Thanks so much for all the support last chapter, and Happy Thanksgiving to those that are celebrating! This chapter marks just about the halfway point, and what good a time as ever for everything to start falling apart. Just kidding. Kind of. Not really. Oopsies.

NJCE - I feel bad for messing up your sleep cycle hahaha! But I am so glad that you enjoyed the last chapter. I agree with everything you said. I think one of the biggest challenges for Quinn is going to be about how to handle her own anxiety and internal struggles, while simultaneously trying to support her siblings. This will definitely be explored in this chapter, as well as the next couple of ones. Thanks so much for reading and for the review!

Wolvezzz - I'm so glad that you're enjoying the Jordan/Beca moments, there are sure to be many more of those in the chapters to come./ I can't even imagine what you've been through, nor will I attempt to try, but I am so glad that these stories are able to give you a little bit of hope and happiness (and it wasn't corny at all). And after reading your last review, I hope I am not overstepping when I say that I hope you get your happy ending - in whatever form you so desire. I am so grateful that you continue to share your own story with me and this little community that we've created here, so thank you for that, and of course, your continued support.

Guest - I'm glad you want to keep reading because I am not going anywhere! The little ones are getting more comfortable... but will that change with Quinn acting out? Hahaha read on to see! Thanks so much for reading and for the review!

Somethingthatismine - If you wanted to shake Quinn last chapter *awkwardly laughs* just wait until this one. But not to worry! As you said, Beca and Chloe will undoubtedly fight for her until she recognizes that it's not just her siblings who want a loving and supportive family! Thanks so much for reading and for the review!

Chapter 11

Content Warning: Mild drug use.

If there's one thing that Rosie has learned over the last month, it's that she loves having a sister that's the same age as her. Don't get her wrong; she loves having a brother that is a few years older, and another sister that is way older, but having Ava in her family has been like a dream.

She wasn't lying when she said that they were going to do everything together. It took a few days, that's for sure, but after that, it's like Rosie and Ava have been together since the womb. They wake up at the same time, whispering between their beds until Chloe comes in to make sure they're awake for school. They eat the same breakfast and request the same bagged lunch, giggling together as Beca prepares them. They go to the same classroom and play together all day (sometimes Rosie's friends from school will join in, but honestly, Rosie is happy if it's just her and Ava). Then, when they get home, they work on their homework together and play until dinner. When it's time for bed, they wait until the lights are off and they're all tucked in before whispering 'goodnight' and 'sweet dreams' across the room, and fall asleep to do it all again the next morning.

The companionship is something that Rosie had no idea she was missing, but would now be lost without if Ava suddenly disappeared.

The young redhead walks into her and Ava's bedroom with a giant grin on her face, her hands balancing a plate of chips, cheese, and crackers. She closes the door quickly behind her. "I got it! And they didn't even see me."

Ava, sitting on the ground in between their two beds amongst a pile of Barbie dolls, lets out a small giggle. "Do you think they're going to be mad?"

Rosie shakes her head with the utmost confidence, crossing her legs underneath her as she joins Ava on the carpet. She pops a chip in her mouth, promptly getting crumbs down the front of her shirt, which may be the reason why her moms don't like her eating food outside of the kitchen. It's a good thing that they were thoroughly occupied by their dinner guests, and didn't notice. "'S okay. We don't have to tell them. They're sitting outside with Auntie Bree and Aunt Stacie."

Ava glances hesitantly at the plate of snacks. The assortment looks tempting to say the least. "You have a lot of aunts and uncles."

"Yeah, and you haven't even met Mommy's brothers yet." Rosie takes another chip and starts setting up the dolls. "Auntie M is my favorite. Don't tell anyone, though."

Ava giggles again, taking a small piece of cheese from the scattered array that Rosie brought upstairs, before turning her attention to the dolls. "I won't."

"Do you have any aunties?"

The question comes from left field, and neither girl looks up once the words are past Rosie's lips. They haven't talked much about Ava's life prior to moving in with the Mitchells; really, they haven't talked about it at all. First, Rosie was just concerned with getting Ava to talk with her. After that, anything that they discussed was just the icing on the cake, and Rosie's curiosity diminished.

Ava shakes her head. "No. I don't think so."

"What about your Mommy and Daddy? Or do you have two mommies? Or two daddies? Are they sick and getting better?" It's the only reasonable explanation for Rosie. It was the same for McKenna, Carter, and Eli, too. The only difference is that Ava, Jordan, and Quinn haven't so much as mentioned their birth parents. McKenna talked about her parents all the time, and Eli did toward the end. As much as she wants Ava's parents to get better, Rosie knows what happens when that happens.

Ava's eyebrows crinkle in confusion, looking up from where she was walking one of the dolls over to where some of the pets are lined up. Mostly, her mind is preoccupied with trying to figure out what Rosie is talking about. "I don't think they were sick. My Mommy died when my house got on fire and I don't have a Daddy. Or another Mommy."

For the first time since sitting down, Rosie looks up to meet her sister's gaze. "Where were you before you moved in with me?"

"At a group home. With Quinn. We stay at those sometimes." Ava offers Rosie a shrug. "It's okay, though, because now we're here."

Rosie's hands stop their movements, the new information swimming in her mind. If Ava doesn't have a Mommy or Daddy that's sick and trying to get better… "Does that mean you can stay with us forever?"

Ava's never talked about "forever" with Quinn. Her older sister just about refuses to talk about it. She always says that whatever happens, happens, and they'll figure it out in the end. It's Jordan who told her about adoption and finding a forever family. A family that they could move in with so that they don't have to be in foster care anymore. Ava isn't exactly sure if she understands it, but what she does understand, is that they've moved in with a lot of different families, and none of them have ever talked about this concept of adoption or keeping Ava and her siblings 'forever'. "I dunno. Maybe."

"Hm." Rosie sets her expression to one of concentration, her thoughts getting jumbled in her head. Maybe it's the five-year-old part of her, but she doesn't quite understand why Ava wouldn't stay with her forever if she doesn't have any other mommies or daddies. "I think you can stay forever."

Ava can't help but allow a small smile to grow on her face. How she wishes that would actually happen.

