A/N: Trigger warning. Talk of child abuse and sexual abuse.
Chapter Ten
Brittany smiled as she watched her family interact with Faith, Tru, and Missy while they all had dinner. She was really proud of her girls, both for the way they had tried to do what they could to help the girls before they found out what was really going on, and for the way they behaved here. Cordelia and Missy had already been friends, as had Tara and Faith, Kennedy had knwon Tru on the soccer team last year, so, they all sort of naturally paired off, but Darla and Buffy were both trying to get to know them, as they had been in middle school last year. Darla was asking Missy her view on some of the routines, while Buffy was regaling Faith with tales of her time with Bill's glee club, all seven weeks of it. She was really excited about upcoming Sectionals. Faith, who acted so tough, seemed really interested.
She grinned as Tru reached under the table to pet Harper. The sweet tempered dog had not left Tru's side since he met her. He seemed to sense what Brittany did. Something was up with Tru and she needede all the love and support she could get. Thankfully, there was plenty of that in the Gordon house.
She also had to chuckle to herself as the food she made rapidly disappeared. Despite having had dinner with Cordy, Bill was, as always, inhaling his food, and she knew the Lehane girls had to be hungry. They had each already polished off two sandwiches and were each on their second bowl of soup. From what they said, the girls HAD been eating, but, they HAD been keeping food expenditures to a minimum so they could try and get their electricity turned back on. Actually, of the 12 people seated at the big formal dining room table, which could seat up to fifteen, only Tara and Cordelia were not eating much. But, they had both had dinner, other than that disgusting pizza at the assembly, and niether had Bill's appetite (but then, who DID?) so, both were still pretty much full.
Conversation had shifted to Tru and Missy taking turns pretending to be Faith at school. Faith was shaking her head at Missy. "I can't BELIEVE Einstein over here never thought of the fact that SHE was left handed," Faith scoffed. "This was all YOUR plan to begin with!"
Missy blushed. "I can't think of EVERYTHING!" she said in her own defense. "Besides, you know that as well as I do." Sheturned to the adults. "She always says I'm left handed because I aint right." Everybody but Bill and Kennedy groaned. They both laughed heartily.
Quinn shook her head at both of them. "Of ALL your traits she could have gotten, she HAD to get your sense of humor!" she teased.
"Well," said Bill, winking mischeivously at Brittany. "She could have gotten..."
"Stop RIGHT there!" exclaimed Santana in mock anger, as she pointedh er finger at Bill. "I don't know WHAT you were going to say, but it CAN'T be suitable for our guests ears!" When nobody laughed, she noticed that Tru had been startled by her outburst, and had shrunk back in her chair. Harper had shot to his feet and, while he was not growling or anything, he was standing by her protectively.
Brittany figured it out first. Tru didn't realize Santana was playing, and Santana's mock anger had scared her. Harper, had sensed her mood shift and was responding to that. Brittany, who was sitting next to Tru reached out and smoothed her hair. "Hey, Sweetie," she said softly. "it's ok! Santana was jsut playing. She and Bill tease each other like that all the time.
Quinn, seated on the other side of Tru, reached out and softly ran her arm up and down Tru's arm. "They really do, honey," she said soothingly. "Sometiems, they're the biggest kids we have!" Thgis got a soft laugh out of Faith and Missy and a small smile out of Tru, who looked at Santana.
"Really?" she asked, calming a bit.
Santana gave her a reassuring smile. "Really," she said. "Bill and I have been friends since we were five, and sometmes we find ourselves reduced to our five year old mentality."
"Reduced?" scoffed Kennedy, making everybody, even Tru laugh.
Santana got up and moved over to Tru, kneeling down on the floor next to Harper, who was lying down again. "Honest, Sweetie," she said. "I didn't mean to scare you." She gave Tru's hand a squeeze. "I'm really sorry. We still pals?"
Tru smiled with tears in her eyes. "Ma used to ask us that after a fight,'she said. "Yes, we ARE. I'm sorry I over reacted." Brittany looked over and saw Faith and Missy also tearing up a little at the ionteraction between the two.
Brittany made eye contact with both Bill and Quinn. They seemed to have their own silent conversation.
Brittany: There is something very wrong here.
