Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Glee. I do not own the quotes taken from this episode, or any future episode, of Glee.
Spoilers: Spoilers for season 1.
Rating: M

Reply to reviews: (chapter 15)

cxe128: Thanks for the review! I'm glad you enjoyed it. The baby is ok, and that will be mentioned in a couple of chapters. Also, in chapter 19, Noah finally shows up, (there's a little bit of Quick), and from there, he will become a main character in this story. :)

chloe2007: Thank you for the review. I am having lots of fun writing Rachel & Quinn's protective sister/best friend relationship. Will and Emma come into the story in chapter 19, so just three more to go! Hope you enjoy this one. :)

Thanks to the others who reviewed. And welcome to my new followers bugsy17 (favoriter), converse1213, and MRSDARRENCRISS589.


Trigger Warning: Once again, – child abuse. It is a real part of my story. While this may not quite be child abuse, TW for an adult using his authority to manipulate children. Marked as the entire flashback.

Notes: This chapter did not go as planned. I was originally going to have several (3-5) flashbacks, but I decided not overwhelm you. So only the most important flashback (when it all started) is included. Future chapters will contain flashbacks as they become relevant to the story.

One last thing, please PAY ATTENTION to each part where it says "FLASHBACK" OR "END OF FLASHBACK" as this will help you understand the time of when/where the parts in bold and italic take place, and when they begin and end.

Happy 3-month Anniversary (to me)!

Here we go…


Rachel would love to say that she knows exactly what she is doing.

But as luck would have it, she is fairing just slightly better than the other occupants of this house.

She does know, however, exactly what her fathers are going to do as soon as they see them. That is why Jacob goes over to them, to stop them from coming closer.

If Quinn reacted the way she did with Jacob, who is only about 3 inches taller than the Diva, than she can only imagine what she might do about her Daddy, who has a basketball player's build, and is as tall as Britt at 5'7.

Rachel steps in front Quinn, the two flanked by Brittany and Santana, and she can just feel all of the questions that her fathers have for them, the light of the living room perfectly showing the bruises on Quinn's face, which look worse now than earlier, and the obviously swollen, split lip she has.

She does not address them directly, mostly speaking towards them, but facing Quinn, when she says,

"Dad, Daddy, I need you to listen carefully, okay? I am going to come over there, and I will hug each of you. But, I need you to, please, please, wait until my arms are touching your body, before you touch any part of me with your hands. Okay?"

A beat of silent passes.

Rachel expects them to object, but they must understand somehow, be it the look in Quinn's eyes, the tone of her voice, or the simple fact that they are adults, but either way, when she turns to them, they nod their understanding.

Rachel directly addresses Quinn at that moment, "LuLu, I am going to go over, and I am going to hug my dads, alright? I promise they are not going to hurt me, ok?"

Quinn's eyes flicker down to her, and she can tell in the way the blonde is standing that she is in complete "protective mode" but Rachel also needs her to understand that her fathers will not hurt her.

"Lucy," She whispers. "LuLu." She tries to get Quinn to look at her without any luck. "Quinn…"

Something about that name… Rachel does not know, but does not question it either. Quinn looks at her.

"I'm going to go over to my dads now, okay?"

She waits until Quinn is looking her in the eye and is nodding along with her, then she nods to Britt and San, who step closer, just in case, and finally…

Finally, Rachel goes over to her fathers. She hugs David first, and just as promised, he waits until her arms are around his neck before returning the embrace. She does the same with Josiah. Then, she whispers so only they and Jacob can hear,

"I am not sure what is going on with her. Something has happened, she is not speaking so no one knows what, but something has occurred that has made her extremely protective of me. She was not happy with Jacob trying to touch me earlier, and I do not want her to do anything to you two, in response to her seeing anything that might be perceived as harming me."

She steps back just a bit, "So please, whatever questions you might have about that, just… just don't ask, ok? And please, let me be the one that initiates touch contact with each of you."

Once again, they seem to understand. It is clear that something has happened, if the way Santana and Brittany are literally hovering around Quinn with their hands slightly raised as if they are doing so in case they need to hold her back, is anything to go by.

Rachel steps back to where the three girls are, and she runs a hand up and down Quinn's arm, trying to get her to relax a little bit.

No one speaks for several moments, but then David and Josiah's concern becomes too big to ignore.

"Alright, not that I don't mind you all being here," Josiah speaks up. "But, it is quite obvious that something has happened. And I think we need to hear it all. So, how about, – Dave, honey, will you go and make us some hot cocoa, – and then we will all get comfy and begin our conversation?"

There isn't any objection to this, so David goes to the kitchen, only stopping to take note of Brittany and Quinn both wanting "Rachel's" hot chocolate, or the vegan kind, with her and Josiah, while the rest get the "normal version".

