This chapter was really hard to wrote for many reasons but it needed to be done because it is part of the bigger plan. I have pretty much every chapter carefully planned out and I promise Quinn's extreme behaviour will be explained.

Also apologies in advance but this will be my last update for about a week as I have a gruesome run of night shifts coming up and for the first time since I started posting I'm only one chapter ahead and not three.

9.

Looking out of the fifth floor window Quinn watched as a parade of yellow cabs filled the street below. Her hands were shaking as she looked down at her phone, the small writing informing her that she over fifty missed calls.

She knew that what she had done was wrong but she had acted on instinct, when she had followed Rachel and Eden to school that morning she hadn't planned to do anything. All she had wanted was an insight into her daughter's life, but as the children had come outside for recess she'd found it too much to bear. Having her daughter so close yet not being able to be a part of her life had pushed her over the edge.

As she'd followed a group of people into the school a plan had formed in her mind. After convincing the teacher to let Eden go home with her she didn't feel guilt, she just felt a sense of accomplishment. Walking out of the school with her daughter's hand in hers had felt like the most natural thing in the world.

The rational part of her brain knew that her actions would have consequences, that Puck and Rachel wouldn't just give up and let her take Eden. She knew that they would be looking for her, that the police would be on their side, because in the eyes of the law she had committed a crime.

In her mind she was just taking back what was rightly hers, but she knew everyone else wouldn't see it that way. In everyone else's mind she had just kidnapped a child that didn't belong to her.

Holding her head in her hands she tried not to think about what would happen once they found her. Because right now all that mattered was that Eden was here with her and she was going to do whatever it took to keep it that way.

Because if she let Eden go back to Puck and Rachel now, she knew that after the stunt she had just pulled they would make it impossible for her to play any part in her child's life. She also knew that although her actions were those of a desperate mother that the legal system wouldn't look too kindly on them, making her chances of legally gaining custody of Eden slimmer than ever before.

"Quinn?" Eden questioned from her place on the bed.

Quinn looked towards her daughter. "Yes Baby-Girl?"

"When are we going home?" Eden asked, as she took another bite of her candy bar, shuffling across the bed until she was sat with her legs dangling over the edge.

"We're not," Quinn sighed, as she faced the youngster.

Eden looked up at her new friend. "What never?"

"Not for a while," Quinn explained, struggling to think of a way to explain their current situation to a five-year-old.

"But I want to see my Mommy and Daddy," Eden whispered, trying not to cry, Quinn had been nice to her and brought her candy and toys so she didn't want to hurt her new friends feelings.

Quinn moved so that she was sat next to her daughter. "I know but they said that you need to stay here with me for a little while."

"Did I do something bad?" Eden asked, her voice breaking as she tried to think of what she could have done to make her parents send her away.

Quinn could feel her heart breaking at the innocence of her daughter's question. "No. It's nothing you did."

"Is it about the shoes? Because they can take them back to the shop, or give them to someone else, I don't need them, any of them," Eden cried.

"Eden. No," Quinn whispered as she wrapped her arms around her daughter.

Eden leaned her head into Quinn. "Can you ring them and tell them that I'm really sorry?"

"Sweetie, you haven't done anything wrong, Your Mom and Dad are just really busy at the moment so they thought that you could hang out with me for a while," Quinn lied, the last thing she wanted was for Eden to blame herself for the situation.

Wiping at her eyes Eden nodded. "Are they busy with the new baby?"

"No, the new baby is still in Rach … in your Mommy's tummy," Quinn reminded the heartbroken young-girl.

"If you take me back I won't get in the way," Eden promised, she didn't know what was going on, all she knew was that she wanted to go home, she liked Quinn but she missed her parents,

Quinn pulled her up onto her lap. "It's just for a little while."

"How little?" Eden asked.

"I don't know," Quinn admitted. "A few days, maybe a week."

Eden's eyes widened in shock. "A week? But then I'll miss everything. Kurtie's play, My Pop's birthday and all of my friend's at school."

"But there's lots of fun stiuf to do here," Quinn argued.

"We've been indoors all day, I don't like being indoors all day and when it's sunny outside I don't like being indoors ever," Eden explained.

Quinn took a deep breath, she knew that going outside was a risk but she also knew that she couldn't keep her daughter prisoner in the hotel room. "How about we go to that park we passed on the way here?"

"Can we get an ice cream?" Eden asked.

"Sure," Quinn nodded, pleased to see the little-girl smile again.

Sliding down off of the bed Eden stood so that she was facing her. "That's so cool. Mommy never lets me have candy and ice cream on the same day, she says it will make me too hopper-"

"Hyper?" Quinn questioned with a grin.

"That's what I said," Eden frowned. "Daddy does sometimes though only we're not supposed to tell Mommy because then she will get mad and won't let Daddy have any treats, I don't know what treats Daddy gets though because he's too old for candy," she wondered out loud.

Quinn stood up and grabbed her purse off of the dresser. "Well I won't tell anyone if you don't."

"I'm not supposed to lie, because it makes your nose really long like Pinocchio," Eden informed her new friend.

"We don't need to lie, as it's a special occasion I'm sure your Mom won't mind," Quinn reassured the young girl as they headed out of the hotel and towards the shop.

When they were inside the small store Quinn found herself shifting nervously from one foot to the other as Eden tried to decide which ice lolly best suited her mood.

"When I'm in a sunny mood I like this one," she smiled, holding up a bright green package.

