Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or any of their characters.
I always knew this day would come. Walking my sister down the aisle to the woman she's been in love with since her junior year of high school. Friends and family gathered around in a small church in upstate New York. When you read fairy tales it's always the same the unsuspecting knight saves the princess. I would always scoff at that, my family is far from perfect. I once thought my parents had the picture perfect marriage, we were the perfect family. Well that was until he started to hit me, and I saw the bruises left on my mom.
My sisters weren't in any better a boat. No he didn't beat them like he did me, but I would say that the mind games and emotional torture he put them through was in a way worse than the physical torment I suffered. I know my mom tried to buffer between us and him, but alone she wasn't enough. When Franny finally ran away to California he upped the stakes thinking we drove her away. Nobody noticed, nobody ever questioned what happened inside the big house on the hill until one night my mom frantically drove me to the local hospital.
Four broken ribs and a broken arm later and my dad was in prison. Mom wasn't that much better off and the police found Lucy locked in her room crying. A phone grasped tightly in her hand, the 911 operator still on the line. The shy girl who nobody ever really saw or talked too, the little girl that man had beaten down into an eating disorder and no self-esteem was the one that finally put him away. We moved shortly afterwards, but we didn't fare much better. Lucy was too guarded to make any friends, being a lesbian didn't help either, and I was picked on for being the brother of the dyke. Mom had had enough by the time I was starting high school and we moved again to Lima, Ohio.
I always knew my sister was a princess needing saving, but a string of knights came and went and she was even worse than before. I sat there helpless as I saw the girl who saved me sink even further into her own twisted mind. Even in Lima I was still being bullied. McKinley high school wasn't a friendly place if you weren't at the top, and even then it wasn't the greatest place to be. The bullying set off nightmares, and I started to realize maybe I needed saving just as much as Lucy.
Lucy had changed, she wanted to be somebody new. Mom had got her help for the eating disorder, but come time to move to Lima I barely recognized my sister. She dyed her hair blonde, got contacts, and started going by Quinn. I guess I understood the sentiment of trying to leave the past behind. Lucy always loved singing so she joined glee club instead of trying out for the cheer leading squad like dad would have wanted. She was happier, but I could still see pain her eyes. I wanted her savior to come, and quickly. Strangely enough my wish would be granted sooner than I thought.
It was my first day at McKinley and it wasn't going well. I had gotten lost on the way to class several times, thrown in the dumpster at least once, and slushied right before lunch. Yes, I mean an honest to god actually slushie. I never imagined a frozen dessert would hurt that much. Quinn was running late after school and a couple of guys from the hockey team started harassing me. Pushing me back and forth between the members. I was pretty scared, and then I heard her.
I couldn't see who it was, but a strong voice sent out a string of Spanish and soon enough I was knocked to the ground. When I looked up the first thing I saw was a girl. Her back was turned to me, she was wearing a red and white cheer leading uniform. From her body language alone I could tell she was protecting me, and if that didn't tell me she was on my side her threats of emasculating the entire hockey team were. I don't think I've ever been so happy and scared at the same time. The hockey team quickly ran away when one of the guys tried put her in her place.
In the blink of an eye the guy was on the ground and the girl was screaming at all of them in Spanish. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a tall man approach the girl. He was tan just like my savior and muscular. "Damn Lopez what got up your ass?" he asked looking at the man on the ground. Lopez gestured silently over to me before addressing him, "Make sure he wakes up in a dumpster." The boy nodded his head and lifted the guy on his shoulder with a groan before starting to turn away. "Wait," Lopez said and the boy halted his steps looking back at her. "What the fuck happened to you?" she asks me looking down at my still slushie ruined shirt. "They threw a slushie at me during lunch." I mumbled out embarrassed. "Puck I need a shirt for our friend…" "Charlie" I supplied. "I need a shirt for our friend, Charlie." Puck lowered the injured boy to the ground before taking off the kid's shirt and tossing it to Lopez. "It'll probably be big and smell like shit, but it's better than what you're wearing." she tells me tossing the shirt at me.
I quickly change out of my ruined clothes and stand up shakily as Puck continues his path towards the dumpster with the hockey player. "You okay?" she asks in a soft voice. I nod my head, I've dealt with worse. She looks around before looking back at me, "Need a lift home. I'm sure those assholes are waiting by the corner for you." I shake my head, "I'm waiting for my sister." I tell her and she nods her head. "Look I would wait with you, but I have to get to practice. If anybody gives you more grief I want you to run straight to the football field, okay?" she tells me. "I can take care of myself." I mumble and Lopez snorts at me. "I like you Charlie. You got spirit. I tell you what I'll make a deal with you if you promise me to run straight to the field if someone bothers you." she says and I quirk an eyebrow at her.
"What kind of deal?" I ask and Lopez smirks at me. "I'll teach you how to handle those guys by yourself, but until then you come to me when you got a problem. Deal?" I worry my bottom lip between my teeth but I slowly nod my head yes. "Deal." I say shaking her extended hand. "I got to go. You know where the field is right?" she asks backing away slowly. When I tell her I don't she smiles and points out where to run. "Come find me tomorrow we'll work out the rest of deal then." "I never got your name." I call out after her. "Santana. Santana Lopez." she calls over her shoulder before breaking into a run off in the direction of the football field. It looks like I just made my first friend in Lima.
