Lima Airport, 9:30 AM
Tiffany Fabray stepped off the plane that had just arrived from San Francisco in the only airport in Lima, Ohio. It had been two years since she had last been home and hadn't missed it at all. It wasn't hard not to miss the small town, with its narrow-minded, judgmental citizens and lack of excitement. If there was one thing Tiffany had craved from a young age, it was excitement. She didn't miss her parents either. She knew nobody would miss her father, the tyrant of their household, and her mother, a weak pushover. If there was one thing Tiffany missed about Lima, it was her little sister Quinn.
Quinn was basically Tiffany's polar opposite: quiet, kind, obedient, and always looking for stability. Her older sister could understand why. During their childhood, their family was an act. To the town, the Fabrays looked like the perfect functional family. Behind closed doors, however, it was a whole different story. The Fabrays paid little attention to their two little girls, preferring to spend their times having violent screaming matches. Tiffany acted as Quinn's mother, teaching the little girl how to read and ride a bike. She was the one who held Quinn when the nightmares got too bad. Tiffany would reassure her little sister everything would be alright.
Both the girls took their faith serious from a very young age. One of the few things Mrs. Fabray took the time to do was teach her daughters their prayers. The sisters would often find comfort in praying together. For a long time, Quinn believed God listened to her prayers more seriously if her sister was there. Of course, she would eventually learn better, but a little kid will believe anything you tell them.
Tiffany went to baggage claim and grabbed her three bags. She only expected to stay in Lima a few months, so she figured she could just buy clothes if she needed them. Tiffany smirked at the thought. It sounded like something her mother would do. Her mother was the reason she was back in Lima. Mrs. Fabray sent her oldest daughter a letter detailing her husband's infidelity and Quinn's pregnancy. Tiffany booked a flight home right after she read the letter. She had to make sure her little sister was okay.
Tiffany couldn't believe Quinn had done what she did. It was so out of character for her little sister. Quinn had always been so sweet and pure. Tiffany knew her sister had a bitchy side. She had taught her everything she knew, after all. Tiffany had been captain of the Cheerios all four years she had been at McKinley. Her mother hadn't given her many details other than her father had been kicked out and Quinn had her baby a few months ago and given it up for adoption. She always knew her parents weren't perfect, but she never thought they would kick Quinn out for making a mistake.
Tiffany went outside to get a Metro Car. It didn't take long with her charm and good looks. If you looked at the two sisters together, you'd think they were twins. Of course, Tiffany was a few inches taller and Quinn had always been skinner. Tiffany remembered a time, during their childhood, when Quinn ate normally. When her little sister hit middle school, however, everything changed. Quinn started skipping meals. It didn't become a huge problem until she entered eighth grade. Tiffany noticed how skeletal her little sister had become but was too busy fighting with their parents to take action.
"Where to, miss?" the elder man driving the car asked sweetly.
Tiffany flipped her long blond hair and smiled the dazzling Fabray smile. "McKinley High School, please," she replied politely. The man nodded and pulled out of the airport. Tiffany had unfinished business to attend to at McKinley.
Tiffany had always had dreamed of being a performer. From a young age, she had loved to sing and dance. She would teach Quinn what she had learned, and the sisters would put on shows for their friends. Santana and Brittany usually joined them. The Fabrays thought it was cute when the girls were little, but when Tiffany got into high school, everything changed. She tried to join glee club, but they wouldn't let her. The Fabrays forced their oldest daughter to accept an invitation to be a Cheerio. It turned out to be a smart move. Being a Cheerio taught Tiffany how to deal with people, to be a bitch when necessary. Ms. Sylvester was like a mentor to her; together, they won four national titles.
One of the biggest regrets Tiffany had after running away to San Francisco was not joining glee club. That was why she opened her own club, no alcohol but a lot of killer talent. Her parents' official cover story was that she had married a nice Christian man and volunteered for some charity in Colorado. Tiffany's real whereabouts were a well kept secret. She was pretty sure that her parents had told no one and Quinn had probably only told Santana and Brittany.
That was why Tiffany was going to McKinley. She wanted to see if whoever was now coaching glee club needed some extra help. It was the least she could do. Plus, she wanted to keep a watchful eye on Quinn, who she knew was now in glee club. Tiffany wasn't sure how that happened, but was curious to find out. There were so many questions she had for her mother and sister.