"Oh God. No," Quinn cried as she spotted Eden's picture flash up on the small television behind the counter, she knew that Puck and Rachel wouldn't be happy to find out that she had taken Eden but she never thought they would go as far as to have an Amber Alert issued.

Amber Alerts were for children that were in danger, and Eden wasn't - At least not in Quinn's mind anyway - She was just back where she belonged, with her biological mother.

"Quinn that's me," Eden shouted out, her voice full of excitement as she pointed up at the television screen.

Quinn could feel her heart rate begin to speed up as the other shoppers turned to face them. "No it's not."

"Yes it is," Eden insisted. "I'm famous just like Mommy," she smiled as she saw her picture flash up on the screen once again.

Feeling her hands begin to shake Quinn tried not to draw anymore attention to herself as she took hold of Eden's hand and guided her towards the door.

"We haven't paid for the ice cream yet," Eden pointed out.

"I left my money at the hotel," Quinn lied once they were out of the shop.

Eden stopped, her face a picture of shock. "But we can't steal, we have to take it back. They know who I am, I'm famous now."

"It's ok, I know the man that owns the shop and he always lets me have stuff when I forget my money," Quinn lied, not wanting to panic Eden.

Seemingly placated for the time being Eden nodded as she followed Quinn along the sidewalk. "This is the wrong way for the park."

"We're not going to the park," Quinn almost shouted as they entered the hotel lobby.

Eden's bottom lip began to quiver as she tried not to cry. "Why not?"

"Because it's going to get dark soon and we shouldn't be outside when it's dark," Quinn replied as she pulled out her hotel key card.

Once inside the hotel room Eden threw her unopened ice cream on the bed. "But you promised."

"I know but things change," Quinn snapped, the last thing she wanted to do was get angry with her little-girl but she was trying to come up with a plan and she couldn't, not with Eden's constant questioning ringing in her ear.

"I want my Mommy," Eden cried.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to shout," Quinn apologised kneeling down so that they were at the same height.

Eden shook her head, tears falling freely down her cheeks now. "I want my Mommy."

"I am your Mommy," Quinn insisted, desperate for her daughter to want her, to need her.

"No you're not," Eden sobbed, her hazel eyes bright with tears. "I want my Mommy. I want my real Mommy … I don't want you. I don't-"

Looking down at the floor Quinn didn't know what to do, she wanted to be everything that her daughter needed but it was hard. Eden didn't know her. And she didn't know her daughter, she didn't know what she liked and disliked, she didn't know what made her smile and what made her cry.

"You haven't eaten your ice cream," Quinn pointed out, not knowing what else to say.

Taking the ice cream from her hand Eden marched over to the wastepaper bin and made a big show of throwing it away. "I only like that one when I'm in a sunny mood."

"I thought you were in a sunny mood?" Quinn asked.

"I'm in a sad mood," Eden replied as she picked up her school bag and headed towards the door intent on going home.

Quinn watched Eden struggle with the handle. "Where are you going?"

"Home," Eden huffed, her frustration getting the better of her as she kicked at the door.

"I told you you're Mom and Dad are busy, that's why you have to stay with me," Quinn insisted, standing between Eden and the door.

Sitting down on the floor Eden hugged her knees to her chest. "I don't want to stay here. Can we please just ring them?"

"They don't have their phones," Quinn lied, desperate for her daughter to give her a chance.

"I don't like it here," Eden mumbled into her hands.

"I-"

"And I don't like you anymore, you're mean," Eden shouted as she glared at the blonde lady sat opposite her, who in her mind was the only thing keeping her from her parents.

Quinn didn't think she could hurt anymore than she did in that moment, but hearing those words from her daughter's mouth was like a knife through her heart. When she had decided to become a part of her daughter's life again she had been naïve in thinking that at five-years-old Eden would be young enough to adapt. What she hadn't expected was for her little-girl to be a head-strong miniature version of Rachel Berry.

"Eden. Sweetie I know this is hard but you have to understand that things are complicated, I know it might not make sense now but when you're older-"

"I want my Daddy," Eden cried.

Quinn sat down on the floor next to the young girl. "I know that you already have a Mommy and Daddy but what if you had another Mommy? What if-"

"Like my Mommy had two Daddies?" Eden questioned.

"A bit like that, only you have two-"

Eden shook her head, not wanting to listen to anymore. "But I only want my Mommy."

"But I'm your Mommy too," Quinn whispered.

"But why? Does my Mommy not want me anymore?" Eden cried, her words barely audible over the sound of her tears.

Quinn stroked the young girls hair. "Of course she does. Your Mommy loves you very much. But I love you too and I want to be your Mommy."

Jumping to her feet Eden untangled herself from Quinn. "I don't want you to be my Mommy, because I … I just … I want my Mommy."

Before Quinn had a chance to say anything Eden had run into the bathroom and closed the door, getting to her feet Quinn heard the unmistakable sound of the door locking.

"Eden you need to open the door now," Quinn insisted.

"No," Eden shouted through her cries. "Not until my Mommy or Daddy gets here," she added leaning against the bath and closing her eyes.

Not knowing what else to do Quinn knew that she needed help as she heard the heartbreaking cries of her daughter through the locked door. Picking up her cell phone she scrolled through her contacts until she got to the number she wanted, the number of the one person she hoped would understand.

"Finn. It's Quinn, I've done something really, really stupid and I need your help."