Just Like Clockwork (F/F Glee Faberry) -- newly updated! 10/11/14

[wannablessedbe]

Hello my dears!

So sorry for the long radio silence, I have been busy and stressed out and the creative juices kind of dried up for a while. Hope everyone has been having a good summer, and enjoy an early back-to-school dose of Faberriness!!!

Cheers,

--WBB

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Just Like Clockwork

A Faberry fic for SFF

Part 1

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Rachel turned her key in the lock and tiptoed into her quiet apartment in the dim, grey light of 5am. She wasn't supposed to get back into town until the next day, but a plumbing emergency at the theater in Chicago where they'd been doing their Broadway previews for the last month had caused a last-minute cancellation of their final two shows, allowing Rachel to sneak home a day and a half early and surprise Quinn in bed. Smiling like an idiot, Rachel dropped her rolling suitcase and kicked off her shoes in the hallway, shedding clothes as she padded lightly down the hall to her bedroom. She found her girlfriend curled up limp and motionless in the middle of the bed, one arm wrapped possessively around Rachel's pillow and hugging it to her chest.

“Aww, angelfish,” the dark-haired girl sighed quietly to herself. The sight of her sweet blonde baby looking so innocent and vulnerable in sleep flooded Rachel with a huge burst of emotion, shattering the dam she'd put up inside herself to avoid feeling sad and lonely without Quinn for a whole month. The little starlet had been tough and professional and flawless on stage, every night for a month; but now that she was standing ten feet away from her sleeping girlfriend, her eyes suddenly blurred with tears.

Without bothering to wipe the tear tracks from her face, Rachel crawled into bed beside Quinn, running one hand lightly through sleek blonde hair, and cuddling up close to breathe in her familiar scent, dropping soft kisses all over her face. Quinn sighed in her sleep, stretching and shifting slightly under the sheets, one arm wrapping automatically around her little starlet's waist and pulling her in tighter.

“Uhmmm...Starfish...don't wake up, I'm dreaming you...” The blonde girl's soft voice was rough with sleep, and Rachel giggled and slipped her hand down to the back of Quinn's neck, holding her so close their foreheads touched, and she could feel the blonde girl's soft breath against her lips.

“You're not dreaming, Quinnie-boo. I'm here. I'm home,” The dark-haired girl murmured, kissing the not-quite-asleep girl lightly on the lips. Quinn smiled before she even opened her eyes.

“Rachel...” The sleepy blonde girl sighed, one arm tightening around her girlfriend's waist as she began to wake up and take in her surroundings. “You're real...”

“Really, really real,” the beaming starlet nodded, stroking a lock of sleep-mussed blonde hair back from Quinn's face and kissing her playfully. For a few moments they traded sleepy kisses and caresses, just holding each other close and feeling their heartbeats pounding together, drinking each other in like cold sweet water in the middle of the desert. Then Quinn pulled away suddenly, ducking her head against Rachel's throat and cupping a hand to her mouth to cover a raspy, rattling cough.

“Aww, baby,” Rachel cooed sympathetically, rubbing Quinn's shivering back as she coughed wheezily. “Lemme go get your...” The dark-haired starlet frowned as she sat up and saw that her girlfriend's inhaler was actually sitting right on the bedside table. That was not where it usually was. It was usually in the medicine cabinet, because she used it so rarely. Sitting on the bedside table did not suggest she'd been using it rarely; at least not recently.

“M'okay,” Quinn croaked softly, leaning across her girlfriend's body to snatch the inhaler off the bedside table and shaking it up hastily before taking two deep puffs. “It's just...” She coughed again, turning away from Rachel with one arm across her face. “It's just the weather.” Rachel frowned, knowing in an instant what her poor wheezing baby was trying to say. Ever since Quinn's car crash their last semester of high school, she had scar tissue in her lungs, which in turn caused mild but persistent asthma. Much of the time it wasn't noticeable, but it tended to flare up when the weather changed, especially around this time of year—the end of summer, and the beginning of autumn—when the air cooled down and dried out.

“You should be using your humidifier, honey,” Rachel chastised gently, one hand still rubbing Quinn's back even though she wasn't coughing anymore.

“Uhh, I know. I've just been so busy with school starting. It's only been a few days, I'll get the humidifier out tonight, 'kay babe? But right now I'm a little busy kissing you...” The blonde girl grinned, sleepy and sexy and totally uninhibited in the pale golden light of sunrise; Rachel couldn't help but smile back.

“Yes ma'am,” the dark-haired girl teased, rolling onto her back and letting Quinn crawl half on top of her, kissing her deeply and slipping one hand up her shirt. “Ohhh, God Quinn, I missed you...”

