In an empty theatre, among hundreds of velvet laced seats, a small brunette sat staring at the stage.

Another figure materializes beside her as she sighs thinking of a dream that could never be.

"Why don't you get up there and sing me a song Thumbelina." The newcomer says poking her side.

"I'm not really in the mood." she answers with a sigh, "Wait! what are you doing here? are you done with your latest assignment?"

"Looking for your ass that's what, you go MIA and I was ordered to go look for you." was the snarky reply.

"Santana, I would appreciate if you converse with me in a cordial manner if not I shall just take my leave!" she huffs before getting up to leave.

A hand on her wrist stops her from doing so. She looks to her companion sighs and sits back down.

"Sorry Rachel." was muttered so low, she barely heard it.

And for a moment it was silent.

"It was just a hard day, I needed to escape. I didn't mean to be gone so long." she says breaking the silence before rubbing her face.

"Coach told me all about it." Santana tells her before throwing an arm around her neck, "Kids are always the hardest, but we do what we have to do, what we can do."

Rachel turns her head to look at her friend, wondering how the latina was able to do what she does, "It was just so hard seeing her cry. She kept asking me if she wasn't a good girl and if god didn't love her. She begged me to take her with me. She wanted her daddy to stop hurting them. I think I'm in the wrong department San."

Santana looks at her distraught friend, wondering what it was about this ward that affected her this way, this wasn't her first assignment, but Rachel was starting to be a little too invested. And in their line of work it was never a good sign, "Look maybe coach can give you like clerical work or something."

Rachel was torn between agreeing and fighting for her current post, "But what about my inny?" she asks.

"Coach will find someone else to watch her Rach. You know she takes her job seriously." was Santana's answer, hearing Rachel call her ward 'my inny' confirmed her suspicions, Rachel needed to transfer, "Look why don't you go up on stage and sing a song. Maybe it'll cheer you up? I'll even keep my comments to myself."

Rachel hugs the latina, before suddenly appearing on the stage. She sings for her inny, each note as heartfelt as the next, and all she could think of was sad hazel eyes filled with tears.

-o-o-o-o-o-

"Becky! Send in Santana and Rachel!" was heard all over HQ.

"Yes Coach." was Becky's reply then turns to look at two of the thousands waiting for their turn in the waiting room "Santana, Rachel. Coach will see you now."

Both brunettes get up, Before opening the door, Santana whispers, "Ready for this?"

Rachel just shrugs her shoulders in response.

Once they enter the office and close the door. Coach just stares down at them for a few minutes
before speaking.

"Santana Report." was all she says.

"All casualties accounted for. Awaiting segregation at the gate coach. It took two teams of five and a total of 36 hours to get each and everyone accounted for. Records are with Becky."

Coach just stares at her with both eyebrows raised, before giving her a nod then turning to Rachel, "Rachel, explain yourself."

Rachel bites her lips not knowing how exactly she could explain herself. She didn't understand what she was feeling.

"Coach Sylvester, I-", she starts only to falter under the steely gaze of their boss. Her mouth opens and closes but no words tumble out.

Coach holds up her hand prompting Rachel to clamp her mouth shut. She watches as Coach digs through the mountain of folders on her desk before handing one over to Rachel.

"I'm moving you effective immediately. You'll be shadowing Santana from now on, Lord knows she needs a little bedside manner when gathering all those lost fools out there. You have the right bleeding heart for the part."

"But what about my ward?" Rachel blurts out before she could stop herself, earning herself a scowl from her friend a raised eyebrow from coach.

"She is no longer any of your concern Rachel." before making a shooing motion with her right hand while her

other presses her intercom button. "Becky we're taking a break, its been 5 years and I need a protein shake stat!"

"But Coach-" Rachel tries again.

"Let it go Tink." was all coach says giving her one hard look.

Rachel nods her head in defeat and dutifully follows Santana.

As the reality of her new assignment sinks in, the space where her heart should be was hurting, prompting her to put a hand on it squeezing her shirt.

"What's wrong?" Santana asks her with brows scrunched.

She knows her eyes are watering, and that her whole body is shaking a bit, "My heart is hurting Santana, I don't know how else I can explain it."

The taller brunette turns to look at her friend, putting both hands on her shoulder, she looks straight into her eyes, "You and I both know that's impossible Rachel."

The smaller girl breaks their gaze, and a tear falls down her face, "I know. But it doesn't make it any less true. I don't know what's happening San, and I'm scared."

-o-o-o-

Alone in her office Protein shake in hand, Coach Sylvester feels a change in pressure.

"It is done." she says before taking a sip.

"Good, we will speak again Sue." and he was gone again.

"I don't like this, I don't like it one bit." she mutters under her breath before grabbing a picture of a little blonde girl barely five years old, underneath was a name.

Quinn Fabray.

-o-o-o-

A/N Sooooo what do you guys think?