10 minutes later, and it's ready. They all gather in the living room, pillows and blankets strewn around them, and new logs in the fireplace.


***Author's note*** Trigger Warning begins here. Please read with caution as I am going into much more detail than what Quinn originally gave Rachel****

"I think we should start with the most obvious," Josiah states. "The bruises on your face, Quinn, and your split lip…"

He then pauses as he remembers what Rachel had said a few minutes prior, and quickly, adds, "If you are comfortable speaking of it. You do not have to right away, but I don't want to give you false hope that you will not have to talk about it at all."

The way they are set up around the room is, David and Josiah on the couch with Jacob, while the girls are laying or sitting in the floor surrounded by pillows and blankets. Quinn is sitting next to Rachel, with Santana and Brittany in front of them.

Rachel looks at her, and can see just the tiniest bit of fear and hesitation in Quinn's eyes.

"You don't have to LuLu," She soothes. "We can wait on that part, right, Dad, Daddy?"

David goes to object, but Josiah sees what Rachel is seeing, years of this girl growing up in his house has allowed him to be able to read her, and so he gently places a hand on his husband's arm.

"Honey, why don't we just leave it for the time being? We do not want to frighten her any more than she already is." He says it quietly so only Dave can hear it, and he does understand so he nods his agreement.

However, as they turn towards Quinn and Rachel again, and Rachel is waiting for Quinn to nod her own understanding, she sees that, instead, the blonde still looks indecisive about something.

"Quinn? Did you hear Daddy? You don't have to tell right now, Angel, okay?"

She holds Rachel's gaze, trying to communicate something, and now, now that she knows everything, or most of it, at least, Rachel understands.

Rachel reaches up with her hand, slowly, and towards her face, brushing her fingertips across Quinn's bruised cheek.

She swallows roughly, her voice cracking when she whispers, "I am so sorry, baby. I am sorry that I was unable to see it before. But I promise you do not ever have to go back there. You are safe here now, ok? I promise, LuLu."

As she watches, Santana can see Josiah react to what Rachel is saying, specifically, at the beginning, when Rachel called her 'baby'. Even he knows that this situation has to be particularly bad for Rachel to call her that.

Angel and LuLu were always the normal nicknames between the two, just as Love is not a big deal from Rachel to Brittany. 'Baby' was the big one. It was the one that let the others know something major had happened and Angel just was not enough.

Santana watches as Josiah reacts by sitting up straighter, looking more intently at his daughter and her best friend. He looks… god he looks… scared?

Now Santana is really worried. More than earlier. Because it has to be worse, it has to be more than what she, Brittany, and Rachel know of, for an adult to look this worried.

Quinn does not reply to Rachel but Santana can see that the Diva's words have an impact on her, as the hesitation dissipates slightly, and gives way to the concern that seems to have become so permanent over the last several hours.

When Rachel goes to pull her hand back, it's snagged by Quinn, the blonde taking her usual hold of the Diva's wrist. Rachel adjusts so that her own fingertips are against Quinn's wrist.

Rachel guesses she is now tactile with touch, like Brittany is, as the dancer usually gets calmed best with a hug or Santana running her fingers though Britt's hair.

With Quinn, it used to be enough for Rachel to call her Angel, or just rub her back once or twice, while Rachel holding her face in her hands was reserved for the most serious of times. But now, now that whatever happened has happened, those things are not enough.

The whole Quinn holding her wrist is new, something that has been going on for the past several weeks but more significantly tonight, as Quinn seems to need to be in constant touch with Rachel.

Brittany shifts so that she laying down, with her head in Santana's lap, and the movement snaps the others out of their thoughts. Josiah nods towards Rachel and Quinn, letting them know that they will skip over Quinn telling about the earlier events at her house, at least for now.

So with that, Josiah and David, along with Rachel, look to Britt and San. The Latina sighs, her nerves quickening, before she nods and says,

"I guess we can start with Britt and I, and when we became… involved in things." She rests her hand on Britt's forehead, her fingertips running through the dancer's bangs, soothing the dancer's own nerves.

"So… it began in the summer before sixth grade…"


*Flashback:*

When: July 2006 – Quinn, Rachel, San, and Britt are 11 years old.
Where: Quinn's house.

"Hey, Q!" Santana calls out as she and Brittany climb out of her mom's car. The two were called over by Quinn, because her father has something he needs to… discuss… with the three girls.

"Hi, San," Quinn tries to be enthusiastic about seeing one of her best friends, but she just cannot bring herself to do it. Not after the past two weeks.

She was so excited when her other best friend, the one she has known since kindergarten, 11-year-old Rachel Berry, received a phone for her birthday back in December.

She did not want the self-proclaimed Diva to go off to her dance camp, because Rachel would be gone for three weeks, the longest the two girls have ever spent apart from each other.

