AN: I can see that people are not pleased with what I chose to do last chapter. Originally I was never going to go into it in detail, but I ended up doing it anyway. Russell hasn't won anything, and the story isn't going to end after they do end up killing Russell. That would be grossly unsatisfying and there are still things that I need to wrap up. Nowhere have I glossed over anything. Rachel and Quinn didn't magically get back together after Quinn stuck a gun in her face. Norah might feel that she is damaged goods but I'm not going to wave a wand and it will be fixed. These things take time, healing takes time. Russell winning would have been killing them destroying any possibility for a happy ending. It's the reason I decided that the epilogue will not be one chapter.

As for Family Portrait/Celebrity Status I might end up posting them on archive of our own later, once I finish Family Portrait there are like 20 chapters left that I need to finish writing. The thing with Celebrity status is I ran into a huge brick wall. I think I should have waited before I started it because this story was taking up all my creative energy. I might come back to it later but as for right now I've killed the idea. As for the next big project that I had planned Breath of life—I may or may not start that. I haven't decided. Anyway I think I'll just stick with some fluff pieces, I mean I still have to do the story for Faberry week. Which won't have a g!p mostly because it's based off Disney. I want to do something light and simple and it won't be an epic. God I need a small break from epics 200k + words, I started this and I had hoped it would be done by chapter thirty—I clearly underestimated myself.


Russell Fabray looked at the body of Rachel Berry, debating what he would do with her. If he had been a young man this wouldn't have been a problem, but time had robbed him of his virility. He would need to send a message to Lucy. Growing a backbone the moment that her daughter had been returned—she had taken the fight directly to him, perhaps it was time to rethink who he would choose to be his heir. As enraged as he had been, as much as he was going to punish her, for her sins against him, her attack had impressed him. He would weather the attack though, he would get his money back fix his reputation.

"Lucy, always did have the same taste in women. Did you know about her last little girlfriend? Did she confess to you her sins?"

Rachel lifted her head a bit to look at Russell and slipped a fearful look onto her face and shook her head, she needed to focus on what she knew. The shame and shock of her nudity had forced her to move into a safe space in her head, she had no idea what time it was or how long she'd been in this position, but she was cold and wet and she had played her part well enough that Frannie had chosen to leave her alone for now. She was cold, wet and naked.

"She murdered her last girlfriend. She chose that, chose to end a life of someone she loved in order to save her child. Do you think you're special to her? You're the replacement girlfriend. Is that why you're with her? For her money, the wealth the fame that dating a Fabray can bring you? Did she tell you how much she loved you? Do you think for one moment—that she'll choose you again? That she'll chose to save you or her daughter?"

Rachel Berry swallowed, she had known parts of the story, but there was still so much that she didn't know. The Fabray secrets, appearing to be meek and helpless right now was probably in her best interest rather than arguing with this man. At least her initial assessment of the situation, of the twin's situation, had been correct. The crimes that they had committed had been done not because they wanted to, but because they had been trapped by this madman. She hadn't been wrong, she had no idea how long Quinn had been living this nightmare, with this man—no monster hanging over her head pulling the strings like she was his marionette doll.

"The declared war against me. She put you in this situation if they had obeyed like good children, then you wouldn't be in this position you wouldn't be—" Russell's eyes flicked toward the door as it opened and he frowned as Frannie walked into it. The moment was gone. "What?" he hissed at his eldest daughter.

"Your new head of security—hasn't checked in yet dad. I think that they've finally arrived. We should get you to your safe-room, just in case. I'll bring them home, but you need to be safe," Frannie said glancing over at Rachel.

Rachel exhaled a bit, and it caught Russell's attention and he turned to her, "You think she's going to save you? That they're going to walk in here and just walk out with you? I have nearly a hundred men patrolling the grounds all not to mention Frannie's team who have proven themselves to be better equipped to handle the twin's guards." Russell looked up at Frannie. "I don't care how you do it but I want them alive. You can kill everyone else."

