Glee: "Idiosyncrasy" (3/ ?)
CHAPTER TWO
YOU STAY WITH ME
Artist: Faith Hill
LIMA, OHIO 2010 - EARLY WINTER
"I simply can't stay at Puck's any longer. He's driving me insane." Quinn sighed more to herself than anyone around her. Matter of fact she forgot that she wasn't alone at the library table. She forgot that she was studying with Mercedes and Rachel. "He's harping non stop about keeping Beth. I simply can't allow the poor boy to get his hopes up on being daddy to her." Tears sparkled in her eyes, "It's not fair to him."
"I have talked to my folks. With my brother off at college - his room is just lying in waste. Collecting dust." Mercedes said. "If you don't mind a boy's deco - then the room is yours for as long as you need it."
Quinn came out of herself in shock. She eyed Mercedes in dumb shock. "I wasn't complaining to hint around for another place to stay. I'm just fine at Puck's; after all he's the father of Beth. It's proper that I stay with him."
"In his basement." Mercedes snorted. "You need a proper place to place your head, Quinn. Don't just think of yourself - think of your daughter!"
"Puck's mother would never allow her grandchild to be in danger. She wouldn't have offered the basement if it wasn't safe." Quinn said her voice steel. Her hands were gripping her English book tightly. "Forget what I said. I'm just fine where I am."
"Stay with me." Rachel said quietly.
Quinn's head slowly turned to the right - where Rachel was sitting beside her with her head lowered. Her mouth formed into fish lips repeatedly. She tried to speak; but she quite lost her voice. She was shocked to the core at what Rachel was offering.
"I'm not going to offer up my basement to you, Quinn. Although my fathers and I had made sure that there is no mold or unsafe things down there. It is actually hyper genetically cleaned on a weekly bases. Granted there are two guest bedrooms located down there - and a nice common space. But it's highly unfit for an expected mother." Rachel kept her eyes glued onto her text book. "What I'm offering is one of the guest bedrooms located on the second floor of my house - or if you want we have a spacious attic that we turned into a bedroom. I actually love it up there myself. It's so peaceful and serene."
Quinn's hand reached over, and touched Rachel's slightly shaking right one. "Perhaps going up to the attic isn't the safest for you right now. I was stupid for suggesting it."
"You aren't stupid." Quinn softly said.
Rachel turned and met Quinn's hazel eyes. "Stupid me offered you the top most of my house. I offered you to be apart from my fathers, and I by one floor. The floor that is muffled by a door way. If you suddenly needed help - it would take my fathers, and I valuable time to get to you. Depending on where we are in the house."
Quinn's free hand lifted to lightly trace Rachel's cheek bone. "Rachel -"
Rachel lowered her eyes once more, "It was stupid of me to offer. S-stay with Mercedes. You'll be much safer with the Jones."
"Hey baby mama, my mom wanted me to make sure you got home all right." Puck said rushing up to the table. "Meaning it's time to get out of this hell hole that we fondly call school."
Quinn didn't remove her hands from Rachel's body. "Your home isn't mine, Puck. Please tell your mother thank you for a place to stay. But, I won't be putting her out any longer."
Puck frowned darkly, "What you are going back to Finn's. I don't think so. You are my baby mama not his. Finn isn't going to be allowed to make your or our daughter's life miserable any longer."
"Like Finn would ever offer Quinn an hand now that he knows that Beth isn't his." Mercedes snorted. "I have offered my brother's room to Quinn. She'll be staying with me."
"Oh." Puck said with relief.
"Tell your mother, that I'll personally thank her for allowing me to stay with you guys. But, in the meantime - can I ask you and Mercedes to pack my things. Take them to Rachel's. We'll meet you there later." Quinn said never taking her eyes off of Rachel's still body.
"Wait, wait. My baby mama is going to be living 24/7 with my favorite Jew?" Puck looked up at the ceiling - then down at the ground. "Hate to have to ask this. But, did Hell freeze over? Did pigs fly? Did the Jewish race start to eat pork?"
Mercedes stood up, and pushed Puck's right shoulder, "Come on fellow. Let's do Quinn's bidding." She leaned in closer, "Leave these two alone. Quinn needs to convince Rachel that this is the right thing to do."
Puck finally looked at Rachel and saw that she wasn't all right. "Quinn." He said in a soft warning voice.
Quinn didn't acknowledge him. "Rachel, talk to me." Her hand gently retraced the skin that it previously had ran across.
Puck knew then that he was wrong in his conclusion. "All right, your things will be at Rachel's by the time you get there, my baby mama." He walked away with Mercedes telling him everything that had happened in the past ten minutes.
