Chapter 10: The Confrontation
Rachel was just about to hit the send button to call Quinn when she got a better idea. Glancing quickly over to see if Santana would notice if she had actually called, she slapped her phone shut, stood up and said, "Done! I will be right back ok San, I have to use the restroom."
Rachel texted Puck on the way to the bathroom. 911 Noah you are needed at Santanas house NOW / she is going to kill Q ~ RBB
She received an immediate reply. On my way JewBabe ~ Puck
Rachel thought a minute then sent another text. Noah – don't come up and don't let Q see you I will let you know when I need you ok? ~ RBB
You got it ~ Puck
Rachel went into the bathroom and shut the door. She leaned over the sink and looked in the mirror. She could see the stress and pain on her face. She hoped involving Puck was the right thing to do but she couldn't handle Santana on her own.
The diva sighed and wished once again that Brittany was not in LA right now, she had always been able to calm the Latina down.
The brunette loved all of her girls but she knew her fellow brunette well enough to know that she was not going to be able to have a normal discussion with Quinn about her bruising Shannon and not have fists and hurtful words fly.
This whole separation situation had already left all three of the Fabray-Lopez ladies sitting on a powder keg waiting to explode and Rachel knew in her heart that the spanking of Shannon was the match that was going to blow this little family apart.
Rachel knew the little girl already blamed herself and not Quinn for this mess and that needed to be fixed immediately but Santana forgiving Quinn was another story. When you were loved by Santana Lopez you were safe and protected to the best of the fiery Latina's ability.
The singer knew Santana would consider Quinn hurting their daughter a complete betrayal of trust and she really wasn't sure this was something Santana was ever going to be able to forgive. She also knew Santana would blame herself for Shannon getting hurt on her watch and that would make her even angrier. This was a disaster and Rachel knew if she was in this much pain she could only imagine what Shannon, Santana and Quinn were feeling.
She had never been around alcoholics so Quinn's rapid change came as a complete shock to her. She had watched her best friend change back into her HBIC enemy from high school; cold, detached, calculating, hurtful, and short tempered. It was breaking Rachel's heart.
It scared her on a deep personal level being face to face with the Quinn of old and she reeled when she thought of how frightened Shannon must have felt watching her loving Mama transform into the HBIC right in front of her eyes. Quinn's daughter had absolutely no experience with "that" Quinn.
Rachel closed her eyes and held back a sob; they were losing Quinn and she didn't know how to get her to come back to them.
The singer washed her face and stood up straight; setting her spine and her will to succeed, "we are ALL going to survive this intact, I am going to see to it." She knew her little family needed her and she would not let them down, not any of them.
She dialed Quinn and thought, "Showtime!"
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Quinn shut her phone with a snap, completely irritated by Rachel's phone call. She had a lingering sick feeling of guilt and she knew this was about having punished Shannon last night. The blonde still felt sick about spanking her child when she was angry and if she was completely honest with herself, a little drunk but she knew that both Rachel and Santana were going to completely overreact.
"I really don't need Santana's self-righteous bullshit right now." She flagged down the bartender and ordered a vodka-cranberry juice for some liquid courage before heading to her old home.
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Santana was still pacing back and forth and muttering to herself in Spanish and she was making Rachel very nervous. This was not going to go well and she was very glad she had Noah on stand-by.
"San, maybe we need to get Shannon out of here while we talk to Quinn, what do you think?" Rachel tried to interrupt the Latina's internal tirade, "We could take her next door to her little friend's house."
The Latina stopped pacing and turned her glare on Rachel, "Quinn needs to see the bruises."
"I was thinking about that and maybe we should just take pictures, we could do that why Shannon is sleeping and then we don't have to involve her in confronting Quinn. San, think about it, our little monkey was a little traumatized last night and now she thinks everything is her fault. She doesn't need this on top of it!" Rachel tried a little desperately.
The taller brunette stopped pacing again and looked at Rachel sharply, clearly thinking through her options, "That's actually a great idea Rach, I am going to need the pictures anyway for the divorce and custody hearing."
"Oh my god, Santana that is not what I was talking about." Rachel said in exasperation.
"Yeah? Well it's what I'm fucking talking about! That bitch is going down for hitting my baby!" She grabbed her phone and stalked off towards the bedrooms.
Rachel looked up at the ceiling and said a silent prayer to whoever might be listening for help.