Quinn: Yeah, I mean, Santana CAN be scary when she's angry, but that girl is just too jumpy!
Bill: We really need to talk to them.
Brittany: Ok, I have a plan.
She looked and saw that everybody was finished eating, so she cleared her throat. "Ok, you lot,'she said. "Impromptu family meeting time." Santana gave Tru's hand a final squeeze and she got up and took her seat again, sitting between Tara and Kennedy.
"That's right,' said Quinn. "We need to decide the sleeping arrangements."
"Yeah,' said Bill. "We only have four bedrooms other than ours, so, there's going to have to be some doubling up."
"We don't want to put anybody out," said Faith, her guard going up. "If you have sleeping bags, we can sleep in the living room."
"No," said Santana. "You are guests in our home. And with all you've been through, you deserve to sleep in a bed."
"Missy can bunk with me," said Cordelia.
"Tru can share with me," piped up Kennedy.
"I have plenty of room for Faith," said Tara, smiling sweetly.
Brittany noticed Faith and Missy share a look. They obviously wanted to keep an eye on Tru. "That's really sweet,' she said. "But, it's their first night away from the house they're used to. They might want to stick together." She smield as Faith surrpetitiously mouthed "Thank you".
"Our room is the biggest, Mama," piped up Darla. "And we have two beds."
"And our own bathroom," said Buffy. "I think they'd be the msot comfortable in there."
The adults all nodded. The five bedroom house had a bathroom in it's master suite, a free standing bathroom, and, one in the second biggest bedroom. By rights, that bedrrom SHOULD have gone to Cordelia as the oldest, but, it was decided that it should go to Darla and Buffy sicne they were to share a room.
"I always move in with Kennedy when the grandparents come to stay," said Tara. "So, Darla and Buffy can take my room." Britt smiled. Unlike the others, Tara never shortened Darla and Buffy's names to "The Twins".
"Do you still snore?" Kennedy mocked complained, earning a whack on the back of her head from Santana. "OW! Geeze, I was just kidding," complained Kennedy. "Grouch!"
"We REALLY don't want to put you guys out," said Missy.
"We insist," said Quinn. "Girls, why don't you take Faith, Tru and Missy and you can all get moved around and settled in?" She turned to the Lehane Girls. "And leave any dirty clothes downstairs. I'll throw in a load of laundry while the other so called adults are cleaning up from dinner." She smirked at Bil land Santana who both gave her their "payback is a bitch" faces."
"And," added Brittany. "With no electricity, it must have been a long time since you girls have had a hot bath. We have three bathrooms, counting the one off our bedroom. Why don't you each take one, then we'll have a movie night?"
"We've been showering at school,' said Tru. "But that sounds HEAVENLY!"
Cordelia frowned. "What about Faith?" she asked. "She hasn;tbeen going to school."
"Joey had a full bathroom with a shower at the Tank," said Faith. "I'd told him our power was out, so, he let me shower there before my shift. I guess he figured even in a dump like that, nobody wanted a stinky waitress." Everybody laughed as they all stood up. The Gordon Girls led the Lehane Girls into the living room, but Tru held back.
"Are you sure I can't help clean up?" she asked Brittany.
Brittany smiled softly at her. "You've been taking care of yoru sisters a lot, huh?" she said.
"When Ma died, Missy took over paying the bills," Tru answered. "as well as she could, given how little money we had. I took over the cooking and most of the cleaning. Da...our father said it was up to me to take over for Ma, since I was the most like her." She unconciously shuddered a bit as she said that.
Santana clearly swallowed a lump in her throat and she went up and put her hands on Tru's shoulders, sterring her towards the living room. "Well, I don't want you to worry about taking care of anybody here,'she said. "WE wil ltake care of ALl of you. Now, go join the others. Scoot!" Without thinking about what she was doing, she gave Tru a very light swat on her bottom to get her moving. Tru stiffened but then relaxed immediately and smield at her.
"Yes Ma'am," she said and scurried out of the room, Harper close on her heels.
Quinn roleld her eyes. "THAT was close,' she said, both amused and a little annoyed.
"I'm sorry,' said Santana, defensively. "it's just...well, I would have done the same thign with any of our girls, and in that moment, she felt like one of ours."
