The next morning.
Brittany sighs tiredly jogging down the stairs after managing to leave the bed without waking Mason and walks into the kitchen to make them breakfast, she walks over to the fridge ignoring her mother sitting in the kitchen sipping on a hot cup of coffee and opens it rolling her eyes as she sees that the pancakes she bought to make breakfast missing again. ''Did you seriously eat our shit again?''
''You mean my shit?'' Her mother asks annoyed. ''I paid for that.''
''You what?'' Brittany asks scoffing. ''You don't pay for shit here so don't act like the best mother of the year now, all you do is eat away the food that is meant to get your son fed!''
''Watch your tone young lady!'' Susan warns glaring at her daughters back. ''Without me the both of you would have no roof over your head and no food in the fridge!''
Brittany turns on her heels slamming the refrigerator closed and snickers. ''Do you seriously believe the shit leaving your mouth?'' She asks glaring. ''Without you the both of us would be definitely better of, the only thing you do is pay the house yes god knows from what money but all the food is paid from the money I make doing random shit to make sure he is taken care of!''
''Britty?''
She shoots her mother a glare as Mason's tired little voice breaks through the tension and turns to the entrance forcing a small smile as he walks into the kitchen tiredly rubbing his eyes. ''Hey bud, you are up early.'' She comments softly as she crouches down the second he walks over to her completely ignoring their mom.
''The bed got cold without you.'' Mason murmurs tiredly as he allows himself to fall into his sisters arms, he nuzzles his face in her neck as she hugs him close and yawns. ''Can we go to sleep again?'' He asks cutely.
Brittany shakes her head and chuckles softly. ''Nah we are both awake now Maze.'' She murmurs kissing the side of his head. ''And you still have homework to finish before tomorrow.''
''Good morning baby boy.'' Susan Pierce mutters shooting a glare to the little boy contently cuddled in her eldest arms, Brittany rubs Mason's back as he tenses and shoots her mother a glare while slowly shaking her head.
''Go back upstairs and start on your new Lego set Maze.'' She tells him softly. ''I will be up soon to put the stickers on the shuttle okay?'' She taps his nose as he pulls back frowning and winks. ''Please go play.''
''Didn't I teach you manners Mason Hunter Pierce?!'' Susan exclaims as she stands up quickly the second she watches him trying to walk out of the kitchen.
Brittany quickly walks after Mason gently pushing him out of the kitchen and shoots him a reassuring smile as he turns to her in worry, she turns on her heels as he understands her silent order to just go up and glares at their mother. ''Don't fucking talk to him like that!'' She warns as she hears the door leading to her room slam closed. ''You taught him nothing and you are barely here, he doesn't have to do any of the shit you tell him to do!''
''I am his mother!''
Brittany shakes her head and scoffs. ''Yeah you deserve a fucking mother of the year award, always out fucking god knows how many STD infected dudes and definitely not up to date on what is going on in his life!''
''I know everything, the school always fucking calls whenever he acts out!''
Brittany shakes her head and laughs humorlessly. ''You might want to answer one of those calls for once, you will hear nothing but the teachers praising him!'' She tells her with an eye roll. ''He never acted out and is the cutest and best mannered kid in his class!''
She locks eyes with her while leaning against the wall beside the entrance and smirks. ''And you know everything huh?'' She scoffs as she nods her head and crosses her arms in front of her chest. ''So you know how disappointing he was the second he found out you didn't sign the acceptation letter so he could go to the zoo with his class?''
''Why should I allow him going to the damn zoo? That shit costs money and we don't have that! He can play with his class at school, he doesn't need the damn zoo for a bit of fun.''
''The zoo was a part of his lesson!'' Brittany tells her with a glare. ''To learn more about different animals and to find out how they live and act in groups, to observe them in their habitat and ace the small test given to them afterwards!'' She walks to the table and slams her hands on the table while glaring at her. ''They didn't ask for any fucking money just for the kid to be present and to have a bit of fun, if you took the damn time to read that fucking letter you would know!''
