Chapter 4
Rachel pulled into Quinn's driveway, and parked her scooter behind Santana's jeep. During the short drive the anger she had been radiating towards Finn had dissipated and replaced by sadness. In all of the scenarios that had gone through her head, she had never thought that Finn would react like that. She had known he would be upset because she cheated on him, but she never thought he would be so malicious. She had never felt so angry that she thought physical violence would make her feel better, but it had. She felt sick because of it. She had broken Finn's nose, and hurt her own hand in the process.
All she wanted was her girlfriend, but she didn't want to upset her. So instead of going in to her, she stayed sitting on her scooter. Uncontrollable tears sprang from her eyes accompanied by loud sobs. She wasn't exactly sure why she was crying, but it felt good to let all of her feeling out.
Rachel didn't hear Santana approaching until she was standing next to her. She wiped her eyes roughly. The last thing she need was for Santana to tease her for crying.
"You've been sitting out here for half an hour," Santana said. "What's the deal? Having second thoughts already."
"What? No," Rachel said aggressively. "I love Brittany. I've been waiting five years for this. I am not going to throw away our relationship after only twenty-four hours.
"Wow. Okay you really need to chill, Berry. I was just joking, but I am glad to hear that," Santana said and then gave Rachel a hard stare. "If you hurt her, I will make you wish your daddies had never paid to have you. Got it?"
Rachel was momentarily frightened by Santana's threat. Years of being tormented by the girl gave her that fear. She paused for a second and then noticed a small smile tugging at Santana's lips. A soft smile formed on Rachel's lips as she realized what Santana was doing. Being a protective friend to the woman she loved. "Yes Santana. I understand you perfectly."
"Good," Santana said. "Now that we have that cleared up, why don't you tell me why you're out here crying, instead of in there with Brittany?"
"I didn't want to upset her," Rachel said.
"Well that's an okay reason. She's in there talking Quinn's ear off about you. You were together for a fucking day, but she's managed to go on about it for the last damn hour."
Rachel smiled. Hearing about Brittany's antics helped clear away some of the bad feelings. "Why did you come out here?" Rachel asked.
Santana couldn't believe she was standing outside Quinn's house with Berry, attempting to make her feel better. She blamed it on Quinn. Her girlfriend was making her soft. "Because I saw you crying, and I can't have you looking like crap for your date with B," She joked, and then sheepishly said, "Plus ya know, I wanted to see if you were alright."
"I will be okay. Thank you for your concern," Rachel said.
"I take it Finn took the break up badly?" Santana asked.
"You could say that," Rachel said, and then absent mindedly cradled her right hand to her chest. It was starting to hurt her. "He laughed at me when I told him I cheated on him, and then asked you would want to sleep with me."
"Ouch," Santana said. "That's pretty harsh, even for me."
"That wasn't the worst part. I lost my cool for a moment and blurted out Brittany's name. He then said some mean things about her. So I punched him."
"No way! You fucking punched Finnept. Aye dios mio. I wish I could have seen that," Santana exclaimed. "What did he say?"
"He said that she was a slut who had slept with half the school, and then he said something about her not having a penis. Then he called her a retarded blonde bitch, and asked what she had that he could not give me. So I punched him."
"The fucking little prick. I can't believe he called her that. Fuck. I hope you messed him up bad."
"I think I broke his nose. It was bleeding profusely and he seemed to be a great deal of pain," Rachel said, feeling slightly proud.
"Damn, Midget. I didn't think you had it in you. I hope that wasn't the reason you were crying."
"I think it kind of was. I've never gotten that angry at somebody before," Rachel said.
"Well I can't fault you for that. Natural response after anger is crying. Been there myself a few times," Santana said.
"Santana," Rachel said.
"Yeah Midget? Santana asked.
"My hand really hurts," Rachel said shyly.
Santana laughed at her, and then said, "Come on. We'll put some ice on it, and then go tell our girls about your escapades."
