Hello all, I wanted to ask that you review with at least the answer to last question…I feel Puck…I just see him going soft with little kids like he does on the show with Beth…let me know what you think. Please, I know some of you are just like "skip to story" I do that too. But I would really love it if you'd review with critiques, hell, you could tell me 'bout a typo, but I like to know if people think my writing is getting better or worse, do you like or short chapters? Or even answer the questions. So far, Joylinda's been the most helpful, and the most dedicated to this story, and it makes me feel all bubbly inside knowing at least SOMEONE is so dedicated to my story. Thanks! Enjoy!

Santana POV

I fell asleep again at Quinn's house again. I only realize this when I wake up in Quinn's bed to the smell of bubble bath. The bed shook and I looked down to see Quinn, in her bikini, shivering violently. I felt like waking her up and talking to her about the cuts on her hip. I couldn't do that to her. I felt like she needed to sleep, but I also knew that she had slept, a good amount. I got up and stuck my hand in the bath water to pull the drain up. i dug through a box to find a fleece blanket for Quinn.

I shook her a little, not that she needed to be shaken anymore; she had that covered. I dodged her head when she shot straight up; she was awake now. Panic was written all over her face, it screamed for mercy in her eyes. she looked around, frantic.

"Shhh, Quinn, shhh, its ok, its me, Santana, baby" I was having a surprisingly hard time calming her down. "Dammit Quinn, chill out, its me!" she stopped and looked at me, visibly relaxing. I reached up to pull the blanket around her, and she scooted back 'till she rested upright against the headboard. I looked at her, searching her eyes, trying to figure things out. I was curious to know what she had spaced out about last night when I was cleaning her cuts.

"Quinn," I told her, "Babe, we gotta talk." She nodded, knowing what was coming. I could see that she didn't was to talk about it, but I knew that it was necessary.

"You're cutting" I stated simply. She whispered her response, "Yeah."

"Why?" I asked her, wanting to know her response, "There are much better ways to deal with something like this." "Like what?" she spat at me, I just looked at her, stunned.

"You could talk to someone" she looked disgusted at the idea, so I quickly finished, "It doesn't have to be like going to some strange office and spilling your heart and soul to a random person. Talk to me, talk to Schue; hell! Talk to Ms. P! I don't care, just talk to someone. You could take up a spor.." she held up her arm, still wrapped in plastic and I stopped short.

Quinn POV

I really did not want to be having this talk with her, but she's the best person to have it with. She doesn't get it. I wonder if her dad knows. He probably does, considering he works at the hospital and she's been home since everything happened.

"Santana, you don't understand" I told her, lacing my voice with power and fearlessness; "I lost my virginity, against my will, when I was seven. If I hadn't been there, imagine what he'd do to Emily. I've been her mother since she was born!" I wanted to scream, I wanted to yell at her; but I wouldn't for Emily's sake. "Dammit Santana! You don't understand!" I practically growled out the last word.

"I do understand" she whispered. I snapped my head to the side to look at her, after I had turned away from her to stare at the wall. I felt my face soften, but only slightly; I failed trying to harden it again. I watched her go into the bathroom; she walked out running a wet washcloth over her wrists. She stuck the out for me to see when she was done. Thin scars laced their way around her wrists, just lighter than her actual skin tone. My hand flew to my mouth to cover my gasp.

I looked her in the eyes, and she stared back at me; her steely gaze searched my eyes. I watched a tear fall, then another, and another until it was a steady flow. She advanced on me and placed a hand on each of my cheeks. I was at a loss for words; I'd judged and I'd been selfish.

"Quinn, I've been there. If you don't get help or talk to someone or do something, you aren't going to get better." I nodded; it seemed to be the only thing I could do. "I know it hurts. Baby, I do. But doing this to yourself isn't going to help anyone. It isn't going to help the situation, it isn't going to help Emily; it isn't going to help you" she stuck her finger lightly to my chest on the last word. I looked at her.

Santana POV

I hadn't ever told anyone. I mean, my father found out because he walked in on me in the bathroom and had offered to treat me without telling anyone. I allowed him to, and we got trough it.

"I'm satisfied" I told her, walking over to the closet and rifled through a box. I found two pairs of shorts, and two tank tops. Walking back over to Quinn I told her, "Put these on" and tossed her a pair, "Let's sleep for the rest of the morning, and I'll wake you up in time to shower for school k?" she nodded and pulled both articles over her suit. I pulled off the Cheerios uniform and put them. We snuggled only under the fleece blanket and fell asleep.

It felt like hours when the fowl sound of the alarm blasted through the room; I knew it had been 4 hours though. I shook Quinn awake and told her to shower. I walked into Emily's room and pressed my lips to her temple, "hey pumpkin," I told her, "Time to wake up." she sat up, looking groggy, and reached to put her arms around my neck. Pulling her up, I walked into the kitchen and dropped her in a chair. She looked blankly around, she still had on that morning face, the one where you look completely out of it.

I deposited a small cup of yogurt in front of her and went to stick a piece of bread in the toaster. I washed some berries while it toasted and spread a layer of Nutella on her bread. I laid out the same foods for me and Quinn, and waited, watching her. "Why are you staring at me?" she asked, I chuckled and shook my head. I watched her let it go with a shrug of her shoulders. "You know I love you, right?" I asked her; she responded by getting up and walking over to me, climbing into my lap, smily widely and placing a Nutella kiss on my cheek. I began to wonder why I was always the one who wound up with food on her face.