''Watch your fucking tone Brittany Susan Pierce!'' Susan screams as she jumps up also slamming her hands on the table, she growls as she doesn't back down which she did when she was little and grabs the collar of her shirt in her fist pulling her closer. ''I am still your mother and I will not allow you to talk to me in that way!''
''What a fucking mother you are!'' Brittany spits out glaring fiercely. ''I never cared what shit you pulled off with me but now you are doing the exact same shit with him!'' She yells while pointing at the exit of the kitchen. ''He doesn't deserve that, he deserves a loving household and not your god damn presence in his life!''
Slap
She suppresses a gasp as her face turns to right after a slap from her mother and glares at her ignoring the sting of her rapidly reddening cheek.
''Britty!''
''Mason no!'' Brittany yells quickly hearing her brother's yell before she can react, she pushes her mother away quickly turning on her heels and catches him as he sprints into the kitchen jumping right into her arms. ''Go back upstairs please.'' She pleads softly.
''No!'' Mason yells cupping her cheeks tears filling his blue eyes.
''Mason come here!'' Susan orders while holding out her hand still glaring. ''Now!''
''Go upstairs Maze.'' Brittany whispers softly as she feels him shiver in her arms.
''I said now!'' Susan yells trying to grab him, Brittany quickly grabs her wrist before she can touch Mason and shoots her a hard glare.
''Don't touch him.'' She warns darkly eyes flashing, she places Mason down blocking his little body with her own and locks eyes with him. ''Please go upstairs.'' Shaking her head as he opens his mouth to object once again. ''Please Maze.'' She pleads.
She watches him turn on his heels running out of the kitchen once again and shoots their mother a glare. ''You can't win the talk so you try it with a physical touch?'' She asks scoffing. ''You are nothing but a god damn curse in our lives, next time you leave do us a favor and leave for good!''
She turns on her heels ignoring her mother scream for her and jogs up the stairs to calm her little brother down knowing he is scared shitless, she walks into her room closing and locking the door behind her and walks over to the bed as she notices Mason hiding under the safety of her blanket.
She slowly pulls it back sitting beside his shuddering body and gently places her hand on his back feeling him tremble beneath her touch. ''It's okay Maze, come here.'' She whispers soothingly, she falls on her back as he turns around in a flash throwing his little body in her lap and wraps him up in a hug closing her eyes as he buries himself in her arms sobs wracking through his little body. ''It's okay sweetie.'' She whispers softly. ''You are safe.'' She continues as she hears the front door slam shut knowing their mom left once again to go god knows where.
''S-she hit you!'' Mason cries out tightening his hold around his sisters shoulders. ''She is mean! I don't want her as my mommy! Why can't you be my mommy?!''
Brittany squeezes her eyes shut her heart breaking as she hears the sadness clear in his small voice and kisses the top of his head. ''Because I am your sister sweetheart.'' She murmurs as she gently runs her hand up his back. ''I can understand why you are feeling like this but we can't change it for now, it won't always be like this though and I will promise you that.''
She gently cups his cheek pulling his head up so she can gaze into his tear filled blue orbs and leans their foreheads together. ''I am fine Maze nothing bad happened okay? Please try to think of good things and not about the things you heard.''
''B-but she hurt you.'' Mason breaths out his bottom lip quivering, Brittany shakes her head and forces a reassuring smile.
''She didn't, it didn't hurt at all.'' She mutters the lie easily slipping past her lips. ''I will take everything she does without a protest if that means that you are safe Maze.''
''Why is she so mean?'' He asks sadly, Brittany sighs softly pulling him close as she sees tears streaming down his cheeks and runs her hand through his hair.
''I sadly can't answer that Maze but as long as I am around she will never be mean to you okay?'' She whispers kissing the top of his head. ''She is gone now and I don't think she will be back any time soon.''