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Puck saw Quinn arrive in a taxi and was shocked. She looked awful. He hadn't seen her in a while and he had no idea what was going on but if Rachel needed him he would be there.
He still felt this need to protect Quinn as well, he never did feel his Beth debt had been paid in full and probably never would. He got out of his own car and followed her towards the house careful to stay out of sight until or when he was needed.
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Rachel was grateful that Shannon was at the neighbor's house for a little visit. Santana had taken pictures of Shannon's arm and backside while she slept and then convinced the adorable little blonde to go visit her friend, Leah. Shannon was not in the least bit interested and it took massive bribes of pizza, soda, ice cream and movies with both her Mami and her Aunt Rachel to get her to go.
Santana had walked her over and explained to Leah's mom her need to talk to Quinn in private and Leah's mom had very kindly agreed to keep Shannon busy until Santana collected her later.
Rachel abhorred violence of any kind and did not want to witness an argument between her two best friends but she felt obligated to be here and try to keep things as civil as possible. She had a very uneasy feeling about this meeting.
She heard a knocking on the front door and went to answer it as Santana was not home yet. She answered the door and immediately could tell Quinn had been drinking. It probably wouldn't be obvious to everyone but it was to her and it most certainly would be to Santana.
"Hi Rachel." Quinn said quietly as her best friend stood back to let her into her own house. It felt so weird to not be living here, let alone knocking to be let in.
"Hi Quinn, Santana took Shannon next door to Leah's house so you could speak in private." Rachel said feeling a little defensive and a little angry at her friend. She had not seen Quinn since finding out about Shannon's punishment and she was surprised by her own rush of anger at the blonde in front of her.
"Well clearly not in "private", since you're here." She turned to Rachel making air quotes as she raised an eyebrow, clearly feeling defensive herself.
"You should be very fucking glad that it's Rachel greeting you at the door and not the police!" Santana said in a cold dark tone from the kitchen hallway as she entered the living room glaring at Quinn.
Both Rachel and Quinn turned instantly towards her voice, the brunette anxiously, the blonde furiously.
"The police, really Santana, you don't think that maybe you're overreacting just a little bit here?" Quinn said in her own cold dark voice.
Rachel stood in the middle of her two friends watching them volley back and forth like she was watching a tennis match. She could feel the tension in the room building slowly and felt she had to do something to get everyone back to an even keel.
"Guys, why don't we sit down and talk this over rationally, please, you have been together for over 10 years and you have always had a friendship, remember, please?" Rachel used a soft even tone to try to keep everyone calm.
Santana looked like a coiled cobra ready to strike but she nodded her agreement after seeing Quinn who was acting calmly detached nod her agreement.
The blonde and the brunette sat on chairs on opposite sides of the room while Rachel sat on the couch in the middle. She felt like Dr. Phil and was not comfortable in the role but didn't think she could leave them alone together either. She idly wondered if this was how the Christians felt right before being fed to the lions.
The two women sat quietly and Rachel realized they were both waiting for her to speak, "Quinn it came to my attention this morning that you had punished Shannon last night by spanking her."
"So you felt it necessary to run right over here and rat me out to my wife?" Quinn said coldly never breaking eye contact with Santana. Her wife scoffed out loud and was about to speak but Rachel beat her to it.
"I felt it was an event important enough that Santana needed to know about it, yes." She said not taking the bait, she was determined to remain calm and level headed throughout this discussion, "Shannon was inconsolable and very confused and needed her Mami, which was my opinion at the time and still is now."
"I'm just curious Rachel," the blonde said coldly, "your opinion as a mom or a drama queen?" Santana saw Rachel visibly flinch at the cruel words and was filled with rage once again.
"You selfish bitch, Rachel acted in Shannon's best interest which is why I thought we chose her as god-mother! I remember you telling me that Rachel would defend, protect, and love Shannon with all she had. So leave Rachel the fuck alone. She loves all of us Quinn, all of us, you included and she doesn't deserve to be treated the way you are treating her so knock it the fuck off!" Santana said in low fierce growl barely controlling her anger.
Both Rachel and Santana noticed she didn't even have the decency to look embarrassed by her verbal attack on her best friend, they both wondered to themselves if she was already too far gone.
