Love Me Tender

the rhodes not taken

we we're currently practicing 'Don't Stop Believing' for the invitationals we had coming up. and by we i mean Finn and Quinn were singing the lead and the rest of us were background vocals. everything was going great until suddenly Quinn ran out the room, stopping us all. morning sickness must be a bitch. i wanted to chase after her but i decided to hold back.

"can we please talk about the giant elephant in the room?" Kurt asks, speaking out.

"your sexuality?" Santana snarks. i give her a dirty look before turning to Kurt and giving him a reassuring one.

"Rachel. we can't do it without her." Kurt says, ignoring Santana.  i roll my eyes at this comment. we didn't need Rachel. she chose to leave, no one forced her.

"that's not true. we may have to layer Santana or Mercedes over Quinn's solo, but...we'll be fine." Mr. Schue says, trying to reassure us.

"maybe for the invitationals, but not for the sectionals and certainly not the regionals." Artie says in a agreement. he had a point but that still doesn't mean we need her.

"the wheelchair kid's right. that Rachel chick wants me wanna light myself on fire, but she can sing." Puck also adds in agreement.

"not too wrong." i say agreeing with Puck on the last part.

"Rachel left, guys. she's gone. if we want to make this thing work, we can't look back. alright, take five minutes." Mr. Schue says to us before turning to write something down while Finn walks over to him to talk.

i take this moment as my opportunity to go and help Quinn. i silently slip out the room and head towards the closest bathroom nearby. as i enter i can hear someone still throwing up in a locked stall.

"Quinn? is that you?" i ask while walking up to the only occupied stall.

"go away Cam. i don't want you to see me like this." she says shakily.

"i don't care how you look, open the stall door Fabray." i say while leaning next to the door.

"i'll be out soon just leave me be."

"you leave me no choice." i say while entering the stall next to where Quinn was. i carefully stand up on the toilet and hoist myself over the stall, landing directly next to the cheerleader who was balled up against the wall.

"what the hell Cam?" she says while looking up at me.

"you wouldn't open the door, so i let myself in." i say simply while shrugging. i kneel down next to Quinn and put my hand on her shoulder. "i don't care that you're throwing up Quinn. i told you i would be here and so i am." i say with a smile. she returns a weak smile before turning back into the toilet bowl and throwing up again. i carefully rub her back while now sitting directly onto the floor.

"i just don't want anyone to see me like this. i look gross." she says now slumping down against the wall to face me.

"once again, i don't care how you look Fabray. i care if you're safe and of you need someone. your looks will never matter to me." i explain.

"thank you, Cam. for being here for me."

"always and forever Quinnie." i say with a light smile.

~~~

"what do you mean Lord Tubbington broke your bed Britt? he isn't even that big." i ask Brittany before taking a bite of my sandwich.

"he tried to steal my blanket from me last night to take for himself and the bedposts snapped." she explains simply. i turn to the others at the table and give them a very confused look.