Disclaimer: I do not own Glee

Don't Play Hide & Seek

On the day her mother died Charlotte Fabray was playing hide and seek with her twin Lucy. She always lost but Lucy always came back. Six years later and she's still waiting.


I: Prologue

- I -

Judy Fabray was a world-renowned bioengineer working for the U.S Government, her skills precious and invaluable. So much so that at least three government agents would be guarding her at all times. Out of sight of course. No one would think that the 300-acre Fabray estate housed an underground facility. Everyone thought that Judy was a simple housewife. That's what she led everyone else to believe. What actually happened in those hours were research, experiments and testing to enhance the normal human being. Only her husband knew the truth, her daughters blissfully unaware.

On August 15th 2003 everything had changed.

Purely by accident Lucy Quinn Fabray, younger twin of Charlotte Lily Fabray, had found a secret entrance to the underground facility.

That was the day Judy Fabray died.

That was the day half of the underground complex blew up.

It was also the day the serum was finished.

- I -

Her pulse was erratic under her skin. Jumping, bouncing, screaming. Her breath was labored, sweat and dirt marring her brow. Blonde hair laid slick against damp skin, tired feet pounding the unrelenting ground. She was running. She'd be running for hours- no years. Running, running, running she never stopped. Can't stop, won't stop. She was being chased. She didn't even know why. All she knew was the urge to run. To keep on running until…

Until what?

She didn't know. She never had.

But she knew a lot of other things.

She knew how to fight, maim and kill. How to hack computer systems, forge an identity and acquire weapons. She also knows that stainless steel has a melting point of 2750 Fahrenheit. That the glow of superheated metal reflects beautifully in an empty syringe. The first thing she can remember is waking up naked and surrounded by fire, a charred body on top of her, protecting her. But from what? She never knows. The body was a woman. That was all she knew.

Who is she? She never knows. She knows nothing. She knows everything.

It didn't matter. All that mattered was running. She knew how to run, it was what she did best. Never years always less, that's how much time she can stay in one area. Any longer and she would be in danger. She could be caught. She never knows. Kindness from strangers was something she couldn't always rely on. Being a young female alone always attracted attention, sometimes good, sometimes bad. She knows how to fight. It was instinctual, natural. Young and old. Fat and skinny. Black and white. She has seen many people. Some good, some bad.

Some dead.

All she knows is to run. She never knows.

- I -

She woke up with a retching gasp.

Pure, unadulterated, loneliness filled her body. She couldn't cry, she couldn't breath, she couldn't move. At the lip of unconsciousness her heart remember to beat. It was the most beautiful sound- her heart pounding in her ears. It was the sound of life and it echoed throughout her body. Looking to her side the green light blazed 5:52AM. Groaning she flopped back into her bed.

It was that dream again. The one that left her aching, a forgotten part of her heart weeping. Sometimes she would wake with tears in her eyes. Others left her unable to sleep haunted by emotions threatening to overwhelm her. Insomnia's best friend was M.A.C studio sculpt concealer NW15. She never knew what was the cause of these dreams or why they affected her so much. She knows. The psychologist she visited (she is not ashamed to ask for help) had said they were the result of her grief. The death of her mother and her emotional tie to her twin was so strong that when it broke, it left a gaping hole in her unconsciousness.

But that would mean Lucy was dead.

And that isn't true. Can't be, won't be. Cause she would know, she would know if her sister were dead. Of that she was certain. There was no body. Lucy was just hiding. That's what they were playing. Hide & Seek. She's good at that. Lucy is just waiting to come back home. But home had changed; home was the Fabray mansion in Lima Heights, not Cleveland.

Beep-beep beep-beep beep-beep beep-be-

6:00AM time to wake up.

"Charlotte, wake up dear. Breakfast is waiting down stairs."

"I'm up Martha!" Blessed Martha the maid, serving the Fabray's ever since she could remember. She even moved with them to Lima after the gas pipes the Cleveland estate blew up underground. Her mother caught in the expl- such a sweet woman Martha was.

The Maid.

Quickly washing her face and gargling (morning breath always sucked) Charlie put her Cheerio's uniform and jacket before heading down stairs. The smell of bacon brought a smile to her lips. Gareth must be spoiling her today.

"I smell bacon Gar!"

The Cook.

"Special bacon for a special day! The first day of high school only happens once!" Gareth, like Martha, moved with them. Broad shouldered, just under six foot, dark hair and dazzling blue eyes Charlie justifies the crush she had on him when she was twelve years old. He is amazing to look at, her current, sixteen year old self can testify to that, almost as good as the food.

Almost.

"Here you go. Bacon and mushroom crepes, freshly squeezed orange juice and some fruit. I've put tea in your thermos and lunch is in the bag. " He said with a pearly white smile. But Charlie was already eating; the crepes were to die for.

Although she was polite enough to swallow before saying, "Thanks Gar, you're the man."

"All I ask for is a willing victim to try out my new recipes."

"I'm as willing as ever!" Charlie shouted.

"I came in at the wrong time didn't I?" Turning Charlie's hazel eyes took in the dirty man before her, "Cause to my ears it sounded like a proposition."

"Ew, Jack, gross!" Laughing Jack made his way to the young girl, pulling out a lily.

The Gardener.

"Her you go girl, a lily for Lily." Jack was always so caring. Her father was often busy and in this big house it was easy to feel alone. When Charlie was nine she ran away into the gardens. Jack found her there crying. He was so gentle with her, asking why she was crying.

"I'm lonely… It's…. It's- without Lucy I feel so- so lonely." Curled up in her stained white dress Charlie cried. Jack's brown eyes softened as he slowly made his way to the crying child.