Quinn POV

I stood in the door frame of the kitchen when I heard Emily talk. "You know I love you, right?" Santana asked her, my heart was about to break at the question when Emily got up and sat on her lap and placed a kiss on her cheek. It was a pretty priceless moment. I watched as Emily cuddled deep into Santana's torso. I cleared my throat and sat down. They looked up, Emily smiling and Santana looking like she'd been caught, embarrassed.

We ate and listened to Emily chatter about school; mornings were uneventful. I felt bad because Emily was in morning care at school for nearly an hour and a half before it actually started. If I had an alternative, I would take it. she told me she understood, but I couldn't help thinking that she wasn't telling me the full truth. I knew it disappointed her, but there was really nothing I could do. When we were ready for school, and we walked out the door, we bumped into Mr. Schue, we said hello and got in our cars, I took off in one direction towards Emily's school, and Santana and Mr. Schue in the direction towards ours.

I watched Emily stare out the window, sneaking looks a her through the rearview. She looked sad. "What's up Em?" I asked, feeling concerned. "I had a bad dream" she mumbled to me, I waited to see if she would continue; "Daddy shot you and mommy and left me with him" I sat there, shocked that her dream ended in such a way. I could see on her face that she knew what that meant; she knew it meant that everything that had ever happened to me, would start happening to her. we were quiet for the rest of the ride. I got out and went to open her door. She still hadn't moved.

"Baby, listen to me" she looked up at me, "that is never going to happen ok? I would have never let that happen. I am going to try with everything I have to keep you safe and to make sure no one ever hurts you. Do you understand me?" she nodded, tears in her eyes and a smile on her face. I unbuckled her, "You tell your teacher if you need anything, ok? I put your inhaler in the outside pocket of your sure it is a the front of your cubby, and here is a note for your teacher that says everything I just told you ok?" she nodded, kissed me, and skipped towards the school.

I drove to my school, listening to my country music. I had a plan to change into yoga pants and a tank top in my car and drive straight home. The less time I had to put up an at, the better. I walked into the school, my head not held high, bt not hung low. i felt like, other than the questions, it would be a decent day. Santana was on my good arm in minutes. I made it through the first few classes, and before glee, things took a turn for the worst.

On my way to glee, I was feeling pretty good. I got minimal approaches from people wondering what was up. I rounded the corner, sticking close to the lockers for an unknown reason. Ricky slammed his locker shut and looked toward me, he started walking my way, but he didn't look like he wanted to talk to me. I noticed it just before we passed each other, but I didn't have time to stop it; he reached into his jacket and pulled out a slushy cup, throwing the entire cup at me while he passed.

The cup had every single flavor in it. it dripped down my face and arms, and slid down my bra. A bunch of football players rounded the corner behind me laughing and slapping each other on the back. Everyone barreled out of the choir room. Santana was at my side in seconds, and puck was the first one to take off towards the assholes he calls teammates.

"WHAT THE HELL RICKY?!" he screamed, they didn't look impressed, "YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT YOU'D SHOW A LITTLE MORE RESPECT, PICK ON SOMEONE YOUR OWN GODDAM SIZE, YOU MOTHERFUCKER!" he continued to yell. You wouldn't have been able to see that I was crying.

Puck rushed to my side and picked me up bridal style, out of Santana's comforting arms. He carried me into the girls bathroom and deposited me on the counter. He looked at me sadly and walked out. Santana locked the door and went to work. Mr. Schue suddenly appeared next to us. He had my gym bag, I looked at him questioningly.

"I know the combinations to everyone's locker" he said, "Not by heart, but I keep all of your guys' at close hand just in case." We both looked at him a little weirdly. "I told them that glee was cancelled and to go about their business, let's get you cleaned up.

Oddly enough, I didn't feel weirded-out when Santana started to undress me to get me clean. He helped. He felt different, I didn't feel threatened by his presence, even when I was almost naked. He seemed to purely want to help. Even when Santana pulled my pants off, I was fine. I couldn't describe the feeling, why I felt this way. he only went as far as the boundaries he set or himself. Only my mid-stomach, my back, my calves to my feet, my face. He was gentle, bu not creepy. Santana seemed to have figured it out, but hesitated before pulling off each layer of my clothing.

She dismissed him when she was going to help clean up my chest. "There's a sweat shirt in my locker" she told she'd wait to undress me until he'd gotten it. When we had it, she undid my bra and pulled it off. She didn't star, didn't hesitate, didn't do anything, just continued. She used warm water on her paper towels to clean me off, and put my clothes in her left over plastic bag from lunch. I looked at her when she was finished helping me dress. He hadn't seen the cuts because of the boundaries.

"Thank you" I told her, and she pressed her lips to my temple.

ok guys, let me know what you think.

1. Someone asked about having Santana run to Quinn's aid, so there.

2. i think Puck could be someone to have in their lives, i think he's going to be a character to bond with Em.

3. You talked about thinking that Quinn and Em needed adult help, and i think i'm going to have be like. stepping in, and checking in on them, and be almost a father figure, just an authority, someone who's there to help, good?

4. i think this may eventually be a romance, but it will be very slow. i think it's going to be something where, the more time they spend together, the more they develop feelings for each other. so, it will be something to ook forward to, but depending on how far i take my story, it could be pretty slow and take a good amount of chapters

5. I'm going to do my best to update every day, i cannot guarantee it, but i'm always going to upload as soon as possible

6. if you feel like something should happen, let me know okay? dont just be thinking it, tell me, i'll consider it, and if i put it in there, look for your name in the author's notes ok?

7. any questions? you can critique ANYTHING in a review, you cn critique my grammar, my detail, let me know how i can improve the chapter experience for you. thanks everyone!