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

Chapter 9

Santana

They had met Quinn and Puck in the parking lot, everyone else was gone. They decided that Quinn would drop off Puck and Rachel at her house, then go to her own to grab a fresh uniform and an overnight bag for tomorrow. Santana went to the store to get the things she needed to make them dinner.

She pulled into the drive at Rachel's right behind Quinn. The both gathered the things from their cars and headed in. Quinn looked at San strangely when she had a key.

San just shrugged "She gave it to me yesterday when I had to go get some things from my house. She told me to keep it for now cause I am staying here for a while."

Quinn still look very confused. "Ok. I guess I will understand more after dinner." She shrugged and they entered the house.

San dropped her school bag by the stairs calling out, "Puck… Rach…"

Puck came out on the phone. "Ok mom, I will be home later… ok I heard you… I'll be there…" With that he hung up. "Hey guys," he holds up his phone, "mom's being a bitch and I can't spend the night but I can stay for a while. Get everything you needed?"

"Yes" Santana said handing the grocery bags to Puck, "Can you put those in the kitchen? I'm going to go and show Quinn where to put her things then check on Rach." Puck nodded taking the bags, heading into the kitchen while they ascended the stairs. They walked down the hallway to the room that San's things were in, San opened the door and ushered her through. "This is where my stuff is. You can stay in here too or I can ask Rachel about one of the other guestrooms?"

Quinn looked around, "No this is fine." She took her bags and put them on the opposite side that San's were, and hangs her uniform in the closet. After Quinn finished setting her stuff in the room they left and crossed the hall.

San knocked on the door, "Rach, we're here, can we come in?" they were greeted with silence. She knocked again "Rach?" silence. Then they heard a crash and they rushed into the room. What greeted them was Rachel in a heap surrounded by clothes sobbing the lamp on the floor. San was on her knees in a heartbeat with Rachel in her arms. "Shh hermosa, it's ok. Shh." She started rocking her. Quinn kneeled beside them totally confused and started rubbing the tiny girls back.

"It's not ok San. I can't find anything to wear," She sobbed into San's neck.

"Shh Estrella. Why do you need to find something to wear? What you have on is fine." San cooed into her hair. Quinn was even more confused looking to San for answers but she was absorbed into comforting Rachel so she just waited hoping for an explanation.

Rachel pulled away slightly looking into San's kind eyes trying to calm herself. "Not for now. For tomorrow. I don't have anything else. I only own one pair of jeans and all these skirts and I have nothing to wear tomorrow and I can't wear any of this. I also can't wear sweats to school they aren't professional and they're too loose. What am I going to do San? What can I do?" and she buried her face in San's neck again and started sobbing again.

San just held her, thinking, trying to figure out how to help her. Quinn spoke first. "I have a pair of jeans in my bag that should fit you Rach and an extra hoodie."

San perks up "Hey, see, that'll work. Then after Cheerio's practice tomorrow we can go to the mall and get you some more. How's that sound carina? Sound like a plan? Quinn can go get them and you can try them on to make sure." She looked to Quinn and she sprinted from the room to grab the jeans.

She had brought them to change out of her uniform but would give them up if it helped. She still didn't know what was going on but she had an idea and it was scaring her that she might be right. She found the jeans and hoodie then rushed back to Rachel's room.

San had gotten the girl to stand but was still holding her rubbing her back. She saw Quinn as she handed over the jeans, "Here hermosa, try these on and we will see if they work." She handed them to Rach and she took them heading to the bathroom to change, tears still falling but not as heavy.

"San?" Quinn said softly rubbing her back and pulling her into a hug when she saw tears in her eyes.

She hugged her back for a moment then straightens and dried her eye so Rachel wouldn't see her tears. Rachel came out wearing the jeans. San walked over smiling, "see, they fit you really well." She dropped to her knees and started rolling the legs, "they're a little long but we can roll them like this and they look good." She looked up into Rachel's eyes and tugged down on the legs of the jeans, "and see real tight, no problems hermosa." She stood back up and pulled Rach to her hugging her for a minute. "Ok, go change back and we can clean this up and go down and get dinner started."

Rachel looked up and around the room for a moment and then back to Santana with a look of horror on her face. "I am so sorry. I can't believe I did this. I'm so sorry San." Tears once again gathering in her eyes.

San pulled her back in, "No, no, shh don't, there's nothing to be sorry for. You had a problem we fixed it. Its ok querida. No worries, we can have this cleaned up real quick. Go change." She told her kissing the side of her head. Rach nodded and headed back to the bathroom. San started picking things up and putting them back on hangers. Quinn placed the hoodie on the bed and started helping her. Rachel came back out putting the jeans next to the hoodie and walked over to San. "Here hermosa, you stand in the closet and we will put things on hangers and hand them to you to hang back up. No problem." She nodded and went to the closet.