“Missed you too baby,” The blonde girl murmured against her lips, brushing her thumb across the underside of the pert breast in her hand so Rachel groaned and squirmed against her.

“Jesus, fuck, don't tease baby,” the little starlet whined breathlessly, her whole body alight and quivering now from the touch she'd been missing for a whole entire month. She pushed her hips up against her girlfriend's, and Quinn pushed back, leaning down to suck and nibble on her neck, one of Rachel's favorite things in the world.

“Not teasing,” The blonde girl mumbled huskily against her girlfriend's warm throat. “Just getting warmed up, since I was asleep five minutes ago...cuz somebody wanted to surprise me...” Quinn nipped playfully at Rachel's throat, knowing how much her girlfriend liked to feel her teeth. Especially right there...

Rachel was whimpering and groaning enthusiastically when Quinn suddenly froze again, her back arching stiffly as she began to cough against Rachel's throat. After a few coughs, she slid her hips off her girlfriend's, sitting up slightly to cup a hand to her mouth as she took in a wheezy breath.

“Hhuh...” Her delicate little nostrils huffed open, trembling slightly as her eyes narrowed, and she looked at Rachel helplessly. “Ehh'chhsh!!!” She cupped a hand firmly over her mouth when she sneezed, pinching her nose lightly between her fingers. Even so, Rachel felt the gentle mist hitting her chest. Quinn scrubbed her nose, and coughed again.

“Honey,” Rachel sighed sympathetically, trying to ignore the urgent pounding between her legs as she sat up and rubbed Quinn's back again. “It's not just the weather.”

“Yes it is,” Quinn whined, blinking away a few tears that had streaked down her face while she coughed. “I'm fine, okay? I just need to switch back to the higher dose of Advair, like every September. I'm fine, Rach.” The dark-haired girl frowned. Yeah, and you get sick every September, she thought but didn't say. It had been three years since Quinn's accident, and every year around this time, the cooling weather made her asthma act up, stressing out her scarred lungs and making her vulnerable to whatever was in the air. Combine that with the first few weeks of a new semester of college, when colds and germs were being passed around the lecture halls and libraries like back-to-school gift baskets, and that was pretty much that. But Rachel knew that if she started lecturing her girlfriend about her fragile health right now, they'd just end up fighting; and that was not how she wanted to spend their first morning together after a month apart. Besides, if Quinn was coming down with something there was nothing they could do now to stop it anyway.

“Okay,” The little starlet sighed, twirling her fingers around a lock of her girlfriend's blonde hair with a wistful smile. “I just want you to take it easy, angelfish...how about it?” Playfully, she flipped Quinn onto her back and straddled her, grinning as she trailed her fingers teasingly over the blonde girl's ivory skin.

“I can live with that,” Quinn agreed, smirking back as she snuggled down into the pillows in submission, letting Rachel unbutton her pajama top and slip it back off her shoulders.

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After a few enthusiastic rounds of 5-am-welcome-home-sex, they both fell back to sleep, curled into each other's bodies like interlocking pieces of a single jigsaw puzzle. Rachel was still deeply asleep when a rattling, rumbling earthquake shook her awake; then the realized sleepily, it wasn't an earthquake. It was just Quinn coughing again underneath her.

“Okay, that's it,” the dark-haired girl yawned drowsily, sitting up and reaching for the little blue inhaler on the bedside table, and pushing it into Quinn's hands. “I'm going to get the humidifier from the hall closet. Sit here and breathe.” Without waiting for a response, Rachel stumbled out of bed and pulled on her robe, padding down the hall and pulling the humidifier down from the top shelf where it sat unused for the summer months. She went to the kitchen and filled it with clean water, stuck in a fresh filter, and added a few drops of eucalyptus oil into the little reservoir to make the warm steam as penetrating as possible.

“Here we go, baby girl,” the little starlet sighed, setting the sloshing humidifier down on the bedside table beside her girlfriend and plugging it in. Instantly, the machine hummed to life, and in a few moments minty steam would begin to pour out the funnel at the top.

“Thank you,” Quinn sighed grudgingly, her lower lip sticking out in a cranky pout. “But I'm not sick, you know.”

“I know,” Rachel agreed mildly, extremely proud of the restraint she was showing as she crawled back into bed beside her cranky girlfriend, and kissed the pout right off her face. “Still, it is Sunday morning, and this is my welcome-home party, isn't it? And I wanna order in breakfast and spend the whole day in bed with you.”