"Fine, I'm sorry, Rachel." Quinn said, not in the slightest bit sorry. "Would you like to hear my side of what happened or should we just jump to the tar and feathering?" She finished sarcastically.
Santana leaned forward in her chair and drilled Quinn with almost black eyes, "I'm not sure what you could say to defend your actions but go ahead and give us your side." She sat back and crossed her arms across her chest and took a deep calming breath when she heard Rachel clear her throat. That had been Rachel's pre-planned signal to let Santana know to take it back a notch.
Rachel watched as Santana backed off a little and was amazed that Santana remembered the signal, between all the Spanish swear words and pacing she didn't think the Latina had heard a word she said.
Quinn started telling her side of the events of last night stopping at the point where Shannon was in her pajamas about to be sent to bed early for talking back to her Mama, "You saw yourself the other night Santana how rude and disrespectful she has been to me. Well last night she screamed at me and spilled her dinner all over the floor and it was the final straw. I lost my temper and I spanked her. I know we agreed not to use corporal punishment with her but you were not there and honestly I don't see what the two of you are all worked up about. We've both been spanked as children Santana and we survived unscathed." She finished sarcastically.
"Were you drunk when you hit her Quinn, like you are right now at… what time is it? Oh yeah, it's 3:00 o'clock in the afternoon. Little early to be getting your buzz on isn't it honey?" Santana asked in her most fake sweet voice.
Quinn blanched, "what are you talking about? I had a lunch meeting today and I had one drink which I didn't even finish. I am not drunk. Look Santana, it was a simple spanking and yes, I regret it and I should have sent her to bed and waited until I was calmer to deal with her but it's done now and quite frankly it needed to be done. She has been acting like a spoiled brat since we got to Rachel's house. I expect she will be behaving much better after last night."
"Oh I'm sure she will now that you scared the shit out of her and beat her black and blue. It always made me behave, didn't Russell make you behave the same way?" the Latina spit out at her wife.
Quinn jumped to her feet, "I am nothing like that bastard, how dare you! I didn't beat my daughter black and blue, she was punished, and that's all, end of story." She finished loudly.
Santana held her phone out to her wife, "Take a look at the pictures of your daughter's arm and her backside and tell me then how those bruises got there if you didn't put them there."
Quinn stormed over and ripped the phone out of Santana's hand, "This is fucking ridiculous!" She started scrolling through the pictures and visibly paled.
"You didn't answer my question Quinn, were you drunk when you spanked our daughter?" Santana stood up as well.
Rachel started to get very nervous so she stood up also.
"No, I was not drunk and what is this inquisition really about anyway? I didn't know I was coming over here today or I wouldn't have had a drink at lunch it's not a problem Santana, I do not have a problem. The only problem I have is that you have spoiled our daughter rotten and turned her against me. She acts like she hates me and that is entirely your fault! You have been gone for months working ridiculous hours and I have had to be a single parent and the bad guy and you get to sweep in and give out hugs and kisses and read stories and be the hero." Quinn was practically screaming now.
"Do you know why Shannon has been so angry with you Quinn, because I do? Guess how I found out? I sat down and talked to her. I know, hard to believe right? She heard you talking to Rachel about me and thought you were being mean to me, that's why she was angry with you." Santana was close to shouting herself, "As a matter of fact we came home the other night early to talk to you about it, Shannon was going to explain and apologize to you."
Quinn was speechless, "I didn't know, I mean I don't know what she could have heard, I've never talked bad about you ever, not in front of Shannon, she was always sleeping when Rachel and I talked anyway." Quinn said trying to defend herself as Rachel shook her head in agreement.
"She was only pretending to sleep so she could get some information about why she was living at her Aunt's house and why I was out of the picture!" Santana said getting worked up again.
Rachel tried clearing her throat some more but it was too late for that and Santana ignored the warnings to back off.
Santana was on a roll now and she was going to get this all out into the open, "Of course you didn't know. When Shannon and I came to talk to you we found you passed out cold; a lovely combination of sleeping pills and alcohol. I could have stood over your bed banging pots and pans together and it wouldn't have woken you up. Our innocent child told me that her Mama loved sleeping with that pretty bottle and when she did she never woke up, we could be as loud as we wanted. That's why I slept over that night. I was afraid to leave the two of you alone in case there was a fire or an emergency. How long has this been going on Quinn, how often has Shannon seen you passed out? You told me you were leaving me because I was turning you into your mother, but that was a lie wasn't it? You were already there, you just wanted to drink in private and not have me find out and bug you about it. That's the real reason you left isn't it Quinn? It had nothing to do with me did it?"
