The Running Back

Rachel didn't end up staying in the hospital for long, for which she was very grateful. After the doctors ensured that she was healing properly she was free to go home. Quinn came along with her. It was nice to have her girlfriend around, but the pain from her ribs made cuddling a bit difficult. They had to be really careful about it. Sleeping was also quite bad but thankfully Quinn wasn't the kind of person to usually toss and turn while asleep. Once they found a position that was comfortable for the both of them the rest of the night would usually go by nicely.

Quinn insisted on staying over for a couple of days, or longer if need be. She babied Rachel a bit, doing everything she could so that her girlfriend would be comfortable. The pain wasn't that awful that Rachel was unable to do anything but she allowed Quinn to coddle her because she knew that it made Quinn feel better. Quinn was by her side almost all the time and so it was a surprise when Rachel received a bit of a party when they got home after their first day back at school since the game.

It was too loud or exciting, but all her friends were there and that's what mattered. She was disappointed to tell them that she wouldn't be able to play any longer. The news had already traveled so most, if not all, of the team already knew but Rachel wanted to say it herself. They promised that they'd win the championship for her. They felt like they owed her that much. They hung out for a while. Noah had decided to bring his Xbox along so that they'd be able to do something that wouldn't force Rachel to exert herself too much.

But the fact that she'd often yell at the television just happened to slip his mind. The pain wasn't too intense, but Rachel had to stop after a while. And there was also the fact that she was kind of embarrassed about having Quinn see her screaming over a video game. She let the boys have their fun while the girls headed up to her room. Just for fun, Quinn scooped Rachel into her arms, bridal style, and carried her up there. Santana made a gagging sound, but pretended that she hadn't once Brittany let out an "Aw!"

Still, it was hard for Santana not to recoil slightly upon entering Rachel's room. She had been there before but she had never quite gotten used to how bright it was or by how many Care Bears there were. But a glare from Quinn and a pout from Brittany was all that was needed to ensure that she kept her mouth shut. It was just the four of them plus Gabrielle, which made things feel a bit awkward but aside from some of Santana's snarky comments there was little uneasiness between them.

Gabrielle was her normal self, or at least her normal self around Rachel. And that meant that she was a bit shy and quiet. Like everyone else she was really happy that Rachel was okay and she had even gotten her some flowers along with a handmade card. Rachel wouldn't have guessed it but Gabrielle was quite the artist and her penmanship was impeccable. It was really sweet of her. Thankfully, Quinn didn't get over possessive of her or at the very least she didn't show it if she did.

It was nice, having some girl time. Since joining the team Rachel had mostly been hanging out with the guys or just spending time with Quinn. A change of pace was good for her. And now that she wouldn't be able to play she'd actually be able to have more girl time. At least there was that. Rachel tried to look on the bright side. She really wanted to be there, on the field, when the Titans won that championship. And, while it was likely just her competitive side, she really enjoyed playing the game.

Rachel didn't necessarily love the game and given the choice she'd always pick Broadway over football, but she liked to think that she had gotten to know her best friend a little better playing alongside him. She could only hope that the team could still win without her. Rachel knew that the Titans were a good team so long as they believed in themselves, but she was worried about how well they could do without a decent running back to give them some options.

That would come later though. For the time being she could just relax. At some point her closet got opened and the girls started discussing her choice in clothing. Santana though that most everything she owned was atrocious and argued that the best part of her wardrobe was Quinn's Cheerios jacket. Brittany too judged her clothing a bit. She thought some of her stuff was cute but thought that Rachel needed some more sexy clothes. At which point she ended up getting a great idea.