, her words a soothing balm to his frayed nerves. "Let's take a breather, okay? Let's get you a drink."

Meanwhile, Gabrielle approached her mother, her eyes red and swollen from tears, her twin offering a comforting embrace. "Mom," she whispered tremulously, her voice thick with emotion, "Is he going to be okay?"

Sabrina's heart broke at the sight of her daughter's distress, her own eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Summoning every ounce of strength she possessed, she forced a weak smile, her voice trembling with uncertainty. "It's Isaac, sweetheart. Of course he's going to be okay. He's in good hands."

As Jayden sank into a nearby chair, his head bowed in defeat, the weight of their shattered dreams hung heavy in the air. His broken voice echoed through the hallway, "We were supposed to win State this year, together. We were going to move to Newark."

Alec crouched down beside him, his strong arms enveloping him in a comforting embrace. "Listen to me, Jay," he murmured, his voice filled with conviction. "You're going to do it, okay? All those dreams are going to come true. This is just a simple bump in the road."

As the minutes stretched on, time seemed at an excruciating pace, each passing moment heavy with anticipation and anxiety. Some members of the group sought refuge in the nearby cafeteria, their restless energy driving them to pace the linoleum floors or fidget nervously with their hands. Others remained clustered in the hallway, their eyes fixed on the swinging doors of the emergency room, waiting with bated breath for any sign of news.

Then, like a beacon of hope cutting through the darkness, a doctor emerged from the depths of the emergency room, his expression grave yet tinged with a hint of reassurance. Instantly, Sabrina, Mason, and Alec were at his side, their hearts pounding in their chests as they awaited his words.

The doctor's gaze softened as he met their eyes, offering a small, comforting smile to ease their fears. "First of all," he began, "it's a miracle he's still alive. The quick thinking and reflexes that led him to swerve the car likely saved both his life and the life of the young woman with him."

"Quinn. Her name is Quinn," Sabrina interjected, her voice firm with maternal pride. "She's my son's girlfriend."

"Physically, given the circumstances, he's in relatively stable condition. He sustained a broken arm, a few fractured ribs, and some lacerations, but nothing that won't heal with time. However, in cases like this, the concern lies..."

"His head," Alec finished the doctor's sentence, his voice heavy with dread. "You need him to wake up to assess the true extent of the damage."

"Exactly," the doctor affirmed. "We've induced a coma to give his brain time to heal. Now, all we can do is wait."

Jayden's voice, rough with concern, cut through the tense silence, his question echoing the fears that lurked in the hearts of everyone present. "Is he going to be able to walk?"

The doctor's gaze softened as he regarded the young man before him, understanding the depth of his worry. "I can't make any guarantees at this point," he admitted, his tone gentle yet honest. "We'll have a better idea once he wakes up. In the meantime, you're welcome to visit him, but I must ask that you don't all go in at once."


Quinn's gaze lingered on Isaac's sleeping form, her heart heavy with worry and affection. The hospital room was filled with a soft, sterile light that cast gentle shadows across his features. Stitches adorned the cut on his forehead, a testament to the ordeal he had endured, while a cast encased his left arm, a tangible reminder of his injuries.

As familiar footsteps approached, she turned her attention Sabrina, who stood offering a cup of coffee with a sympathetic smile. Gratefully accepting the warm beverage, she took a sip, the comforting heat seeping into her hands.

"Haven't you gone in to see him yet?"

"My name is Lucy Quinn Fabray," she began. A gasp of surprise escaped Sabrina's lips, but she continued. "I was born and raised in Fairbrook, and attended Belville Elementary."

"I... I had no idea."

"LUCY! LUCY CABOOSEY!" The mocking chants echoed in her memory, a painful reminder of the taunts she endured as a child. "Lucy was... she was a chubby girl with glasses, antisocial, and riddled with pimples. Everyone called her Lucy Caboosey, and at five years old, that girl was lucky enough to meet a brown-haired boy who loved skating more than walking like a normal person."

