A/N: Ah, I've had 3/4 of this story written for the last two months and finally got around to finishing that last fourth. I hope you enjoy it! All mistakes are mine, I barely read over it because I wanted to get it out lol. Excuse any mistakes please! Enjoy!
Chapter Ten: ~2,582 words - Published 3/15/2015
Warnings: Rape mention.
Rachel gulped as multiple pairs of footsteps approached the room. She was surprised when a gorgeous redheaded girl appeared from the hallway with a showstopping white smile on her face. She was followed by an equally attractive brunette with blue eyes that said, "I'm a lot more scary than I look," who was followed by a shorter brunette who Rachel thought was the epitome of adorable. She made eye contact and smiled with each one, sort of excited to get to know them throughout the evening.
But then, she caught a glimpse of blonde hair from her peripheral vision and her breath caught in her throat as her eyes lifted from the short brunette to a stunning blonde. A stunning blonde that looked a lot like
"Quinn."
Dominic smiled over at her, "Huh? Did you say something?"
Rachel's heart was hammering outside of her chest as she turned her head towards Dominic, but her eyes stayed locked on Quinn's shimmering ones, "N-no, sorry, had an itch in my throat."
James smiled widely, "Do you need something to drink? We have water, tea, coffee, whatever you need."
"Water would be lovely," Rachel said with a small smile. It was becoming apparent that she had just walked into a kidnappers home willingly.
"Fiona, will you get our guest a glass of water please?"
"Oh, of course. One second, dear." Fiona shuffled out of the room, as James began to make small talk, "The water from these parts is wonderful. Tastes great. Not only that, but it really helps our flowers grow. Dominic has told you about our flower shop right?"
Rachel watched helplessly as the redhead stopped a visibly shaking Quinn from walking over to her. She could tell that the girls were subtly trying to figure out what was going on, and one by one she could tell as realization dawned on them.
She gulped thickly, her mind was racing a mile a minute as she realized that not only was Quinn trapped here, three other girls were as well. She clenched her jaw, determined to free them, determined to not let them get hurt again.
She put on her best show smile and made eye contact with the vile bastard, "Dominic told me all about it," she said in her sweetest voice, "I'm really interested in botany. It is just so interesting to me how something can grow from nothing."
Fiona came back and handed her the water with a smile before going to sit by James. She took a sip before Dominic politely took it and placed it down on the table for her.
"Oh, trust me, it's not nothing. It grows from a delicate seed that has to be pampered, and loved, and trained to grow just how you want it to," James replied with a deeply serious voice. Rachel had a feeling that what he was saying had a double meaning, "But enough about that, I'm forgetting my manners. Girls, come over here and meet our guest."
Rachel smiled at the three she didn't know, hoping her eyes conveyed to them her determination to free them. Then she made eye contact with Quinn, who appeared as if she was having a fierce inner battle with herself.
The redhead approached her first, "Hello! My name is June. Daddy here has been preparing all day for you two, making sure the house was in tip-top shape for our guests."
"It's very nice to meet you, June, I'm Rachel. And I can tell, the house looks really nice," She said as she shook the girls hand. June gave Rachel's hand a squeeze before she let go, and Rachel knew that it was a secret communication that she knew who she was. Rachel had a gut feeling that June was terrified of her being here, and that feeling didn't really help her feel any better about the current situation.
The tall brunette approached next with an obviously fake grin, the fire in her eyes suggested that she was angry, and it made Rachel incredibly nervous.
"My name's Peony, it's very nice to meet you Rachel. I hope Dominic here isn't giving you too much trouble?" The blue eyes shot to Dominic's and Rachel suddenly understood that Peony wasn't angry at her, but she was angry at Dominic.
Now Rachel was really nervous because why in the world would Peony be mad at Dominic? He was the good guy wasn't he?
She forced a laugh, "No, of course not, he has been a really great friend to me. I'm glad I could make the trip out here with him."
"We all are," Peony replied politely, before she walked over to James and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
The smallest of the girls walked over next, and Rachel tried to not be too agitated that Quinn hadn't been able to come over yet. However, she couldn't help but give a real smile to the adorable younger girl, she was just exuding kindness.
"Hi!" The girl smiled and shook her hand excitedly, "My name is Marigold, or Mary for short. I really like your dress, it's pretty."