“Aww, starfish...I really really wanna do that too,” Quinn sighed, running a hand through her long blonde hair with a soft, tired yawn. “But I thought you weren't coming home 'till tomorrow, and I have my first paper due in 20^th Century Geopolitical History. I can't...” She trailed off for a moment, eyes narrowing as she raised a hand halfway to her face, looking like she was maybe going to sneeze; but then she just sighed and pushed her nose up against the palm of her hand. “I can't spend the whole day in bed.” Rachel pouted.

“Half a day?” the dark-haired girl wheedled, rubbing her nose in her girlfriend's blonde hair, and tracing her fingers lightly around Quinn's bellybutton, which almost always helped her win arguments.

“You are so evil,” the blonde girl groaned, closing her eyes and taking in a slow, deep breath as her girlfriend's fingers woke her body up from head to toe. “If I...flunk out of college...it's your fault...”

“Yeah yeah, like you're capable of even getting a B,” Rachel snickered, kissing and nibbling Quinn's soft throat while her fingers continued to tease the soft skin around her girlfriend's bellybutton.

“Uhhh...Rach?” Quinn whimpered, causing the dark-haired girl to look up from her neck-kissing to see what was distracting her girlfriend from her supremely talented lips. The blonde girl had an unfocused, spacey expression on her face, one hand hovering a few inches in front of her mouth. “Hh-hhih...” Quinn huffed softly, pushing the tip of her finger up against the bottom of her nose as it quivered and flexed open a few times, eyes closing helplessly in submission.

“Hhh...hheh'chhhx!! *Snfl*...” Quinn sneezed breathlessly, two fingers squished against the underside of her nostrils as she doubled over in the middle of the big bed. Rachel didn't mind the gentle mist of her girlfriend's sick sneeze landing against her bare skin; she was too focused on the dry, wheezy cough that followed.

“God bless you, sweet baby,” the little starlet cooed sympathetically, stroking a few locks of blonde hair back from her girlfriend's face and leaning in to kiss her forehead. “My poor little boo...” Quinn straightened up with a miserable expression, a thin trail of watery snot glistening against the underside of one trembling nostril. “Are you gonna sneeze again?” Rachel asked gently, leaning in and wiping her thumb across the underside of Quinn's wet, wide open nostrils. The blonde girl just barely managed a weak nod before her eyes fell shut again, and she squeezed her dribbling nose lightly between her thumb and forefinger, the palm of her hand cupped over her mouth.

“Aah'iiiishht!!! *Snfl*...” Quinn's scarred lungs contracted with another helpless, breathless sneeze, followed by another string of scratchy coughs. Rachel slipped out of bed and retrieved the box of tissues from beside the makeup mirror, and brought it back to her miserable girlfriend, pulling one out and gently wiping Quinn's runny nose in the fluffy cotton. Quinn sniffled against the soft tissue, but didn't protest.

“Sorry,” the blonde girl sighed miserably when she could breathe normally again. “What a welcome home present, huh?”

“It's not your fault, honey,” Rachel cooed, stroking her girlfriend's soft hair and kissing the end of her nose playfully. “And if you're gonna get sick, then I wanna be here to cuddle you and spoil you and make you feel better. So, I'm gonna go make you some tea, and I'm ordering cinnamon swirl french toast from Terrace Cafe for breakfast, and then we're gonna go take a long, hot shower. How does that sound, hmm Quinnie-pie?”

“Aah...*snfl*...amazing,” Quinn smiled shyly, pulling another tissue from the box and tugging lightly on the underside of her nose through the thin layer of cotton. “But I...” She coughed again, rubbing the crumpled tissue against the juncture of her nose and her upper lip. “I still have to write my paper.” Before Rachel could protest, Quinn closed her eyes and sneezed again; a hitching, ticklish Aah'chhiiihh!!! into the tissue squished to her damp, stuffy nose. She sniffled and blew into the wadded cotton, jiggling her nose lightly up and down through the tissue as if the tickle still plagued her; as if that one sneeze was just the beginning.

“Bless you, angel,” the dark-haired girl sighed. She had a sinking feeling Quinn was going to need an extension on her first paper of the school year...just like last year...and the year before.

Edited October 11, 2014 by wannablessedbe

[Germophobe]

This is amazing! I've been lurking around reading your stories for about three years now, and I finally decided to join just so I could tell you how awesome your stories are!

[BootyBurgers]

Ahhhh! This is PERFECTION. I love love love these two!

[sugarrush]

Quinn and Rachel have been missed!!

[White Rose]

So adorable, as always!! Can't wait for more!

[tFM!]

Yay! I always look forward to seeing your stories, no matter what fandom. This is adorable, please continue!