Quinn's face had flushed a deep purple and she was shaking with rage, "Get Shannon's things together I am leaving and taking her with me, I don't need to listen to this bullshit."
"Shannon isn't going anywhere with you until you get your shit together." Santana said.
"Like hell, I am taking my daughter and leaving!" She advanced towards Santana who stood her ground.
"OUR daughter isn't going anywhere with you, it's not safe for her to be alone with you, I think the other night and those pictures prove that."
Rachel walked in between the two bickering women and put both her hands up, "Quinn, what Santana is trying to say is that we feel you have a drinking problem. You need help. We love you, Shannon loves you but it's clearly out of your control. Please let us help you." She was near tears and begging her best friend.
"Fuck you Rachel, you've clearly chosen sides." She turned to her wife, "I am Shannon's biological mother, and you are nothing to her in the eyes of the courts. Now get out of my way, I am taking my daughter and leaving. I've had enough of this."
"Fuck no, you did NOT just say that to me!" Santana yelled in fury.
Rachel had been stunned into silence for a moment and couldn't believe the cruel things coming out of Quinn's mouth. Rachel recovered enough to say, "Who are you? How could you say such a thing to your own wife? I was there when you were married, and again when you were pregnant. I was there for Shannon's birth and every birthday and holiday since. You LOVE each other, you have been very happy together. We are a family and Santana is as much Shannon's mother as you are and you know it!"
The little diva was shaking with emotion as tears rolled down her face, "It's not us you hate Quinn, it's yourself. I don't know why or what happened and it breaks my heart to see you like this but we can fix this." She walked over and tried to hug Quinn, "please let us help you, please sweetie, please, this isn't you!"
Quinn shoved Rachel aside and started for Shannon's room but Santana blocked the way, "I got a better idea Quinn, how about I just beat your ass and show you a little of what our daughter was feeling last night, hmmm, how does that sound? I'm more your size anyway so c'mon and why don't you try teaching me a lesson or is beating defenseless children more your speed, hmm Russell?" She was full out screaming now.
Quinn made a strangled angry sobbing sound and launched herself at Santana, "You've destroyed my life you bitch, and you will not take my daughter from me."
All Santana could think about was how afraid Shannon must have felt last night and she attacked Quinn with all the anger she had in her screaming and swearing in Spanish. She had lost all control as she went all Lima Heights on her wife.
Rachel started screaming for Noah as all hell broke loose in the living room. Puck appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Santana from behind and tried to drag her into the kitchen as she was kicking and screaming and swearing.
Rachel grabbed Quinn around the waist and tried to drag her back into the living room as she was kicking and screaming and swearing.
Both Rachel and Puck were praying that their noses didn't get broken in the midst of the chaos.
Rachel said to Quinn, "Go back to my house Quinn, let everyone calm down, we can talk about this more later, please!" She begged.
"I am not leaving without my daughter!" Quinn was openly crying now.
Santana screamed from Puck's arms, "Get out of my house or I will call the police, show them the photos and have you arrested for child abuse and assault. Stay away from Shannon or I swear to god I will kick your lily white ass all the fucking way back to Lima, Ohio! Go drink yourself into oblivion but stay the fuck away from us!"
"You'll be hearing from my lawyer Santana." Quinn gathered her things and walked out the front door with her clothes torn and a few scratches and bleeding from her lip.
Santana looking just as battered as her wife yelled after Quinn, "Good riddance!" Ripped herself out of Puck's arms and stormed into the bathroom and slammed the door.
Rachel and Puck stood there out of breath from the effort of keeping the two women from killing each other and the emotions of the moment, "Well, that could have gone better!" Rachel said.
Puck smirked and snorted in agreement, "Well everyone is still alive, that's a check in the win column with those two. Jesus, I just had déjà vu thinking I was back in the hallways of McKinley High. You want to tell me what the fuck is going on here JewBabe?"
Rachel sat down and said distractedly, "Language Noah and no I can't tell you what is going on." She was already planning the next round of attack. She just had to figure out how to get Quinn to rehab and Santana to forgive her wife and Shannon back to her happy carefree self. It was going to be harder than she imagined.