Catalyst

Chapter 11

Quinn woke up just after five in the morning and barely made it to the bathroom before vomiting. The hall had never seemed so long. In between her retching, she heard the soft footfalls of Rachel, before she kneeled next to her and pulled her hair into a ponytail. Rachel kissed her temple and yawned softly, before wiping Quinn's brow with the edge of her pajama sleeve.

"It's almost over," Rachel reassured her, and rubbed her back gently while she started to dry-heave. She couldn't even remember if she'd eaten dinner yesterday. Lunch, yes, but then Rachel had come over, and she'd moved again. She was hungry, and found that yes, there were a few things left in her stomach to end up in the toilet. Rachel left her momentarily, and came back with a wet cloth she patted her forehead with, and then wiped her neck as well.

When the morning sickness finally stopped, Rachel gestured to the Listerine and Quinn rinsed her mouth out. Rachel was putting on a pair of small cotton shorts and an exercise shirt, putting her pajamas in the hamper when she went back to her room. The light from the window was sparse, but her eyes had adjusted from the trip, and she could see the light gray of Rachel's form covered in clothes that were slightly darker. Rachel exercised in gold. Of course.

"I'm going to work on the elliptical," Rachel said. "It's two doors down to the right, on the left hand side, if you want company. My father's might or might not be home, I don't know if they came in."

Quinn scratched her throat, "I think I'll just go back to sleep, Rach. It's five in the morning on a Saturday."

Rachel shrugged, "One man's loss is another's treasure." She frowned while walking backwards, "Or perhaps the adage should be person. More gender neutral."

Quinn yawned, and the door closed behind Rachel. Quinn climbed in the bed again and snugged against Rachel's pillow. Underneath the Old Spice was still a scent uniquely Rachel; light, pleasant, almost spicy in a way. She drifted back off to sleep and didn't wake up until it was a more appropriate time. She half way woke up at some point, hearing the shower start, but only rolled over.

Sunlight filtered in, making dust motes individual through the canopy, and she pushed herself out and to the bathroom. After a moment, she realized she didn't have a toothbrush and went into the hall to get to her room. She emerged with her bathroom kit, and went into the bathroom again. Teeth brushed, face washed and much more pleasant now that she'd had more sleep, and she changed into a dress and pulled on socks. The Berry's had wooden floors and she didn't want to wander around in her ratty bedroom slippers with the floors so cold.

Quinn smelled pancakes. Rachel was singing in the kitchen, and then a male voice joined in. It sounded familiar, but she didn't notice until she was all the way inside that it was Puck. His register was lower, here, and it blended more agreeably with Rachel's than Finn's did. Or her's would, she mentally pouted, as they stopped.

Hannah and Puck were sitting on the stools of the breakfast bar again. Rachel was flipping a pancake onto a plate leaden with them, each circular and golden-brown, and all roughly the size of the plate. There were two smaller ones on top that she gave to Hannah, and poured a little bit of syrup over them. Hannah pouted up at her and Rachel closed the cap firmly, with a click. Puck seemingly speared half the stack onto his plate and Rachel scolded him, "What if Quinn wanted more than that?"

He shrugged, shoving one in his mouth. Quinn grimaced at the sight as he talked, pancake showing repeatedly, and "You can make more. It's not like you ever run out of flour in this house."

Quinn shifted a little in the doorway. Rachel had been glaring but at seeing the movement, turned to see Quinn and smiled at her. "Good morning, Quinn." She had heard the shower, then. Rachel was wearing a pair of jeans and a green t-shirt. The house was kept a little on the warm side, so she could see why Rachel's shirt wasn't long-sleeved.