They worked together for a few minutes when Puck walked in looking really confused and scared. He looked at San about to ask what happened and she just shook her head at him and motioned for him to leave. They finished putting the room back to its normal OCD state without a word spoken and headed down stairs.

When they got to the living room San looked at Rachel. "Do you want to curl up on the couch and watch a movie with Puck or do you want to come in the kitchen with me while I cook dinner carina?"

Rachel stood for a moment looking at the TV then back to Santana, "I think I will come with you to the kitchen, I want to help."

"Ok querida, let's go." San took her hand and led her into the kitchen Quinn following.

They all stayed in the kitchen as Santana explained how to cut the vegetables for what she was making, and talked about glee, Cheerio's, and any random thing they could think of until dinner was ready and the tension had drained from the room. As they sat and Santana put the food on the table. Quinn looked at the food and said to Santana, "what is this anyway?"

Santana chuckled, "its vegan portabella mushroom fajitas." At Quinn's odd look she laughed full out. "I promise Q, you will like it they are awesome." Quinn just shrugged, grabbed a tortilla and started filling it.

Rachel looked at San as though she had grown a second head. "You made vegan fajitas?" she nodded her answer, "and the tortillas, are they vegan too?"

"Yes," she answered, "I like to cook and experiment." She looked down shyly.

Rach stared for a moment then started to make her plate. Dinner was a success, Rachel actually ate two tortillas full of the mushroom fajitas. It was the most she had eaten in two days. San was proud that she was able to make her something she seemed to enjoy.

Quinn stood up and started clearing the dishes, "San I gotta say that that was an excellent meal. I had no idea vegan food could be so tasty. I love your other fajitas but those mushrooms were so good."

"Yes they were Santana. I've never had vegan fajitas before. I really enjoyed them. Thank you so much." Rach said running a hand up Santana's arm.

"You're very welcome. I'm glad you liked them." She got up and they started helping clean the kitchen. When it was clean San decided they needed to get comfortable before they started talking. "Ok. Why don't we go upstairs and change into our jammies and I change your bandage…"

Quinn whipped around, "Bandage? What… are you ok Rach?"

San beat her to the answer, "She has a cut on her shoulder. We need to clean, re-doctor it and re-bandage it before we dress for bed." Quinn just nodded getting more fearful of the answers they were about to give her. "Ok, as I was saying, let's get changed then we can sit on Rachel's bed and talk. Does that sound good hermosa?" She asked taking Rachel hand in her own.

She smiles sadly up to San, "Yes, that sounds good."

They all went upstairs Puck stopped them at the doors to Rachel's room and the guest room. "I'm going to my room to wait. Q why don't you come there, one door down from yours when you are done and San can come get us when they are ready? That sound good to you guys?"

Quinn answered first, "That sounds good to me."

"Sounds good Puck, thanks." With that San led Rachel into her room and the others went their own way.

When she was done changing, brushing her teeth and getting ready for bed Quinn went and knocked on Pucks door. She heard a soft "come in" from the other side and entered the room. She looked around at the sports posters on the wall, the cologne and other personal items on the dresser. "So" she asked, "this is your room?" he nodded, "and you're really Rachel's cousin?"

He nodded again, "yes her daddy was my mom's brother."

She was about to ask another question when another knock came on the door and Santana poked her head in. "Hey, she's ready."

They followed her back to Rachel's room. When they entered San scrambled to the bed, climbing on and scooting right up next to Rachel and putting an arm around her whispering in her ear. "Hey it's going to be ok. Just tell her as much as you think she needs to know and if you can't get it out I will help. Ok?" Rach nodded and leaned into Santana's side.

As Quinn and Puck climbed on the bed situating themselves she started. "Ok, I guess I should start at the beginning so you can understand all of it. With only the last part of the story you won't understand."

San cuts in looking at Quinn, "you have to promise that nothing you are about to hear ever leaves this room. That's a deal breaker Q. Rachel only wants the three of us to know what is going on and she has her reasons."

Quinn nodded, "Of course San you know you can trust me with anything."

"Yes I can" san answers, "but Rachel doesn't know that so you have to promise her."

Quinn looks to Rachel "I promise you Rachel. I will never repeat anything you tell me. I promise you can trust me with this the same way you have Santana."

Rachel looks into her eyes for a long time finding nothing but sincerity, she started from the beginning. "Well I will start with my fathers." She goes on to tell her the same story she told San about her daddy, her dad, her aunt and why she is where she is. The more she talks the sicker Quinn feels. She had been so mean to this girl. She had done nothing to deserve the treatment that Quinn had given her. To make it worse Rachel took it all with her famous show smile never letting it show that her world was crumbling down around her. The whole time offering her friendship and help only to have it thrown back in her face time and again. Quinn felt awful, like the worst human on the planet. She shared a look with Santana seeing that her friend was feeling the same. Rachel finished her story of her fathers and why she now lived alone. She stopped talking and took a drink from her water bottle then just looked down at her hands for a long time.