"That's not true Charlie. Look! I'm here and if I'm here that means you aren't alone." Reddened hazel eyes locked with brown, "I'm here for your Charlie, I'll be your friend."

Jack held out his arms and Charlie came hurtling towards him.

"I miss her so much! She's gone! Lucy's gone! I want her back! I just want her and mom back!"

Charlie screamed and cried in Jack's arm. Her small arms like a vice grip around his neck. Jack stroked matted blonde hair and rocked the broken child back and forth. His eyes shone with unshed tears. The sheer injustice of the situation heartbreaking, he promised to protect the girl in his arms with his life. He owed it to her, they all did.

"You've been using that line since I was nine."

"But it still makes you smile doesn't it?" The small smile on her face only got bigger.

"Yes."

"Then I'll keep on saying it. Now finish your food kiddo, big day today."

Big day indeed.

First day of high school and Charlie Fabray is going to start it amazingly. Being Head Cheerio is going to involve a lot of work (she's only sixteen!) but it'll be worth it when she writes her transcript. Oh! She's got to meet Sue Sylvester at 6:30AM.

"Oh crap, I gotta run! See you all later Martha, Gar, Jack!"

"Have fun dear!" "Good luck!" "Knock em' dead!" They replied in unison.

The Maid. The Cook. The Gardener.

- I -

She was tired.

The first day of school always held such promise but upon being slushied at entry Rachel Berry had to dig out an old owl sweater she had stuffed in her bag. She definitely thought that this year would be better; she could feel it in her bones. Today might not have gone exactly to plan but she believed! It will get better and she'll be surrounded by friends soon enough.

But this was something you do not want to wake up to. The shrill 'weeoo weeoo' of the alarm filled her room. She was tired but that disappeared in an instant. Jumping out of bed Rachel quickly grabbed the baseball bat near her door. She is nothing if not prepared. Who would break into their house at, she looked to her clock, 1:30AM? She had no idea.

Lies. She knew exactly the type of people who would do this.

"Rachel honey are you alright?" Her Dad's (Hiram) voice shouted from beyond the door.

"Yes!" Wrenching the door open she threw herself in her Dad's arms.

"I'm so glad your safe peach."

"Where's Daddy?"

"Downstairs." She took in a stuttered breath.

"B-but what if they're still down there?" Her Dad looked at her with serious brown eyes, eyes full of love.

"We'll keep you safe."

"HIRAM GET MY MEDICAL KIT!" He rushed right into action leaving his daughter to the shock of her Daddy's voice. It was so loud and powerful, a far cry from the happy, charming, sweet Daddy she knows so well. Her Dad was quick, running down the stairs before it even occurred to her to move.

She was quick to follow.

Running down the stairs she followed the light escaping from the kitchen. There sprawled on the dining table was a fallen angel. Her Daddy the general surgeon of St. Rita Medical Centre used to be a trauma surgeon before moving to Lima. Dr. LeRoy Berry was working on a bleeding girl on his kitchen table.

She's going to be sick.

The smell of blood thickens the air. It scratches at her lungs and tears through her nose. She has to go past the bleeding girl in order to throw up in the sink. She can't bear to look at the girl. Washing her mouth (and vomit) with water Rachel steels herself before facing the dining table. Daddy is working with a herculean amount of focus, Dad keeping pressure above the girl's abdomen. But it's not enough. The blood is seeping through his fingers and there's a tea towel right next to her.

"Rachel! I need you to help your Dad."

Automatically she grabbed the cloth beside her pushed, replacing her Dad's hands. The sight and smell may be revolting but there was a girl dying right in front of her. A silly little thing like that is not enough to stop her from helping.

"LeRoy, I'm going to call an ambulance."

"No!" LeRoy looked to his husband with pleading, manic eyes, "No one else must know that she's here!"

She watched in fascination at the silent communication her father's exchanged with one look. It took her mind off the liquid heat pooling beneath her hands. Hiram let loose a resigned sigh before nodding his head.

"Thank you. I promise I'll explain later." He wiped his sweaty brow, "Can you please get me a two bowls? One with water one without. Things are about to get messy." At her Daddy's statement Rachel's empty stomach lurched.

Shaking her head she decided to face it head on. Her eyes scanned the body. They were wearing well-worn black jeans; tears littered the girl's legs. Almost always accompanied by a scratch or an angry red mark. Some of the tears seemed to be singed. Why? At the 'clink' of metal hitting porcelain Rachel looked up. A copper bullet, squished and stained with blood rolled around.

"That's one."

One. One. This girl was being shot at!

Quickly Rachel examined the rest of the body, eyes traveling up to the torso and arms. Her Daddy had just taken out a bullet embedded in the girl's right arm. He quickly cleaned the area, stitched then bandaged it. Moving on to the girl's side just as quickly. The tweezers in his hand, already shining with blood widened the opening, the girl let out a soft groan. LeRoy quickly looked at the girl, hoping, praying, she wouldn't wake up. Rachel's eyes followed.

Her heart stopped.

"D-Daddy…"

"Just keep pressure on the wound honey."

"Daddy…"

"Just hold it there, I'm nearly finished here." The squelching sounds of his finger moving inside the girl reached her ears.

"Daddy I know her."

He stopped.

"How? What's her name?" His frenzied eyes sparked fear throughout her body, "Tell me her name!"

"LeRoy!" Hiram protested.

"Charlotte! Charlotte Fabray!"

Charlotte Fabray, head cheerleader of the Cheerios, the pretty girl that didn't laugh at her, was lying on her dining table dying.

Hazel eyes opened.

- I -


A/N: This idea's been running around my head for a while and needed to get out. Mistakes are all mine. I really don't know where I'm going to go with this so if your interested hit me up. If this continues I will be in need of a beta so… pretty please? Feedback is appreciated!

Hope you all enjoyed this!