Quinn paces the length of the room, her voice hushed as she holds the phone to her ear. "Why don't you just stay with Damien for the night?"

Izzy speaks up from the other end of the line, the teen laying down on her own bed about forty minutes away. "His parents are having some sort of work dinner, thing, and he isn't sure when they're going to leave."

"You really think people are going to be staying there until one in the morning?"

"I don't know… but he also said that he thought his mom heard something a few nights ago, so he's not exactly on board anymore."

Quinn shakes her head to herself. She's been talking to Izzy for the better part of a half-hour, having been able to sneak the phone upstairs while Beca and Chloe entertained their own dinner guests outside on their deck, completely oblivious to what is going on inside their house. Izzy has been stressed ever since Quinn called her, worried because her mother and her mother's friends haven't left all afternoon, and she doesn't know what's going to happen as the night goes on.

"Maybe I'll head out to the barn for a little bit… sleep there if I have to."

The two best friends haven't seen each other since Quinn went to visit a little over a week and a half ago. It's not for one reason or another; mostly a combination of multiple, at least on Quinn's part. She still hasn't found a direct route to Izzy's from the Mitchell house. She's been trying to be there more for her siblings, despite the fact that her siblings have been needing her less and less. And perhaps most of all, though she will never admit it out loud, she's been trying to take it down a notch with Beca and Chloe. Afterall, what Rachel told her is right: the kids feel safe here. As much as she still doesn't trust the Mitchell women, and as much as she knows it's going to come back and bite her, that's all that matters right now. "Do you think Damien would go out there with you?"

"Probably not." Something crashes on the other end, followed by the distant sound of laughter. Izzy lets out a heavy sigh. "You could come out here, though. I know not to spend the night, but maybe for a few hours?"

Quinn plops down on her bed, pulling her legs into her chest. "I wish I could, Iz, I really do, but I have no idea how I would get over there."

"Just head towards Downtown. You'd be able to figure it out from there, wouldn't you?"

"I mean, yeah… but I have no idea when or how I'd even be able to leave. Beca and Chloe –"

"—didn't you just spend the last twenty minutes telling me how Beca and Chloe need to back the hell off?"

Well, she didn't use those exact words, but she may or may not have been venting to Izzy about some of the over-bearingness of the Mitchell women that someone like Rachel wouldn't exactly understand. Instead of denying it, though, Quinn just lets out a light laugh. "What do you want me to do, Izzy? Walk out the front door?"

"It wouldn't be the first time." Izzy lets her words settle, before starting again. "Come on, Quince. Just for a few hours?"

Quinn can hear the desperation in her question, knowing full well that it's a result of her being scared, stressed, and absolutely exhausted. Izzy doesn't ask for much – even from Quinn, who has been there for her since the beginning – and when she does, the other teen knows it's serious. And it breaks her heart. So, the answer comes easy to her. As much as her siblings need her, Izzy needs her, too. "The kids normally go to bed around eight, but since their friends are over it might be closer to nine. I can say I'm going to bed, too, and then figure out a way to sneak out after that."

Izzy falls silent, but she gulps at Quinn's words. It's just been so damn lonely the past couple of months; she wants her best friend back. She wants her sister back. "Are you sure?"

A small smile stretches across Quinn's face. "Yeah, I'm sure. Just hang out in your room until I get there, alright? I'll come in through the back this time." Before Izzy gets a chance to respond, the familiar sound of someone walking up the stairs catches Quinn's attention. She glances over at the clock, and, noting how close the time is to when Beca told her and the kids that dinner would be happening, puts two and two together. "Iz, someone's coming up here and I'm not supposed to be using the phone. I'll be there around ten. Ten-thirty at the latest. Stay safe, okay?"

"I will. You, too. Love you."

"Love you, too. Bye." Quinn hangs up the phone and shoves it underneath her pillow, just as someone knocks on her closed bedroom door. She clears her throat, trying to calm her racing heart. "Yeah?"

Chloe pokes her head in a few moments later, her eyes twinkling just like they always are. "Dinner's going to be ready in about five minutes, love."

Quinn gives her a quick nod, hoping that her face doesn't give away the fact that she's been plotting her escape. "Okay. I'll be right down. Thank you."

With a satisfied grin, Chloe moves on to the next bedroom where Rosie and Ava have been playing all afternoon.

Oh, if only she knew.

"So?" Stacie looks expectantly up to Beca and Chloe, where they and Aubrey are sitting on the couch about an hour and a half after putting the kids – and, unsurprisingly, Quinn – to bed. They only came inside about twenty minutes ago, the Georgia air finally growing chilly around ten-thirty. "How are they doing?"

Both of the Mitchell women pretty much refused to say anything to their best friends about the kids prior to them going to bed. They didn't want to risk anyone hearing anything they weren't supposed to. Not that they would've said anything bad, per se, it's more so they didn't want to say anything that may have upset them. Whether it be a brief mention about their birth parents or about their grades in school; plus, they don't want the kids to feel as though Beca and Chloe are spilling all of their dirty laundry to two people they don't even know.

Leaning up against Beca's chest, their hands mindlessly playing with each other's, a small smile spreads across Chloe's face. "It's been touch and go." She gives Stacie a shrug, the leggy brunette sitting crossed-legged on the floor beside the ottoman. "We're trying to be patient, but it's hard when all you want to do is take all of their pain away."

The four adults haven't seen each other in a few weeks, simply communicating via text message and the occasional phone call. It's been hectic to say the least.

Aubrey takes a sip of her wine, Bella sleeping soundly in the crook of her arm. "You're clearly doing something right. It wasn't that long that you were saying that Ava wouldn't even look at you, let alone have a conversation at the dinner table."

From behind Chloe, Beca can't let her own smile blossom. Both of the younger Perry siblings did great at dinner today. Jordan easily answered the questions that were directed at him, and in a turn of events that surprised everyone – not just Quinn and Jordan, but the Mitchells, and the Conrad-Posens as well – Ava told them a brief story about how her and Rosie were playing with the dolls upstairs before coming down. Every single person sitting around that dinner table clung on to Ava's words. Considering the fact that they still have trouble getting her to communicate fully when it's just Beca and Chloe, it was pretty remarkable that she did so, on her own, with two near-strangers sitting there as well.