Rachel chuckled and smiled at the girl, "Well, thank you Mary. This is the dress I plan to wear when I get nominated for my first Tony award."
The girls eyes lit up, "Tony award? Like Broadway?"
Rachel smiled, excited to find someone who was so interested in Broadway, but she wanted to talk to Quinn, she needed to talk to Quinn.
"Exactly. It's my dream to be a star on Broadway, and I plan to make it happen."
"That's so cool! Do you think I could hug you, so that when you get famous I can gloat that I got to hug you before?"
Rachel opened her arms and winked playfully, "Anything for a fan."
She hugged Marigold and she was surprised when the small girl's voice whispered into her ear, "Please be careful tonight."
Rachel took a deep breath as sadness flooded through her. She hugged her tighter and whispered back quickly, "Anything for a fan."
They pulled apart, Mary's sadness or concern was nowhere to be seen as she squealed and hopped up and down, "Dad! I hugged a future Broadway star!"
James just let out a full belly laugh and looked at June, "Honey, have you ever heard Marigold talk so much in your life?"
June shook her head with wide eyes, "I, honestly, don't think I've ever seen her so energetic," she laughed.
Rachel smiled her acknowledgement towards them before finally stepping towards Quinn, "And you are?"
Quinn's hand shook as she lifted it to Rachel's. The brunette could see that Quinn was struggling with a huge internal battle, probably feeling conflicted about wanting to say something real to Rachel and wanting to keep her, and she assumed, the others, protected.
Electricity shot up her arm as their hands clasped.
"Ivy," she said quietly.
Sorrow flooded through Rachel. She wanted to scream, she wanted to fight, she wanted to destroy James and Fiona for giving this false identity to Quinn. For stripping her of her own self and trying to make her into something she wasn't. For years Quinn had been trying to break free from her fake identity, from her status, and then she's abducted and thrust into another identity that isn't her own.
Rachel forced a smile, "Ivy, what a beautiful name. I absolutely love your dress, it looks gorgeous on you, where did you get it?"
She gulped as she realized that she might have said the wrong thing because Quinn had a flash of fear shoot through her eyes. The look was gone just as quickly as it had appeared.
Quinn smiled and gestured down to her dress, "Daddy got for me as a gift. Cute isn't it?"
Rachel played along, despite the urge to throw up at the word "daddy". She couldn't believe that this was what Quinn had been put through for the last two weeks. At least she didn't have any bruises - visible ones at least. Rachel shivered at the thought.
"It's absolutely adorable!" Rachel smiled and looked at James, "You have exquisite taste."
Rachel was surprised to see James' eyes watering, "Are you okay?"
The gruff man laughed and rubbed at his eyes, "Well, ma'am, I don't think I've ever been so good. My new daughter just called me 'daddy' for the first time!"
Rachel's eyes widened as she looked between the two, Quinn had the same charming, but fake smile on that she used to wear in the hallways at school, "Well, that's what you are isn't it? My dad?"
Rachel didn't know what Quinn was playing at here, but the stakes of the game were far too high for her to lose. There were lives literally hanging in the balance, and Rachel was absolutely not going to allow any of these girls to suffer any more than they already had. Somehow, someway, she was going to free them from this hell if it was the last thing she did - which, if she weren't extremely careful here, it just might be.
~0~
The entire time they had stayed in the living room, Rachel could feel in her heart Quinn's indecisiveness and anxiety, and it made her even more nervous. She was beginning to think back to the last two weeks, how she felt all the pain she presumed Quinn was feeling. She had been rash, blind, angry, the past two weeks. She hadn't taken the time to think everything through, despite her mind racing practically 24/7.
As she watched Peony's eyes glare at Dominic and listened to James' gruff laugh, she was beginning to think that she had been so overwhelmed that she hadn't thought about if this was actually the right thing to do.
She thought it was - so that then the cops would have solid proof and would have to believe her.
She hadn't cared if she was going to get hurt; she only thought of saving Quinn, but now she was starting to realize that she couldn't save Quinn if she got captured too.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid! Rachel how could you analyze everything in such detail and not realize how stupid this plan was!"
"Daddy, do you mind if we show Rachel around the house?"
Rachel's eyes shot to June as the redhead smiled at James. Something flickered in James' eyes but it was gone just as quick as it came.
He nodded, "I don't see why not, Junebug."