Frannie nodded a smile on her face but she pauses for a moment and looks at Rachel, "What about them? This could just be a rescue mission."

Russell flicked his eyes at Rachel. Lucy had taken something from him, something that mattered to him, "If your sister's prove to be too much for you Frannie," he watched Frannie scowl, "Then kill them. But—"

"I'm not going to fail you dad. My people already proved that they can take out theirs, and we outgun them, we'll take them alive. I promise."

Russell studied Frannie for a moment she was practically frothing at the mouth to prove her worth against her sisters. "Fine, you have an advantage over them I suppose even you can't mess this up," he stated, he had the best money could buy and numbers that the twins didn't bother to have. It didn't matter that they weren't trained by the Sue Sylvester. Cooter Menkins' had always been just as good.

Frannie stopped by Shane and looked at him, "Stay here and if I need to give the word—kill them," she stated at him. "Strando and Rick you're with me. Radio Mack, and tell her that they're here and tell her to meet us at the front of the house."


Quinn watched as Jesse's knife sliced the throat of Cooter Menkins' she had never liked her father's left hand man. She bent over and picked up the radio that was attached to his belt and pushed the button, the increased radio chatter filled the air immediately and she switched it off. "Well, at least they know we're here. Without Cooter to bark out orders they should be in a bit of disarray for the next few minutes. It should give Joe and Ryder enough time to get into position, we're going to need them picking off as many people as they can for as long as they can."

Charlie ran her finger over her gun as she screwed on the suppresser, "Our father wants us alive. This is both an advantage and a disadvantage. They'll probably go for nonlethal weapons at first. At least when they engage with us. They might switch to lethal weapons later but apart from stray bullets, once they do switch, we are for the most part safe from most harm. He views the rest of you as expendable meat shields. We've all been through Sue's hellish training, and nearly everyone working for my father is a mercenary, sure some will be loyal to him but the vast majority of them are only here for a paycheck. That makes them sloppy and if there is one thing that my father loves more than anything it's his money. "

Quinn smiled, "The plan is simple, two teams each made up of three. Mike, and Blaine will be with me."

"Dave and Finn will be with me," Charlie says immediately.

"Matt and Jake, will be running point on this you are going to be monitoring the radios and cross referencing with Joe and Ryder. You two keep us informed at all times. There aren't going to be any surprises not this time. Everyone in full combat gear even the helmets, we aren't taking any chances. Charlie will be—"

"Shooting people in the face and pissing people off. Guerilla tactics, hit and run people," Charlie said with a smirk. "It should distract the vast majority of the guards towards my direction. There will be a lot of running. Most of them will be going with non-lethal options for now."

"My team will be taking out Frannie and her team, I think it's time that I met our sister."

"What about Rachel and Norah?" Finn asks frowning.

"While Charlie is being a pain in the ass, and as we deal with my sister, Jesse and Sebastian will break off from where they will be supporting us from the shadows and find them taking care to dispatch of any guards that may be guarding them. Hopefully we got to them in time. Our father will probably be in his safe room—"

Mike frowned, "What's the exit strategy after we rescue Rachel and Norah?"

Charlie frowned, "We're ending this fight tonight, once we finish dealing with the guards, and Quinn finishes dealing with my sister we'll be meeting inside the garage, Jake and Matt will meet us there, you'll be taking one of our father's armored vehicles and you'll drive to Artie's place. Quinn and I will be dealing with our father. We'll double back to the garage as soon as we finish."

"There will be a cleanup crew here by morning," Quinn finished looking at everyone gathered here. "My father thinks of you as disposable, I do not. You are—family," she glances at Finn making a face but he smiles anyway. "We've lost Sam, Rory, Azimio. Santana's out for the count and this fight needs to end tonight. I can't go home to Tina, or Blaine, or anyone else and tell them that we've lost another person. So no more death's no unnecessary risks." Quinn looks at Charlie who nods. "Just plain and simple like we were taught."


