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.

A/N: Thank you all for your reviews and support. They are much appreciated and the story continues.

Chapter 5

Santana

She drove home quickly not wanting to be away for too long. Parking in her drive noticing yet again that her mother wasn't home. Taking her bag she hurried inside and up to her room. She placed her bag on the bed and started retrieving items from her closet and dresser. She decided to take extra uniforms and clothing so that she could stay with Rachel for as long as the girl needed her. She went into the bathroom packing all the toiletries she would need for the week.

She then went to the down stairs bathroom and collected some supplies for her own first aid kit. Her mother being a doctor left them having a pretty extensive kit with better products in it. She decided to just take the whole thing with her and returned to her room. Having packed all that she thought she would need for about a week she grabbed her school bag again to retrieve her soiled uniform. When she took it out she noticed the blood on it and the bag of Rachel's things. She sat on the floor in a heap and started sobbing.

She couldn't believe what had happened. She couldn't believe that such a loving wonderful girl had fallen prey to this monster. But what was hardest for her to except was her part in it. If she hadn't help make the girl a social pariah because she couldn't handle her own feelings and had a ridiculous need to be on top this wouldn't have happened. As soon as she and Quinn were named co-captains she should have put a stop to the bullying. She didn't and now the one person that had ever stood up for her was hurt, and it was her fault. The girl she has started to really fall in love with and would do anything to have as her own has been traumatized in a way that all woman fear.

All she could do now was be strong for her and protect her with her life if need be, and try to make up to her all the horrible things she has had to go through. Getting up she took the uniform and bag of Rachel's clothes heading out of the room to throw them away. She stopped, looked down at them for a minute and changed her mind. She opened the bag put her uniform in it and went back to her closet. She found her old cheerios duffel and put the bag into it and pushed it into the back corner of her closet. She wasn't sure why she was keeping it but her gut told her to and she always tried to follow her gut. Closing the closet door she grabbed her things and left the house. She would go get their food and head back to Rachel's to do anything she needed her to in order to try and right the wrongs she had helped bring on her.

Puck and Rachel

They lay there for a while after Santana left. Puck just held her, his mind racing. He had a feeling as to why she wouldn't go to the hospital or the police. He wanted desperately to get her to tell him who but he promised to back off and he would do so, for now. "Rach?"

"Please Noah, don't ask, I can't" she pleaded

"No Rach, I wasn't. I wanted to talk to you about Quinn without Santana here." He assured her.

"Ok. San thinks I can trust her, but I don't see how. She hates me Noah. How can I possibly trust her with this? She will find a way to use it against me."

"Q is not so bad actually. She has a hard shell but it's not deep. Freshman year her sister was head Cheerio and a senior. She had to do what she was ordered to do. Her father is a hard man that has no tolerance. He would have severely punished her had she gone against her sister. He is extremely homophobic and knows who your fathers were. He never would have allowed her to befriend you or not do as ordered by Fran."

"Ok, I get that. If that is the case how can you think that she would help me now? Her father could find out. Even if she doesn't hate me she still doesn't like me. After everything with Finn, she barely tolerates being around me in Glee."

"She joined Glee to keep an eye on you with Finn. When she saw that he was the one pursuing you and not the other way around, she was pissed and broke up with him. She doesn't blame you for that anymore. She's just keeping up the social norm at this point. As far as her father is concerned, Quinn caught him cheating on her mother. When she went to tell her mom he back handed her and her mom saw, kicked him out and divorced his ass. He isn't around and her mother never shared his views. Quinn is a bitch in her own right but she is a woman and no woman would wish this on another. We can trust her and we need her social standing. She will help. If we don't tell her she will not understand what is going on. San is her best friend and Quinn will continually badger you and San and drive you crazy. I know you don't want that and it will draw more attention." He was pleading with her to understand. He and San could protect her but add Quinn into the mix and no one would go against them.

"Ok. If you're sure. I just don't want anyone else to find out, and none of you can ever let it be known that you know." She was starting to get teary eyed again so he just held on tight.

"Ok. I promise. I we will make sure that Quinn understand this."

They lay there for a while longer until the door bell rung. Puck gets up from the bed. "I'll get it. It's probably San. He went down stairs and opened the door to find Santana loaded down with bags and pizza boxes. "Here let me get some of that. Are you moving in?" he motioned toward the bags.

She drops the bags by the stairs and goes into the kitchen for drinks. "I just thought she might want someone around for a while and you know my mom will never know I'm not there. If Rach wants me to leave I will, but I am staying as long as she needs." She tells him while getting plates and glasses out of the cabinet.

He looks at her for a long moment then asks "Are you going to tell her?"

She looks up confused "That I'm staying? Of course why wouldn't I tell her? You're not making sense."