"Well, she sort of is," said Quinn. "Judge Curtis signed the paperwork. The girls are, at least temporarily, in our custody until we figure out what's the what."
"Great,' said Bill. "Sweeties, I am really feeling like we can't let these girls get seperated. I swear, at times, it seems like Faith and Missy being nearby is the only thing keeping Tru together."
"I know," said Brittany."I don't know exactly what, but, there's clearly something else going on than simple abandonment."
"We need to get them to spill it,' said Santana.
Brittany smiled. "Leave that to me,' she said.
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Tru dreamed, having dozed off in the huge tub in the master suite.
Faith and missy were already in bed. Tru herself was sitting at the kitchen table in ehr nightgown, finishing up a book report. Daddy was in the living room, empty beer bottles all around his armchair. Tru finished her report and closed her books, and started towards her bedroom. "Good night Daddy,' she said, dargging her feet as she walked over to kiss him goodnight. She hated kissing him goodnight, but he required it, and all three girls knew, you didn't want to not do something he required you to do. He would usually pat her bottom when she kissed him goodnight, since Ma died, sometimes he would squeeze it. The last time, his finger had slipped between her legs, touching her...she blushed to think about it. Feelign nauseous, she leaned over to kiss him on the cheek.
He did soemthing new tonight. He turned his head and kissed her on the lips. It felt wrong. He kissed her like he usually kissed Ma. She pulled away. "Daddy..."she whined.
He grabbed her and pulled her on to his lap. "Hey, hey Baby," he said. "It's ok. It's ok for Daddies to kiss their girls like that. Especially if their Ma isn't around. You love your Daddy, dontcha?" Tru nodded. Regardless of everything, she did love him. He was her Daddy after all. "That's good," he said. "Because, you see, Sweetie, Daddy's have needs. Usually, Ma's take care of those needs. But, sometimes a Ma has to leave, and then it's up to Daddy's Girl to take over for her. Your Ma has been dead for a couple of months, and Daddy is REALLY having needs. Tru, Baby, all three of you look like your Ma, but, you're the most like her, so YOU have to take care of Daddy's needs. You understand me Baby?"
Tru did understand. She had jsut turned 15 after all. She had sex education, and she had learned about sexual needs. Still, no matter what he said, she was still apalled at what he was talking about. "You-you want me to have sex with you?" she whispered, praying it was not true.
Daddy went from acting all loving to looking disgusted with her. "God, you're a little slut, aren't you?" he sneered. "I can;t fuck you! You have to stay a virgin, just in case you find some guy to marry you. No Baby, you have to take care of Daddy's needs, but, you have to do it with your mouth."
"M-my mouth?" whispered Tru, almost wetting herself. "Daddy...I..."
"Shhhhh"said Daddy putting a finger up to her lips. "I know you don't know how. I'm sorry for what I said a minute ago. I know you're a good girl. But, you have to do it, Baby. Don't worry, I'll tell you what Daddy likes."
Tru woke up suddenly as she heard a knock at the door. "You ok in there, Tru Girl?" came Faith's voice. Actually, all three girls voices sounded exactly alike, but she coudl tell Faith's voice from Missy's.
"I'm ok, Faith," she called. "It just feels SO good in here I was kind of ,lollygagging."
She heard Faith laugh at her use of one of Ma's words. "Ok,"she called. "Want me to wait, or meet yo udownstairs?"
"You go ahead," she called. "I'll be down in a minute." After she heard Faith leave, she got out of the tub, started to dry off, then collapsed to her knees. She barely got the toilet seat up before she threw up.
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About an hour later, all eight girls were cleaned up and changed into their PJ's, as was the custom on movie night. Bill smiled as they all eight piled into the kitchen, Harper sticking closer to Tru than ever, where Brittany was fixing popcorn and Quinn was pouring drinks. He and Santana were 'staying out of the way".
"Feel better,"Britt asked Faith Tru and Missy, who all nodded, though Tru seemed a little less convincing than the others. "Good,' said Britt. She turned to Cordy. "Baby, why don't you girls take Tru into the living room so she can pick out the first movie we watch? Faith and Missy can help us with the snacks."
Cordy was no dummy. She got that her parents wanted to talk to Faith and Missy. "sure, Mama,"she said. She put an arm around Tru and stage whispered "Daddy is a total movie NERD! I'm sure you'll be able to find SOMETHING!' The other girls all laughed as she smiled sweetly at Bill.
