AN: So numerous reasons as to why I have been gone for just over a year. TBH it mainly sounds like excuses so I wont go in to details but I will say that it was a combination of things that led to my hiatus. As always I own nothing but the plot and numerous errors and the artistic liberties that were taken.

"Judy, Quinn! Please come in out of the cold." Ray greeted as he stood to the side, opening the door wider to allow the two Fabray's entrance. "Would either of you like something to drink?"

"No thank you Ray. I can't stay very long." Judy replied.

"Fair enough, Quinn you know where everything is so help yourself if you wish. Please excuse me for a moment to put on a shirt."

Judy nodded as she followed her daughter into the kitchen. Ray raced down the stairs and grabbed a long sleeve tee that had a hood, and a pair of thermal socks that had grip on the bottoms. Two minutes later he was properly covered and at the top of the stairs biting back some curses as his muscles were protesting his actions. Moving slowly into the kitchen trying to hide the limp from the Charlie horse he had just endured in his right calf, Ray took in the faces of the two women. Quinn looked frightened but was attempting to hide it under a pretence of boredom. Judy on the other hand was cycling between livid, fear and exhaustion.

Walking slowly into the room, Ray grabbed a bottle of water from the pantry and drank half the contents as he walked to the small breakfast table. Sitting down he looked at the two and debated in waiting to see if they would clue him in first before remembering that both Fabray women had been raised and taught proper etiquette and would wait for their host to speak first.

"So what is it that you need from me Judy?" Ray asked cutting to the chase after another minute of thinking after a quick glance at Quinn and a barely there headshake eliminated the theory that this was a visit to yell at them for premarital sex.

Judy looked surprised at the blunt question but let out a short laugh to herself, her daughter's boyfriend really was much more intelligent than he let people see.

"Protection. Not for me but for Quinn. It's Russell. He's back in the Lima area. Seems that his former mistress kicked him to the curb. He has tried to come crawling back begging forgiveness. Earlier he showed up at the house heavily intoxicated and attempted to kick the door in all the while shouting about how we were sinners and that his own daughter was a whore and needed to be saved from the freak that was corrupting her." Judy took a deep breath letting it out before continuing. "My sister was in an accident , she's alive but she will need help for the next two weeks with everything around the house. My brother-in-law was deployed overseas, and the earliest that they can get him transferred home is ten days. The extra four days is to help them both adjust to him being back stateside once again. I'm flying down to Atlanta tonight after I file a report at the police station. I would really appreciate it if Quinn could stay here with you and Brittany. It would put my mind at ease knowing that she would be safe here while I'm gone and Russell slinking around."

"Quinn is welcome to stay as long as needed." Ray replied without hesitation. How are you getting to the airport?"

"I called the service that you recommended just before Christmas. They will be meeting me at the police station. A detective drove us here and is waiting to take me to the station to give my report. They will be holding Russell overnight in the drunk tank and will process him sometime tomorrow morning. That way it gives Quinnie a chance to pack what she needs for the next two weeks. I already contacted Coach Sylvester letting her know that Quinn would be missing the morning practice."

Ray nodded just as his front door banged open from the wind catching it.

"Ray, where are you, you Heathen?"

Sighing and rolling his eyes, Ray shook his head before replying.

"In the kitchen Auntie."

"Why is there a cop car in the driveway… Oh hello Judy." Sue looked over to her nephew who nodded his head at her unasked question.

"So the cop car isn't for you or the delinquent. That's good."

"Noah is at home babysitting his sister. Ruth got called in last minute."

Sue nodded before addressing her Head Cheerio.

"Q you are with me. I'm going to take you back to your place tonight so you can grab what you need and not be worried that someone is watching the house. Afterwards, I will bring you back here." Sue explained gently

"Ok well it seems that everything has been sorted. This is a paper copy of where and how I can be reached along with my flight information. If anything changes I will get in contact so you all can be updated. I really do have to get going."

"I will walk you out." Ray replied as Judy hugged her daughter.

Once the two had reached the front door Judy turned to Ray.

"I really do appreciate this and it really does put my mind at ease knowing that she will be safe here." Judy paused long enough to put her jacket on. "Oh and for the love of God, be smart about protection when you two have sex, we don't need to have another pregnancy scare before you two graduate now do we?" Judy gave Ray a quick hug, leaving him shocked at her words.

