OH! DARLING | joey tribbiani

twenty

The holiday season was right around the corner but Quinn's head was no where near the celebrating mood her friends were in. Monica had noticed so and that's how the four girls of the friend group found themselves scattered around the brunette's living room, each with a cup of Quinn's famous Baileys hot chocolate in hand and White Christmas playing on the television as background noise.

"Alright, spill it," Monica turned to the bewildered redhead who sat next to her on the couch. "Something's clearly been on your mind and we're here to listen and help."

Quinn sighed, knowing there was no use in trying to act like everything was okay. "I think it's coming to an end for Colin and I," she admitted to her friends, gaze locking on the mug in her hands.

"Oh honey," Monica reached over and placed her hand on her friend's right forearm in support.

"I just-" Quinn choked up, feeling the tears forming in her eyes. "I love him so much and that's why it hurts to be with him, knowing that I can't give him what he wants right now. Knowing that I'm holding him back," she admitted, looking up at her friends.

"So you don't want kids?" Phoebe tentatively asked.

"I'm just not there yet," Quinn answered, not agreeing nor denying. "And he is. I know he said he would wait but I can see it, especially when Ben's here, I can see the longing and how sad it makes him to not have a kid of his own or at least the promise of a kid of his own. And it pains me because no matter how long I reflect on it and no matter how many future scenarios I come up with, I still can't confirm whether or not he can have the future he wants with me."

Monica brought Quinn in a hug when the dam broke and the tears started flowing down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry sweetie," she kissed the crown of ginger hair. "That sucks."

"It really does," Quinn cried, holding onto her friend for dear life.

"So," Rachel spoke up after a few minutes of silence within the group as Quinn sobbed her sadness and frustration away, "what do you plan on doing?"

The redhead blew her nose before answering. "I think I'm gonna have to end it after the holidays," she confessed, picking up her mug of hot chocolate she had put down on the coffee table. "I can't do that to him before Christmas and, who knows, maybe something will change my mind over the holidays."

Her friends gave her small smiles at her attempt to remain optimistic while nearing the end of her relationship. It pained them to see something like that hurt Quinn and Colin's couple, they really thought this could've been it. Her long lasting relationship, the person she was going to grow old with. But sometimes the universe works in painful, mysterious ways, and this was one of those times.

Right person, wrong time. It can't get more heart-wrenching than that.

__________

Phoebe and Quinn walked in Central Perk, the rest of their friend group already occupying their usual spot at the coffee house. They all greeted each other as the two girls approached them, Quinn struggling with unwrapping her ginormous scarf from around her head.

"Come here Quinn, let me help you," Joey got up from the green armchair and beckoned the redhead over. Quinn stood in front of him as he delicately unwrapped the scarf that was hiding half of her face, revealing rosy cheeks and a soft, appreciative smile to her friend. "There you go darling," Joey said once he was done, handing her the scarf.

"Merci Joe," Quinn kissed his cheek in thanks before the two sat down, Joey on the chair and Quinn on the armrest.

"Happy Christmas eve eve," Phoebe told the friends on the other side of the couch.