Edited August 13, 2014 by tFM!

[wannablessedbe]

thx you guys!!! I'm glad to be back too. will def update in the next couple of days. and Germophobe, welcome aboard!!!

[Germophobe]

Yay, New update soon! :-)

[wannablessedbe]

happy weekend my dearies! here's your update!

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Just Like Clockwork

Part 2

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“Excuse me, I'm looking for the Lehman Social Sciences Library?” Rachel put on her most polite smile for the pimply-faced student library worker who stared disinterestedly at her across the information desk.

“Other side of campus,” the boy shook his head with a sigh, probably mistaking her for a confused freshman since it was only the first week of classes. “Go out this door to College Walk, then all the way around to the corner of 118^th and Amsterdam. You can't miss it.”

“Thank you,” Rachel nodded distractedly as she turned and hustled out anxiously the way she'd come. Quinn had been out studying at one of the many Columbia University libraries since early afternoon; and even though Rachel was cranky and disappointed that she didn't get her baby girl all to herself on her first day back in town, she understood that Quinn had work to do, too. Still, that raspy cough and the accompanying sniffles and sneezes that the blonde girl had woken up with wouldn't leave the little starlet's mind, and even though she knew she was annoying her studious girlfriend, she'd been texting her every hour or so just to make sure she was okay. Quinn's curt, I'm fine, now plz stop it replies didn't bother Rachel in the slightest; on the contrary, it was comforting to know her girlfriend wasn't too sick to sass her when appropriate. But her last two texts had gone unanswered, and the dark-haired starlet had finally decided it was time to collect her blondie before it got any later—and, more importantly, before Quinn pushed herself into another bout of bronchitis or pneumonia.

Rachel finally found the right library, and after ten or fifteen minutes of pacing the floors and stacks, she found her girlfriend fast asleep at a desk with her head on an open book. Quinn's soft breathing was a little wheezy, and her face was ash-pale except for the bottom of her nose, which had become noticeably pink. There was a cold cup of tea and an open bag of herbal cough drops on the desk beside her. “I told you to stay home today, stubborn girl,” Rachel sighed quietly; and when that didn't provoke any response from the sleeping blonde girl, she pulled up the nearest chair and sat beside her baby, stroking her soft hair back and feeling the unnatural warmth radiating from Quinn's face.

“Angelfish, wake up,” Rachel cooed, putting her lips right up to Quinn's ear and nuzzling her warm temple. “It's time to go home now.”

“M'not sleeping,” the blonde girl croaked softly, jerking awake with a glazed, feverish look in her bright hazel eyes. “Oh...” She looked from her book, up to Rachel's sweet smile, and blinked woozily, rubbing her eyes with a soft whine of unhappiness. “Fuck.”

“Hey babycakes, I think it's time for you to come home now, hmm? You've got a fever Quinnie, you can't push yourself anymore, not today. Come on, I'll carry your books, all right?” Rachel leaned in and kissed her bewildered girlfriend lightly on the lips. Quinn scowled and slammed the book she'd been sleeping on shut with a huff of annoyance, which turned into a shuddering cough.

“I was supposed to be done with my first draft tonight, Rach. I haven't even finished my fucking research,” the miserable blonde girl whined, her voice breaking slightly as her eyes filled up with tears. “What the fuck is my problem...” She coughed again, a wheezy, reverberating cough that caused a few other students to look up from the nearby desks and shoot her pointed glares of annoyance. Quinn was too preoccupied with her rattling cough to notice, but Rachel glared back at them just as pointedly.

“Quinnie, this isn't your fault,” The little starlet sighed. “You can't help it if you're getting sick. But now you need to take care of yourself, okay? Come on, you know I'm right. Can we please go home now, hmm angel? I'll make you tea and cuddle you up 'till you feel all better.” She rubbed her girlfriend's back lightly as she spoke, so she could feel the shuddering intake of breath in Quinn's chest as she pulled a crumpled tissue from the pocket of her hoodie, and pushed it up against her pink nostrils as her eyes narrowed involuntarily.

“Uhh'chshh!!! *Snfl*...ugh, sorry,” the blonde girl sighed, sniffling softly as she wiped the underside of her runny nose in the damp tissue.

“Don't be sorry, baby. Just come home,” Rachel begged, tucking a lock of blonde hair back behind her girlfriend's ear as she blew her nose tenderly into the crumpled remains of the tissue.

