A/N: Here's the next part you guys, no Rachel for now. We meet B's Mom and see Quinn's home life. Also this chapter has moments that allude to abuse…I think that's it. Let me know what you think. Who knows might whip out a Christmas surprise if you guys let me know if this chapter was worth the wait and all that jazz…
"Mommy, can we feed the duckies in the pond?" Brittany asks her mother as they were walking past the park.
Her mother smiles at her before nodding her head yes, she stifles the laughter bubbling out of her as she watches her child skip along in glee, "How was school today cherub?" she asks letting her arms swing along with her daughter whose smile falters a little, before being quickly replaced by a squeal upon seeing the numerous ducks waddling, swimming and diving in the small pond of the park.
She leads her daughter close to the edge, and holds on to her shoulder as she throws in pieces of what she thinks is part of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich she had packer for her, once done with feeding the ducks, they sit on the grass and watch as a mother duck, leads her little duckling swimming across the pond. "So school, did you have fun today?" she asks again, hoping her daughter would talk about what made her frown before getting distracted by ducks.
"We colored today, Quinn's really good at it she stayed inside the lines, and I made you a pretty picture mommy!" she says before unzipping her bag grabbing said picture and thrusting it right at her face. This makes the older woman laugh before pulling it far away enough so she could take a look.
It was a picture of a dark haired girl with a halo and wings standing beside a bright door.
"This is a very pretty picture cherub," She tells Brittany, "Can you tell me who this is?"
Brittany just smiles up at her mom, "It's an angel, like the ones you talk about all the time. I see her when I close my eyes mommy! She's very pretty?"
"It is a very pretty picture! So she must be pretty." Her mother agrees with her before getting up, "Time for us to go little one, we still need to make dinner for Papi." She holds out her hand and smiles as their fingers intertwine, "So, what else happened in school? You seemed like you were rolling around the sand again."
Brittany nods her little head up and down, "Quinn and I made sand angels, it made her smile. She said her angel couldn't visit anymore. And then I saw the people in the trees."
Her mother's eyes widen at this, she had always known it was possible but Brittany was still too young, "Can't visit, people in trees?" she asks a bit worriedly.
"Yup, the little one was watching me and Quinn play, I only saw the other one before they disappeared. I didn't get to see her face. But the small one was crying. I think that was Quinn's angel. That's why I asked Quinn to make sand angels to make her smile. She's pretty when she smiles."
"That she is, now Cherub when you see those people, let mommy know ok?" she tells Brittany scooping her up in her arms.
"Ok mommy." Brittany tells her mother, before wrapping her arms around her neck, she loves being held by her mommy. "Can Quinn and I go camping in the backyard after school?"
"I'll give Judy a call," was Holly's answer, the rest of the walk home was spent chatting about school, dinner and ducks.
-o-o-o-o-
Quinn was in the backseat, sitting ram rod straight, sniffling. She tries to keep the noise as small as possible, only to jump a little when Judy calls her attention.
"Quinny, what's wrong?" Judy asks her eyeing her through the rear-view mirror.
"Daddy's going to get mad." She whispers, clamping a hand on her mouth when she realizes she said it aloud.
Judy's eyes tear up, swallowing the lump in her throat she tries to find the words that she could use to comfort her youngest daughter, none come to mind. She was glad she was in the process of parking in the garage. She unbuckles her seatbelt, turns around and looks at her daughter, "Why do you think so baby?" she gently asks. Her heart breaks as tears run down her daughters beautiful face.
"It's cause I'm dirty and I made a mess." She says in between sniffles, breaking into sobs.
Judy scrambles out of the car, and opens the passenger door, she grabs Quinn in her arms, rubbing circles on her back, "Shhhh baby, don't cry." She tells her over and over again until Quinn's crying die down, "Your father won't be home until later, he has that big meeting he was talking about last night remember?"
Quinn just nods her head, wiping her eyes with her sleeves.
"And you didn't make a mess baby, the car's absolutely clean. You brushed off most of the sand before you got in the car."
She gets another answering nod.
"It wasn't your fault that boy Noah was being a little delinquent. I won't tell your father about what happened in school today."