"Yeah, she's been doing great. She's really comfortable around Rosie, which I think helps."

Chloe nods in agreement. "We got a report from her teacher a few days ago that said she was starting to participate more in class, too."

Stacie grins. "That's awesome. She's a sweetheart. They all are."

"And Jordan? He seems to worship the ground you walk on, Beca."

Beca blushes at Aubrey's comment, Chloe turning so that she can grin up at her wife. There is something about her that makes Jordan gravitate toward the brunette; that much has been clear from the beginning. Tonight, though, even when Rosie and Ava were upstairs playing, and Quinn was supposed to be upstairs doing homework (who knows what she was actually doing), Jordan stayed by Beca's side for the whole two hours leading up to dinner. He helped her set the table, he poured the kids' drinks and helped put the salad together. He never strayed too far away from Beca's side, and neither Chloe nor Beca could be happier.

There haven't been any other breakdowns at school since that time about a week and a half ago, but there also hasn't been that much progress, either. Like Chloe has been observing with Quinn, Benji let them know that Jordan very much keeps to himself during the day. He doesn't talk to any of his other classmates unless it has to do with the schoolwork, and even when they're at lunch or recess, he tends to keep to himself. Not that there is really anything wrong with that – Beca was never one to have friends either – but from a mom's perspective, both Chloe and Beca would love to see him make at least one friend.

"He's definitely opening up the most out of the three of them. It's strange because he's at that age where it's typically not 'cool' to hang out with your parents and do the things that adults are doing, but he doesn't seem to care."

Stacie hums in acknowledgment. "I'm sure to some degree he's craving that parental attachment. He was how old when his mom died? Five? Plus, you said she was never really around, right?"

"According to everything Rachel's told us, Quinn took on the majority of the responsibility when it came to raising the younger kids, even before they entered the system."

Aubrey frowns. "Which would account for some of her reluctance to let you guys in, right? Maybe she feels like you're taking over her role?"

Chloe takes a sip of her own wine, shaking her head, before handing it back to Beca so she can place it on the end table. "We've thought about that, but from what we've seen, now that it's been a few weeks, they're all sort of doing their own thing. Quinn and Jordan barely talk to each other, and Ava will definitely seek Quinn out for comfort, but it's not like they're relying on her to do things for them or make the decisions."

"And that could just be because they're comfortable, too," Beca adds on, "if Quinn's been on her own for basically her entire life, she's not going to warm up to us easy. Especially with how frequently they've moved."

Chloe settles deeper into Beca's hold. "But Quinn's been having a good week. We've only gotten the attitude a few times, and there's been no more skipping –"

"—that we know of." Beca chuckles when Chloe jokingly whacks her thigh. "No, you're right, she had a good week."

"It's just going to take time. They'll get there. We all will."

It's the same sentiment that Beca and Chloe have shared between themselves countless of times over the last month of the Perry siblings' stay. Of course, there are going to be challenges. Of course, there are going to be bumps in the road. But they're already starting to see progress, and that's the important part. They're already starting to see changes in the kids' demeanors, they're starting to see bonds forming and trust growing. It's amazing and magical, and even if Chloe and Beca wished that it would happen at as slightly faster pace, they're grateful that it is happening it all.

They're grateful to have the opportunity to witness it. To be a part of it.

"I know it's been about a month, but what about everything with Eli? How have you been holding up?" Aubrey moves Bella into Stacie's waiting hold, shaking out her arms as soon as she does so.

Chloe gives the couple a sad smile. In all honesty, they don't have a lot of time to dwell on the fact that Eli doesn't live with them anymore. When he moved out, they gained three additional kids, each with their own set of needs. That doesn't mean that the feelings and sorrow have totally disappeared. "Some days are better than others. Sometimes, I'll be in the kitchen getting breakfast or something ready and I'll see his favorite meal and start to get upset, but then I'll hear Ava and Rosie giggling at the counter, or Jordan will get all excited because he got a math problem right, and then I remember that Elijah was meant to be with his birth father, and that we have these three kids to take care of now."

Beca presses a tender kiss into the top of her wife's head. A few days ago, when Beca was doing some light housekeeping, she found one of Elijah's socks that somehow managed to lodge itself in between the couch cushions (which isn't really a surprise considering the kid hated socks with a passion). She almost broke down into tears when she saw it, though, and it wasn't until Jordan came downstairs asking for help studying for his next spelling test, that she was able to compose herself.

Grief is weird that way. It comes and goes in waves. It hits you when you're least expecting it. But it's those around you, those that are still there, that help you to weather the storm.

"Have you heard anything about how he's doing?"

Beca shakes her head. "No. But that's normal. As much as we love him, he belongs with his birth father. As long as he's safe and happy, we're happy."

Both Aubrey and Stacie smile at that, glad that their friends have come to terms with the move, even though it was so clearly heartbreaking for them.

Out in the hallway, the familiar creak of the first stair on the second floor resounds through the house, causing all four women to look in the direction of the disturbance. They wait patiently as the mystery child takes their first few steps, but Beca and Chloe almost instantly identify the culprit as their red-headed bundle of joy. They both sit up a little straighter on the couch as soon as they see their pajama-clad child crossing the front entry way and into the living room.

Rosie rubs a tired fist into her eye, walking straight past her aunts and into Beca's waiting arms. It's nearing eleven, a solid three hours past her normal bedtime.

Chloe quirks an eyebrow. "What's wrong, bug? Everything alright?"

Stifling a yawn, Rosie lays her head on Beca's chest. "Ava can't sleep."

Beca holds her up so she doesn't completely fall asleep in her hold. "What do you mean?"

"She's been rolling around in bed for a while. I fell asleep but I just woke up again and she was cryin'. Then when I asked her what was wrong, she said that something wasn't right, and that she can't sleep. So, I came to get you guys so you could read another story or sing a song 'cuz I am too tired. But don't tell her that I got you 'cuz she didn't want me to."

