Shelby Returns
Rachel had decided that she was going to simply ignore the bell and hope that whoever it was would just go away.
Unfortunately, that didn't happen. So after another two rings and one incessant round of pounding, she finally got up, planning on telling whoever was at the door to go the hell away.
As she wrenched the door open in furry and was about to yell, she froze when she saw an older looking version of herself looking back at her.
"What do you want, Shelby? Come to make my life even more miserable?"
Shelby winced at the harsh tone in her daughter's voice. "Can we please talk Rachel?"
"No. I really don't want to talk to you ever again actually" She started to shut the door, but Shelby reached out and pushed it open, walking inside and shutting the door behind her. She took Rachel's arm and lead her to the living room.
"Let go of me!" Rachel screeched.
"Fine. But we are going to talk. Or I'm going to talk and you're going to listen. Either one works for me."
Rachel stood unmoving, glaring at Shelby.
"I'm sorry, Rachel." Rachel scoffed "No, I am. It wasn't fair of me to do what I did to you. Now that I'm a mom I get it. I.."
Rachel lost it. "Now that you're a mom? Now? You've been a mom for 16 years but you refused to accept that. You barged your way back into my life, making me think that I actually had a chance with you. But no. You threw me away like yesterdays garbage for the second time."
"Rachel…" Shelby had tears in her eyes.
"No. You don't get to cry over this. This is all your fault. My life has turned out like shit because of you. Take a look around Shelby. Do you see my dads anywhere? No. See any of my many friends in the house? Oh wait, I don't have any friends. The only person I have in my life is my girlfriend. Oh yes Shelby, your mistake of a daughter is bisexual as well. Surprise! And so you know, my girlfriend is the one who gave you your perfect daughter that you've always wanted. Never mind that your own flesh and blood was standing here, begging you for just one chance. Hell, I was even willing to accept us just starting out as friends. I needed you, Shelby. I've needed you constantly. How about when I hit puberty. Any idea how that conversation went? Or how I locked myself in the bathroom crying for two hours because I wished that my mom was there instead? Oh, I got one. How about when Finn slept with the school slut and lied to me for months about it? Or how about the fact that I've basically been raising myself since I was 12. Maybe when I needed someone when I came home crying on a daily basis from the slushy facials or the names or the teasing I've endured every single day of high school. The same shit that I get every day still even though I'm dating the school Queen Bee. How about when I got pinned up against the lockers today by one of the school bullies, telling me, and I quote, "Do I need to show you what a real man feels like and not some stupid slut?" What about all of that Shelby? Do you even give a shit about me, or do you just want to make yourself feel less guilty?"
"Rachel. I'm sorry. I came to talk to you about something I noticed yesterday. Are.."
"Yesterday? What, are you stalking me now?"
"No, I saw you with Quinn at the mall yesterday. Rachel, are you hurting yourself? I think I saw cuts on you arms and…"
"Get the fuck out Shelby."
"But.."
"No. You have no right to come into my house and accuse me of such. I want you gone. Right now. I never want to see or speak to you again."
"Rachel.."
Neither of them had noticed that Quinn had walked in the door and heard every word of their conversation.
"I think you need to leave now Shelby."
"Quinn, what are you doing here?"
"I've been living here for a few days since Rachel's dads are away, yet again, so she wouldn't have to be alone. Now I believe you heard her when she told you to leave. Can't you see that all you're causing her is pain? Leave her alone."
"And just why are you getting a second chance with her?"
Rachel spoke up "Because Quinn has proved that she deserves a second chance. She's only been around for about a week, but she's the only person that's actually shown that they even care about me. Get out of our house." With that, Rachel turned and stomped up the staircase. The sounds of a door slamming upstairs was heard throughout the house.
Quinn glared at Shelby. "What part of leave her the fuck alone don't you get? Can you not see how much she's hurting right now? All she wanted from you was someone that cared about her, but you were too concerned about yourself and that Rachel wasn't the baby you were expecting after 16 years. Grow up Shelby. Oh, and if you ever do anything like this to Beth, I WILL, be your worse nightmare. You can take my word on that one."
Shelby watched as Quinn followed Rachel's path up the stairs. She wiped her eyes and quickly walked out of the house, vowing to herself that she was not giving up that easily.
When Quinn made it to Rachel's door, she gently pushed it open and looked in. Rachel was nowhere in sight. That's when she noticed that bathroom door was closed. "Shit" she said to herself before running to the door and trying the handle.
Locked.
"Damn it. Rachel? Please open the door. Please let me in."
She heard nothing from the other side of the door.
"Ok Rach, if you're not going to talk to me, then at least please unlock the door. I won't come in, but please unlock the door."
She breathed a sigh of relief as she heard the lock click.
"Thank you." she sank to the floor, resting her head against the door, waiting.
On the other side, Rachel sat with her back against the door, pants around her ankles. She had made another 20 cuts, this time in her left thigh. She didn't move. She simply watched as the blood flowed out onto her leg and ran off onto the towel she had placed underneath her thigh before she started.
The girls sat in silence for another 20 minutes before Rachel decided to clean herself up. She reached up to the sink and ran a washcloth under cold water, brining it down to press against her mutilated leg. She hissed at the pain.
Quinn breathed a sigh of relief when she heard movement on the other side of the door.
Rachel continued to clean off her leg, before looking at it. Some of the cuts were just scratches, while others could rival the ones she added to her stomach two days before. She bandaged her leg before shakily standing up, pulling her sweat pants back up, and laying the blood soaked towel across the hamper, along with the washcloth. She didn't even bother looking into the mirror before she opened the bathroom door and stepped out.
Quinn was standing in wait for her to exit the bathroom.
Rachel didn't even glance at Quinn, but instead headed straight back to the bed, turning her back towards her.
Quinn didn't miss the way Rachel limped across the room. She walked slowly over to her now sobbing girlfriend, and laid down beside her in the bed. She slipped her arm around the girl's tiny waste. Rachel was still having no part of her. She immediately pulled away and began to cry harder.
Quinn felt the tears began to prickle in her eyes. She got up and made her way back downstairs to the living room where she laid on the couch.
Quinn finally let go. She sobbed as her body shook violently. As she cried, she prayed. She prayed that Beth would be ok and that she would never have to be on either end of something like this. She prayed for Rachel. Praying that she would make it. That she would be strong enough to fight this. But mostly she prayed for herself. She prayed for the strength to be able to help Rachel. She prayed that she was doing the right thing for her. She prayed that she did the right thing for Beth by giving her to Shelby. She prayed that her mom would accept her when she told her that she was gay and was dating Rachel. She prayed that she wouldn't fall apart and buckle under the weight of everything that she was carrying on her shoulders.
A/N: Ok. You probably all don't like me at the moment, but I have my reasons for what I did. I wanted Karofsky to do something to Rachel the day Shelby was going to make an appearance. I also knew that I wanted Santana to be the one to save her. I haven't decided on where I'm going with Santana yet. I have a couple different ideas, but nothing is set in stone. I wanted Rachel to have at Shelby and for Shelby to have to figure out a way back into Rachel's life. I don't want it to be too easy.
I also wanted to start to show how much all of this is effecting Quinn. I feel like there isn't enough point of view from her side of this and her feelings.
And finally. Since everyone seems to want more smut and I don't want to rush this story in that direction, as much as I would like to, I'm thinking of writing a bunch of one-shots on the side and also taking requests. Opinions?