"He'll still get mad."
"Why is that? Did something happen in school?"
"He told me to come home with a sticker today, but Ms. Morris didn't give out any today."
"And that isn't your fault."
Quinn's lower lip trembles at the thought of being punished again, she squeezes her eyes praying that her daddy doesn't get mad tonight.
Judy just cradles her daughter walking up the front door, she's enters their house, that used to be a sanctuary. She takes the smaller blonde to her room, and starts her bath. She places Quinn in the tub, tells her that she'll be right back, and takes the soiled clothes down to the laundry room. Once alone she lets the tears fall.
She hears her oldest daughter arrive from school and hastily wipes away her tears, and turns around to greet her.
"How was school sweetheart?" she asks after giving Alexis a kiss on the forehead.
Alexis looks at her mother's puffy eyes and almost asks, but bites her lower lip instead, "It was ok, where's Quinn?"
"She's taking a bath can you help her out while I fix dinner?"
Alexis nods her head and makes her way to Quinn's room, smiling at the sound of her sister quietly singing to herself.
He's got the whole word in his hands
He's got the whole word in his hands
He's got the whole world in his hands
He's got the whole world in his hands
She knocks her knuckles on the door frame thrice, before poking her head through the bathroom door, "Hey kiddo, having fun?"
"Hi Lexi." Was all Quinn says, slicing through water with her feet.
"Been here long?" she asks again, sitting on the floor facing her sister.
Quinn plays with the bubbles in her bath, putting some in her hand before placing it on her head before softly answering "Not really."
Alexis frowns at the short answers, Quinn was only this way when their father was drunk, and when she was sad, "Quinn, you ok?" she asks.
"I'm afraid Daddy might get mad at me cause I was dirty from school. But mommy made me take a bath." She says in a small voice, shrugging her shoulders.
Alexis absently nods her head before grabbing the detachable showerhead intent on rinsing her quickly pruning sister, "Well since you're all squeaky clean now, you should rinse ok."
Quinn nods her head, and follows Alexis' instructions to tilt her head back so her hair could be washed. Wrapped in a soft fluffy towel Quinn walks back into her room followed by Alexis only to cling to her sister waist when she hears a loud thunder rumble by.
Alexis runs her hand across Quinn's hair then her back before speaking, "It's just thunder you big baby." She coos, "Let's get you dressed, and we can help Mommy downstairs."
Quinn just keeps on clinging to her sister, afraid of the big sound, "I—it was re-really loud Le-Lexi." She mumbles against her sister's stomach.
"Just think of it as an angel getting a strike playing bowling in heaven ok? That way you won't be afraid cause angel's don't hurt people right?" was Alexis' answer, before ushering her sister to get dressed, "Come on slowpoke, let's get you dressed."
Alexis doesn't see the small smile Quinn has on her face thinking of her angel winning a bowling game in heaven, only to be replaced with sad eyes when she realizes her Angel won't be coming back.
-o-o-o-o-
Russell Fabray comes home unhappy, the meeting he had was not as fruitful as he had hoped, and the dark weather seemed to be an omen of the storm that was about to hit the fan.
"Judy! Fetch me my scotch." He bellows, before closing his study's door with a bang.
Quinn jumps on the spot, biting her lower lip worriedly, she looks up at her sister who gives her a small smile and a squeeze, "Why don't we hang out in my room for awhile ok? You can color while I do my homework, we'll probably have dinner later than usual."
The children quietly make their way upstairs, as Judy fixes Russell a tumbler of his favorite scotch, she gently knocks on his door before opening it and placing the glass on his desk.
"I work with morons, morons the lot of them. It was perfect. The presentation was perfect and they dare question my work." He mutters under his breath, he looks up and stares at his wife, rage evident in his eyes, "What's for dinner?" he asks before finishing of his scotch.
"Meatloaf, would you like another?" She answers then points to the empty tumbler.
"Grab the bottle," and leave it here he says. She slips out of his study and does just that. An hour later, he calls for her again.
She enters his study and says, "You called Russell."
"Grab me another bottle." He says coldly, looking at the papers strewn across his desk.