Beca and Chloe let out a humored chuckle, but their amusement doesn't quite mask the concern they have for their other five-year-old.

Beca skillfully moves Rosie to her hip, standing from the couch as her legs scream in protest. She uses her free hand to help Chloe up, before telling Aubrey and Stacie as they walk past the other couple, "we'll be back."

Rosie lays her head on Beca's shoulder. "Night Auntie Bree. Night Aunt Stacie."

Stacie is the one to call after her. "Night, Ro. Love you."

Chloe, not having the minimal – but additional – weight of their daughter to carry, leads the way to the girls' bedroom, hurrying down the hall with Beca not following far behind. She keeps her footsteps light, cognizant of the fact that it is late and both Jordan and Quinn are sleeping, before padding her way over to Ava's bed. She can hear the strained sniffles as soon as she is within a couple of feet of her. "Peanut? Are you okay?"

The tears are rushing down Ava's cheeks as soon as she meets Chloe's eyes, pushing herself up against the wall. A sob escapes her mouth before she can stop it, just like the they have been periodically for more than the last hour and a half.

Ava's always been an observant kid. She picks up on things that most people don't, mostly because she's spent the majority of her life fading into the background. She notices slight changes in peoples' expressions, she notices changes in tones. And she hears little noises that aren't supposed to be there.

Which is why, about twenty minutes after Beca and Chloe tucked her in and said goodnight, she was the only one in the house to hear her older sister creep out of her room and close her door behind her, followed shortly by the sound of her opening and closing the front door.

Ava had remained still for as long as she could. It wasn't until she heard Rosie's breathing even out and ensured that Beca and Chloe were still out back with Rosie's aunts, that Ava snuck out of her own room and into Quinn's. She was met by an empty bed and an unrealistic figure constructed by pillows in place of where her older sister should be.

That's when the panic set in.

She returned to her bed without a word, knowing that she couldn't possibly tell Beca and Chloe that Quinn wasn't in her room. She couldn't tell Jordan because he would want to tell their foster moms. Even at the young age of five, she's been around long enough to know that. So, she went back to bed, wrought with concern, and having no idea what Quinn was doing, where she was going, when she'd be back, or what would happen if anyone ever found out.

Those thoughts and warnings did nothing to ease her nerves. Her chest has grown tight and her breathing and heart rate have been elevated since she returned to her bed. She hasn't been able to calm herself down, she hasn't been able to stop crying or to get her breathing under control. It's really no surprise that she woke Rosie up, but now faced with the two women that she has wanted to avoid the most, it's almost too much for her to handle. It feels like someone is stepping on her chest, and she can't help but worry about where Quinn – one of the only people that is capable of pulling her out of these spirals – is.

Ava jumps as Chloe perches herself on the edge of the mattress, the young girl looking up at her foster mom with a frantic expression, inhaling sharply and tightening her grip around Bunny. Her face is illuminated as soon as Beca lays Rosie back in bed and turns one of the bedside-table lights on, joining Chloe and Ava shortly after. "It's okay, sweetheart. What's going on? Did you have a bad dream?"

Ava simply shakes her head, her fingers tugging at Bunny's fraying limbs. She can't tell them. Quinn would be so angry at her and then they'd all get in trouble and have to leave.

She doesn't want to leave.

Beca kneels down beside the bed, Ava's terrified expression being one that she's seen so many times on Macy's face. It makes her heart ache. "You can talk to us, Ava. It's okay. You're safe here."

What they don't understand is that Ava so desperately wants to tell them what's going on, but she can't. The words are lodged in her throat, the truth being held back by fear of the repercussions. So, she just sits there, tucked against the corner of her bed, her breath coming out in quick, uneven waves, until there's another creak in the hallway from Jordan pushing his own bedroom door open at the noise.

Ava almost cries in delight.

Jordan, his hair already a mess of mid-sleep curls, and his expression bleary with exhaustion, hesitantly makes his way into Ava and Rosie's room. He squints at the bright light of the lamp, but that immediately changes as soon as he sees his distraught baby sister. "What's wrong?"

Ava doesn't wait. She pushes herself off the bed and slides down in between Beca and Chloe, taking a mere two seconds to cross the room and launch herself at Jordan. He stumbles backwards at the force but holds on to her shaking body all the same, confusion quickly masking any reasonable thought that might be trying to form in his brain.

Jordan holds Ava close, wrapping his arms around his sister and looking from Beca's to Chloe's concerned expression. It doesn't take long for him to notice the most stark absence in the room, though. The one person that should be here – and that always is – especially when it comes to calming Ava down.

It's almost as though Quinn has a sixth sense when it comes to knowing when Ava is upset. She's raised her since Ava was born; the two of them share a connection that is so different than the one that Jordan and Quinn share. Of course, Quinn took care of Jordan when he was a baby, too, but that was when she was eight. When Ava was born, she was eleven. Though she shouldn't have been tasked with having to take care of a newborn, eleven-year-old Quinn, with years of taking care of both herself and her younger brother under her belt, was much more capable than eight-year-old Quinn. Which is why, upon noticing how upset Ava is, and the absence of their older sister, a ball of worry instantly settles into the pit of Jordan's stomach.

He chances a glance up at Beca, who has been watching him carefully since he came into the room. His voice is timid as he asks, "Where's Quinn?"

Beca tilts her head slightly in confusion. "She's still sleeping, buddy. Rosie came down to get us because Ava was so upset but we haven't been able to figure out what's wrong."

"But –" Jordan stops himself before the words can escape in his, clearly lethargic, state. Sleeping? There's no way that Quinn would sleep through this.

Beca watches the two siblings carefully, her own eyes widening as the thought and potential realization crosses her mind. It had only taken her a few seconds to notice that Quinn wasn't by Ava's side as soon as they got up there, a few seconds more to realize that it was Jordan that was woken up by the sounds of Ava's distress, first. She used to wake up at Macy's first sniffle at the beginning of a bad dream; it would have shaken her from a coma, and she doubts Quinn is much different. In fact, she finds it very hard to believe that Quinn would sleep through Ava's sobs, and the sounds of Chloe and Beca's attempts at comforting her. With Jordan's question just about confirming that she is on the right track, she can only think of one reasonable – yet infuriating – explanation.