Bill gave her a, playful, look. "NEXT time you get brussel sprouts while you get to watch me eat my sub," he grumbled.
"It was worth it,"she playfully sassed as the six girls left.
Faith looked at the four adults. "Time to spill our guts, huh?" she said, again, walling off her emotions.
"Faith," said Missy, taking her hand. "They have to know."
Faith nodded as the six of them sat down at the table. Bill looked at his wives. Quinn was obviously expecting the worst, Brittany was just looking at them sadly, it being clear they had already found their way into her heart, and Santana took a seat right next to Faith, an obviously protective position.
Bill gave the girls a look. He had pretty much figured things out, but, he had to hear it. "It's bad, isn't it?" he said more than he asked.
"Real bad," said Missy looking at the table top.
"All three of you, or just Tru?" asked Santana, softly.
"Depends on what you mean," said Faith, taking a deep breath, looking at once very grown up and very much like a little girl. "It wasn't so bad when we were little. Oh he'd drink on weekends, and we had to be quiet because he was hung over. I think he slapped Ma once in awhile, but he never layed a hand on us. Funny, Ma was the one that would spank us when we got out of line, but, HE never laid a hand on us until we were about eleven or twelve, and yet, HE was the one we were afraid of."
"That's because even when Ma spanked us, she made it clear she loved us," put in Missy. "it hurt, and we cried, but she always hugged us and forgave us after. With him, when we were in trouble, he acted like he hated us, even before he started hitting us."
"Yeah," said Faith, woodenly, almost like she was talking about someone elses life. "Then when we were eleven or twelve, he got worse. Started drinking more. He was a mean drunk. It started out with him spanking us, sometimes for no reason, or at least none he made clear. He'd just take off his belt and whip us until we were black and blue."
"Ma always took out pants and panties down when she spanked us," Missy said. "But when he did it, we had to take them off completely, right in front of him. He'd look at us for a long minute before he puleld us over his lap. Then, like Faith said, he'd beat our butts,then send us to bed, no words, even Ma wasn't allowed to comfort us. A couple of tiems, especially when we started...developing, I felt soemthing funny. I figured out later, he had an erection."
Santana was sitting there quietly swearing in spanish. Quinn looked like she wanted to be sick, Brittany was lsitenign with a horrified look on her face. Bill knew the worse was to come.
"Once, he made me take off ALL of my clothes," said Faith. "Idunno if he ever did that with Missy or Tru." Missy shook her head. "But, Ma got home in the middle of the beating, and he never did that again after. Anyway, after that, he started smacking us. He was always careful not to leave bruises where they'd show. One tiem, he beat Missy badly enough she missed three days of school. That was right before we moved. I THINK the neighbors were threatening to call the police."
Bill sat there stunned. It sounded so like his own experiences being spanked as a child, Well, not the sexual part, but, the lack of any sort of love or forgiveness afterwards.
"Then," said Missy. "right after our 15th birthday thsi past July,m after Ma died, it started. He started molesting Tru. She said he told her he picked her because she was the most like Ma, personality wise. And she is."
Faith gritted her teeth, her walls starting to break down, tears forming in her eyes. "The son of a bitch said we all had to be virgins, or no guy would ever want us. So..." her voice cracked. "H-he made her give him blow jobs." Santana gasped but moved closer, wrapping her arms aroudn Faith, who, almost surprisingly, let her. Brittany moved closer and wrapped her arms around Missy, who was out and out crying by now.
Bill pulled Quinn into his own arms. Even with how terrible her own parents had treated her, it was nothing compared to this.
"Tru changed, obviously,' said Faith. "Started having nightmares. It got so one of us almost always had to sleep with her. She got quieter, jumpier. It got to where, we'd never let her go anywhere alone." her voice broke and she started crying. "Then, when he didn't come back, or send for us, I hoped she woudl get better. But, soemtimes, it seems like she's gotten worse. We couldn't tell anybody. We aint stupid you know. We know it's hard for one fifteen year old to get adopted, let alone three. We knew we'd get seperated." She looekd plaintivley at Bill. "Please, Mr. G,"she said. "Don't let 'em split us up. I think Tru needs us!"
