Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to Glee or any of it characters. I don't have a beta so all mistakes are mine.

Chapter 7

Rachel and Puck

They made their way through the crowded hallway side by side. As they rounded the corner to the corridor where their lockers were someone bumped into Rachel. She jumped and latched on to Pucks arm so tightly her fingers were turning white. "Hey," he whispered to her "It's ok, I'm right here." She loosened her grip slightly but didn't let go.

They arrived at her locker and she began to get her things out while Puck hovered by her side. "Noah, I'm ok. You can get your own things from your locker if you want. It's right across from mine."

"No Rach. I am not leaving your side." He stated forcefully.

"I have to be able to do this Noah. You will be right there. We are in the hall. Nothing will happen." She tells him gently.

"If San…" He starts as he is cut off.

"Noah. It will be fine. She should be here any minute." She didn't feel as confident as she sounded but she needed to do this.

"I don't know Rach." He shook his head.

"You'll be right there Noah." She said pointing not ten feet away at his locker.

"Ok." He agreed reluctantly and walked across the hall looking back a few times.

She watched him until he go to his locker. When she turned around Finn was blocking hers. "Hey Rach."

She side stepped him trying to calm her nerves. "Hello Finn what can I do for you."

He smiled taking a step toward her, "Well I was wondering if you wanted to go out on a date with me this weekend to celebrate our sectionals win?"

She took a step back trying to remain calm, "Thank you for the offer Finn, but I have already told you that I am not interested in forming a romantic relationship with you."

His smile left, "Why not!" he said forcefully but quietly taking another step toward her. "Is it because of Puck? You want to date him instead after you led me on for so long?" His voice was starting to rise and he took another step toward her.

Stepping back again she replies, "No Finn. I am not interested in Noah in a romantic way, and I never led you on. I never told you I wanted to be with you. You were dating Quinn and even if I had been interested in you, which I wasn't, I would never design to steal another person's partner." She's starting to get agitated, but more fearful.

"Don't lie to me Rachel" he yells "I saw you with him in the choir room!" as he yells he takes a step toward her reaching out to grab her arm. She screams she collapses to the floor in terror shaking as all hell broke loose.

Santana

Practice has ended and she is trying to rush through getting showered and change so that she can get to Rachel. Her hand are shaking as she hurries to tie her shoes.

"Hey," Quinn lays a hand on her shoulder, "slow down. We're not running late today."

San just shakes her head, "I just need to get to my locker." She finishes her shoes, grabs her bag and heads to the door. "I'm gonna go ahead, I'll see you in homeroom." With that she leaves. Quinn and Brittney share a glance and hurry to grab their things so they can follow and hopefully catch up to their friend.

Santana rushes through the hall toward Rachel locker. As she rounds the corner she sees Finn looking angry reaching out for Rachel. Rachel drops to the floor with a scream and Puck is pinning Finn to the lockers yelling, "Dude what the hell is your problem? Stay away from her." At this point Santana is in a full out sprint trying to get to Rachel quicker.

She slides to her knees next to the girl and Rachel flinches away from her crying and shaking. "Shhh Estrella, It's just me." Rachel looks up into her eyes then collapses into her arms calming instantly burying her face in San neck.

"I'm sorry." She says shakily, "It's just… he was yelling because I wouldn't go out with him and he thought I wanted Puck and he was angry, then when he reached out I panicked."

"Hey," San says gently lifting Rachel's head to look into her eyes. "You have nothing to apologize for. Its Finns fault. He had to right to yell or try to put his hands on you." She looked over and sees that Puck still has Finn pinned to the lockers with murder in his eyes. She stands up lifting Rachel with her. By this point a large crowd has formed including a very confused looking Quinn and Brittany. She turns to the boys placing Rachel behind her keeping a hand around her wrist. "What the hell Finnocence? What the hell do you think you're doing yelling at and trying to put your hands on Racheal. She is a girl and half your size. You had no right." She started off yelling but her voice had lowered into a calm rage and she was visibly shaking. Rachel was rubbing her back trying to calm her not wanting her to do anything that could get her in trouble.

"She's lying to me!" Finn yells back trying to move toward her, Puck pushing harder with an arm against his throat.