“Ohh...okay,” Quinn finally nodded, eyes still narrowed as she gently squeezed her pink nose in the tissue, breath hitching softly in her wheezy lungs. “Hhhuh...” Her eyes finally closed again, as her head fell back slightly and she pushed the damp tissue more firmly against her wet, trembling nostrils, a trickle of snot slipping past the tissue and issuing down the divot in her upper lip. “Hhehchhshh!!” She gave a wheezy, desperate sneeze, both hands cupped over the tissue; then broke into another deep cough, this time sounding a little congested in her chest. Rachel was beside herself.

“Bless you, my sweet little angelfish,” the dark-haired girl cooed, rubbing Quinn's back helplessly. “Now will you please come home with me, before you cough your lungs out onto the table?” Quinn just nodded wordlessly, blinking a few tears from her eyes as she sat up wheezing. She pulled her inhaler from her pocket and took two deep puffs, Rachel sitting silently beside her and rubbing her back. “Do you want these books?” The dark-haired girl asked, gesturing to the pile of open books on the desk around Quinn as they stood up shakily.

“Uh, ndoe, they're reference books. You can't check them out,” Quinn sighed, yawning woozily as she shoved her inhaler back in her pocket. “Let's just go home...I can't think anymore.” She sniffled again and rubbed a finger back and forth under her wet nose. Rachel leaned in and kissed her, runny nose and all.

“Okay, Quinnie-boo,” the little starlet murmured, wrapping one arm firmly around her girlfriend's waist, and hoisting the blonde girl's heavy backpack over her shoulder with the other. Quinn didn't protest, which was another red flag that she was feeling a lot worse than she'd admit. She hated letting other people carry her things; even Rachel.

They walked slowly out of the library and into the cool, slightly breezy September night, and Quinn shivered, her shoulders tensing slightly as fever chills settled in. “Can we...*snfl*...can we take a...a cab? Aah'chxshht!!!” Quinn jerked forward and misted the cool evening air with another shivering, congested sneeze, sniffling softly as she wiped her nose on the edge of her sleeve.

“Sure we can, honey...just lean on me if you feel dizzy, okay? I got you,” Rachel hummed, anxiously tightening her grip on Quinn's waist. Yet another red flag was waving wildly in the back of the dark-haired girl's mind now; because Quinn hated cabs, and never took them unless she was carrying some enormous school project—or if she was too sick to walk down the stairs to the subway.

“I'mb sorry, Rach,” the blonde girl sighed, as if she could read her girlfriend's thoughts. And after five years together, maybe she could. “You don't have to be worried, okay? I...I don't feel that bad.” It might have been more convincing if she hadn't ended with another congested cough.

“Yeah, okay, just keep walking Charlie,” Rachel replied with a wry half-smirk, nudging her girlfriend gently along to the street corner where they could hail a cab.

“Hhiiih...ehhiiishu!!!” Quinn stumbled slightly with another helplessly sick sneeze, one hand pinching her wet pink nose and cupping her mouth to shield her girlfriend from her germs. “Hhh...hhhih...'chxshht!!! *Snfl.*”

“Bless you honey,” Rachel hummed softly, waiting patiently for Quinn to regain her footing and continue walking. The blonde girl merely coughed and sniffled for several long moments; and when she finally straightened up again, she kept two fingers pressed against her trembling nostrils, rubbing and sniffling as she stumbled blindly along, trusting Rachel to lead her.

“I wanna go home, Rach,” she croaked softly, wiping her nose on her wrist again with a soft, raspy cough.

“Shh, it's okay baby girl. I got you. Come on.” Without another word, Rachel raised a hand a hailed a cab from the crowded intersection, silently helping Quinn into the back seat before climbing in after her.

[sugarrush]

aww poor Quinn! But I know Rachel will take good care of her

[Germophobe]

New update! Woo hoo! More? Please?

[Bgrace27]

This is so good.

[White Rose]

Rachel is so sweet! I'm loving this! More, please?

[wannablessedbe]

hi guys!

thx for your reviews, here is your update!! hooray!!!

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Just Like Clockwork

Part 3

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When Quinn woke up in a fog of sweating and coughing in the darkness of 3am, she found the bedside light already on. Rachel was curled up protectively beside her, cooing soft words of love and reassurance, with one hand holding an ice pack to her hot forehead. The blonde girl was disoriented, blazing hot, and completely overcome by the raw, deep itch in her chest; but she also felt strangely calm, and safe, like she was outside her body watching Rachel fuss over her. Before she was even awake, before she even knew to call out for help, Rachel was already taking care of her. Quinn rubbed her eyes and smiled weakly.

“Hey,” she rasped softly, then immediately coughed again.

“Hey, angelfish,” the little starlet sighed, putting the ice pack aside and feeling both of Quinn's flushed cheeks with the back of her hand. “C'mere, let's sit you up a little. I got you some nice hot tea with honey...”