The Fabray Home, 11:20 AM
Quinn stared in the mirror, dressed only in her bra and underwear. She stared at her body. Quinn had lost all the baby weight over the summer and hadn't stopped losing. She was down to 100 lbs. An outsider would look at her ribs and how you could trace them with your fingers and feel sorry for her. This gave Quinn a sense of accomplishment. She had gained back her body. Her waist was tinier if that was even possible. Everything she bought was either a size two or zero depending on the brand. Quinn didn't dare ti share her secret with anyone. They'd just tell her how unhealthy it was. She had stopped caring.
Quinn had been through a lot in the past year and was trying to regain her life back one step at a time. The weight went first, then getting back on the Cheerios. Quinn had left the girl who picked on people behind; she was gone. The bitchy girl who used her evil for good was still there, however. Quinn had reconnected with Brittany and Santana over the summer. They were her two oldest childhood friends and were the only ones who knew the real story of what happened to her sister.
Quinn's older sister, Tiffany, had been her idol growing up. Being four years older, she was held up as an example to Quinn. Tiffany was all the things Quinn was not: wild, carefree, spirited, and lively. She drove their parents crazy. Tiffany had a good heart but also possessed critical eye when it came to her parents. Quinn grew up with both her parents fighting all the time, her older sister comforting her. She suspected it was why she was always seeking something safe. The things she enjoyed most in her life, like Glee, were the things that truly scared her because there was no safety net,
Tiffany had a huge fight with her parents about her future after graduation. She had wanted to become a performer while the Fabrays wanted her to go to law school. She had ran off to San Francisco without leaving behind anything more than a note for Quinn. The younger girl had been fourteen, just getting ready to go into high school. She needed her sister's guidance but couldn't get it. That was when her eating disorder had took a turn for the worst.
Suddenly, Quinn's cell phone rang. She picked it up and put it on speaker so that she could get dressed while she talked. It was Mercedes. "Hey girl! Ready for some serious shopping?" the chocolate diva asked excitedly. Quinn smiled; shopping trips with Mercedes and Kurt were always an event within itself. They had also become closer over the summer. Quinn loved how witty Kurt was; she didn't really get that much wit in her day to day conversations.
"Definitely. I'm ready to wear something other than baby doll dresses. In fact, I think I'm going to burn all of them." Quinn answered enthusiastically.
Mercedes gasped. Her blond friend was a huge fan of the baby doll dress. "Kurt's going to be thrilled to hear you say that," she joked. And it was true; he had be working relentless to get Quinn out of the baby doll dresses.
"Don't I know it," she replied sassily. Quinn stared at her phone only to discover that her battery was dying. "Hey Mercedes, I have to call you back later. My phone is dying."
"Kay girl. See ya later!" Mercedes replied cheerfully. Quinn smiled at her friend's upbeat attitude and said goodbye. She went into her closet and grabbed an outfit. Quinn put on white skinny jeans, a simple pink cashmere tank top, a cardigan a shade darker than her top, and sparkly ballet flats. Quinn had discovered that she actually really liked cardigans.
Quinn wished that someone really cared. She knew God loved her, but she still felt bad for having sex. She knew her friends cared, but she didn't want to give them a reason to ditch her. Quinn wasn't sure that her mother cared. There was only one person who had ever truly cared: Tiffany. And whether she wanted to admit it or not, Quinn really could use her big sister's help. She was drowning and didn't know how to get out.
Quinn looked at the pictures she had placed around her room. There was one of her, Kurt, and Mercedes at the Lady Gaga concert. They had all worn their costumes from glee, and it had been a blast. There was one of all the glee club going bowling. A shot of her, Santana, and Brittany sat on her dresser. It was one of their more recent sleepovers, the kind they use to have when they were little. She laughed at the memory. There was one of her and Rachel swimming. Of all the people in glee club, Quinn was most shocked of how close she and Rachel had become. Sure, Quinn still found the brunette annoying from time to time, but now it was annoying she could handle. The last shot was of Puck. He was sitting on the hood of his car, smirking. This shot made Quinn want to cry. She still loved Puck, but she knew he wasn't ready for a relationship. These people were the only thing keeping Quinn afloat. Without them, she would've already sunk to the bottom, with no way out.
The weird thing was that she remembered a time where she hadn't needed rescuing and had still been able to eat. But, those times passed when Tiffany left, and she wasn't going to get them back any time soon.