The older brunette pushes herself off the ground, giving Jordan a soft, reassuring smile when fear takes a hold of his expression, as she walks past them and to Quinn's door.

"Beca, what are you doing?" Chloe moves slowly over to the Perry siblings, laying one tentative hand on Ava's back, and the other on Jordan's shoulder.

Beca holds up a single finger as a response, pressing her ear up against the teen's closed door. When she doesn't hear anything, she uses the knuckle of her index finger to tap a few times and pauses again. Still, with no indication that either someone is sleeping, or they are awake, Beca gently pushes the door open.

She stops as soon as she sees the mess of blankets and pillows on Quinn's bed, Ava's failed attempt at reconstructing her older sister's decoy causing Beca to stop cold. She stares into the bedroom in disbelief, bringing a hand up to her forehead and running it over her face a few times. While Beca wants nothing more than to let out a groan of frustration (maybe even to scream and shout) she isn't exactly sure what Jordan and Ava know. Despite feeling pretty sure that at least Ava knows something, she doesn't want to add to their distress.

"Bec?"

Beca turns around and forces a smile on her face as she meets Chloe's eyes, noticing immediately how Jordan has averted his gaze to the floor knowingly. "It uh… it seems as though Quinn is not in her room."

Chloe's jaw drops open, eyes growing in size. "You're joking." She rubs her hand up and down Ava's back, wanting nothing but to return her attention to the still-sobbing five-year-old, but having trouble doing so as her own shock settles in.

"What do you mean Quinn's not in her room, Mama? It's nighttime."

Beca shuffles back into the light, trying to ignore how her heart has picked up its pace, and her mind has instantly grown more chaotic and far less calm than it was previously. As much as she would like to be freaking out right now, though, she also knows that she has two incredibly vulnerable children in front of her, that are counting on both Beca and Chloe to keep a cool head. "I know, bug."

She pinches the bridge of her nose, shaking out her nerves and mix of emotions from her hands before reapproaching her wife and the two Perry siblings. When she lays a hand on Jordan's shoulder, she watches as he bites his lip, keeping his gaze on the ground, while Ava still hasn't quieted. Beca meets Chloe's gaze over the younger girl's head, unsure of what to say or do.

Chloe takes a deep breath, attempting to calm her own nerves. She looks down at Ava, desperately trying to coax her head out from her brother's shirt so that she can look her in the eyes. "Ava, love, is that why you're so upset? Did you know that Quinn snuck out?"

A louder sob emerges from Ava's mouth before she turns to face Chloe, her cheeks tear-stained and her eyes puffy and bloodshot. "I'm s-sorry." Her expression scrunches and then crumbles once more, finding comfort from no one at the moment.

Chloe shakes her head. "No, Ava, it's okay. You didn't do anything wrong, and we're going to go get Quinn, alright?" When Ava doesn't immediately answer, Chloe – ever so slowly – attempts to remove her arms from Jordan's waist. After a few seconds of hesitation, Ava allows Chloe to take her into her arms, the redhead quickly cradling her as soon as she is able to. "Sh… it's okay, sweetheart. It's okay."

With Ava safely in Chloe's care, Beca turns her attention to Jordan, who has his own tears slowly streaming down his face. She shifts so she's kneeling in front of him. "J, did you know that Quinn left?"

His eyes widen and his head jerks upward as he quickly shakes his head 'no.' The tears don't stop falling for a second, and he wrings his hands together from where they're clasped in front of him. "No! I promise! I promise I didn't know!"

Beca slightly holds up her hand, placing her other one on his arm. "Okay, okay, we're not mad at you, buddy. Everything is going to be just fine, okay?" Jordan sniffles and breaks his gaze with his foster mom. "Has Quinn done this before?"

Chloe watches from where she's still rocking Ava back and forth, Rosie having joined her on the floor and holding on to her sister's hand. Jordan shifts from foot to foot, his expression breaking even more and giving away his answer before he says it. "Yeah."

Beca gulps, still trying to hold back the millions of questions that are at the forefront of her mind. The biggest one being where the hell is the sixteen-year-old and how fast can they get her home. "Do you have any idea where she might have gone?"

Jordan tenses under Beca's touch.

Of course, he does. It's the same place that she always goes; the same person that she always goes to see. It doesn't matter whether they're at Izzy's house, or at the barn they always hang out at, or at some party hosted by one of the people that they went to high school with or someone else from the neighborhood, it's all the same. She's still with Izzy. She's still around the Pollard Street area. She's still far away, she's still doing her own thing with little regard for the mess she leaves behind. She's still getting herself in trouble without caring what trouble she'll get Jordan and Ava in, by default.

But all the same, Quinn's words from the day of Rachel's visit still echo in his mind. Think a few steps ahead. You know how 'these' people can get. They pound against the inside of his head like a jack hammer, running on an incessant loop that makes him want to scream. He may not know how Beca and Chloe would react if he told them, but he knows what will happen if Quinn finds out he told them.

And it wouldn't be pretty.

So, he gives Beca a slight shake of the head, knowing deep down that it is nowhere near convincing.

Beca agrees.

She cranes her neck so that she can meet his eyes. "Jordan, if you know where your sister is, you need to tell us. It's getting late and we have no idea where she is; something could happen, she could get hurt…"

Chloe continues to run her fingers through Ava's short hair, the young girl's breathing finally beginning to return to a normal pattern. "We're not mad at you, buddy. You can tell us; you can trust us."

Another round of tears burns at the back of Jordan's eyes because he wants nothing more than to tell them. He wants nothing more than to show them that he does trust them. That he wants to trust them.

But he knows in doing so, he'd be betraying Quinn.

Instead, he once again shakes his head, tears continuing to stream down his face.

Beca lets out a resigned sigh, looking helplessly at her wife. "I… I don't know what to do."

Chloe readjusts Ava, the five-year-old's hand that isn't in Rosie's, gripping her shirt. "Do you have any idea if Lucas is working tonight?"