"Had I found out yesterday I would have yelled and attempted to forbid you from seeing her again, but given the time to calm down and what happened an hour ago as Quinn explained how it happened, it just seems moot. You're both smart, prove it by using the gray matter between your ears and be safe. See you in two weeks."

Judy quickly hurried out into the cold and got into the unmarked sedan as Ray watched from the front door processing everything that she had said. He jumped a few moments later at the light touch on his shoulder. Turning around to find both his Aunt and Quinn behind him.

"We are heading out now but you and I need to talk when I get back."

"Okay."

Sue looked at her nephew and gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze before she followed her head cheerleader out the door. Once he was alone once again, Ray let out a groan of pain and limped into the den and did a faceplant on the lounger at the end of the new sofa he had bought over the holidays. He blindly groped around for the universal remote that was left on the sofa for a few minutes before letting out a muffled sound of triumph once he found it. Without even looking up, Ray blindly pointed the remote in the general direction of the entertainment cabinet and turned on the tv and dvd player, letting whatever was still in the dvd player play. Five minutes into the movie Ray was dozing once again.

45 minutes later Quinn, Brittany and Sue had returned to the house. Britt and Quinn were softly cooing at the point guard. Ray was still laying on his stomach but was now facing the wall and hugging a throw pillow. For kicks and giggles Brittany quietly skipped over to her best friend and laid down on top of him only to jump a foot in the air at his loud bordering on a yell, yelp of pain. Scrambling to her feet immediately, Brittany studied what she could of her friend, eyes narrowing as she studied his hands and the skin on his forearms that had been revealed from his sleeves sliding up his arms in his sleep.

"Why are you covered in bruises when tonight should have only been an introduction to staves and other non lethal weapons?" The bubbly blonde demanded.

Ray groaned as he slowly sat up.

"A dirty dojo bust by Jesse's brainless followers." Ray answered before shedding the long sleeve shirt so Brittany could examine the full extent of his injuries.

"Explain. Now." Sue ground out through clenched teeth as she took in the extent of the bruising on her nephew's torso. It looked like he had been ganged jumped.

Quinn looked horrified and ready to hunt down those that had left the bruises while berating herself for not having noticed when she arrived earlier with her mom. Brittany looked like she wanted to help Quinn with the task as Ray hissed out in pain as her fingers ghosted over his tender body.

"What should have been an introduction to weapons and how to defend with and from them got postponed. The group had finished our warm-ups and were kneeling as we awaited Sensei Kobayashi to begin his lecture and demonstration, while Sensei Lee was working with the students who had not been invited to the session or had already the introduction training when a group of thirty quite literally burst through the doors. It was immediately obvious to me at least to what was going on as I had already experienced it a few times over the years at the Karate dojo, and the fact that they were all dressed in the Gi's that represented their Dojo was a big give away."

"What's a dojo bust?" Quinn asked.

"It's an old tradition that is rarely followed in the western world simply because there are too many 'YMCA/McDojo black belts', meaning they pretty much hand anyone a black belt even though that person is nowhere near that calibre of a martial artist as YMCA tends to award black belts with in two years of practicing. If it's a McDojo belt, that person has more or less bought their ranking. However in the dojos that are found in the Asian communities, taught by Senseis who are themselves still continuously training to hopefully apprentice under a grand masters, those are the dojos that get busted. It's when another dojo sends out a group of their best students, mostly black belts but they do include some brown and purple and depending on the specific karate discipline, red belts to test the so-called masters in the dojo. Essentially all the black belts and the senseis." Ray paused for a minute before grimacing. "Excuse me a minute ladies, I need to use the little boys room."

Groaning as he got up off the sofa, Ray quickly shuffled his way to the half bath on the main floor. As he was using the facilities, Brittany quickly ran down to his room to grab the balm that was normally used after his karate tournaments and was back in the living room just as Ray walked back into the room as well. Sitting down at the end of the lounger so Britt could apply the balm Ray continued with his explanation.

"What was supposed to be just an irritating hassle and disruption of our lesson turned into an all out brawl. When the fools first entered, Sensei Kobayashi called me to him and had me sit with Sensei Lee's group and for Sensei Lee to join him as one of the upper black belts continued with the lesson."

"Why would he do that? Wouldn't that seem like a punishment or demotion of some kind?" Sue asked.

"If it was just an everyday class then yes it would be seen as a punishment but in this case Sensei Kpbayashi had recognized the group right away and moved me for additional protection of the lower members in case things went sideways. Us purple and black belts are actually required to assist with the lower belts in our dojo, it helps create unity and family. Things were fine for the first 20 minutes or so before it started going to shit.. Ray paused long enough to drink some of the gatorade that his aunt had tossed to him.