Rachel climbed off her scooter and followed Santana up the walk way. Just before they got to the door, Santana's words sank in. She grabbed Santana's arm with her left hand and asked, "Wait. You just said our girls? What do you mean by that?
Santana smiled again. "Caught that, huh? Since you're with Brittany now, and as much as it pains me to say you actually seem not that bad, I'll let you in on our secret. Quinn and I are together. Have been for a couple of months."
"Wow," Rachel said stunned. "You hide it very well. I never even suspected."
"That's the points, goof," Santana chuckled and started walking toward the house again. Rachel followed Santana into the kitchen. Santana pulled a chair out from under the kitchen table and motioned for her to sit. She pulled a bag of frozen peas out of the freezer, and then sat down next to her.
"Let me see your hand," Santana said, holding her own hand out.
"Why?" Rachel asked, and pulled her injured hand closer to her chest. "What are you going to do?"
"Relax, Midget. I need to make sure you didn't break anything," Santana said.
Rachel looked horrified. "Do you really think that is a possibility?"
"If you hit him hard enough, yes. Now give me your hand so I can see it," Santana said.
Rachel gently placed her hand in to Santana's out-stretched one. "Damn. You apparently hit him hard," Santana said. Rachel's hand was swollen, and was already a deep purple. She flinched when Santana touched her knuckles.
"Santana? Where did you go," Quinn called from the top of the stairs.
"We're in the kitchen," Santana called back.
"Who's we?" Quinn asked as she came bounding down the stairs, with Brittany following closely behind her.
"Oh my god, what happened?" Brittany asked when she saw Rachel's hand, and then rushed to her girlfriend's side.
Rachel sheepishly replied, "I punched Finn in the face."
"Holy crap!" Quinn exclaimed. "What did the pin-head say?"
"He called Brittany several bad names, which made me very angry," Rachel replied.
"Awe, that's so sweet," Brittany gushed, and then gave Rachel a kiss on her cheek. "Are you okay baby?"
"My hand really hurts," Rachel said. Tears welled in her eyes at the pain.
"Yeah, that's because it's broken," Santana said, as she placed the bag of peas over the broken hand. "I can't believe you were able to drive over here with it like that."
"I did not notice it hurting until I was talking to you outside
," Rachel said, and then started crying.
"Please don't cry Rae. We'll get your hand fixed up, Won't we, S," Brittany said, attempting to calm her girlfriend down.
"My dads are going to kill me," Rachel cried out.
"I'm sure it won't be as bad as you think, Midget," Santana said. "Come on, we have to go to the hospital. Q, you're going to have to drive. Berry's scooter is blocking me in."
"Okay, let me get my keys," Quinn said, and then dashed out of the kitchen and up the stairs.
"Berry, when your hand is healed up, remind me to teach you how to hit properly," Santana said.
"I can assure you, that was the last time I will be hitting anybody ever again," Rachel said.
"Even still, it's a good skill to have just in case you need it. You better call your dads and have them to meet us at the hospital."
"I can't. They are in Kentucky. Daddy has a business meeting in Lexington on Tuesday, so they went down for an extra-long weekend. The drive down there is over three hours."
"Okay. No problem," Santana said. "I'll call my Papi on the way there. He'll know what to do.
Quinn returned and dangling her keys in their faces. "Got them."
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On the way to the hospital Santana called her Papi, who was working in the hospital until ten. He told her to sign Rachel in normally, and that he would be down after his shift ended. Since Rachel's dad Leroy worked in the ER a couple times a month, Erin, the nurse at the front desk took Rachel right back.
On the way back they saw Finn waiting in one of the exam rooms with his mom. His nose was swollen twice its normal size, and he had two black eyes. Carol was talking on her phone with somebody, and she didn't look happy.
Once Erin had left and they had Rachel settled in, Santana said, "Damn, Midget. You really fucked him up."
"I hope he is alright," Rachel said expressing honest concern. "I didn't mean to hurt him. He just made me so angry."
"Screw him. He fucking deserved it for what he said to you," Santana said.
"What did he say exactly?" Quinn asked.