The footsteps that she heard sounded heavy and she felt her body stiffen hoping it wasn't that Strando or worse Russell Fabray. She closed her eyes for a moment as Shane stood in front of her, she wasn't sure what to expect and the only thing that she could do was to hope that he wasn't going to do anything to her. She flinched when he touched her.

"I'm not going to—I'm not like that," Shane managed to get out. "Just checking to see if you're still alive."

Rachel swallowed and opened her eyes, "This isn't a way to live. A good man wouldn't just pretend that this isn't happening."

Shane didn't say anything he just began to walk away, "They aren't these saints that everyone portrays them to be."

Rachel frowned, "Would you be if you had a father like that?" she threw at him. "If you help get me free then I'll make sure that they don't—that you'll be safe. I need to find Norah, I need to get to my cousin before he—" Rachel's words cut off as she shakes. Attempting to remain strong was pushing her to the brink. "She's my only family left. If it's money that you want—or safety just please. I can talk to Quinn and Charlie, just please let me go."

Shane frowned as he looked at her, he had seen Russell leaving that room tucking his shirt into his pants and he had just known. It wouldn't do Rachel any good to be worrying about her cousin. Working for Frannie had never been this bad not really, sure he had to put up with her mood swings which were generally accompanied by bouts of violence, but she had been good to him. Shane glanced at Rachel for a moment, he felt sorry for her and his conscience pressed down heavily on his survival instincts. He sighed and pulled off his blazer and put it on Rachel's shoulders covering her. "I'm not stupid enough to let you go free. I hope you understand that my hands are tied."

Rachel closed her eyes, grateful that he was at least trying to preserve her modesty, even if it wasn't much it was still something. Shane was a big guy compared to her and his jacket was warm even in the chilly room. "Thank-you." Shane grunted and Rachel took a breath, "Quinn isn't a saint but I know that everything she has done no matter the crime was done to protect the thing most precious to her. Her daughter. She wants out, and she just wants to be left alone."

Shane was quiet for a moment, he opens his mouth to say something but chooses against it after a long moment and instead walks out of the room. If she wants to hold onto the hope that Quinn is coming for her that she'll succeed then he isn't going to take it away from her. He had checked on in on the other captive—her wrists bloody from the pulling that she had done trying to escape, at least she was still fighting.


Charlie fixed her suit as she looked at the bodies that had piled up, she raised her hand giving a thumbs up to Joe who had been covering them. Dave wasn't Brittany and he certainly wasn't Santana but giving him a promotion and having Brittany train seemed to be working for her. "It's like bringing a knife to a gun fight," Charlie mused out loud.

Armor-piercing rounds, it didn't matter if their shots hit the torso they shredded through the Kevlar vests. They illegal in most states but they were criminals and they dealt in weapons. Each shot that hit its target was a kill shot. It certainly helped that Joe, who was perched on the top of one of the guest houses, was helping them pick them off one by one. She had been right and they had gone for the non-lethal options but she doubted that they would continue to do so. Her father didn't have iron control over these men and while she was sure that they were scared of her father there had to be a thought of self-preservation which would kick in soon.

"How is your ammo holding up?" Dave asked from where he was putting in another cartridge.

Charlie checked her magazine pulling it out and slipping a new one in, "I've got three more magazines and we've only killed—how many people have we killed?" She glanced at the bodies on the ground counting them quickly they had twenty she had no idea how many Joe and Ryder had managed to kill but she was getting tired of the grunts.

Dave was about to say something when he tapped his ear and listened, "According to Jake they're going in hot now."

Charlie Fabray bent down and picked up one of the fallen weapons pulling out the magazine pulling out a cartridge and checking the tip of it. "They aren't armor piercing that doesn't mean we should take our eyes off the ball get the flash grenade ready. We're going to start cleaning up after this wave and we're going to stop playing defense. We need to get to the garage and meet with Quinn."