Minutes later the side of my face is throbbing and Quinn still hasn't shown up. I'm about to call her when I hear my name, "Charlie!" It's Quinn and she's with a short brunette. "Sorry, I took so long. I was auditioning for glee club!" she tells me excitingly before frowning when she finally takes in my appearance. "What happened to your eye!" she exclaims cupping my chin with her hand so she can take a better look at my face, "And where the fuck did you get that shirt?" I smile a little remembering my new friend, Santana. "Don't worry about it Lucy Q. I'm good." I tell her dragging her along in the direction of her car.
The girl that's with Quinn follows us, Rachel, she introduced herself. Quinn's giving her a ride home so I'm demoted to the back seat. As I tune out the incessant ramble Rachel is on about some boy named Finn. I look over to the football field and my eyes widen. I see Santana in front of the cheerleaders yelling into a bullhorn. She must be the captain if she's in charge of practice. The boy, Puck, is taking a sip from a water bottle nearby when he catches my eye in the car. He's in full pads and his helmet is under his arm. Even from the car I can see a C for captain embroidered on his jersey. He waves smiling at me and I wave back. I can't believe I was saved by the captain of the football team and more importantly the captain of the cheer leading team.
Even on my first day I heard about how horrible those two were although I never did catch their names, but here I am stunned in the back of my sister's car thanking every power there is that those two are now seemingly on my side.
The next day I see Santana at her locker talking to a gel haired boy in a cheerleading uniform too. I take a deep breath and before I lose my nerve, and I walk over and clear my throat to get her attention. The boy smiles at me amused, and Santana turns to me with a scowl. I back up slightly because of her glare, but when she recognizes me her face breaks into a huge grin. "Charlie!" she smiles before turning to her friend, "Blaine this Charlie, my new workout buddy." Santana says and I can see a smirk on her face, "Charlie this is Blaine Anderson." she introduces us and I shake Blaine's hand. "How'd Satan get you agree to work out with her?" Blaine asks me and I frown. "Hockey team thought it'd be a good idea to team up on him." Santana answers for me.
Blaine shakes his head, but thankfully changes the subject. "So you going to talk to your mystery girl today?" Blaine asks teasingly and I furrow my brow in confusion. "You're gay?" I asked. I'm a little surprised. I never pegged Santana as a lesbian, but then again Quinn isn't the stereotypical lesbian either. "Got a problem with that?" I hear a deep voice ask behind me and I turn around to see Puck and a Chinese boy standing directly behind me glaring. I quickly shake my head 'no', M-my s-sist-ter i-is g-gay." I stutter out. God, Charlie you really fucked up. Santana puts a hand on my shoulder and I start to relax. "Oh, cool." Puck says before leaning back against the lockers beside me. "Pop tart?" he asks handing over a pastry. "Thanks." I mumble accepting the treat. "Look I don't know if I'll talk to her. She's really pretty." Santana tells Blaine deciding to move past the awkward moment. I snort involuntarily at that and Santana shots a glare my way.
The glare makes me gulp, but I can tell it's a playful one. The boys laugh at us as I hold up my hands in surrender, "Sorry, it's just you took on the hockey team and you're afraid to talk to a girl because she's pretty?" I ask her. That is oddly adorable. "She's really fucking gorgeous. She looks like a movie star!" Santana defends herself which just makes the four of us laugh even harder at her. "Whatever, Charlie find me at lunch. I'll be on the field we'll talk then." I nod my head and Santana walks away with Blaine parting the crowded hallway as they go.
Puck slaps his hand down on my shoulder and I sag a little under the weight. "I like you Charlie. This is Mike. Mike, Charlie. He's one of us now." Puck says and I can feel my heart swell with pride. I can't believe the most popular kids in school are actually becoming my friends. Mike gives me a high-five, "That was a good one Charlie. Don't be late meeting with Santana." he tells me and Puck nods his head seriously giving me a stern look. "Nobody keeps Satan waiting." Puck tells me as the first bell rings.
My classes are pretty boring and I'm having a hard time paying attention in them. By the time the lunch bell rings I'm practically sprinting out of my class to get to the football field. Santana is sitting on the bleachers with Puck, Mike, and Blaine. "Hey!" I greet them breathlessly and I climb the stairs to sit by Santana. "So when are you free?" Santana asks me as I open up my lunch. "Anytime." I tell her honestly blushing a little in embarrassment. "Oh but not after school when the glee club meets. My sister joined and she's my ride." I back pedal remembering Quinn's excitement from last night.
"Cool. We'll run Saturdays and Sundays in the morning. You can come to practice with me on the days your sister has glee and we'll fit you in there. I'm sure Sue wouldn't mind she's barely there anyways. As for real training that'll have to go on a weekly basis but it'll probably be Saturday afternoons. Okay?" Santana asks and I nod my head. "Yeah, thanks so much for this." I tell her shyly and she shrugs. "You're one of us now. We protect our own. Let Puck know you're sister's name and we'll get her off the slushie list as best we can." Santana says and I nod my head smiling. I didn't even think about Quinn getting slushied.
The rest of lunch went by fast as I sat back watching my four new friends interact together laughing and teasing. They're nowhere near as bad as everybody says. Santana and Puck are awesome, Blaine is pretty funny and loves football just like me, and Mike can be pretty quiet but he can be pretty funny too plus he's a pretty cool guy.
I find out Quinn has practice Monday, Wednesday, and Friday every week so I tell Santana and start in on cheerio practices. It's pretty brutal. Santana has me running a lot, but she tells me that if I can out run them, out last them, and outsmart them it doesn't matter who or how many people try to get me I'll always out beat them. Santana, I found out learned a lot of kickboxing from her dad and she's pretty adamant on using violence only when absolutely necessary. 'Words cut deeper than a sword' she told me once after insulating a guy so bad he broke down crying. In her defense he was about to throw a slushie at me.