"I don't know." She runs her hand over her face once more, her nerves starting to shine through. "I can give him a call, see if any of the officers that he works with can go out and start looking. I just don't even know where to start."

This catches Jordan's attention. "What? Like police officers?"

"We have to, Jordan… we have no idea where she is or whether or not she's okay."

His breath quickens, his face growing red. "No, no you can't call the police. What if – what if she gets arrested and goes to jail and we never get to see her again?!"

"Hey, hey, that's not going to happen buddy." Beca gathers him into a hug, the young boy gripping tightly onto the back of her shirt, and his tears quickly seeping through to her shoulder. "We're going to find her, and she's going to come back, I promise. We just might need some extra help."

A chocked sob escapes Jordan's mouth, the pressure of this entire situation crushing him without a care. That, combined with the exhaustion that is creeping into his limbs, is producing some pretty terrifying scenarios in the boy's mind. Starting with Quinn being beyond angry at him if he were to tell Beca and Chloe about where she is (in turn, telling them about Izzy which has always been a nonnegotiable), and ending with his sister somehow getting arrested.

It's that fear, the one of Quinn being locked away and never being able to see her siblings again - for reasons unknown to him - that causes Jordan to mumble his answer into Beca's shoulder.

Beca runs her hand over the back of his head. "What was that, J?"

He sniffles again, lifting his head slightly and holding back another sob. "She's p-probably near P-Pollard Street. At the h-h-house with the tire s-swing."

Beca stills, looking over at Chloe once more, whose eyes flutter closed both with relief. "Pollard Street? What's on Pollard Street?"

Jordan keeps his grip on Beca's shirt and seems years younger than he is. His posture slouches, resigning to the fact that someone is going to be angry with him; he is just waiting until he finds out who it's going to be and how many will join in. "It's where we used to live. Her best friend still lives there."

"Her best friend?"

He is so screwed. "Izzy."

"Okay, buddy. Thank you for telling us." Beca runs her hand down his back once more, trying so desperately to figure out what her and Chloe's next steps are. Ava is slowly slipping into sleep, Chloe's constant rocking and the fingers running deftly through her hair and over her forehead doing the trick, while Rosie stays right by her side, looking equally as exhausted. "We're going to get her, alright? We'll find her, I promise."

Who knows what will happen once they do.

It takes a little longer for Beca and Chloe to leave the house than they would have preferred. They didn't want to leave until the kids had calmed down, at least a little bit, and neither woman wanted the other to go out to get Quinn on their own. All of that considered, it takes an additional forty-five minutes for them to finally back out of the driveway, leaving behind the girls who fell back asleep, and Jordan, who refused to even attempt to return to his room. Aubrey and Stacie both agreed to stay with the kids until they returned, going as far as to sit on the chair in the girl's room so they were only a few feet away from Ava and Jordan if they start to break down again.

The first ten minutes of the car ride is absolutely silent, Beca's eyes focused on the road in front of her as she drives in the direction of the city, per the orders of the GPS, while Chloe grasps her hand. The level of stress – and guilt – inside the vehicle is astronomically high, neither one of them knowing what they're walking into, or how they missed the fact that their sixteen-year-old walked out of the front door without either of them noticing.

"What are the odds that she's even with this girl?" Beca asks approximately fifteen minutes after they leave.

Chloe rubs her thumb over the back of her wife's hand, her leg bouncing up and down. "I have no idea."

The brunette shakes her head in disbelief. "How the hell did we miss this?"

"We were outside, Bec. She was supposed to be going to sleep. It isn't like it is the middle of the day." Chloe's voice cracks, the lights on the street blurring as tears fill her eyes. "Ava and Jordan looked so terrified."

"I know."

She tries to force a small smile on her face. "But Jordan talked to us. He told us the truth."

Despite wanting to be happy about that, the joy doesn't quite make it through Beca's expression. "I know."

Chloe sighs. "You can't blame yourself for this, Bec."

As Beca turns the next corner, she shakes her head again. "It's not that."

"Then what are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that this is the second time Quinn has left. She doesn't talk to us; she pushes us away. And I know that's not out of the ordinary. I get that. What I don't get, is why it seems to be getting worse. She had a good week, Chlo, and now it feels like we're going back to square one."

Chloe leans her head against her free hand, propping her elbow against the window. She can't say the same thoughts haven't been running through her own head. "It's going to be bad once we find her, right? She's not going to be happy."

"I wouldn't be."

"What do you mean?"

Beca mulls over her words briefly. "I feel like I keep forgetting that she had this whole life before she was in the system. When my parents died, I was ten. Yeah, I had friends and things that I left behind, but it wasn't like they were my whole life. Quinn was thirteen; she was already taking care of her siblings before the fire –"

"—and we're entering into that world."

"Mhmm."

Chloe answers her own question, her heart starting to pick up its pace as the GPS brings them closer to their destination. "So, she's going to be mad."

"Yeah, she's going to be mad."

Beca slowly turns the car down Pollard Street, her headlights illuminating the street sign as she does so. She drops her speed, driving down the street as both her and Chloe look for the house that fits Jordan's description, but Beca stops the car as soon as she reaches the one house that they have yet to wrap their mind around seeing.

"Is that?"

"It has to be, right?"

The two women stare at the charred rubble of what they are assuming is the Perry siblings' old house. The house where the children who they are already falling hard and fast for, almost lost their lives. The house that they grew up in, surrounded by who knows what, but managed to escape.

"I can't even imagine, Bec."

Beca shakes her head in disbelief. "Me neither."

Chloe looks away from the Perry siblings' childhood home, her eyes flicking around to try and clear the tears, but they quickly fall on the house across the street. She sees the tire swing first, but when she squints, she can make out the shadowy figure of two teenage girls huddled together under the tree, the faint light of a burning ember standing out amongst the darkness of the night.

"Beca." Chloe squeezes her wife's hand, pointing across the street to the house. "Think that's them?"

It doesn't take long for Beca to wordlessly agree, pulling the car up out front of the house, and turning off the car.

"Feeling better?" Quinn grips Izzy's hand underneath the blanket they're sharing, the feeling in her tailbone long gone after sitting here for the better part of an hour.