"No San. That you're in love with her."

"What!?"

"Don't deny it. I can see it in your eyes and in your reaction to all of this. You have liked her for a while. I see the way you look at her. So, are you going to tell her?"

"No, and you're not either or I will end you. There is no way she could feel the same about me with everything I have done to her. She really doesn't need this from me right now with everything going on. I will just be here for her through this and be her friend. That's what she needs right now. To feel protected and cared for."

"Ok San. I won't say anything." He agreed to not say anything for now. He would just have to keep an eye out and see what happened.

"Ok Puck, grab the pizzas and I will get the rest. Let's go make sure she eats something" With that they went up the stairs and to Rachel's room.

They enter the room and Rachel is once again sitting against the headboard staring into space. They all get situated on the bed with the food and start eating. Rachel is picking at the one piece she has on her plate not really wanting to eat but trying because she promised to.

Santana was eating her food contemplating on how to start the rest of the conversation they needed to have. "Rach?" Rachel looked up at her. "We need to talk about Quinn. It would be a really good idea to bring her into this for your protection."

Rachel put her half eaten pizza to the side. "I know. Noah and I spoke at length while you were retrieving your belongings from home. I have decided to let you talk to her if you are sure we can trust her. I really need this to not get out."

"Of course carino. We can trust her. I promise we will make her understand that we can't tell anyone."

Rachel looks into her eyes, searching for answers for a few moments. "Ok. If you're sure."

"Are you going to school tomorrow? If you don't want to we can skip and stay here."

"No. I need to go to school. I can't miss anymore. I need school and we have Glee tomorrow." She steadily became more agitated and was shaking as she finished speaking.

San scooted up to her and took her in her arms. "Hey, shhh Estrella. It's ok. It you want to go to school you can go. I was just making sure you were up to it. Shhh…" she rubbed a comforting hand over her back and hair. "It's ok carino, we will go to school and we will keep you safe. I promise." She held her until the shaking subsided. "Ok. Next thing. I'm staying here tonight. Do you want me to stay for longer? I can stay as until your fathers get home or as long as you need."

Rachel looked up at Puck asking with her eyes how much she should tell her. He nodded his support and permission. "My father's aren't coming back." San just looked shocked. "My daddy died the summer between 8th grade and freshman year. Noah's mother was his sister. They were both Goldstein's before marriage. They didn't really get along. My grandmother favored my daddy over her. When she died she left most of her money to him, Noah and I. Noah's and my money is hold up in trust. But my daddy's wasn't. She left Noah's mom money but not as much. When daddy died my dad couldn't handle it and left me with Noah's mom stating that it was daddy that wanted me and without him he couldn't raise me alone."

She paused and took a breath. "Noah's mom took this opportunity thinking that she would be able to get her hands on my daddy's money since it was left to me. So, she signed the papers and took over custody of me. The only problem with her plan was that daddy had set his will with the money going into the rest of my trust with a monthly stipend for my care. It also allowed for larger amounts to be withdrawn for things like a car when I get my license and unexpected expenses. When dad left he signed over the house into my name for me to do with what I wish when I turn 18 and put the majority of the money daddy left to him into my personal checking account. I haven't seen or heard from him since."

She wiped her eyes and continued. "This past summer after Noah's mom figured out she will never get to my daddy's money she sent me back here to live. She signs all my school stuff and is there if a medical need arises but that's it. So no my father's aren't coming back" she finished quietly and burrowed into San's neck. "You can stay as long as you like. I have one guest room set up for Noah. You can use one of the others if you wish. I don't want you to get in trouble with your mom though for staying too much though."

Santana scoffed at this. "No worries hermosa, she is never home and doesn't care what I do. I can stay as long as you need me. I even brought some of my stuff from home in case you said you wanted me to stay." The nuzzled her hair rubbing her back. "Do you want me to call Quinn have her come over and get this out of the way?"

Rachel shock her head. "No, can we do it tomorrow? I'm just so tired and want to take a shower and go to bed. Is that ok? Please I'm so tired."

San just tightened her hold. "Of course carino. I will talk to her tomorrow and have her come over after Glee practice." She nuzzled her again them pulled out of her arms. "Ok let's get you ready for a shower. I brought some first aid supplies from home and I have a protective cover we can put over your bandage so it doesn't get wet and I will redress it when you get out of the shower. Ok?" Rachel just nodded starting to get out of the bed.

Puck watched through their entire exchange interaction. Yep he thought he would have to keep an eye on the progress of this. He had never seen Rachel interact with anyone like this but him. "Ok. I will let you two get to that and I will go down and bring up San's things and put them in the room across the hall. It's the only other one with a bathroom attached. Ok?"