Judy wrings her hands, knowing he wouldn't like what she was about to say.
"Well, what are you doing standing there?" he spat angrily.
"We're out of Scotch that was the last one we had." She answers softly, closing her eyes when he slams a fist on his desk.
He looks at the empty glass before hurling it across the room, narrowly missing his wife. He looks at her with dark eyes, and Judy's skin prickles with fear, "You're as stupid as the people I work with, why aren't there anymore, didn't I tell you to buy some today, didn't you even think of buying some?"
"I apologize Russell, I didn't think that—" she tries to say
"You didn't think at all you stupid bitch!" He says getting up, he walks over to her and she stays rooted on the spot, knowing that moving was the last thing she should do, "I married you thinking that your parents raised you well, and you can't even be a dutiful wife. You are such a disappointment, if I could I'd ship you back to your parents, too bad they're already dead." He says with his hands a vice grip on her arms. She winces in pain, thankful that her daughters were upstairs praying that they would not venture downstairs.
"Then go out and buy some." He tells her gravely, hand still squeezing her arm, "Call Quinn and have her clean this up."
"Russell, maybe Alexis should do this, Quinn's still a child she might get nicked." She pleads, knowing how scared of her youngest was of her father at the moment.
He puts both hands on her face, pulling it close to his, "Do not tell me how to raise my daughter." He tells her calmly, "Be my darling wife and fetch our youngest daughter to learn how it is to be a proper wife, one that does as she is told." He tells her sweetly, with an edge to his voice.
"Yes Russell." She tells him.
He lowers one hand down to her breast and squeezes roughly, "I love it when you're being obedient." He huffs against her ear, "When the kids are asleep I'll show you exactly how much I love it when you're being the wife I married." He adds pushing his pelvis against hers.
Unable to say anything else she just nods her head before scurrying out of his study. She walks up the stairs to fetch Quinn, hoping her daughter would be brave enough to do as her father told her to.
-o-o-o-o-
Judy watches her daughters sprawled across Alexis' floor. Alexis had a few books open and was writing on her notebook, while Quinn was drawing what looked like an angel, her pink tongue poking out the side of her mouth.
"Knock, knock." She says softly, smiling at scene.
"Is it dinnertime yet?" Alexis asks, after lifting her head.
Judy just shakes her head before looking at Quinn, "Quinn your Father wants you to clean up the broken glass in his study, I want you to be careful ok baby?" she tells her.
Quinn's eyes grow large in fear, tears were quickly pooling in her hazel eyes.
Alexis notices her sister's reaction, "I can do it Mom." She says making a move to stand up.
"Your father specifically asked for Quinn sweetheart," she tells her with pleading eyes, Alexis was over protective of Quinn, knowing how their father could be, "Come on baby, it's best not to keep him waiting. You know how he gets."
Quinn looks at Alexis in fear, she sees her older sister nod, before getting up on her feet, she walks to her mother and clings to her legs, "I'm scared Mommy." She whimpers, she knew her daddy was mad. And he had some special juice and he was always different whenever he had some. Like those bad men in movies. He made her want to hide under her covers.
"Be brave Quinn, you're a brave girl aren't you?" Judy says, before crouching down so they were eye level, "Just be brave as long as you do it right, Daddy won't get mad."
"My brave little Quinn, promise you'll always be brave ok?" Quinn hears her angel say.
"Brave." She says softly.
Alexis grabs her smaller hands, "I'll wait for you outside Daddy's study ok? You don't have to be scared kiddo. You're daddy's little princess remember." She tells her, trying to find something, anything that would stop Quinn from messing up. Their father never took failure lightly.
"Promise?" Quinn asks in a small voice, eyes locked with Alexis'
"I promise."
The trio slowly make their way down, and Judy fetches the broom and dust pan.
"I'm scared Lexi, what if Daddy gets mad." Quinn whispers while waiting for their mother.
Alexis just hugs her sister not knowing what to say, All she could do was watch as her mother and sister enter the Lion's den. She looks up and prays that Quinn does exactly as he asks.
-o-o-o-o-
"Russell," Judy says entering his study, Quinn right behind her with the broom and dust pan in hand, "Is there anything else you need from the store?"
