A/N: New chapter. Hope you all like it. Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or any of it's characters. Glee belongs to it's creators and FOX.
Ch. 25th
Quinn was extremely nervous to return to school. She'd spent her holiday break in a little bubble. All her time was spent with Judy, the Berry's, and Santana and Brittany. It was surreal experience to spend night after night laughing and watching stupid movies or tv shows with Judy and her friends. In the past Russell made her study or read the bible over break, only allowing her out to see her friends twice a week and even then never did they come over to her house or she stay over theirs.
Santana and Brittany hadn't seem to mind basically moving in to the Fabray house hold. Quinn chuckled to herself as she remembered opening the door to an indignant looking Santana and peppy Brittany the day after Christmas.
"Took you long enough to open the door Preggers, extra weight slowing you down already?" Santana mumbled as she stepped passed Quinn with a pillow, duffle bag, and sleeping bag in hand.
"Oh don't listen to her she is just grumpy because its cold out, Sanny wasn't made for the cold." Brittany informed a slightly stunned Quinn as she to passed with sleep over gear.
"We live in Ohio." Quinn commented.
"And I will hate my parents for that forever." Santana shot over her shoulder. "Yo Mrs. F. Got any popcorn? Movie marathon and popcorn is essential."
Judy had just stared at the Latina before shrugging, "I'll get some from the store, you girls want anything else."
"Mike and Ike's! Oh and skittles." Brittany smiled, "We can make rainbow animals with them. Sanny I want to make a skittle unicorn."
"Sounds good B. Some pop Mrs. F. What you want Q?" Quinn was still in a state of shock but when her mom repeated Santana question she was drawn from her haze.
"Pizza and cookie dough ice cream."
"Got it, see you girls in a few." Judy smile and left them. Quinn was surprised the Judy had been so cool with the intrusion and just allowed Santana and Britt to show up.
For the rest of the break it went like that. Santana and Brittany would show up with their sleep over gear and stay the night only to disappear for a day and then come back again. Sometimes Judy joined them and a few times Santana had shrugged and said, "I guess you can go get the midget," thus allowing Rachel to join.
Now the break was over and school was starting up. Last time she'd been here she'd been stuffed in a closet by Marsha and her secret was spilled to the rest of the school. Quinn was nervous about her reception; Mckinely didn't exactly look like the most accepting school for pregnant teens.
Putting up her no nonsense head cheerleader mask Quinn strolled into the school with Rachel scurrying behind her.
"You need me to walk you to your locker?" she asked.
"No. See you later Rach." Quinn smiled. The tension between herself and Rachel had decreased over the break but Quinn knew the smaller girl hadn't forgotten Christmas Eve or what Quinn had said. She'd accepted Quinn's apology on Christmas but Quinn wondered if Rachel had really forgiven her. Not willing to dwell on her odd and strained relationship with Rachel Quinn moved towards her locker.
"Fabray my office now." Sue's voice bellowed down the hall.
Crap Quinn thought as she obeyed. Every eye in the hallway was trained on her as she passed, whispers and rumors spread like lightening. Didn't these people have their own lives? Were they so boring so shallow that they had to know and talk about what was happening in Quinn's?
Quinn stood before Sue and leveled her stare at the imposing coach, this was not a time for her to back down or cower. If Sue thought that now that Quinn's secret was out that Quinn would bend to her will the aging coach was severely mistaken.
"So you're pregnant."
Quinn nodded.
"Did your coach kick you off the team? Did you flee Bellville in shame? Is that why you're here? Why you maneuvered yourself onto my team, because they didn't want you?"
"No. If you must know my father kicked me out." Quinn wasn't looking for sympathy but she wouldn't let Sue twist the situation. "And if I remember correctly you begged me to join your team even after I declined."
Sue narrowed her blue eyes, "You manipulated me."
"I'm surprised you'd admit that but I did no such thing. What do you want from me Coach? I got pregnant, got kicked out of my home, lived in my car for a month, and just recently reunited with my mother who I haven't seen since I was six years old. That is why I am here. I had no plans to join your squad until you came to me. I won't lie, I really want to be your student coach, but I want bend over backwards to do so. If you don't want me anymore fine. All I ask is that you keep our agreement and allow Brittany and Santana to stay in glee and not punish them for it. They had nothing to do with this, they just found out I was pregnant just like you."
Coach Sue didn't say anything for quite a while but Quinn remained where she was and said nothing. Finally Coach gave her the smallest of nods. "Your good Fabray, really good. I'm not a stupid woman nor am I one of the bigots that run this school. I like to win and I will do anything to do it, even if it is keeping the social pariah on as my student coach. Beside what Marsha did, I don't that kind of cruelty amongst my squad. With that being said this is what we are going to do Fabray. Our deal stands as before, you are me student coach and in return boobs and bimbo get to stay in glee club with no consequences, but I will warn you Fabary anymore unfavorable secrets and your ass is mine and you will wish you never came to McKinley. Got it."
"Yes Coach."
"Good now get out of my face." Quinn shook her head as she closed the office door behind her.
"Are you still our coach?" Quinn jumped as Brittany attacked her from behind. "Please say you're our coach. What about glee? Sanny I want to stay in glee."
Quinn pulled away and smiled at her blonde friend. In the past month since she'd met Brittany Quinn had learned that her tall friend had a heart of gold, the soul of child, and was wiser than many gave her credit for. Brittany maybe slow at times but she was far from stupid. Brittany loved life and she wanted to share that with those she loved, and apparently Quinn was part of that category now.