"Thank you Noah. That works. San can you come help me with my shirt and bandages?" she says looking back at the other girl.

"Of Course. Let me grab my first aid kit and I will be right in there." She said as she left to run down stairs to get the kit, and Puck went to grab San's bags.

When she came back Rachel was running water in the tub for a bath. "I thought I would take a bath instead. I ache all over."

"Sounds good carino." She said as she set the kit on the counter and started to rummage through it until she found what she was looking for. Bringing it over she helped take off Rachel's shirt and put the protective cover over the bandages. "There, now the wound won't get wet and we can re-doctor it when you get out."

Rachel looked over at the counter to the first aid kit which was more like a small suitcase then a first aid kit. "That is the largest first aid kit I have ever seen."

"Yea, my mom is a doctor so she always refused to take me to another one so we always have this stuff at home. I was a clumsy child. Do you want me to stay hermosa?"

"No San. I will be ok." She replied

"Ok then I will go to the guest room and take a quick shower myself. I will knock on the bathroom door when I get back."

"Ok. Thank you Santana." She looked at her with such large sincere eyes it made her heart skip. Santana squeezed her hand and left the room.

When she entered the guest room Puck was sitting on the bed with his head in his hands, his shoulders shaking. She walked over to him and gathered him into her arms. "It's just not fair San. She is so little and so sweet. She has been through so much. She didn't deserve this too. How could I let it happen San, how?" He just sobbed into her. She didn't know what to say. She felt the weight of it too.

As he calmed down she spoke. "There's nothing we can do about what happened but we can be there for her now. Protect her, keep her safe, and show the world she's ours. No one will touch her again." She said this with so much ferociousness that he had no doubt that that is what they would do.

"Yes we will" He scrubbed his face and stood.

San started to walk toward the bathroom. "I'm going to shower real quickly. Why don't you go in to Rachel's room so you can hear her if she calls out needing something? I will be back in there as quick as I can." He just nodded and left the room.

She showered and changed quickly and returned to Rachel's room to find Puck at the bathroom door. "Rach, are you ok? Do you need me to come in?"

From in the bathroom she calls back and you can hear her cries. "No Noah. I'm ok"

San knocks on the door. "Rachel, are you sure."

"San," she calls breathlessly "please, I need you"

Santana opens the door, flies through, closes it and rushes to Rachel's side taking her in her arms as best she can from the side of the tub. "Shh Estrella. I'm here."

Rachel is almost hyperventilating, "I can't… I need… my hair… can't get… clean… need it clean… hurts to… lift arm…" she's sobbing

"Shh, it's ok carino. I will wash it for you then we can get you to bed. Ok?" San soothed her rubbing her back.

Rachel's cries slow, "Ok." She says pulling out of San's arms.

Santana grabs the shampoo and lathers her hair. She grabs the cup on the side of the tub and rinses her hair. She lathers it again, cleaning it thoroughly hoping it will help, rinses it again and pulls the plug on the tub. She then gathers Rachel in her arms and lifts her bridal style, sets her down and wraps her in a towel. She dries her with another, wraps her hair in it when she's done and sets her down on the toilet seat. She removes the protector and bandages and inspects the wound. "It looks ok but it keeps reopening. I'm going to use some numbing gel then put some medical glue on it then re-bandage it."

She works quickly calling over her shoulder, "Puck! Get me some sweats and a t-shirt for Rachel!" As she is finishing the bandage there's a knock on the door. "Hold on Estrella," she says walking to the door. She opens it wide enough to get the cloths and asks him "Can you please get me a clean shirt and shorts from my bag? Thanks." Moving back over to Rachel she dresses her quickly but gently.

Going back to the door when Puck knocks again. She strips out of her wet cloths and redresses as fast as she can walks back Rachel picks her back up and goes to the door again. "Puck! Open the door." He does and she walks out carrying Rachel to the bed laying her in the middle climbing in and taking her back in her arms pulling the covers over them. "Ok carino. It's ok. Just rest now." Rachel burrows in.

Puck is standing at the foot of the bed. "Is she ok?"

San looks over at him motioning for him to get in on the other side. "Yes she just needs rest."

Puck goes into the bathroom picks up the towels and cleans up the bandage mess. Closes up the first aid kit putting it on the floor. He throws their clothes in the hamper with the towels and goes back to the bedroom. He turns on the lamp, turns off the overhead light and climbs in behind Rachel. She pulls his arm around her and buries her face in San neck and almost immediately falls asleep. The others follow shortly after. Tomorrow will be a long day.

A/N: Ok end of chapter 5. Extra super long chapter couldn't find a place I wanted to break it up for the next chapter so we got a really long one. Next chapter school and a look into Quinn.