Quinn moved her head so it was resting against the shorter girl's shoulder. "Why are you being so damn stubborn, Rachel? Here you went off and invited me to live with you - then you take it back all in the next breath. I don't understand you. I don't want to understand you."
"You would be much happier at Mercedes." Rachel breathed. "You wouldn't have shit thrown at your face once the others find out where you are staying. They may question your reasoning … but they will just nod in understanding, and realize that Mercedes is the proper place for you during the last stages of your pregnancy. I mean Mrs. Jones is a nurse after all."
"Your fathers are both doctors." Quinn pointed out. "I would be in much better hands at your house. Guess it's time to tell you that your father, Kristopher, is my doctor. When the doctor confirmed that I was indeed pregnant; I knew that I had to find someone whom I trusted to take care of my baby from the get go. I was leaning against the wall in numbness - when my eyes gazed the names on the black plank across from me. Your last name was suddenly the only thing that I could see in the sudden blackness. I knew it was God's sign that you somehow had to be part of my pregnancy."
"So dad knows everything that you willing put me through. Through your own lips is that it? He should have told me that he spoke to you. I didn't need to know that he became your doctor. That is between you and him. But, I have the right to know that my father found out about your treatment against me by your own lips." Her jaw tightened. "After all he he and daddy all ready know everything that you and everyone else has put me through - because I fucking told them."
"I asked him not to tell you." Quinn's hand had left Rachel's face as the brunette was speaking. It now was resting on the slim stomach. "I didn't want to give you false hope. I didn't know if I could get enough courage to truly change from my bitchiness, and finally prove to you that I truly want you as my friend. That I truly wanted you imprinted in my soul."
Rachel stiffened up even more. "Stop Quinn." She whispered. "Just stop."
"I can't." Quinn whispered her mouth just an inch from Rachel's ear. "I won't."
If someone had come by and wanted to paint the two girls - they wouldn't had to have worried about any movement. Rachel and Quinn would have made the perfect still life painting. Rachel sitting straight and tall with her head lowered, and her hands gripping her English text book in a death hold - and Quinn with her head on Rachel's shoulder, her face against the brunette's neck. Her left arm beneath the table; holding onto the brunette's stomach. Her right arm on the table with the palm of her hand covering Rachel's left hand.
"You-stay-with-me." Rachel said between her teeth after she had turned her face to look deep into Quinn's soul. "I'm happy that you and Beth are in good hands."
"Rachel, I'm sorry." Quinn said.
"There is no need for you to apologize too me, Quinn Fabray. Ever," Rachel gently pushed Quinn away from her. "Let's go home." Stranding up and holding out her hand for the blond haired hazel eyed teen before her.
Quinn reached out, and intertwined her fingers with the short brunette diva; with the chocolate eyes that she simply got lost in.
NEW YORK, 2015
"You offering your home to me was the saving Grace of my life." Quinn softly said as she stared into the warmth but tear filled chocolate eyes before her. "If you hadn't and I went to live with Mercedes then my life wouldn't be what it is now."
"You would be in a much better place now. Beth would have everything she ever wanted." Rachel whispered. "I wish I had a time machine - then I would have gone back in time, and saved you from making the most horrible decision of your life."
"If I went to live with the Jones - then I would have allowed Shelby to adopt Beth." Quinn truthfully stated. "I was close to letting her have Beth - I was so set in that decision - up to the point of watching you holding her for the first time. I knew then that I couldn't take Beth from you."
"I would have gone to Shelby's to be with Beth." Rachel shrugged.
"You would have left your fathers behind to be able to protect my little girl. You knew that if I had succeeded in my plan on getting Beth adopted - that I never planned on visiting my baby girl again. Even through I opted for an open adoption." Quinn knowing nodded her head. "You would have gone to live with your birth mother - even through to you at the time believed she didn't want you. You would have willing watched your birth mother bond with a baby that wasn't born of her body - instead of truly bonding with you."
"I would have wanted to know absolutely sure if Shelby was loving Beth truly. She honestly didn't seem fit to handle a new born." Shaking her shoulders, "After all she freely gave me up at birth." Tilting her head, "You know about the contact that she willing signed before she even became pregnant right?"
"You not only protected Beth that day that you offered your home to me - but you saved my life." Quinn breathed. "If I had been successful on giving Beth up - I would have eventually killed myself. Out of sheer guilt on what I did to my baby girl." She took a step forward. "Let me return the favor, Rachel."
"You don't have too. I didn't do what I did for you to owe me one." Rachel shook her head.
END CHAPTER TWO