Quinn nodded sleepily, too winded from coughing to attempt any more talking right at this second. She submissively allowed her girlfriend to help her sit up against the pillows, then accepted the steaming cup of tea and took a small sip. Immediately, the desperate need to cough dulled slightly, and the shaky blonde girl sighed softly in sheer, boneless relief. She took another sip, and Rachel snuggled up closer against her side, nuzzling her temple and kissing her slowly all across the side of her face.

“Maybe we need to go to the ER, Quinnie. You were coughing for almost ten minutes straight before you woke up. I don't think the inhaler's cutting it this time, you've used it more today than you usually do in a month.” Rachel gnawed absently at her lower lip, stroking a few sweat-dampened locks of blonde hair back from her girlfriend's flushed face as she remembered the first time Quinn had ended up in the ER, wheezing into an Albuterol nebulizer and spending the night in an oxygen tent, after she woke up coughing in the middle of the night and couldn't stop. It was their first month of college; Quinn just had a cold, a bad cold. But it didn't take long for her cold and her asthma to get caught up in an infinitely escalating feedback loop, irritating her scarred lungs and filling them with endless congestion. Soon it was ten minutes, fifteen minutes, and she just couldn't stop coughing; and then her lips were turning blue. Rachel never, ever wanted to see Quinn's lips turn blue again.

“No, no hospital,” Quinn groaned, taking another sip of tea and softly sniffling in the warm steam. “We don't go to the hospital unless I can't stop. I'm...*snfl*...I'm drinking the tea. I stopped. I'm stopping.” She gave her worried girlfriend another sleepy half-smile, taking one hand off her tea and twirling her fingers into the back of Rachel's shiny dark hair, rubbing the back of her neck. “Sorry I scared you again, baby...I'm sorry.”

“Shh, shut up,” Rachel tutted, leaning in closer and kissing Quinn lightly on the lips. “You don't have anything to apologize for angelfish. I just hate to see you suffer like this...I don't want to give it the chance to get any worse.”

“Yeah...me either,” Quinn yawned softly, which triggered another congested cough that rattled in the center of her chest. But just once, and then she took another sip of tea, and sighed. “Totally against the suffering. But let's...*snfl*...let's wait till morning and just call Dr. Nussbaum, ok? I'd rather have a one-hour doctor's appointment than a...a six-hour ER visit. I'll be ohh...*snfl*...okay tonight.” Still holding the tea in her right hand, Quinn groped for a tissue from the box on the bedside table with her left, bringing it to her face as her eyes narrowed to puffy slits, and her pink nostrils huffed open, one glistening with a thin trickle of snot.

“Hhhuh...aah'tchOOoo!!! *Cough*cough,* *snfl*...” The blonde girl sneezed desperately into the crumpled tissue, coughed a few times, then blew her nose, eyes watering slightly as she looked back up at Rachel, still massaging her nose through the tissue.

“Bless you honey,” Rachel sighed, gently taking the steaming tea cup from her girlfriend's left hand so she could grab another tissue, coughing again as she did so.

“Do we...still have...the happy juice?” Quinn asked in a breathless, hitching whisper, squeezing the pink rims of her nostrils through the tissue as they teased, dilating wide open and then relaxing again just as her eyes were halfway closed. “Hhehh...*snfl*...ehh'chiiihew!!!” She sneezed again, and in an effort to keep from coughing, she didn't blow her nose, which would have required a semi-deep breath. Instead, she just sniffled and massaged her nose in the damp tissue.

“Bless you, Quinnie,” Rachel sighed, stroking her girlfriend's blonde hair again without conscious thought. “Yes, we do still have some happy juice left from the last time you were sick...but you know that's not going to actually make you better. It's palliative. We still have to go to the doctor.”

“Yes...but tomorrow,” Quinn sniffled, finally taking the crumpled tissues away from her face, her puffy pink nose and eyes already succumbing to the beginning of a sick sneezing fit. “Codeine now...d-doctor later...*snf, snfl*...uhhxchsh!! Iiiishhu!! *Cough*cough*...aaahh...*snfl*...” Her chest huffed softly up and down, scarred lungs and runny nose sparking each other into fresh tickles that swept through the back of her head and chest. “Aahh'chxshhii!!! Ehh—ehhiishxoo!!” Quinn rubbed her pink nose as she sneezed, misting the air in front of her through the thin, soggy tissues.

“God bless you, my poor baby boo,” Rachel crooned, while Quinn gave a few rattling coughs. The blonde girl took another gulp of tea, and sighed.