Rachel didn't have a chance to answer because Santana beat her to it. "The dumb prick asked who would want to sleep with her, and then called Britt a retarded blonde bitch."
"You mean he didn't think anybody would want Rach?" Brittany asked.
"Yeah B, that's what he thought," Quinn said.
"Don't forget about him insinuating that Brittany couldn't please me because she doesn't have a penis," Rachel reminded.
"Oh yeah," Santana said. "Ya know what. I'm starting to get the feeling that Frankenteen is homophobic."
"No, he's fine with gay people as long as they don't hit on him, or bruises his ego," Quinn said, and then said quietly to Santana, "He really isn't going to react good when he finds out about us."
"It's okay babe. You don't have to whisper. I told Rachel about us," Santana said. Quinn gave Santana a slightly panicked look. Santana realized that maybe telling Rachel without talking to Quinn first wasn't such a great idea. "I hope that's alright."
Quinn's panicked looked disappeared. Her moment of panic dissipated as she watched Brittany swoon over Rachel. "Yeah, it's okay." She then directed her attention back to the girls in the bed. "Finn isn't going to react well to finding out about Santana and I."
"Nope. It'll be a terrible bruise to his ego, babe. Especially now that Rachel dumped his sorry ass for Britt. Both of his ex-girlfriends and the chick he lost his v-card to turning out to be lesbians. Ass-wipe will be conceded enough to think it was because of him."
"I'm sorry," Rachel said as she sat up. "What did you say about his virginity?"
Santana's eyes widened in shock. "No freaking way," She gasped. "He never told you he slept with me?"
"No," Rachel said. "He never said anything; in fact he let me believe that he was still a virgin. He flat out lied to me when I told him I did not have sex with Jessie."
"Asshole," Santana said.
"Perhaps it is poetic justice," Rachel sighed, as she laid back down. "I have been lying to him since I meet him last year."
"Don't do that Rae. You had a good reason for doing that," Brittany comforted.
"Yeah, but if I had just stayed away from him in the first place then he would not be hurt right now."
"Yeah, but then my insanely jealous girlfriend wouldn't have forced us to join Glee club to keep you away from her boyfriend at the time. Look how well that turned out," Santana said. She felt like there was something she was missing, but for some reason she also felt then need to help.
"You don't understand what I did, or why I did it," Rachel said.
"So explain it to us," Quinn said.
Rachel looked at Brittany. She didn't want to tell them about her penis, but they were being nice to her and she didn't want to offend them. "I used Finn for his popularity. I was hoping that if I was with him then other people would stop tormenting me so much." It was a vague explanation, and as truthful as she was willing to get for the moment. Maybe down the road, she would fill them in on her condition.
Dr. Travis came in, saving Rachel from further explanations. She looked over Rachel's hand, and then personally took her up for x-rays.
Brittany, Quinn, and Santana had to stay in the exam room while Rachel went to have her hand x-rayed. As soon as she was sure Rachel was gone, Santana said, "There is something that you and Berry aren't telling us. Care to share what it is, B?"
"I'd like to know the same thing," Quinn said.
"If there is, Rae will tell you when she's ready," Brittany said. "I'm glad you're being nice to Rachel. She really wants some more friends. She hasn't said it, but I can tell. You guys are good friends."
Quinn and Santana understood the subtle indication that Brittany gave them. They gave each other a guilty look, and then Quinn asked, "Do you think she'll forgive us?"
"She will if you apologize, and make it up to her," Brittany said. "I would really like it if you could get along with Rae. It would mean a lot to me."
"She's not that bad, and hey she fucking punched Finnessa, so she gets major points for that," Santana said.
"She does keep offering me her friendship," Quinn said. "I'm not sure why I kept turning it down."
"Because you were a closeted lesbian, and she has two gay dads," Santana threw out there.
"Do you really think that was it?" Quinn asked.
"Who the hell knows? We were both unnecessarily mean to her for years. It seems like the most obvious conclusion," Santana said.
"That's kinda messed up," Quinn stated.
"Yeah it really is," Santana said. "God we are such bitches."