Bill went over and wrapped his arms around Faith and Santana, Then Brittany pulled Missy into the huddle and Quinn joined it to make a six way hug. "I promise you, Sweetie," he said. "We'll do everything we can to keep you all together. Mrs. Fabray-Gordon is a family lawyer. She has contacts. If you have any family, she'll find them."
"And you'll stay with us in the meantime,"said Brittany.
"That's right," said Quinn, leaning over and kissing Missy's forehead. "No matter how long it takes!"
Bill and Santana looked at their wives in shock. That had actually been their plan all along, but, they were surprosed Quinn and Brittany had agreed to it without even any discussion. Bill ooked at Missy. "Yo uremember what I told you and Tru when I went to get Faith at the Fish Tank?" he asked.
Missy nodded. "You said we weren't alone in this any more,"she answered.
"And he's right," said Santana. "You have the Pierce-Fabray-Lopez-
Gordon family on your side, and girls, nobody can beat US when we're all working together!"
Both girls laughed a little, and Faith buried her face into Bill's shoulder. "Thank you,"she whispered.
"Hey, are you guys picking and shucking that corn before you pop it?" came Kennedy's voice from the living room, making all six of them laugh.
"Hold your horses!" yelled Santana. "God , Britt, she did NOT get your patience!"
Quinn smiled and wiped away Missy's tears with her thumbs as Brittany did the same for Faith. "Thank you for trusting us enough to tell us this, girls," she said. "Now, why don't we all go in there with our family and have a fun movie night?" Everybody agreed, and grabbed the popcorn and drinks and carried them out to the living room, nobody noticing Quinn had said "family" instead of "families".
Tru greeted them, holding a DVD case. The other girls all looekd amused. "Can we please watch this?" she asked. "I've never seen it, but that car looks SO cool!"
Bill took the DVD case. "You've NEVER seen Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?" he asked incredulously.
"We didn't get to see a lot of movies," said Faith. "HE ran the TV all the time."
"Oh, you are in for a treat!" said Brittany, taking the case and popping hte DVD in the player. All twelve of them, thirteen counting Harper, took seats anmd sat down to watch the movie.
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Tru had been totally enthralled by Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. She'd even asked if they could rewind it during the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang song, and they all twelve wound up singing along.
Somehow, between that and the second movie, picked by Missy, each adult wound up snuggling with two of the girls. Brittany was sitting between Tara and Missy, Santana had Kennedy and Tru in her arms, with Harper on the other side of Tru, Bill was snuggling with Buffy and Faith, and Quinn had an armful of Cordelia and Darla. Tru had fallen asleep, and the other girls were all yawning.
"ok," announced Quinn in a non nonsense voice. It's bed time.' Their girls all groaned but immediately took turns giving them hgus and kisses and telling them "I love you," before running upstairs to brush their teeth and go to bed. Faith gently shook Tru, but Tru groaned and pushed her away, never waking up.
"It's ok, Sweetie," said Bill, picking her up.
"Bill,' said Santana with amusement. "isn't she a little big for you to carry her to bed?" The other ladies all smiled and chuckled.
"Nah," said Bill, smiling down at Tru. "She's light as a feather." He held her protectively to him as he walked up the stairs singing softly, under hsi breath "Someone to care for/to be there for. I have...THIS CREW!" They all burst out laughing as he carried her into Darla and Buffy's room. Brittany turned down the covers and he put her in bed, coiviering her and unconciously kissing her on the forehead. Harper crawled up on the bed with her. One look told the adults he wasn't going nowhere.
"Looks like you're with me," Faith told Missy, smiling. Both girls went up and hugged each of the adults. "Thank you," Faith whispered in Bill's ear. "For the Fish Tank, for taking care of Tru, for everything."
"You're welcome sweetie," said Bill, a little choked up. "Now, yo ugirls get some sleep." The adults all told them goodnight, and went to their own bedroom.
All three girls slept feeling safer than they had in a long time that night. Tru made it through ehr first night in months with no nightmares, her hand resting on Harpers side the whole night.
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A/n2: is it a sign of arrogance that this chapter really touched ME? LOL Hope yo uall enjoyed it, and would love to hear if you did, or even if you didn't.