“I'mb okay, Rach. Just...get the Codeine,” Quinn sighed, sipping tea and sniffling in the warm steam.

“Yes dear,” Rachel half-grinned, strangely relieved to see Quinn's sick sneezing fit, because she'd proven she could get through it without descending into uncontrollable coughing such as required immediate trips to the hospital. “Don't go anywhere, okay?”

“Ndoe problem,” Quinn joked weakly, taking another gulp of tea before the itch in her chest had a chance to flare up into a fresh string of coughs. Rachel kissed her, tasting the herbal tea on her warm lips before slipping out of bed and down the hall to the bathroom, where a bottle of cough syrup with Codeine still sat in the medicine cabinet from the last time Quinn had been sick like this, about eight months ago. The dark-haired girl poured out a dose into the little plastic cup that sat over the bottlecap, and brought it hastily back to the bedroom, where her girlfriend was still alternating sniffles with sips of tea.

“Ready?” Rachel asked sweetly, holding up the medicine cup. In response, Quinn immediately put down her tea cup and held out her free hand, wiping her nose on her wrist with an absent sniffle. “Geez, you just can't wait to get high on this stuff, huh baby?” The little starlet teased gently, sitting down on the edge of the bed and handing Quinn the powerful medicine.

“Damb right,” Quinn muttered, and downed the stuff like a shot of tequila, then grinned up at Rachel sleepily. “Thandks, starfish.”

“You're welcome, angelfish,” Rachel grinned back, leaning down and kissing Quinn lightly on the lips again, feeling the warmth of her skin, the sharp tang of the medicine, the faint slickness of her runny nose.

When the little starlet pulled back, she felt her girlfriend's soft, raspy intake of breath that preceded another congested sneeze. On instinct, Rachel reached up with her free hand and pressed one finger under her girlfriend's pink nose, pushing up the underside just slightly as her nostrils quavered and opened wide, eyes slipping irresistibly shut.

“Uhh'txchshhu!!! *Snfl,*” Quinn gave a helpless, stuffy sneeze against the firm pressure of her girlfriend's finger, then sniffled wetly as Rachel gave her pink nose a quick little rub.

“Bless you honey,” Rachel murmured sweetly, plucking a fresh tissue from the box and wiping her girlfriend's nose one more time, gently squeezing and wiping sideways in a way that she hoped would quell the snotty tickle.

“Thag you,” Quinn yawned, not even bothering to complain to Rachel that she was perfectly capable of wiping her own nose. That's how the little starlet knew the Codeine was kicking in; and soon her sweet little snifflebug would be fast asleep again, giving her poor body the rest it needed to begin to fight back.

[White Rose]

Omg, so cute! Rachel holding her finger under Quinn's nose!! <3

[Germophobe]

Amazing as always! Will there be contagion?

[wannablessedbe]

hey guys! I know it's been a while, but I just wrote a new part for this story. hope it's not too late for you to enjoy it

cheers,

--WBB

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Just Like Clockwork

Chapter 4

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After Rachel doped Quinn up on the cough syrup with Codeine, the little starlet lay stretched out in bed stroking her girlfriend's blonde hair, expecting that she'd fall asleep within a few minutes. But just as Rachel began to think Quinn was drifting off, the fever-flushed girl began to giggle sleepily, eyes still closed, even as her pale lips curled into weak half-smile.

“What's so funny, boo?” Rachel murmured, nuzzling up a little closer to the blonde girl's warm skin and planting a soft kiss right between her eyes.

“Just...thinking about avocados. And tomatoes. And cucumbers. And all the vegetables that are really fruits,” Quinn explained seriously, her voice soft and sleepy and a little raspy after hours of coughing. “Why...why do we have to pretend they're vegetables? What difference would it even make? Why does it matter if everyone thinks a tomato is a vegetable? It's like...*snfl*...fruit racism.” The blonde girl giggled sleepily, beaming at Rachel with her hazel eyes half-open.

“You're so hiiiigh,” Rachel teased gently, stroking her girlfriend's fever-warmed face with light fingertips.

“Sooooo high,” Quinn agreed in a sleepy, raspy sing-songy voice that broke into another soft giggle, which became a cough. But now, under the influence of the Codeine, it was only one cough, not a whole string. “I feel like we're floating...wanna float with me, starfish?”

“Sure, angelfish,” Rachel cooed sweetly, nuzzling up snugly against her girlfriend's feverish body and lightly rubbing her thumb across the back of Quinn's neck. She could hear the soft wheeze as the blonde girl drew in a hitching breath, one hand raising absently between them as the tickle in the back of her pink nose forced her nostrils wide open.