She glances at the time grabbing her phone as she sees that it's almost time for the group to meet up at the park and opens Puck's contact to message him, she types out a message mind set on making sure Mason will be safe and glances down at the little boy cuddled into her chest.
To Noah: Hey I know you guys will meet up at the park soon, Maze needs a bit of distraction and I need a moment for me. Can you take him with you?
From Noah: On my way, you need to talk?
To Noah: No just take him please, I will be fine.
She drops her phone and runs her hand through Mason's hair. ''The group wants to take you to the park, do you want to go with them?''
Mason slowly pushes himself up and looks at her. ''With you?'' He asks softly, Brittany shakes her head and sighs.
''I need to do something for school real quick, Puck will pick you up and I will come to the park right after okay?''
''Promise?'' He asks softly voice unsure, Brittany nods her head knowing he is scared to lose her and kisses his forehead.
''I promise.'' She slowly sits up and taps his back softly. ''Go get ready, Puck will be here soon.'' She hands him the key to his room and watches him slowly walk out of her room looking down the hallway to make sure she is gone, she grabs her phone once again and quickly snaps a picture of her face for future evidence.
She opens her contacts once again and taps Santana's name quickly deciding to message her before she chickens out once again.
To Santana: Hey did Puck pick you up already?
She stands up as she sees her coming online almost immediately and quickly changes into a pair of comfy sweatpants and a tank top, she looks down at her phone as it buzzes and bites her lip.
From Santana: Hey no not yet, why?
To Santana: Would you mind ditching them and meeting me at the pond behind your house?
From Santana: Nope will write them to go without me, what time do you want to meet up?
To Santana: In ten minutes? Puck will pick Mason up in a few, will drive off right after.
From Santana: Ten minutes is fine, is everything okay?
To Santana: Will tell you then, see you in a few.
She exits the chat locking her phone and walks out of her room, she smiles as Mason walks out in the exact same moment and nods her head as she sees him wearing a pair of shorts and his favorite shirt with a couple of monkeys.
She holds out her hand squeezing his softly as soon as she feels his hand slip into her own and leads him down the stairs, she looks out of the window smiling as she sees Puck's car pull up right in that second and turns to look at Mason. ''Puck just arrived.''
''Can we play hide and seek later?'' Mason asks looking up at her, she nods her head as she opens the front door and grabs his jacket helping him put it on.
''We can.'' She promises softly as she leads him out of the house after grabbing her keys, she leads him to Puck's car opening the back and helps him in.
''What happened?'' Puck asks softly noticing the red mark on his best friends face noticing his other friends also look at Brittany in concern.
''Will explain later.'' Brittany tells them shooting the girls a reassuring smile, she pulls back after kissing Mason's head and sighs. ''Listen to Noah and Cedes okay?'' She mutters knowing her best friends will keep an eye on her little brother, she steps back and turns to her friends. ''I have some stuff to do but I will come to the park later on, I promised Maze a round of hide and seek so prepare yourself.'' She runs a hand through her hair as they all nod their heads still looking at her in concern and shoots them a forced smile. ''I will be fine, I promise.'' She nods her head to Mason and sighs. ''Keep an eye on him please, see you later.''
''See you later B.'' Mercedes tells her still concerned about her best friends well being after seeing the mark on her face and the dried tear tracks on Mason's cheeks.
Brittany nods her head closing the door and watches Puck drive off waving back as Mason turns in his seat to wave, she unlocks her own car as Puck's car turns around the corner and slides in to drive to the small park with a duck pond near Santana's house.
Ten minutes later
After parking her car in one of the empty parking lots Brittany jumps out of the car and walks to the entrance of the park smiling as she sees Santana already waiting for her. ''Hey you.'' She calls out as she walks up to her smiling as Santana looks up from her phone with a bright smile which quickly changes into a worried frown knowing her appearance doesn't look good at all.
''Brittany!'' Santana gasps quickly walking over to her. ''What happened?''
Brittany shrugs nodding her head towards the pond and sighs. ''Let's go for a walk.''