Santana lunges at him only to be grabbed around the waist by Quinn as Brittany hugs Rachel. "If you come near her again I will flay the skin from your body." She tells him in a quiet rage. "She told you no asshole. No means no. Stay away from her or I will end you." She sees the fear in his eyes. Looking at Puck she jerks her head toward him and he releases Finn pushing him toward the other end of the hall and he runs away. San turns and goes back to Rachel holding her arms out. "Are you ok Hermosa?" Rachel falls into her arms and nods her head. San hold her for a minute. "Ok. Let's go to class." She takes her hand then grabs her and Rachel's bags, closes her locker and starts heading down the hall.

Quinn falls in beside her. "What the hell was that San? Rachel, are you ok?"

San just shakes her head at the blonde. "After school Q. Please."

Rachel cuts in before the blonde can respond quietly. "I'm ok Quinn. Thank you."

Quinn just looks from one to the other, their hands still linked. "Ok. For now." San just nods.

All of the Glee club

The rest of the day was going pretty smoothly. They received some curious looks in the halls from other student but none of them dare to question the schools second in command. Especially when Quinn was right beside them all day long. She had no idea what was going on but from the look of it and her gut feelings, it wasn't good. She was just biding her time until she receive an explanation so she could decide what she needed to do. She trusted Santana with her life so she would just wait. Things continues fine until lunch.

They arrived in the lunchroom together. San and Quinn flanking Rachel, Puck and Brittany following closely behind. Brittany didn't know what was going on but if Q, San and Puck were all protecting Rachel she would too. She didn't understand a lot sometimes but she knew something was wrong. She always liked Rachel. She was sweet, had a pretty voice and never treated her like she was stupid. She just had to go along with the others, they were her best friends. Now it looked like Rachel would be their friend too and that made her happy so she would help however she could.

After they got their food and sat at the Glee table, San and Puck on either side of Rachel. Quinn next to San, and Brittany next to Puck the others started to arrive and sit with them. All of them looking at Rachel with concern.

Kurt was the first to speak. "Is it true? Did Finn really try to hurt you and yell at you for dating Puck this morning?"

Rachel whimpered and buried her face into Santana's shoulder. Santana glared at the others. "She doesn't want to talk about it, leave her alone." She said with venom in voice.

Puck spoke up next. "Yes it's true. But we aren't dating. She's my cousin, my family. He's just mad because she won't go out with him and she doesn't have to if she doesn't want to, so drop it." He glared daring any of them to say anything negative.

They shared a look of surprise but looked at each other nodded and went back to eating. San whispered into Rachel's ear. "It's ok carińo. You can eat now. Please? For me?" Rachel just looked up into her eyes for a moment, nodded and started eating again.

Conversation started up about their recent sectionals win. Everyone notice that Rachel didn't join in to the conversation but said nothing, not sure what was going on with their captain but worried none the less.

A few minutes later Finn arrived and approached the table making a bee line for Rachel. She shrank into herself leaning into Santana. As San put an arm around her all the boys stood up and rushed to stand in front of her. Puck speaking for the group, "Leave Finn. You are not wanted here."

Finn was trying to look around them to see Rachel "Come on guys, I just want to apologize to Rachel. It was just a misunderstanding."

At this Rachel pushed Puck aside with Santana right beside her Quinn and Britt right behind. "No Finn. It wasn't a misunderstanding. You just don't listen. Apology not accepted." With this she turned around and went to sit back down. Everyone was slacked jawed accept for Puck and Santana. Rachel was the most forgiving person they had ever known. For her not to forgive, it must be really bad. They all turn hard glares at him.

"Come on Rach. Just listen for a minu…" he started but was cut off.

Santana took a step toward him. "She said NO Finn. What did I say?" the said to him menacingly. "Back off now."

Finn just glared back but conceded defeat for now. "Fine," he turns on his heel and stalked out of the lunchroom.

Everyone returned to their seats giving Rachel reassuring smiles, and went back to their conversation and lunch. Rachel smiles sadly and laid her head on San shoulder as she continued to pick at her lunch trying to eat so San wouldn't worry as much.

Once lunch was over they continued on through the rest of the day, which was uneventful. After last period the 5 of them met back up at Rachel's locker. Now they just had to get though Glee.

A/N: Ok dark figure identified and taken care of for now. I don't think he is done just yet but we will see. Maybe Britt can be an ally? We will see.