"Don't worry B I am still your coach and glee is a go." Britt hugged her again before jumping into Santana's arms. The Latina laughed as she gave Quinn a wink.
"Glad to hear that Blondie I didn't want to have to kick you're pregnant ass for hurting B."
"San." B admonished.
"I know she doesn't mean it B. Come on lets go to class."
Apparently still being the student coach of the Cheerios would not save her from slushies now that she was pregnant. By the time glee rolled around she'd been slushied three times and called slut, whore and many derogatory names at least 50 times. Quinn let it all run off her back. In fact she had to restrain Santana from losing it after Karofsky slushied her then proceed to knock her into the lockers and call her a slut. Karofsky was one of Marsha's henchmen and it was obvious he disliked his queen being suspended.
"Hey Quinn, tough day?" Noah arrived by her side as she was going into the choir room.
"You could say that. So you're really joining?"
Noah shrugged, "Yeah it was fun the other day and I don't know I like to sing." His face had gone red and he diverted his eyes away from her, it was kind of adorable.
"I'm glad your stay."
"Yeah?"
It was her turn to blush, "Yeah. Come on let's see what Schuester has in store for us."
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Judy sat with Leroy, Hiram, and Carol in Carol's living room. She hadn't want there to be a chance for Quinn or Rachel to overhear what she wanted to talk about. Finn had a night practice today so Carol's house was empty. She'd just finished telling her friends what had happened after she returned to find Quinn at home on Christmas Eve.
No one had said anything at first but then Carol spoke up. "So she just sat there with a belt in her hand?"
Judy nodded.
Hiram rubbed his palms over his face. "She's lying Judy you know that right, Judy?"
Judy sighed and sunk into the couch, "But she said he didn't. That he'd just told her it was what I use to do."
Leroy turned his body to her, "No normal child prepares for a punishment no matter how familiar they are with it and they definitely don't when they've never been punished that way. Rachel knows that when she is in trouble she loses her TV, computer, karaoke, and phone rights but she doesn't voluntarily give us those things." He grabbed Judy's hand, "She lied to you Judy. I know it is hard to accept but you need to accept the likely possibility that Russell was physically abusive towards Quinn."
Tear slid down Judy's cheeks, "I know, God I know. I just, she was so happy and full of life this break, hanging out with her friends. That happy girl can't have been abused."
Carol slid forward, "Judy I know I haven't met Quinn yet but from what you told me, it it makes sense sweetheart. Quinn is wary of physical contact, she seems to not know how to respond to physical act of affection despite how much she wants it, Leroy says she flinches when he or Hiram are loud or move to quickly around her, she is claustrophobic, she is quiet and reserved most of the time, she's extremely private for a teenager, plus Russell kicked her out without a thought. It, I am so sorry Judy but I really think you and Leroy are right."
Judy pressed her eyes shut, it was too horrible to think about, to admit even if she'd come to the same conclusion herself.
"Have you ever seen her without her clothes?" Hiram asked quietly.
Judy stared at him confused. "what?"
"I know it sounds odd considering Quinn's age, but have you seen her back or anything like when she gets out of the shower or something?"
Judy shook her head, "No. I haven't…why?"
"It's just Quinn wears a lot of clothes that cover most of her body, long sleeves, long dresses, that type of stuff."
"What are you trying to say Hiram? Quinn's just modest."
"I'm saying it could be a piece of the puzzle, it could be the proof. Judy if he was physically abusive there will be marks."
The picture was becoming clearer and clearer but a thin haze would remain until Quinn admitted the truth or they discovered it themselves. "What do I do?"
Leroy sat back, "We can't do anything until Quinn admits it or we find proof Judy and then after that, well that is up to you and Quinn. There is legal action or you could just leave it, now that she is with you."
Judy sprang up, "How could I possibly leave it. That monster abused my baby for years."
Carol stood and put her hand on Judy's shoulder, "Let's not get a head of ourselves here. First we need to learn the truth and that will be hard. You can't betray Quinn's trust, not that you are starting to get it. As hard as it is you have to let her come to you. In the meantime, well this changes things."
"How so?" Judy knew Carol was right. As much as she want to go in guns blazing it was important that Quinn came to her not the other way around at least not yet.
"Abused children they," Carol paused, "When I was studying to be a social worker I took a child psychology class and if focused on the psyche of abused children. It is very likely that Quinn doesn't realize that what Russell did to her was wrong or she may believe she deserved it. Trust will be even harder to gain and easier to break with her. Not to mention she is pregnant and that adds to the stress on her. The fact that she is pregnant is not surprising if she was abused, it isn't uncommon for abused children to become sexually active early. They seek the approval and love they don't receive at home in others. I know you are doing a great job Judy and you should keep doing everything that you are already doing but you need to be careful with what you say to her, how you react. Quinn has already proven that she expects the worst out of you, not because you have done any wrong but because of how Russell reacted to things. I'm just saying that she is more fragile than we ever thought. She need even more reassurance that you aren't going anywhere and that you will support her no matter what."
Judy didn't know what or how to feel in this moment, in the moment she realized that deciding to take Franny and Quinn from Russell she'd condemned Quinn to her fate. Even without the full truth Judy knew that her daughter had been beaten by Russell for at the very least eight years maybe ten. It was a bitter pill to swallow. She'd tried to save her baby and by doing so she'd doomed her. There was nothing for Judy to do but cry, so she did.
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