Quinn Fabray dropped her gun onto the ground as she held her hands up exhaling slowly, as she looked at the three women and two guys who were pointing guns at her. There was a calm expression on her face as she watched the two men move aside a bit letting a blonde hair woman walk up to her. The calm expression that was on her face twisted into a sour look as she came face to face with who she assumed to be Frannie, her half-sister.

Frannie studied Quinn for a moment before smiling, "Daddy told me that you were the smart one," Frannie said with a scowl on her face. "Yet here you are alone. Did your men abandon you?" Frannie sneered at her. Quinn didn't say anything watching as one of the women kicked her gun away.

"Frannie—this doesn't feel right." The Mack said immediately as she begun to look around. "Why would she just give herself up?"

"Because she wants to go to her songbird." Frannie taunted, Charlie had walked into their father's clutches before. The two of them must have believed they were invincible. Her father wanted Lucy alive, but he had never said in what condition she was to be returned in. "I made her sing for me, she has such a pretty voice. He promised that I could have her for a little bit after he was finished with her. Just like he started with—"

The Mack reached out and grabbed Frannie's arm, "This doesn't feel right boss we should—"

Frannie turned angrily to look at her personal head of security watching in half horror and fascination as the force of a bullet penetrating her head sending her body crashing to the ground, almost immediately she drew her gun and pointed it at Quinn. "Who shot that? You're supposed to be alone!"

"The only person in this family who enjoys slipping her detail is Charlie. This is also a war, no one said that I played fair. But you do, you can't shoot me and you can't kill me because our father wants me alive. You sucker punched my men earlier, you killed my men and now it's my turn to return the favor."

Before Frannie could react Strando went down next, followed by Sheila and then Brett. Ronnie turned around and began to fire wildly into the surrounding area before she too was gunned down.

Quinn took Frannie's momentary lapse in concentration to her advantage as she disarmed her and quickly shot her in the knee, dropping her as she screamed in pain. Quinn tilted her head before shooting her in the other knee just for good measure. "I wanted to make you family. We would have shared everything with you. Acknowledged you publically, Charlie would have eventually forgiven you for torturing her, or at least forgotten. He doesn't want you—but we would have. We would have wanted you. But you killed my family, you hurt my family." She ignored Frannie's howls of pain as she clutched her injured knees. With practiced cruelty she pressed her foot against Frannie's kneecaps wanting to punish her for joining their father, for torturing her sister, for thinking that they were the ones at fault for all of this.

"Quinn." Quinn turned to Mike who slipped out of the bushes where he had been hiding. "Blaine's hit and Jesse's dead, you know he can't resist showing off. He got caught sneaking into the house and they've started to go hot, but we've taken out a huge amount of them. Sebastian just reported in he's doubling back and will meet us at the garage. They've also managed to pick off Joe but Charlie's made it to the garage. We don't have time for this," Mike snapped at her.

Quinn winced, "How bad?"

"Blaine got caught in the leg, I don't know how bad it is but he can't walk on it. The girl over there managed to hit something with that little display I hit the deck and Ryder took care of her but he got hit in the leg. They're putting away the non-lethal weapons—I think they're going to be willing to risk your father's wrath for 'accidentally' killing you," Mike said. "I've managed to slow the bleeding down, but he needs medical attention Quinn."

Quinn glanced down at Frannie for a moment before looking at Mike, "We'll help him to the garage, Charlie and I will go with Sebastian to rescue Rachel and Norah, once we're sure that they're okay. Finn will take Blaine back to the helicopter and fly him to Wu's. You and everyone else will take the cars back to Arties with Rachel and Norah, while Charlie and I fish our father."

"Alone?"

"It's family business Mike—we need to be the ones to do it," Quinn said as she turned her attention back to Frannie who had finally stopped screaming and pulled the trigger, killing her sister. She didn't flinch she didn't feel a shred of guilt. The only thing that you can do with a rabid dog is put them down, which is what she did. "We're the only ones that can."


AN: Well I'm sure you can all guess what happens next, Charlie finds out what happened to Norah—as does everyone else

It might not be up tomorrow I'm not feeling the greatest so we'll see