But Rachel promised they could call each other each night, and every morning, and then Quinn promised she would be at Rachel's house, if she were unable to come with her dads, Josiah and David Berry, to pick her up.

Then, everything changed. Her father, Russell Fabray, told her things were going to be different.

Rachel has been back for three weeks, and Quinn has only seen her four times.

She has had to lie to Rachel, something she has never done in her life, in the nearly 6 years they've known each other.

She lied and said she was hanging out with Santana and Brittany.

"Q, you know, Rach has been saying that you are avoiding her," Santana tells her. Quinn frowns at that. "Are you, like, mad at her or something? Cause I don't think you have ever, well, not been spending time with her before."

The blonde stays quiet making Santana look at her more closely, scrutinizing her.

"Quinn? Are you ok?" She tilts her head. "You look… tired. Have you been doing movie marathons without us again?"

Brittany grins at this, as she remembers the last time the four girls had a movie marathon, last summer. They began at four in the afternoon and went until nearly six the following morning, and then were all exhausted later that day.

Quinn still does not react, or respond, and Brittany loses her smile, because now she has a funny feeling in her belly, and she can tell Santana is growing more and more concerned, and suddenly, she does not want to be here anymore.

"My Dad needs to speak to us." Leaving it at that, Quinn turns, opens the door, and walks inside the house.

Brittany and Santana share a look, before following her.

*End of flashback*


So far, Josiah and David have kept quiet, but now Josiah comments on what Santana has told them so far.

"I remember that," He simply says. "I wondered why you three… stopped coming around all of a sudden, especially you, Quinn."

Quinn keeps her gaze down on the blanket, and Rachel swallows roughly, because she knows about this, Quinn had told her about this, but god, hearing it in detail makes it all the more worse.

David clears his throat, and gently says, "Will you tell us what happened next, Santana?"

The Latina nods and begins the… story again.


*Flashback continued*

When: July 2006
Where: Quinn's house

The three girls go inside Quinn's house and make their way to the dining room. Russell is sitting there, and as they approach the table, Brittany feels a chill run through her.

It scares her so much because she has never felt anything like it, and she looks to Santana, to see if her best friend feels this… uneasiness, also. She is not disappointed, as San is standing straighter and seems to be more on alert than usual.

"Girls," Russell addresses in his deep voice. "Sit down."

Quinn immediately obeys; she knows what would happen if she hesitates for even one moment. She looks expectantly to Santana and Brittany, and they look back, with Santana raising an eyebrow at both Fabrays' strange behaviors.

"Santana, Brittany, sit down." He does not even say 'please' at the end, and usually, Santana would say something about that. Her mamí is always scolding her for her smart-mouth.

But something in his tone of voice, and that fucking scared look on her best friend's face, stops her. She wordlessly pulls out a seat, two down from Quinn, for Brittany, and then sits between the two blondes.

They all three look at Russell, and Santana reaches for Britt's hand under the table, to try and at least attempt to give the dancer some comfort.

She can see how uncomfortable Brittany is, and if things do not start going better, it may end with her in tears.

"Girls, I want you to know that things are going to be very differently around here." Russell tells them. "While I do feel sorry for that Berry girl," This part confuses the girls, or at least, Santana and Brittany.

They know that Quinn has known Rachel since kindergarten, while they met her in fourth grade, so why is Russell acting as if he does not know her name?

"What those men have done to that poor girl," He shakes his head, and Santana, little 11-year-old Santana, is struck by the amount of disgust, along with, what could be considered sympathy. "They are going to hell."

San and Britt are hit with the full-force of the words. San looks to Quinn, seeing that her best friend is near breaking point. She cannot even begin to imagine what it would be like to hear her parents – her own dad – talk that way about the girl she is so protective of.

"However," Russell continues, either oblivious or ignoring the inner turmoil the three preteens are going through. "I have decided that you three are no longer going to associate yourselves with that kind of people, with those sinners, or with that poor little girl."

It pisses Santana off more than it does confuse her. What the fuck is he talking about? He waited until Quinn was 11 years old, until it had been nearly 6 years since meeting Rachel, before he decides this?

And what does he mean, "you three"? As if he has any control over Santana or Brittany, or who they hang out with.

"You are to ignore Rachel Berry." Russell declares. "You are going to never speak to her in what would be considered a friendly manner ever again. You will break her, call her names, in the hallway, and make her hate you. You are going to make sure she knows she is not, nor will she ever, be good enough to be around you three."

"Do you understand me?"

Now, you see, any other child may protest just a little bit, but because Russell is the adult and they were the child, they would eventually agree.

However, Santana is not his daughter, nor is she just any plain olé' 11-year-old child.

She has that preteen attitude. She does not just listen without arguing first. She backtalks, and right now, right this very second, she feels anger.

