Disclaimer: I do not own the Glee world.

Chapter 1 The arrival of Baby Girl Fabray

Rachel Berry looked into the chamber that held all the newborns in the hospital, quickly locating 'baby girl Fabray' in the second row of cribs. Her tiny hands fisted either side of her head were all Rachel could see of the newborn that wasn't covered in the pink blanket. She still could not believe that only a few hours earlier that perfectly formed little human being had been living in Quinn. Weird was an understatement; something that Rachel Berry barely ever allowed herself to express, even inside her head.

Quinn was asleep now, which was hardly surprising given the excruciating twenty-hour labour. And lucky Rachel Berry had been there from the very beginning. Not really through choice but there had been very few other volunteers to help Quinn through the miracle of birth. And that, Rachel thought, was a term that was honeyed up considerably because what she had seen in that delivery room was not a miracle but a horrific bloody nightmare of terrifying proportions. She shuddered as she remembered the sights, smells and sounds she been subjected to in support of Quinn.

But enough of that. Rachel knew she'd probably go through it all again regardless because she felt really bad for Quinn. Sure, if she hadn't drunkenly slept with her boyfriend's best friend none of this would've happened but Rachel tried not to be one to judge. Once Finn found out that he was not the father of her unborn child he requested that Quinn find somewhere else to live. He didn't do it maliciously of course, Finn's just not that sort of guy. But it was agreed by both parties that things would be too awkward over the dinner table after the gigantic lie she'd been getting them to live. The real father of the baby, Noah Puckerman, had offered that Quinn stay at his but she turned him down, stating that she already had morning sickness to remind her how fucked up her life was without the added suffering of sharing pancakes with the instigator of her shittiness at 7am every school day. Quinn's words, not Rachel's.

Rachel had still felt bad about the whole blabbering to Finn thing which had resulted in Quinn's current predicament and after pleading the pregnant girl's case to her fathers she offered that Quinn come and live with them. Naturally Quinn had been highly sceptical of Rachel's offer at first but Rachel promised that there was no hidden motive behind the suggestion; she just wanted to be a good friend to her fellow Glee-clubber. Quinn had rolled her eyes at her goody-two-shoes-ness but agreed.

The first few weeks were undeniably awkward as they got used to being around each other for long periods of time but things eventually levelled out. They were friends, not crazy BFFs or anything like that but they got on ok and Rachel was more than willing to help out with any weird pregnancy symptom that Quinn was experiencing.

And yesterday, Quinn's waters finally broke, which was a huge relief to Rachel because the baby was a week late and her hormones were turning Quinn into a super-bitch. That goes to show just how cranky Quinn was being because Rachel highly disapproved of cursing.

Puck had showed up a couple of hours into the labour but Quinn had refused to let him see her. Rachel was sent to give him the message that he, "could hold the baby once she arrived but couldn't step a foot into the delivery until that moment."

He had slouched down in his chair and put his hands behind his head with a muttered, "Whatever, Berry." She was about to call him on his awful nonchalance acting but decided that now was probably not the best time.

She went back to Quinn and subsequently had her hand nearly crushed over the next few hours. Rachel believed that she now had a perfect reference to look back on should she ever be required to act out a woman giving birth (possibly a too accurate reference). But once the bloody, writhing blob that was Quinn and Puck's child belted out her first cry all thoughts of Broadway and Academy Awards faded into the far background. She had never seen anything so disgustingly beautiful (oxymoron anyone?). Both she and Quinn were crying as the screaming bundle was passed into Quinn's arms.

After a few minutes Quinn offered the baby to her but she declined. "I believe that seeing as he's the father, it is only right that Noah should get to hold the baby next." Quinn frowned slightly but nodded and Rachel went to fetch him. It felt weird to be out in the real world again and she stumbled slightly out into the corridor.

When she got to the waiting room she discovered that Puck was asleep. Rachel couldn't blame him; it was four-thirty in the morning. She tapped him lightly on the shoulder and he woke with a start.

"Shit, Berry! Don't do that!" he almost growled at her before remembering where he was. "Is everything alright? Is she here?"

Rachel beamed at him. "Don't worry, Noah. Despite the fact that it was a rather prolonged birth both mother and daughter are fine. Quinn says that it's ok for you to hold her now. Hold the baby that is - not hold Quinn herself."

Puck dragged a hand down his face and pulled himself to his feet before following Rachel to Quinn's room. "She's got a healthy set of lungs on her. I think she's definitely going to be a member of Glee in years to come." Rachel showed him the door and left the two of them alone. This felt like a private moment.

She took a few minutes to let her fathers and the other Glee members know what had happened before a sudden thought struck her that maybe someone else should know about Quinn's giving birth...

So here she was, a few hours later looking down at 'baby girl Fabray'. Quinn had decided not to give her a name seeing as she was going to be someone else's little girl soon enough and Quinn didn't want to get attached in any way.

She walked back towards Quinn's room and was only partially surprised to see Mr. and Mrs. Fabray at the other end of the corridor, looking nervous. She was glad that they had agreed to come; Quinn really needed her parents right now.

"Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Fabray? I'm Rachel Berry, I spoke to you on the phone earlier." She held out her hand and they both shook it somewhat reluctantly. "I think Quinn's asleep right now so I could take you to see your grand daughter if you like while we wait for Quinn to wake up?"

From the way their postures both stiffened and their faces tightened Rachel sensed she had said something wrong but she wasn't sure what.

"We are only here to see our daughter, Rachel. So if you could wake her for us." Said Mrs. Fabray in a rather emotionless tone.

"Um, ok." Rachel didn't like being inarticulate but on this occasion she couldn't help it. She was starting to think that calling them may not have been a good idea.

She knocked quietly on Quinn's door and poked her head into the room. Quinn sleepily opened her eyes and stretched, yawning. "What is it?" her voice asked croakily as Rachel shut the door behind her.

"Earlier I took the liberty of phoning your parents because I thought they ought to know that you'd given birth and now they're here to see you. I'm sorry if over stepped some sort of boundary. Do you want me to send them away?" By even Rachel's standards she'd said this quite quickly and Quinn took a few seconds to process the words.

"My parents are here?" she eventually groaned.

"I'm sorry -" Rachel started again but Quinn cut her off.

"Let's just get this over with then. I'll deal with you later." She said with a half smile but Rachel wasn't entirely sure that she was joking.

She let Quinn's Mom and Dad into the room before stepping back into the corridor. Again.

Rachel mulled over what she should do next. Any hospital beverages were completely out of the question (who knew how many dodgy chemicals could be found in their 'coffee'. She liked her vocal chords as they were thank you.). She'd explored the gift shop twice already and had only found it depressing seeing as she couldn't buy Quinn any congratulatory balloons or cuddly toys. She yawned and realized just how freaking tired she was. She couldn't actually remember the last time she'd slept – it seemed like a week since Quinn's waters had broken. Perhaps a walk around the block would wake her up.

Rachel found the cooler air outside refreshing but she could not help but walk quite quickly as she wasn't sure that leaving Quinn completely alone with her parents was such a good idea when she was in such a vulnerable state.

She knocked on Quinn's door a little breathlessly after her fast walking and opened it without waiting for an answer. Quinn was the only other person in the room and she was perched on the edge of the bed, her back facing Rachel who couldn't help to notice that her blonde friend's body language was supremely negative and defensive.

"Is everything ok?" Rachel enquired cautiously when Quinn didn't acknowledge her presence.

Quinn stood up and turned around and two things registered in Rachel's mind immediately. First, Quinn had been crying, a lot. Second, Quinn was dressed in normal clothes, not a hospital gown.

"Quinn, what -"

"I'm leaving, Rachel."

"You want to go back home? Ok, I'll go check that's ok with the nurse. We should really wait until the adoption worker shows up."

"No, Rachel. I'm leaving. I'm leaving Lima, I'm leaving the whole state."

So many thoughts and questions flew through Rachel's head that it took her a while to pinpoint just one. "But. Why?"

"My parents have offered me a new start and I'm gonna take it. We're leaving immediately." Quinn placed some of her things in the baby bag they'd prepared for the birth while Rachel tried to process what Quinn had said.

"You don't need to move! Why can't you just stay here? I know you're feeling all emotional -"

"You have no idea how I'm feeling!" Quinn cut in. "My heart is breaking and I can't stand it! I just want to forget that this ever happened and that's not going to be possible going to McKinley everyday and seeing Puck or Finn or even you! I can't deal with that. I want my old life back and maybe getting a fresh start will do it for me. I've still got two years left of high school and I don't need this following me around for the rest of my life."

"Quinn, please just think about this for a few minutes-"

"No. If I stop now I might change my mind and I don't want to. Look, Rachel, you've been so nice to me, much nicer than I've deserved but you're not going to change my mind. My parents are waiting to take me to yours to get my stuff and then I'm going."

Quinn stuffed the last things into her bag and began to zip it up.

"Are you even going to say goodbye to her?" Rachel asked, her voice choking with emotion. The zip stopped moving and Quinn looked at her.

"I can't," she whispered, the tears forming at her eyes once more.

"Quinn,"

"No, Rachel." The zipping was complete and Quinn hoisted the bag onto her shoulder and moved towards the door.

"Quinn, please." She begged.

"I'll leave my key on the side." Quinn told her and Rachel could tell she was putting up some sort of front. "Bye, Berry and thanks, you know, for everything."

And then she was gone.

Rachel Berry was quite frankly speechless. A very irregular occurrence.

"Oh, shit." Another irregular occurrence.

She reached for her cell, located the number and waited for him to answer. "We've got a problem of gargantuan proportions."

A/N Ok, this first chapter is kinda depressing and angsty but the rest of the story is not going to be. It had to be kinda sad because Quinn's just left her baby! L

If there were any Britishisms in there I do apologise and feel free to point them out.

Oh, and I need suggestions for baby names pretty please! It most definitely is not going to be Drizzle.

Let me know what you think!

Lil Drop of Magic