Something - Quinn Fabray

Chapter 94

"Are you done?" Ryan asked, glancing over at his girlfriend where she was lying on her bed, propped up by a wealth of pillows as she finished her homework.

"Almost," she murmured, distractedly typing away at an essay on her laptop. She was still playing catch-up with her schoolwork thanks to missing about a month's worth of lessons, and finishing this extra-credit essay for Shelby would put her back on track in English. Typing in the last of her edits, she smiled triumphantly. "Done."

"Awesome," Ryan grinned, hopping up beside her on the bed.

"Want to proofread it for me?"

"I'd be happy to," he answered. "But I think that can wait until later." He took the powered-down laptop, placing it on the bedside table before leaning in to brush his lips lightly against hers.

Quinn smiled softly as she pulled him closer, lips parting invitingly against his. When it was just the two of them together like this, lips sliding against each other's, skin touching skin, breath intermingling - it was so easy to forget.

But inevitably she remembered; she became all too aware of missing sensation that should have come from the hand that was on her thigh; of the way he started to toy with the hem of her shirt, slowly starting to creep upward, dangerously close to the raised marks on her skin. "Wait," she breathed out. His fingers stilled immediately and he backed off, a hint of disappointment in his eyes. She bit her lip, shutting her eyes as she took in a breath. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," he told her, backing off even more. "I don't want you to do anything you're not ready for."

"I'm sorry," she repeated miserably, trying to shift into a better position, frustration welling up as she couldn't find the strength to move her uncooperative body. Ryan helped her up, settling her more comfortably against the pillows before sitting back to face her.

"It's okay," he assured her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, not really."

He nodded. "Okay. Just... I don't want to fight about this, okay? I think we've had enough misunderstandings for a while. When you're ready, let's talk about it. Okay?"

"... Okay."

He smiled faintly. "Good. Are you coming to glee tomorrow?"

Quinn shook her head, releasing a breath along with the desire that had flamed inside her. "Not tomorrow. I've got a rehab session."

"How are those going?"

"The same as always. No change." She still wouldn't let her boyfriend come. He saw how useless she was around the house and in school; she didn't need him to see her the same way at the rehab center too.

He sighed. "I wish I could help."

"It's okay. Can you proofread my essay now?" she asked. Confusion crossed his face for a moment, morphing to consternation when he couldn't remember. She reached over him, picking up her laptop. "I wrote an essay for English, remember?"

"Right," he sighed softly. "Okay. Let's see it."

"Okay, let's just take a quick break, okay, Quinn?"

Quinn smiled halfheartedly at Greta the physical therapist. "Yeah, sure. Sounds good." Greta helped her sit up, giving her a bottle of water before going into another room. Quinn sighed, letting her gaze wander around to the other patients in the rehab center. She knew she didn't have it as bad as some people - like that guy on the treadmill relearning how to walk after a double leg amputation - but she really, really wanted to be able to walk again.