"Dan and I had just finished having the lower belts complete their warm ups and were demonstrating exercises we wanted them to perform after apologizing that tonight was going to be just a generalized instruction before having everyone spar a little later on. By this time there were shouts and vulgar language being used in the weapons area. Now the only time any type of swearing is allowed is if someone gets seriously hurt as that is more of a reactionary response as opposed to being deliberate. It is a firm rule as we do have young children mixed with adults in some of the classes, especially on the weekends. We could hear the sounds of the wood on wood through the simple divider that had been put in place so those that were not participating in the weapons lesson wouldn't be distracted by the visual. Dan and I looked at one another and grit our teeth knowing what was happening and neither of us being happy that we couldn't assist. Our group was becoming distracted by the sounds so we called for a spar.

"Dan and I took turns monitoring matches. It was during one of the matches that I was monitoring that one of our members came flying through the divider. Dan had me get the lower levels into the locker room and went to help our fallen brother. I was attacked from behind as I was locking the girls locker room. One of Jesse's friends was using a short staff and managed to hit me twice before they were pulled off me. Needless to say I was pissed by the cowardly act. I'm just thankful the moron had no idea what he was doing so it was more glancing blows otherwise I'm pretty sure I'd be in the hospital right now getting treated for broken ribs. Once I turned around I heard Sensei Lee shout at me to not hold back. Both Sensei's know that I started training with weapons in my karate lessons last year. I picked up a Bo that had been dropped and let loose. At some point I lost the top to my Gi, one of the idiots tried to grab me from behind and ended up ripping it.

"Now normally the dojo's Sensei/s would deal with the aggressors when it comes to busts along with some of the black belts but tonight we were quite literally out number three to one. Tonight was the smaller class and normally one of my standing wouldn't be invited but as I said earlier, Sensei Lee knows of my training and recommended me to Sensei Kobayashi."

"How bad was it Ray?" Sue asked after a few moments of thought.

"Ambulances were needed and the police were called. Broken bones, concussions and missing teeth. A few needed to be stitched up. I only stopped when Sensei Kobayashi barked at me in Japanese to stop as my bloodlust was up and anyone who came in front of me was seen as my enemy. Apparently I became one with the Bo I had picked up. I honestly don't know what happened other than I let my instincts take over." Ray paused before a small smile played along his lips. "When I left their Sensei was yelling and busting everyone down two rankings and warned that if they were charged they would be disinvited from their dojo. Sensei Kobayashi had called their Sensei while Sensei Lee had called the police and for the ambulances. Dan and I had let those that I had ushered into the locker rooms out. Of course me being me I couldn't resist telling them loudly that this is why you avoid busting someone else's dojo, you're liable to have your ass handed to you before you tuck tail and hobble home."

Sue let out a snort of amusement at her nephew's words before asking if any charges would be against him.

"No. They attacked first and I was following my instructors orders, defending my fellow students. Everything was on tape thanks to the cameras that are set up everywhere for both security and lesson review."

"Good because if you ended up with charges it would have voided this." Sue replied as she passed him a document.

Ray quickly read through it before looking at his aunt, his eyes wide in hope.

"Is this real? How?"

"Yes it's real, Beiste even agreed after reviewing it. As for the how, as soon as you and the delinquent left my office, I immediately contacted our lawyer, faxed him the documents along with the additions we had discussed. Within an hour he had faxed the updated paperwork and I called Rodgers. We met for dinner and he immediately signed. He said and I quote: 'Please tell Ray that the tryout is a mere formality. I showed the higher ups a copy of the tape from this afternoon as well as told them that you were the Nightmare Titan and they demanded that I have a signed contract by the end of the week.' The only concession we made was regarding play offs. If the team made it that is."

After a few minutes of stunned silence Ray jumped up and hugged his aunt causing the woman to let out a small laugh.

"Congratulations Kiddo."

"What's going on Ray-Bear?"

"I've been drafted by the AABA to be on their under 18 team!"

Brittany let out a squeal of excitement before jumping in his arms to give him a full on body hug.

"Congratulations Ray-Ray." Brittany said as she released her best friend so his girlfriend could hug him.

"Thanks Ducky."

"Congrats baby."

"Thank you, Love." Ray replied softly as he held Quinn.

He knew that they still needed to talk but for the moment, everything in his world was perfect.