She sat down next to the MacKenzie's bed, Chris and Kristin standing on either side of her. She didn't know what to do Nick wasn't any help and now she wondered why she had even asked him. After she left Nick she went to James and together they made the decision that Mac would have the surgery.
"She's going to make it. She's strong just like her mother." She could hear a snort and simply sighed as she shook her head. Chris obviously didn't like Kristin's words of encouragement. Chris' position as Quinn's best friend and confidante has, in Chris' own eyes, been a little threatened since Kristin's arrival. Really, no one was any more or less of her friend through this whole ordeal as far as she was concerened. All she cared about was her daughter everyone else were really just beginning to get on her nerves. Their constant presence, asking her if she were ok, if she needed anything. Didn't they know that was annoying? Didn't they know she just wanted and needed for her daughter to get better? Not a glass of water, not meat loaf and mashed potatoes from the hospital cafeteria none of that ever entered her mind while she was in the hospital and it sort of bothered her that they thought so much about those insignificant things. The door opened and she turned to see Larry stick his head inside,
"Is it ok if I come in?" She stood up and walked towards him,
"Of course." She wrapped her arms around him and her eyes closed from the comfort of his arms around her,
"You don't have to be someplace else?" She hoped he understood what she was asking. She could no longer bear to say his name,
"No, he told me to come be with you." She pulled back and looked at him quizzically,
"Why?" He shrugged,
"He wanted to be alone." She nodded absently as she made her way back over to Mac,
"Come on in and have a seat." He followed behind her and she kept her eyes on her little baby as Larry greeted Chris and Kristin. She hadn't seen Larry that much but it was no surprise because he was with Nick and she definitely hadn't seen him as much as she should have considering the daughter they shared was struggling for her life. She looked over when she felt a hand on her shoulder and saw Kristin's finely French manicured fingers,
"Do you want some tea?" Before she could answer Chris answered for her,
"No, she doesn't need that. Caffeine is the last thing she needs." It was coming, she could feel it,
"Oh really?" Chris nodded,
"Yeah really. It's a stimulant and it will keep her from sleeping." Kristin shook her head and sighed,
"And you know exactly what is best for Quinn." They were getting louder,
"Yes, I am her best friend." Kristin moved over a little and leaned against a wall, her arms crossed as she sneered at Chris. Her voice was low but everyone heard her, "If you knew what was best you wouldn't be trying to push her off on Nick." That hurt her a lot. Push her off on Nick? As if Nick didn't want her and she was being a pest to him. She didn't bother to look up or even think of anything to say, this was Chris and Kristin's fight,
"Push her off on Nick? What the hell? Maybe someone should have been pushing him off of her then none of you would have to be here right now." This fight between Chris and Kristin had been brewing ever since Kristin arrived,
"Oh please. It's not about him being a father it's about not rushing into a relationship he isn't ready for." She didn't move, she didn't make a sound for fear they would remember she was in the room and try to pull her into the argument,
"Who's rushing him? One minute he's calling her to join him on tour, flirting with her, trying to sleep with her, playing the jealous boyfriend and finally getting her in his bed then the next he's ignoring her and talking to her about other girls. How the hell is she supposed to know what he wants? He doesn't even know what he wants." She could see Kristin nodding her head,
"All the more reason that a relationship shouldn't be forced. He's not ready." Chris laughed,
"She isn't forcing anything. This is all Nick's fault. Quinn never expects anything out of Nick. Just for him to be there for Mac." Kristin bent down and placed her hand on Quinn's thigh,
"Is that really true Quinn? You don't have any feelings for Nick? You just want him to be a dad and nothing else? You don't dream about the three of you being a family?" Her eyes began to water and just when she thought she would have to answer Chris jumped in and saved the day,
"What are you trying to do? Why are you here anyway? Are you here for Quinn or are you here for Nick? Are you trying to get him out of his responsibility and make Quinn feel like shit?"
"Are you crazy? You've been watching way too many soap operas." Chris snorted,
"Well you are the actress or wannabe I should say." That was a little harsh on Chris' behalf. She wasn't that fond of Kristin's comments but part of her was right.
"All of you are nothing but a waste of time. I can't believe you are all ganging up on Quinn because of Nick. You all would like to think Nick isn't the problem here but he is. My friend has done nothing but raise his daughter while he fucked his way around the world. She doesn't want anything to do with Nick, she is getting married to possibly the nicest guy in the world and you all are assholes for putting-" She couldn't take it anymore. She really couldn't,
"Chris, stop-" Chris was on a roll,
"No Quinn, you-" She raised her hands and faced her friend,
"Chris, it's not that simple. It's not that cut and dry ok? Maybe I do have feelings for Nick. I have thought about the three of us being a family. I want that, it will never happen but I want that. I know Nick leads me on and I keep going back to him. I keep hoping and wishing and letting him set me up for a fall. I should know better by now." She shook her head,
"Why are you letting them get to you? Filling your head with this crap? You know what really goes on not them."
Chapter 65a