Izzy nods, taking another long hit from the quickly disappearing joint. "Yeah. Thank you."

It hasn't been an enjoyable visit, at least in the sense that Izzy hasn't been in a great mental state. Quinn should've been able to gather that just from the phone call. She should've been able to see how stressed her best friend was, and how her mom and her mom's friends being in the house for so long was starting to take its toll. She knows that it happens every once in a while, sometimes it just gets to be a lot, but her suspicion wasn't confirmed until she got to Izzy's and saw just how distraught the other teen was.

Her first hint was when Quinn got there and Izzy was sitting on the floor of her bedroom, head tucked into her knees that were pulled into her chest. Her second hint had been when Izzy told her she just wanted to get out of the house, the pad of her thumb running over each one of her nails just like it always does when she's overwhelmed. The third hint, the one that made Quinn suggest that they go to one of the house in the neighborhood where the twenty-year-old guy who sells weed lives, was when Izzy broke down in Quinn's arms about how she feels like she's losing control of her life.

It just about shattered Quinn's heart, listening to Izzy's sobs about how she doesn't really talk to anyone save for the customers at the store and occasionally Damien; how more often than not she's trapped in her own mind. It's something that used to happen a lot when they were younger, too, and when they started getting older, they discovered that, after she gets it all off her chest, sometimes a joint just happens to calm her heart rate down and quiet the remaining voices and thoughts. It's probably not the best thing, especially with how both of the girls have grown up, but in comparison to what their parents have used, it's pretty harmless. It's harmless, but it works.

Quinn gives her hand a tight squeeze. "I'll spend the night tonight. Stay up so that you don't have to worry about what's going on downstairs or anyone coming up to your room."

"No, Quince, you don't have to do that. I'm fine."

Quinn bites back a scoff. "Haven't you learned by now that I see right through your lies?"

Even in the darkness, she knows Izzy is rolling her eyes. "I'm serious. I don't want you getting in trouble, either. And what about the kids? Do they even know you're here?"

"What they don't know won't hurt them."

Izzy barks out a laugh, a sense of calm settled over her entire demeanor as she slouches against Quinn's side. "I'm sure." She shakes her head, licking her fingers and quickly putting out the small flame before it burns through the rest of the paper. "Seriously, though. I'll walk you back to the bus station and –"

"—Quinn?"

Quinn's jaw drops open at the sound of the familiar voice, Izzy's confusion evident by the ways she furrows her eyebrows and peers out toward the street. "Who is that?"

"You've got to be shitting me."

Beca and Chloe walk hand and hand toward the tree, both women glancing warily at the house, before getting close enough to the girls to properly identify who they are. The moms breathe a little easier once they see that Quinn is most certainly one of them.

Quinn, on the other hand, almost instantly feels rage – and slight confusion – boiling inside of her. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Chloe rests her other hand on Beca's upper arm, the brunette quirking an eyebrow in the teens' direction. "We could be asking you the same question, Quinn."

Izzy turns to her in disbelief. "Are they?"

"Yup." Contempt drips from Quinn's answer, her glare never once leaving her foster moms. Forget about everything that happened this week; every promise or commitment that she made to herself following Rachel's visit. This is a huge overstep on their part, and it's practically unfathomable for the sixteen-year-old. She starts to push herself up off the ground. "Come on, we're going inside."

Chloe's eyes widen as the two teens start to stand. "Absolutely not. You're coming home, Quinn."

Izzy scoffs after stumbling slightly, throwing the blanket over her shoulder as she looks over her shoulder to Quinn's foster parents, never once leaving her best friend's side. "Bold of you to assume that this isn't her home."

Beca stiffens. "Quinn, it's almost one o'clock in the morning. Get in the car, we'll talk about this when we get back to the house."

"I'm not going anywhere with you."

"Quinn—"

"No! What gives you the right to come all the way out here, and tell me that I have to leave?"

Beca raises her eyebrows. "How about the fact that we're your foster parents, that you snuck out and left again, and that your siblings are absolutely terrified about what happened to you."

A pang of guilt pierces Quinn's chest, but her anger is far more powerful, making it short lived. "They were sleeping! They would've been fine! And for your information, I haven't had parents since I was a baby, so get over yourselves."

"Really? They were sleeping?" Chloe's voice cracks, tears swelling in her bright blue orbs. "Quinn, Ava heard you leave. She's been having a panic attack for the last few hours because she had no idea where you were, or what to do."

Quinn's tough façade starts to crack, and Izzy notices it immediately, even through her slower-than-normal ability to process. It's what always happens when the kids are involved. Little does she know that it's exactly what happens when Izzy is involved, too.

But to Quinn's credit, her anger holds steady. "Well, I'm sure you handled it just fine, didn't you?"

Beca grips Chloe's hand tighter, trying to keep her own emotions in check. "Quinn, please just get in the car."

"And how did you even find me?!"

At her raising volume, Izzy lays a tentative hand on Quinn's shoulder, flicking her eyes around the neighboring houses. Yelling in the middle of the night isn't that much of a rarity on Pollard Street, but Izzy would prefer it if she didn't have to deal with the cops right now. "Quince, it's okay."

"No. No, it's not okay." She turns back to Beca and Chloe. "Seriously, I want to know how you found me. You couldn't have followed me, or else you would've been here hours ago."

"Well, after not having any idea about whether or not you were safe, Jordan said that you might be here."

Izzy's eyes flutter closed as Quinn grinds her teeth together. That kid. What the hell else did he say?

Quinn runs a frustrated hand over her face, and before she completely loses it. Izzy comes in close, close enough so that she can whisper without the two women standing in front of them being able to hear. "Just go back with them, okay? Take care of the kids, figure out whatever Jordan did, and then call me in the morning. I'll be fine."

Quinn immediately shakes her head. "I'm not—"

"—Quinn, I really don't want anyone coming out here and drawing more attention to the house, and I really don't want Sandy coming outside. I promise that I'm okay, just go take care of the kids. I'll be fine."