“Uht'chhxiew!!! *Snfl*...” Quinn gave a desperately congested sneeze into her loosely cupped hand, too woozy and drugged up to bother stifling. Rachel didn't even flinch at the light mist hitting her face and throat, holding the sick girl even closer as she sneezed, gently stroking her hair.

“Bless you baby,” the dark-haired girl cooed, leaning up on her elbow to get a fresh tissue and lightly swiping her girlfriend's runny nose, then kissing it. Quinn sniffled.

“Thadks,” she croaked softly, taking the tissue from Rachel's hands and lightly pinching the bottom of her pink nose, sniffling and massaging. “I...I...*snfl*...s-still feel all floaty...aah'chxshii!! Aah...*snfl*...ehhtchiiew!!!” Quinn sneezed, sniffled, and sneezed again, damp pink nose pushing firmly up against the crumpled tissue.

“God bless you, God bless you,” Rachel murmured, sitting up slightly and kissing the top of Quinn's head, while passing her a few fresh tissues. “Poor little thing, I know what will make you feel better,” the dark-haired girl sighed, hugging Quinn one more time, then getting up and scampering off to the bathroom. The Codeine was helping Quinn's cough, all right, but it wasn't doing much of anything to quell her runny nose and desperate sneezing.

“Dod't leave,” the blonde girl whined with a cranky pout when Rachel returned with the little blue jar of vapo-rub a minute later. “I...*snfl*...I wod't feel b-better if you leave.” She tugged lightly on the bottom of her runny nose through the crumpled tissue she held, eyes narrowing as she sucked in another wheezy, ticklish breath. “Hh...hhuh...hht'iiishew!! *Snfl*...”

“I'm not leaving you, angelfish,” Rachel sighed, unscrewing the cap from the little jar and leaning down to kiss Quinn between the eyes again as she blew her stuffy nose. “I was just getting something to help your poor little nose breathe easier, and maybe help you stop sniffling and sneezing for a little while.”

“'Kay,” Quinn agreed submissively, trusting Rachel implicitly as she dropped her limp hands back against the blankets, holding the soggy tissue absently. The dark-haired girl swirled the tip of her finger around in the minty salve, and gently circled her fingertip around the rims of Quinn's damp pink nostrils. The itchy, runny nose trembled slightly at the light touch and the tingly sensation of the vapo-rub, but Rachel kept going, swirling a light, shiny coating of the balm around the bottom of her girlfriend's stuffy nostrils, paying special attention to the tender pink root of her nose where it connected to her upper lip. Quinn's puffy hazel eyes fell shut as Rachel drew her hand away, and predictably, the blonde girl cupped a hand back to her mouth as her glistening nostrils opened wide, dribbling slightly.

“Aah...*snfl*...” She rubbed the ointment-slicked underside of her pink nose briskly back and forth, just once, then held her finger there, pressing up firmly against the minty tickle as her nostrils expanded, and the slits of her eyes slid shut. “AaahhESHooOO!!! *Snfl*...” She misted the air with her sick, stuffy sneeze, runny nose quivering helplessly as she sucked in another deep, ticklish breath. “*Snfl*...*s-snfl*...aaah'chOOoo!! Ehh...hhheh...*snfl*...” She hitched and huffed over another sneeze still swirling around helplessly in the back of her head, blinking blearily as twin trails of watery snot issued slowly from swollen pink nostrils. She looked, somehow, completely adorable and completely pathetic at the same time.

“Aww, I'm sorry baby,” Rachel sighed, kissing Quinn's warm forehead and stroking her hair back. “I guess you had a few more sneezes stuck in there, hmm? But I promise, in a few minutes your nose won't be running so much, and then you can get some real rest.”

“Ohh...*snfl*...okay,” Quinn hitched, holding the crumpled tissue a few inches in front of her runny nose as it quivered teasingly. “Aahh...hhet'chhhew!! Uhhh'chhsh!!! *Snfl.*” Quinn sneezed desperately into the soggy tissue she still held, misting the air even through the damp cotton. And Rachel found, when she went to grab a fresh one, that the box was empty. With a sigh, she rose to get a fresh box from the closet, knowing her girlfriend was going to need it.

[purpleninja]

Adorable!!! So glad to see you back!

[BootyBurgers]

I LOVE this. It's perfect. Please keep it going!!

[sugarrush]

"why...why do we have to pretend they're vegetables?" xD I laughed. This is total cuteness <3

[Hygge]

I didn't even find this until now. And I was so excited. now I need more!

[White Rose]

So, So, SO adorable! Definitely not too late to enjoy it! Please continue!