Russell lifts his head, and smiles a disarming smile at his youngest before, raising his eyes to his wife. His face hardens just a little, "No, that's all." He tells her and watches as Judy walks out of his study, leaving the door open a crack.
He stands up, and chooses to dismiss the way his daughter almost steps back, "How is daddy's little princess?" he asks Quinn in his "Number One Dad" voice.
"I'm ok Daddy," Quinn answers him, her fear slowly fading. Daddy was never mean when he spoke to her this way.
"That's good, anything good happen at school today?" he asks again, beckoning her to come closer. Once she was close enough, he lifts her up in his arms taking her to the leather arm chair. He never feels her small body stiffen, before relaxing, her small hands on his broad shoulders. He puts her down on his knee.
Quinn could smell the alcohol in his breath and skin and was afraid, then she remembers what her angel told her: be brave
"We colored today, and Noah brought a super soaker for show and tell." She tells him, relaxing a little at the smile on his face. This was her Daddy. He loved her.
"Sounds like you had a good day, but I don't want you spending time with that Noah boy, He's a delinquent. Obviously this is due to the fact that he doesn't have a father figure around, not like my little princess." he tells her, voice growing edgier at every word.
Quinn nods her head not really knowing what to say, this prompts her father to keep talking, "Now, what did Daddy say about good daughters?" he asks her before setting her down on the floor so that they were facing each other.
Quinn stands straight before looking at her Daddy's face, "They do as they're told."
"That's right," He says almost as if proud, "Your mother made a mess, and I want you to clean it up. Quietly. You can use the broom and pan, just make sure you don't miss anything."
"Yes Daddy."
"Good girl, when done you can call your sister, I need to speak to her too," was his last order before standing to return to his desk, Quinn meanwhile cleans up the mess, as quietly as possible.
It takes her 15 minutes, with her small body trembling in fear of doing something wrong, and just being in the presence of her father. Once done, she turns around and says in a small voice, "I'm all done Daddy."
He stands up to inspect her work, patting her head roughly in a somewhat approving manner, before telling her to leave and call Alexis. Quinn slowly makes her way out of his office, making sure the broken glass, stays in the dust pan she was using, a task made harder when the broom was bigger than her. Once outside, she sighs in relief the moment her hazel eyes spies her sister, waiting for her just as she promised.
Alexis for her part, catches sight of her sister, and is immediately on her feet, "You ok kiddo?" she asks quietly, not wanting her father to know she was lurking around his study.
Quinn nods her head, slowly walking to the kitchen to get rid of the trash, "He said he wanted to talk to you Lexi, do you want me to stay?"
"It's ok Quinn, I can take care of myself. You can go back to my room if you want. You can finish the picture you were making." Was Alexis' answer, wanting her sister far away from their father and his explosive tendencies, especially when it came to her.
Quinn looks at her older sister, and sees the fear in her eyes too. She wishes her Angel would come, whenever her angel was near she always felt better, "I'll just go to the living room and wait for you and Mommy. I can read that book I borrowed from school."
Alexis just smiles at her sister and nods her head, before entering her father's study. Shoulders tight, back straight. It never hurt to be prepared. "Daddy, Quinn said you wanted to talk to me?" she says after knocking on his door.
"Alexis, come in and close the door," was his reply.
-o-o-o-o-
Judy comes home, worriedly wringing her hands, she sees her youngest daughter reading a book, and wonders where Alexis was. She knocks on Russell's door, and was surprised to see her daughter standing up, hands clasped behind her, fighting tears.
"Here's the bottle you wanted Russell," she tells him, covertly looking at her daughter.
His eyes move to catch hers, and she is almost paralyzed with fear, there was so much rage swirling in them, and she once again, prays for her children's safety. "Good. Leave it here then you can all have dinner without me. I am no longer hungry."
"Alright Russell, would you like me to fix you a pla—" she tries to ask
"I said I wasn't hungry Judy! Must you set such a bad example for my daughters?" He bellows, internally loving how his wife and child stiffen in fear.
"I'm sorry Russell," Judy says trying to placate him.
He sneers at her, "That's better, go. And remember tonight you are to perform you wifely duties."