She is so fucking pissed off.

Who the hell does he think he is, telling her and Brittany, who have no blood, or otherwise, relation to him, whatsoever, that they are not allowed to be friends with Rachel Berry.

So, instead of bending, and saying "yes, sir", Santana stands up. She takes Brittany's hand, making the dancer stand, as well.

She looks defiantly straight into Russell's eyes, and says…

"No. You are not the boss of us. We may have to listen to what you and Miss Judy says when we are here, but you do not get to tell us who we can or cannot be friends with. My parents, and Britt's parents, both say it is ok to be friends with Rachel, and so we are going to be friends with her."

She turns then, saying, "Come on, Britt-Britt; we'll call Mamí and have her pick us up."

However, before the two can even take a step away from the table, San hears Quinn let out of surprised yelp.

The next several seconds happen in a flash…

Santana is yanked away from Brittany, who yells out her name.

There is a very tight grip on her right arm, so much so, that she is sure it will bruise.

And there is a harsh hand holding her chin. Her eyes meet the blazing angry ones of Russell Fabray.

"Listen here, Santana Lopez," He hisses out, and her heart drops at the same time her stomach is filled with pure dread. "You may not live here, but you will listen to what I am saying. You will not be friends with that faggot spawn. You will bully her, call her names, ignore her, isolate her, and make her hate you."

He looks to Brittany, who is pale and on the verge of tears, and looks downright terrified, "I have a friend who can teach your precious little friend here, how to man up, and not be so fucking stupid. You wouldn't want that, now would you, Santana?"

Santana frantically shakes her head, now terrified for Brittany, more than she is for herself.

"Then you will do exactly as I say, or I swear to God, you will regret it with your very being. Do. You. Understand. Me?"

She nods frantically again, and…

Russell lets her go, storming out the room. She immediately ignores the pain of her arm and chin, reaching over for Britt, and she can hear, distantly, over the sound of her heart pounding in her ears, Quinn choking out apologies through her own tears.

Santana can't bring herself to be able to tell her… it is not her fault.

*End of flashback*


*Present time – Berry Residence*

Santana stops here, as she can barely choke out the words to detail what Russell did, and said, to her.

Josiah and David look positively livid.

Brittany is in tears, as is Quinn. Santana tries her best to calm her girl, and she can hear, over the sounds of her sobbing, Rachel whispering soothing words to the distraught girl in her own arms.

Jacob has walked out of the room.

They hear the front door slam, so hard that it almost rattles the whole house.

The rest of the stories are similar – the times Russell made them give a play-by-play of what they did or said to Rachel, how they had to begin slushying her in the eighth grade, how… god, how Quinn was "punished" that year because Britt and San refused to do what he wanted.

They give the cliffnotes version of everything he threatened them with, including how he has said, and even proved sometimes, that he had people watching them. And therefore would know if they did, or did not, do everything, exactly as he said.

San whispers out how they do not know if Russell actually had a "friend" who would teach Brittany how to "man up, and not be so fucking stupid", or if that was just an empty threat.

Thankfully, fortunately, they never angered him enough that he ever had to prove whether it was true or not.

They even tell Josiah and David what they have been doing for the past three months. About how it all started with the letter, Rachel left Quinn, on their anniversary, back in August, and, god, has that really been three months already.

Also…

Rachel whispers brokenly to her dads that… Quinn is pregnant. That her own goddamned father, found out, earlier tonight, and, has it really been… last night, already?

She says that Quinn has injuries, – the obvious bruised cheek, arm, and wrist, and the split lip, – but that her back is the worst. Her back…

Her back needs to be looked at, but not right now, not when Quinn can barely go 20 minutes without bursting into tears.

It's nearly 2:30 in the morning. They have been at this for over an hour, – nearly 90 whole minutes, – and they cannot believe it really only took that long.

Josiah and David decide they have all they need, all that needs to be said, told of, for now.

They decide to go to the kitchen, sending out a text to Jacob that they understand he may need a moment, and to use the spare key hidden on the porch, when he comes back, because they are going to lock the front door.

Josiah ushers his husband out of the room, leaving the girls to calm down, and to comfort each other.

They all just… need a minute.

Because, Goddamn it, he knows something had to of happened, but Josiah never thought his brother-in-law could be…

This much of an fucking asshole.


Bam! There it is! Rachel's fathers know, and… so it begins. Things have unraveled. Chapter 19 will be Monday, and when as requested, Will, Emma, and Sue are brought in and told of what has been going on. Rachel will also speak to Finn.

Also, in chapter 20 as requested by GLEE111, we are going to get a look inside Quinn's mind, get a feel for how she is doing, with the pregnancy, etc. Then, chapter 21 will explain what Josiah meant by "his brother-in-law".

Please review and let me know what you thought! :)