Brittany watched as her best-friends finally came to the same conclusion that she had over a year ago. People thought she was an idiot, but she often find other people just plain dumb. Her friends included, and this was one of those moments. She had always known that they loved each other and where hiding those feeling deep inside of themselves. She had propositioned each of them to help them, but only Santana took her up on the offer. Err well kissed her back really, since that was the proposition. Quinn had pushed her away and told her that she don't swing that way. Santana on the other hand had let her go all the way. Of course it had taken a year for her to realize that she was gay and totally in love with Quinn, but Brittany hadn't minded.
Rachel returned twenty minutes later, with Dr. Travis, and a new nurse. The nurse gave her a small cup with pills in it and a glass of water, and then she and Dr. Travis left the room.
Nobody said anything, each lost in their own heads. As the pills started to kick in, Rachel fell backwards on the bed, pulling her girlfriend with her. A giant goofy smile over took her face. As Brittany cuddled into the brunette's side she noted that the girl was really high, and wondered what the nurse had given her.
Santana gave Quinn a loving smile at the display the girls in the bed where putting on for them. It really was a sweet sight.
Dr. Travis returned with Rachel's developed x-rays, and informed them that her hand was indeed broken. By the time Dr. Travis was done putting a bright pink cast on Rachel's hand and was ready to check them out, Mr. Lopez was already waiting for them.
"Hello Mija," He said as they approached the checkout desk.
"Hi Papi," Santana said, and then gave him a hug. "Thanks for doing this."
"Don't thank me yet," He said, quietly. Thankfully her friends had taken a seat a little ways away.
"Why not?" Santana asked, and then realized that there was only one way they could have treated Rachel. Parental consent. "You didn't Papi. That's why I called you. To give Rachel time before she had to explain her arm," She snapped.
"I am sorry, Mija," he said. "She needed their consent to be treated, and they had to inform the hospital that I would be in charge of her care. Besides, Leroy is a good friend of mine. I wouldn't have felt right not calling them."
"So how much trouble is she in is she in?" She asked.
"I'm starving," he said evading the question. "We have to stop and get Rachel prescription, and then we'll go eat."
Santana hated when her father didn't give her a straight answer. It usually meant that she wasn't going to like what he was going to say. "Papi," she said.
"No, Santana. We'll talk over food. I promise," Mr. Lopez assured.
"Fine," Santana said, and then walked over to warn her new found friend about her upcoming doom.
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After getting Rachel's medicine, the small group settled into the twenty-four hour diner across from the hospital. Rachel barely had a chance to settle in next to Brittany, before her newly awoken cell phone started ringing. She checked the caller id, and it said 'Daddy'. She answered it thinking that she was about to talk to her much more level head dad Leroy, but instead she heard her sometime hot-headed, panicky Dad Hiram sternly say, "Rachel Barbara Berry. What the hell where you thinking punching that boy? Have we not instilled in you the importance of our violence free lifestyle? You do not punch somebody just because you get angry."
Rachel had to hold the phone away from her ear a few inches, because his voice reached a high frequency pitch. The rest of the table could hear what Hiram was saying to his daughter. "Dad, I know you're upset, but could we wait until you get home to discuss this?"
"No Rachel," Hiram said slipping into disappointed father mode. "We trusted you to stay out of trouble while we were gone. You just got off of restriction for the Sunshine incident last week, not to mention the camp incident over the summer. I don't know what has gotten into you lately. This is not like you sweetheart. You punched Finn Hudson, and broke his nose. Your father and I are not happy about this and neither is Carol Hudson."
"But Dad," Rachel whined. "I didn't mean to do it. I was just trying to be honest with him about why I was breaking up with him. He deserved to know that I was leaving him for Brittany, and he called her a retarded blonde bitch, because of it. She didn't deserve that, and I just lost it. I really am sorry."
"Well I will be talking to Carol about that, but regardless of the situation we expect you to handle yourself calmly, and non-violently. Violence is never the answer. You are lucky a broken hand is what you sustained from this encounter. It could have been a lot worse, young lady. He could have hit you back, or Carol could have pressed charges."