The girl kissed him on the cheek before grabbing Rachel's arm and tugging her up. They were almost to the hall when June hollered over her shoulder, "Girls, come on! I want to show Rachel the new books we all got."
Immediately, three pairs of shoes scattered to catch up with them.
~0~
The door closed as she turned around and met Quinn's eyes. They were watering and sparkling, and Rachel had never thought she'd see such emotion swimming around in them.
"R-rachel," Quinn stuttered out, brokenly.
Next thing Rachel knew, she had a crying Quinn in her arms, hugging her as if her life depended on it.
Hell, it probably did.
Rachel cooed her softly and ran her fingers through soft blonde hair as relief flooded through her. She had found her. She was safe. She was in her arms.
Maybe the plan wasn't as bad as she thought it was.
"H-how'd you know I was here?" Quinn asked through her hiccups.
"It's a long story, for another time," she replied as she reluctantly pulled away, "For now, we have to figure out how to get you out of here." She turned towards the other girls, "All of you out of here."
"Rachel, why did you come here. It's not safe," Peony asked as she listened for any movement outside the door.
"To see if Quinn was here, of course."
"It's not safe here though, Rachel," Quinn interjected, "couldn't you just call the police?"
"I told them about my hunches, but they didn't believe me."
June sighed loudly, obviously nervous, "We need to get you out of here. Now."
"Why?" The brunette asked confused, "I came to get Quinn, I'm not leaving without her."
"Because you're next! You're the newest girl here!"
"No…" Quinn uttered, her eyes widening, obviously catching onto something that Rachel had no clue about.
"No, what? What do you mean I'm next? What's going on?"
Quinn grabbed Rachel's hands and met her eyes, "The newest girl is…" Her tongue seemed to get caught in her throat.
"Just tell me, Quinn."
"Dominic… rapes the newest girl here everytime he visits. Each girl is like… like a gift to him from James."
Bile rose in Rachel's throat. This had been planned. This had been staged. Dominic knew she was on the hunt for Quinn, and that she was close. He had brought her here to get rid of her.
To take advantage of her.
"Oh my god…" She breathed out, her entire body shaking.
Quinn stepped forward and brought her into her arms, "Rachel…"
She turned her nose into the crook of Quinn's neck as tears gathered in her eyes, "I was too rash, too stupid, Quinn. Now, look, I got both of us trapped."
"No," Quinn pulled away slightly to look at the girl in her eyes, "You're not trapped. I'm getting you out of here."
"Quinn, you can't do that," June said, stepping up, "And you know you can't. We will all get punished."
"Not if we all fight, right? There are five of us, three of them. They're outnumbered. We can do it."
"It's a suicide mission, Quinn! James has guns, handcuffs. He's a pro at that kind of stuff," She gestured towards the other girls, "Obviously. Or we wouldn't be here."
Quinn grabbed Rachel's hand before fully turning towards June, a fire in her eyes.
"Burnadette," the redheads eyes widened in surprise before anger visibly rushed through her. Quinn briefly watched Rachel's head tilt in confusion as the name.
Quinn pushed forward, "You are strong and full of fight. We have let James hurt us, and control us, for too long. You all much longer than I, of course. I know you love Lil' and Paige. I, God, I know, you love them more than yourself. But sometimes love demands sacrifice and risks in order to protect them."
"She's right, Burnie," Mary interjected softly, "I know that you're scared we will get hurt by trying to leave, I am too, but we get hurt just sitting here too."
"We could die! At least by obeying we aren't going to be killed!"
"Lower your voice, Burn," Peony said firmly, watching June clench her jaw and fight back confused tears, before turning to Quinn, "What do you suggest?"
Quinn met Rachel's eyes. The girl gave her a small nod to continue. Quinn took a deep breath before looking at everyone else and landing on June.
"I suggest we get the hell out of here, and live the lives we were meant to."
"How?" June asked with a bite, "How do we get out of here. Don't you think I've already exhausted all the possibilities in my head every night or the last two years? How do you expect us to get out without someone dying?"
Never letting go of Rachel's hand, Quinn stepped forward and looked at all the girls, "No one is dying tonight. I can't promise there won't be some bruises. But we're going to get out of here. And here's how."
A/N: Thank you for reading! Shoutout to progpoet for helping me out a little with this story! Any reviews, comments, or concerns are greatly welcomed, thanks!