A/N: Hey, guys! Since you had been such awesome readers and reviewers, I decided to work hard to get this chapter out! Thanks for reading! Enjoy this chappie! :)


"You should go," Quinn said, nearly finished with her soup now.

Rachel had not said anything more. After she placed the soup down and sat, she stood and got them each a glass of water before sitting back down again. Quinn felt awkward, like Rachel was watching her eat, but she was hungry, so she tried not to care.

Once she had finished she pushed the bowl away and pressed the frozen bag of broccoli back to her swollen eye.

"No," Rachel told her. "I have... what? Five hours until he's home? I'm not leaving until we talk about this." She took a sip of her water.

"Rachel... there's nothing to talk about," Quinn replied. "Why can't you just leave this alone?"

The brunette set her glass down firmly on the table. "Because he's going to kill you and that'll be on my hands."

Quinn shook her head. "No..."

"Yes," Rachel insisted. "He will. Eventually. We need to go to the police. Where did he put the kids?"

"We're not going to the police," Quinn responded with another shake of her head. "I told you. If they arrest him, if, he'll make bail. Then he's going to kill me."

"He's not going to kill you," Rachel assured her, making sure to meet Quinn's eye. "I won't let him."

"How are you going to protect me?" The blonde asked with a raise of her eyebrow. "Babysit me? And what happens when you have to go back to New York?"

"I won't leave until he's in jail," Rachel told her.

"And when we gets out, his first mission is to find me and put me in the ground," Quinn stated, glaring slightly with her good eye. "Do you think I haven't thought about this? I have. I've thought of everything. Nothing will work."

"Unless he's dead," Rachel said.

Quinn frowned. "Rachel..."

"I'll do it," she added quickly.

"Stop it."

The blonde froze as she heard the sound of the garage door opening. She dropped the broccoli bag to the table and stood up.

"No." She sucked in a breath. "He can't be home yet. Why would he be home?"

Rachel stood up just as fast, a feeling of panic washing over her. "I'll leave. I'm sorry." She didn't want Quinn to get beat for her being there again.

"Go out the back," Quinn told her quickly. "Come on."

Quinn waved her hand and Rachel followed her into the hallway. She was going to lead her to the backdoor in the dining room but the garage door was already shutting. There wasn't enough time to get her outside.

"No, no." She stopped and pointed down the hall. "Go to, uh, Maybelle's room, to her closet. Go in there."

Rachel took off down the hallway, ducking into the child's room just as the door to the garage opened. She would wait in that closet for hours if it meant protecting Quinn. The blonde turned to see Michael. He was carrying flowers. Quinn could hear the closet doors shutting and she hoped that he couldn't.

"Hey." Michael smiled at her. "Good. You're up."

"Yeah," Quinn responded softly.

"Here." He approached and handed off the flowers before kissing her non bruised temple. He lightly touched the swollen areas of her eye with his thumb before stepping back. "My beautiful wife needs some beautiful flowers."

"Thanks." Quinn forced a smile.

Michael moved into the kitchen and Quinn followed after him. "Just finished lunch?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah." She nodded and gently set the flowers on the table. "The kids are with your mom?"

"Yep," Michael answered. "You been putting ice on your eye?"

"Broccoli."

Quinn indicated the bag on the table. Michael smiled and looked back at the broccoli. His smile vanished quickly however and Quinn became alarmed. She took a step away from him.

"Who's here?" he asked, frowning at her.

"What?" Quinn shook her head. "No one."

"Why are there two glasses of water on the table?" Michael indicated the glasses and Quinn could feel her heart nearly beating out of her chest.

"One... one's for you."

"Don't fucking lie to me." He approached her and slapped her hard in the face. Quinn let out a yelp. She couldn't take another beating.

"Rachel," she said, wincing. "Rachel's here."

Michael held tight to her arm, keeping her in front of him. "What the fuck is she doing here? I told you no visitors."

"She just showed up again." Quinn began to cry.

"And you let her see you like this? What the fuck is wrong with you?" He twisted her arm and she let out another cry.

"Stop it."

Michael stepped back further into the kitchen, pulling Quinn with him. Rachel was standing in the doorway, her attention focused on Michael, eyebrows drawn.

"So you know now," Michael said to Rachel, standing strong. He wasn't afraid of a small woman like her. "She's my wife. I can treat her any way I like."

"Let her go," Rachel demanded.

"Get the fuck out of my house," Michael told her.

"Not until you let me leave with her," Rachel replied. She was serious. She wasn't leaving without Quinn.

"I'll call the police," Michael threatened.