At Izzy's words, at her reasoning, Quinn manages to take a deep breath. It takes a moment, and although she's under the watchful stares of Beca and Chloe, it feels like it's only her and Izzy there out front. Eventually, she meets Izzy's slightly-hazy gaze. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

Quinn quickly gathers Izzy into her arms, hugging her tightly. "Call me if you need anything. The same number that I've been calling you from. I don't care what time it is, or if you just need someone to talk to. Promise?"

Izzy nods into the crook of Quinn's neck. "I promise."

"Okay. Stay safe. I love you."

"You, too. Love you."

After Quinn briefly tightens her hold, she lets go, and stalks right by a silent Beca and Chloe and towards their waiting car.

The ride back to the Mitchell household is absolutely silent. The radio is off and Beca doesn't bother plugging the directions back into the GPS. Quinn sits in the backseat with her arms crossed over her chest, heart pounding and leg bouncing up and down, a combination of fury and nerves. She's waiting for the other shoe to drop, along with waiting for the car to finally pull into the driveway so that she can clean up the mess she left behind.

Beca and Chloe, the entire ride home, exchange brief glances through the mirror. Neither one of them knowing what to say or where to start.

As soon as Beca puts the car into park, though, it's like the trance is broken. Beca sighs, unbuckling her seat belt and preparing herself to turn around to face the teen, but Quinn has other plans. She doesn't wait for permission, and instead leaves the car, slamming the door behind her, and making a beeline inside the house.

Stunned expressions gracing both Beca and Chloe's faces, they hurry after Quinn, taking the steps two at a time behind her.

Quinn heads directly for Ava's bedroom, her mind scattered in a million different places. She doesn't even glance in the direction of Aubrey and Stacie, doesn't even glance towards Rosie's bed. Instead, she crosses the room until she's in front of Ava's bed, lifting the five-year-old from where she's curled up against Jordan's side, both of them sleeping.

As soon as she does so, Jordan's eyes slowly crack open. "Quinn?"

Quinn shakes her head, leveling an icy glare at her younger brother. "Go to bed, Jordan. We'll talk in the morning."

Ava stirs in her hold, tears instantly springing to Jordan's eyes. "But Quinn—"

"No." The teen cuts him off with a swipe of her finger, Aubrey and Stacie stiffening in the corner of the room just as Beca and Chloe appear in the doorframe. The two women quickly excuse themselves, Aubrey lifting Rosie from her bed, and carrying her out with them. "We have rules for a reason, Jordan, and right now… right now I can't even look at you."

Jordan gulps, the tears easily breaking free. "I'm so sorry."

"Quinn, Jordan didn't do anything wrong." Beca crosses the room.

Quinn starts to stand, Ava settling easily into her older sister's hold without ever waking up, all the while ignoring her foster mother's words and continuing to focus on her brother. "Are you? Because this isn't the first time that it's happened, Jordan!"

"I didn't mean to," Jordan sobs out.

"Really?! You didn't mean to? Jesus Christ, Jordan, telling them Izzy's address just slipped out?"

Beca steps in between the two of them, holding her hand out to stop Quinn's rant. "That is enough. Let's not forget how we got here, Quinn. You are the one that left in the middle of the night without telling anyone. If Jordan hadn't told us –"

"If Jordan hadn't told you, I would have been perfectly fine." Quinn rolls her eyes as Chloe rushes over to Jordan and pulls the sobbing boy into her side.

"I'm glad that you think you would've been fine, but you were in a place that we didn't know, with people that we've never met."

"And so what?!" Ava stirs in her hold, eyebrows furrowing as she looks up at Quinn, who doesn't stop. "You don't need to know where I am or who I'm with. I don't owe you an explanation! You're not my mom – my moms – we're not related! You don't get to tell me what I can and can't do!"

Jordan lets out another choked sob, curling into Chloe's side as she holds him close. At Quinn's shouting, Ava, too, starts to cry, trying to figure out what is going on. "Quinn, let's all just take a deep breath, I think we're all getting a little overwhelmed..."

Quinn puts her hand over Ava's ears, lowering her voice to an aggressive whisper, narrowing her eyes at Chloe. "I'm not overwhelmed. I'm pissed off because I have no idea where you two get off on thinking you have any say in my life."

Beca takes a deep breath, trying to release some of the pressure building up in her chest. As much as she understands where Quinn is coming from, it's so much different being the adult – the parent – in this situation. Twenty years ago, if she were in Quinn's shoes, she would be doing and saying the same thing. But she can't think like that; she's the parent, the parent that is in charge of Quinn's safety. She's the one that is supposed to be taking care of her, providing her with a safe, secure, and loving place to live, and that's all that she can really think about right now.

"Whether you like it or not, Quinn, we are your foster parents. We are in charge of your well-being. So, while you are a part of this family, we expect you to follow the same rules as everyone else. You don't get to make your own."

Chloe nods in agreement, her fingers running through Jordan's hair. "Beca's right, Quinn. If you had just asked to go see Izzy –"

"—I don't need to ask to go see my family. I don't need to ask to go back to the place I lived for thirteen years."

"Well, you also can't leave the house whenever you want to and skip school when you feel like it," Beca offers with a sarcastic shrug. "We're all adjusting here, Quinn, but we all need to put in a little bit of effort."

"Effort?" The words tear out of Quinn's throat. As much as it is breaking her heart that Ava is so clearly spiraling, all she can do is hold her close. "As far as I'm concerned, you've asked us to fit into your world, with little regard for what we wanted. This whole situation? Yeah, case and point."

Beca freezes at the insinuation. She's been in homes like that, and she knows for a fact that their home is not one of them. Instead of addressing that, knowing that if she were to do so their argument would only get further out of control, Beca just takes a deep breath. With Chloe's silent support behind her, she looks Quinn straight in the eye. "What you did today wasn't right. You put yourself in danger, you scared your younger siblings, and you scared us. You're grounded, for the next two weeks. You'll go to school and you'll come home; there won't be any more of these mid-night adventures."

Quinn scoffs, shaking her head in disbelief as a small smirk appears on her face. "Watch me."

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'm hoping to post Chapter 12 on Sunday, Monday at the latest. Thanks so much for reading and your continued support :D