Alexis, stiffens further, turning her head to look at her mother who has gone paler than normal. She watches her mother turn around to look at her, gesturing to the door. She winces when Judy places a hand on her lower back, suddenly reminded of the sting of leather as it hit her body over and over again. But it was ok, as long as it was her and not Quinn. As long as her sister was safe, she'd be ok.
-o-o-o-o-
Quinn watches her sister gently lower her body on the chair, her happiness at eating dinner without her father replaced with worry, "Lexi?" she whispers not really knowing what to ask.
"It's ok kiddo, I'll be ok." Alexis tells her, smiling a little.
They eat dinner in silence, occasionally on their guard when they hear noises from Russell's study.
-o-o-o-o-
Alexis was in the process of removing her shirt, not paying attention to the rumbling storm outside. Putting on a new shirt, she didn't hear Quinn enter her room, and barely heard her whimper out her name. Turning around, she finds her sister, clutching her stuffed lamb and the door frame from their shared bathroom. Eyes wide with fear.
"Lexi, I'm scared. I wanted to go to mommy, but I heard noises in their room," Quinn tells her in one breath, before closing her eyes due to the noise outside. It seemed as if a storm was coming.
The taller blonde just smiles at Quinn, hoping that she'll stay this cute forever, that she doesn't get as tainted as her. "We can cuddle in your room, would you like that?" she says, walking over to her sister. Her smile grows wider when Quinn nods, and winces in pain the minute the smaller blonde clutches at her body hearing a rapid succession of Thunders go by.
"Lexi, what's wrong?" Quinn asks her worriedly feeling her sister's body go tense.
"Nothing for you to worry about," Alexis says, intent on keeping her sister in the dark if only for as long as she could, she was the big sister, it was her job to keep Quinn safe.
Quinn could feel, how hot Alexis' back was, when her sister makes her way to her room stretching her arms high as she goes, she gasps seeing a number of colors marking what should be smooth porcelain skin.
"Daddy hurt you." she says with tears in her eyes.
"As long as it isn't you, I'll be fine," was the tense reply.
"Mommy has hurt medicine in the bathroom I can get one for you. I know where it is, I got her one on Sunday when she said she hit the door."
This earns the small blonde a small smile from her sister, "It's ok kiddo, I'd rather have a cuddle buddy for the night? I wonder whose available?" she says tapping her chin.
Quinn grins at her, jumping up and down raising her hand, "Me, I'm the best at cuddles."
"Yeah?"
"Yup!" Quinn answers nodding her head.
"Says who?"
"My Angel, she said that I was the bestest cuddler in the world." Says Quinn growing a little sad, She wished her angel was here tonight, she'd probably know how to help Alexis, her angel always made things so much better.
"Your angel, she visits you often?" Alexis asks while turning down the bed, beckoning her sister closer.
Climbing on her bed, she looks at her sister sadly, before looking down at her lap, "She says she can't visit me anymore, and that I should be brave."
Alexis wonders, if this was all pretend before vaguely remembering that she too believed she had a guardian angel when she was younger, until she stopped. Her angel couldn't save her and her mom no matter how hard she cried, "You are brave," she says remembering how proud she was when Quinn followed her mother into their father's study.
"I want to be just like you when I grow up Lexi! I want to be smart, and pretty and a cheerio, I want to be as strong and brave as you," says Quinn, lying on her side looking at her sister who was lying right beside her.
"Remember Quinn, I'll always be here for you," Alexis says tearing up a little.
"I know Lexi," was her sister's answer while inching closer, she jumps a little hearing another rumble, this one closer than the others.
Alexis for her part, grabs her sister against her body, resting her chin on Quinn's head, "How about we sing a song? Just not so loud so that Daddy doesn't hear us."
"Ok"
And so they sing.
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
Alexis nods of not long after they finish the song, and as Quinn's eyes slowly close she thinks of her Angel, and her sister sleeping but holding her protectively. She missed her angel so much, but having Lexi hold her, made things a bit better. She succumbs to sleep whispering gently, "Miss you Angel."
Outside a storm rages, as if a sign of things to come.