"I know. I am sorry," Rachel said, defeated.
"Not yet you're not, but you will be," Hiram warned. "Mr. Lopez has agreed to look after you until we return home. You're grounded. That means no cell phone, no scooter, and you have to apologize to Finn in Glee on Monday. We've already discussed what your punishment is until we get back with Juan, so he'll explain how this week is going to go. Give him your cell phone when you hang up. Understand?"
"Yes Dad. I understand," Rachel said.
"We'll discuss your full punishment when we get home," Hiram said.
"Yes sir," Rachel said.
"I love you, sweetie," He said.
"I love you too Dad," Rachel said.
"Your Daddy wants to talk to you. I will see you a Thursday, and please try and behave yourself."
"I will Dad."
"Hi baby girl," Leroy said. "While I totally agree with your father on this, I want to say how proud I am of you."
"You are? For what?" Rachel asked surprised.
"For trying to be honest with Finn, and for sticking up for your friend," Leroy said. "How are things going with Brittany?"
"Great Daddy," Rachel said, happily. "You were right. Thank you so much for doing this for me."
"Your welcome, sweetie. I'm going to go," Leroy said. "Please try and behave yourself."
"I will Daddy," Rachel said. "Goodnight. I love you."
"I love you, too. Goodnight."
Rachel hung up the phone, and slid it across the table to Mr. Lopez, who picked it up and pocketed it. "Dad said that you would explain how this week would go."
"I am to inform you that this is only because of Brittany staying the weekend, but you can return home for the night. Your dads don't want to disturb her parents. Tomorrow Santana will pick you up, and bring you home with her," Mr. Lopez said.
"So she's staying with us for the week?" Santana asked. She had only heard the first half of her conversation with her dad.
"Yes Mija. Is that alright with you?" Mr. Lopez asked. It was a genuine question, but Santana didn't miss the 'you don't have a choice' tone in his voice.
"Yeah, it's cool with me," Santana answered honestly. A few months ago she would have been freaking out about Rachel staying for even a night, but she had mellowed out a bit since being with Quinn. Truth be told she was looking forward to it. It would give her a chance to apologize to her, and try and make up for the bull-shit that she had done to her.
"Are your daddies really mad, Rach?" Brittany asked.
"More disappointed I think," Rachel said. "Either way I'm in big trouble."
"Yeah I'll say. What did I hear about a camp incident?" Santana asked.
Rachel shifted in her seat uncomfortably, "Um, well my Dad's made me go off to camp over the summer. One of the girls I shared a cabin with was homophobic, and every time she opened her mouth it was one homophobic slur after another. After a week of listening to her incessant gay bashings I could not take it anymore. So I sort of super glued her hand over her mouth while she slept."
Brittany, Quinn, and Santana's mouths dropped open in shock, while Mr. Lopez chuckled. Leroy had filled him in all about the incident.
"Aye dios mio," Santana finally spoke, and regained her cool. "Damn Berry. You're turning out to be a total bad-ass. How come you don't show this side of you at school?"
Rachel shrugged her shoulders at the Latina. She didn't want to explain that she purposely pushes people away so that no one could find out about her secret. The waitress finally appeared to take their orders, saving Rachel from further inquiries for a moment.
Mr. Lopez watched the couples with interest. He was a little confused by Rachel and Brittany's apparent coupling, because he had always thought Santana was with Brittany. He watched his daughter whisperer something into Quinn's ear and he got even more confused. If he wasn't mistaken, Santana had her hand on Quinn's thigh under the table. How could he have missed the couple shift? Sure Santana never told him about her love life, but he knew what went on in his home. He heard his daughter with Brittany late at night, as he passed her door on the way to the kitchen. He never said anything because he had hoped that she would feel comfortable coming to him herself, but it seemed that the time had come to talk to her about it.
They ate their dinner in relative silence, and then parted ways. Mr. Lopez went home, and the girls decided to go back to Rachel's to crash for the night.