Quinn tried to prompt her to continue. "Is that all Rach?" She asked her gently.

"No," she shook her head, "That's just the beginning" She took a deep breath, "the Monday after sectionals. I went to school as usual. I was walking down the hall toward the corridor where my locker was. As I rounded the corner someone slushied me. Just another day and no big deal." She stopped again taking another big breath trying to calm herself.

"Hey," San said gently, "do you need me to continue?"

"No," she said breathing deeply "I need to do this, but thank you." She took one more breath. "I went to my locker got my slushy kit and went to the bathroom to clean up. I was washing out my hair…" she paused, Puck and Santana sat up a little she hadn't heard this part. She continues, "I was raising up to get my towel to dry my hair when he spoke. I asked him to leave but he wouldn't. He… he… he just rushed me and… and… and pinned me to the wall slamming my shoulder in to the… the air drier…" she paused again shaking violently with sobs, "I can't San… I… I can't"

San pulled her into her arms holding her tightly shushing her, "It's ok, shh it's ok. Do you want me to tell the rest?" Rachel nodded into her neck and San continues from where she found her all the way up to when she left them in the parking lot the next morning. Quinn listened to it all going from angry, guilty, sympathetic, to downright seething. By the time Santana finished with her part of things Rachel had calmed and was sitting leaning against San again.

She took up for where Santana left off with her and Puck going to the choir room. She explained what Finn saw that made him think that she wanted Puck. She told about the hallway where she talked Puck into going to his locker.

San started to cut in but Quinn beat her to it shocking everyone. "You left her! What the hell is wrong with you Puck?"

Rachel tried to stop her rant and getting upset for her cousin. "It's not Noah's fault Quinn. I told him to," she pleaded with her.

Quinn softened her tone reaching for Rachel's hand speaking gently, "No offence Rach but you were not thinking rationally, and you shouldn't have to. That's what we are for," she glares back at Puck, "and it will not happen again." Puck just nodded looking down ashamed of himself as Rachel reached over and squeezed his hand.

She continued on and retold what had happened with Finn up to the point that Santana go there. She looked over to Quinn, "please Quinn, you can't tell anyone. Please this can't get out. I can't explain why but you just have to keep this a secret for me. Please."

Rachel starts to cry again and Quinn quickly scoots over to her other side taking her out of San's arm hugging her close. "I promise sweetheart. I will not tell anyone anything. Your secret is safe with me and I will do whatever I can to help keep you safe. That bastard will never touch you again. I promise."

Rachel just melts into her soaking up the comfort. "Thank you Quinn." She reached back and grabs Santana and pulls her to her back, then reaches for Puck. He lays between Rachel and San's legs and rests his head on Rachel's hip. They all lay there for a while until Puck starts to get up. "I'm sorry Rach, but I gotta go home tonight, mom's being a bitch and wants me home. You gonna be ok with these two?" He winks at them as he gets off the bed.

"Yes Noah. I think I will be just fine." She says as he grabs her hand and gently squeezes it.

"Ok then, don't get up I'll lock up on my way out and I will be here in the morning so I can ride in with you." He starts to leave then turns around. "Hey, what are we gonna do in the morning? You guys have Cheerio's and I have football practice?"

Quinn looks at San then back to Puck, "she can go with us to the locker room and sit in the stands until we are done."

Rachel speaks up at that, "are you sure that's going to be ok? Coach and the other girls aren't going to like me hanging around."

Quinn answers first "its fine Rachel. The girls will do what they are told and I will deal with coach if need be. Don't forget I'm the HBIC. The sheep will fall in line." She smiles at Rachel then looks to Puck. "We got this it will be fine."

"Ok, good," he says, "see ya in the morning. Love you Rach."

"Love you too Noah. See you tomorrow." She says as he leaves. She looks between the two still in bed with her. "Will you guys stay with me in here tonight? I don't want to be alone."

San looks at Quinn and she nods, "of course we will querida. Snuggle down let's get some sleep." As Rachel turns over and snuggles into Santana Quinn gets up turning on the lamp, turns off the overhead light and gets back in bed. Unsure what to do she just lays behind Rachel until she reaches for her and she wraps herself around the tiny girl. She shares a look with Santana and they all snuggle into get some sleep.

Quinn lays there for about an hour after the other two girls fall asleep. She just runs through all the information that had been thrown her way that evening. She cannot believe things had been so bad for Rachel for so long partially because of her actions toward the tiny diva. She vows right then and there to do everything she can to keep her safe. She also genuinely wanted to be her friend and get to know the girl more. She was also pretty sure that Santana was in love with her, so she would have to keep an eye out and see what happened and make sure she was there to support her friends any way she could. With that last thought she fell asleep cuddled in with the other two and actually slept very well.

A/N: Ok peeps that's all for now. Next chapter the Cheerio's and Coach Sue.