"No, you won't." Of course he wouldn't. Then he would have to explain Quinn's injuries. Rachel planted her hands on her hips. "I can call them for you."

Michael released Quinn, trying not to let a smirk form. She glanced at him, unsure, then took a step toward Rachel. He reached out and quickly grabbed her by the hair, yanking her back into him, wanting to prove his control. Quinn cried out in pain and Rachel stepped forward.

"Stop it," she said again.

"Get out of here," Michael commanded.

"No." Rachel couldn't back down. She had to stay for Quinn. "I'm... I'm gonna call the cops."

He smiled. "It doesn't matter. Go ahead. Quinn won't say a word against me, will you?" He looked down at his wife, who didn't respond.

"They'll still take you in," Rachel told him.

"And I'd get out by tomorrow at the latest." He punched Quinn hard in the side and she grunted in pain. She was going to pass out. He kept hitting her in places that were still tender from the previous night. "I'm going to keep hurting her until you're out of my fucking house."

"No, you won't."

Rachel approached him quickly and scratched at his face. Maybe she was going for his eyes. She didn't know what she was doing really, but she needed him to let go of Quinn. Michael cried out and released Quinn so he could grab Rachel at the wrists, stopping her from inflicting more pain.

"Stop," Quinn said. "Please. Don't hurt her."

She stepped in, trying to get between Rachel and Michael. "Get your stupid fucking friend out of here!" Michael yelled.

"Not leaving without her," Rachel yelled back, trying to break free from Michael. He was surprisingly strong and hurting her wrists. Quinn tugged on his arm, trying to get him to let go of Rachel.

"Michael, stop, please," Quinn begged.

Rachel needed to try some other way to get him to let go of her, so she kicked him as hard as she could in the shin.

"Ow, fuck!" He released her.

"Come on!"

Rachel grabbed Quinn's arm and pulled her toward the hallway. They made it to the living room before Michael caught up and got hold of Quinn's other arm, yanking her backward. She was pulled out of Rachel's grasp back toward Michael. He wrapped an arm around her waist and held a knife to her throat.

The brunette froze at seeing the knife. She looked to Quinn, then to Michael. She didn't know what to do, but she really couldn't leave now.

"Go on," Michael said firmly. "Get out."

"No," Rachel replied softly.

"I will kill her right in front of you." Michael pressed the knife into Quinn's neck.

"Rachel, please..." Quinn looked to the brunette. "Please go."

"All right." Rachel nodded. "Don't kill her. I'll go. Here." She fished in her pocket and pulled out a key. "Here's your house key."

"Set it on the coffee table." Michael gave a nod of his head, indicating the table. He moved back, more into the living room and away from the door. "Right there. Set it down."

Rachel stepped to the coffee table slowly and put the key down. She was closer to Michael and Quinn now. She swallowed hard and then charged at Michael again. She stomped her foot into his leg, right at the side of his knee.

"Fuck!"

Michael's leg gave out slightly and he lowered his arm. Rachel yanked Quinn from him again. She pushed her out of the way and charged at Michael as he straightened up. Rachel shoved him hard and then backed off as he stumbled before swiping at her with the knife.

"Big mistake," he told her.

She stepped closer and kicked him again, though kept as much distance as she could. Rachel knew her legs were stronger than her arms. She didn't have very great upper body strength. Besides, women were known for having more lower body strength.

Michael stumbled backwards and Rachel followed him after, shoving him until he was on the floor as she avoided getting slashed by the knife. She turned to get Quinn out of there when Michael tripped her with his foot and she fell to the floor.

"Stupid bitch," Michael mumbled and turned Rachel onto her back. He climbed on top of her, pinning her down. "Biggest fucking mistake of your goddamn life."

He raised the knife and Rachel screamed. A vase connected with Michael's head. Quinn was standing over them both, her face pale except for her bruises. The knife fell from Michael's hand and he slid off of Rachel a little, stunned. He shook his head and sat up, still on top of Rachel. He shoved Quinn hard and watched her stumble backwards and fall to the floor.

"I'll deal with you later, bitch."

Michael turned back to Rachel, still beneath him, and went to reach for the knife when he realized it wasn't where he dropped it. He looked down at Rachel and his hands went for her throat as she thrust the knife up into him. Quinn screamed from where she had fallen to the floor.

For a moment he didn't move, but then he fell off of Rachel and she scrambled over to where Quinn was, blood on her hands and her dress. She stared at Michael, eyes wide. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed nine one one.

Quinn began to crawl toward her husband, but Rachel placed her hand on her shoulder, which stopped her without any force.

Rachel cleared her throat before speaking into the phone. "Hi, uh, a man has been stabbed. In self defense. He tried to kill me."