As she spoke, memories of her childhood with Isaac flooded her mind. "Isaac and I were inseparable," she explained, a hint of nostalgia in her voice. "He protected me from everyone who dared to mess with me. He was funny, kind, and thoughtful, just like Jacob was with Sophia."

"Jacob and Sophia?" Sabrina's voice trembled with emotion, her eyes shining with tears. "You met them?"

"They were like second parents to me. Many times, when Isaac would take me to his house and we would watch his parents, he would tell me that he dreamed of a relationship like that – like his parents had. And I... well, Lucy dreamed of marrying him. There was nothing she wanted more."

"As I said, Lucy wasn't exactly the most popular girl, but he was. He was the boy everyone wanted to be friends with, and the girls... many of them wanted the attention that Isaac gave to me. They were cruel, Sabrina. They taunted me, bullied me," Quinn confessed, her voice tinged with pain. "One day, when Isaac wasn't with me and I was in the shower, they threw slushies at me – a handful of them – leaving me completely humiliated. Isaac never knew about it."

"Does he know ?" the woman's voice was barely a whisper, her understanding dawning.

"He knows. We had a fight a month before he disappeared."

Quinn's fingers played nervously with the delicate gold cross around her neck, "He gave me this cross the summer of the accident, along with his Belleville Bulldogs hockey jersey and a crystal gardenia that I still have."

Sabrina chuckled lightly, a brief moment of levity in the midst of their conversation. "That boy always did have a way of getting his way."

"Isaac promised me he would come back. That summer, before getting into that damn car, he promised me he would come back. And when he didn't..." Her voice trailed off, tears shimmering in her eyes as memories flooded back.

"I felt abandoned, betrayed, and humiliated," Quinn confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "I was just 11 years old at the time, I didn't know any better. I was angry with him, I hated him for abandoning me, for making me so dependent on him. My father was offered a job in Lima, and I begged him to accept it. I needed to get away from there, everything reminded me of him, and he wasn't there anymore."

"I'm so sorry."

"I became the girl you see now.I lost weight, dyed my hair blonde like my parents', and asked to be called Quinn. I wanted to bury Lucy and promised myself that no one would ever find out who I really was."

Sabrina's eyes widened in realization as Quinn's words sank in. "You saw him at Homecoming. Jayden mentioned that you recognized him and called him by his name."

"Part of me hoped that he would remember me," she confessed. "And when he didn't, it completely unsettled me. Having him back in my life meant that at some point, I would have to explain our past. I hadn't worked so hard to rebuild my life just to have someone from my past unravel it all, no matter how close we once were."

"I never understood why you reacted like that when I told you his name. Now I understand."

"I know the slushie thing was a mistake, but that didn't give you the right to treat me the way you did," Quinn replied sharply, her tone tinged with bitterness. "You didn't know me. You didn't know anything about my life."

"I'm his mother, you have to understand me," Sabrina attempted to defend herself, her voice tinged with remorse.

"Not going out with Isaac the first time he asked not only broke his heart, it broke mine too. Isaac reminded me of Lucy, a part of me I wanted to bury. Having him back brought back some of the best and worst moments of my life, and he would soon find out. I wasn't prepared for him to find out."

Quinn lifted her gaze to meet Sabrina's, her expression filled with resolve. "Sabrina, I've known Isaac for as long as I can remember. I can confidently say that I know him better than anyone else, apart from his parents," she asserted. Before the woman could interject, she held up a hand to silence her. "I told Isaac once, and now I'm telling you: this is me, for better and worse. Take it or leave it. But I want you to know one thing—I lost Isaac once as Lucy, and I almost lost him again less than a year ago. I won't make the same mistake a third time."

With those words hanging in the air, she grasped the doorknob and entered the room. Sabrina watched thoughtfully from the other side of the glass, her heart heavy with the weight of the girl's words. She observed as she approached him and the way she looked at her son—as if he had hung the moon and stars in the sky—brought tears to her eyes.

At that moment, she realized that perhaps she had been too quick to judge Quinn and the depth of her feelings for her son. With a smile tugging at her lips, she walked away from the room, knowing that Isaac was in the best possible hands.

"Welcome to the family, Quinn."