"What do you mean you're cancelling? I just finished writing my exam two days ago and you promised that we'd go out to celebrate. Do you have any idea how long it's been since I was on top of someone else?" Santana snaps at Quinn who sighed. "You swore to me that even after you and Rachel mated, you wouldn't just start abandoning me to fucking spend time with her."
"I know I did, and Rachel actually approves of our relationship," Quinn muttered under her breath. She had assumed that Rachel would be jealous but she was certain that Rachel enjoyed the face that she was secretly terrified of Santana. "I'm not blowing you off for Rachel."
"But you are blowing me off! What's so important that you—"
"Charlie needs help moving back to her place, it's been two weeks Santana. I mean I hoped that she stayed with them, I hoped that she and my parents could figure it out, figure out why she is the way she is, but after she got her first paycheck—she works at dad's office delivering mail—she just said that it was time to go home. She gave dad a quarter of her paycheck. It's the first installment, at least that's what she said." Quinn doesn't add that she had never seen her father so defeated before and it was heartbreaking.
Santana rolled her eyes, she was pretty sure she preferred it when Charlie hadn't been around, she seemed to be infecting every part of her life. "I see. How's the baby?"
"Are you attempting to be polite, or do you really want to know?" Quinn throws back.
"Former," Santana retorts.
"She's fine, Charlie took her in to the doctor. She was very specific about the whole thing, our pediatrician was a beta, and when mom said she was booking the appointment, Charlie absolutely refused to—"
"I did say the former didn't I? I don't want to hear about her dumb baby Quinn. Let's go back to ignoring that she exists," Santana interrupts.
"She's my twin, and I have an adorable little niece Santana, Charlie asked for my help and it's been years since she's asked me for help. I missed her, I missed her more than anything. You're my best friend Santana, but she's my twin, we used to be inseparable."
"Co-dependent, is the right word for it," Santana grumbled, before sighing. "Alright, if I help you'll be done quicker and we can go clubbing?"
"I'm mated, I'm not going to the club with you Santana. We're too old for that shit."
"You take that back!"
Quinn rolled her eyes, "Were you serious about helping, or were you just being nice?"
"I can supervise," Santana smirks and holds up her nails. "These just got done yesterday, it's probably the last time I'll ever be able to have a pedicure like this. So I'm not about to ruin it by carrying boxes."
"Of course," Quinn sighed, but an extra set of hands would probably be helpful. "Just don't argue with Rachel."
Santana scoffed, "When have I ever?"
"This morning?" Quinn blinked and rolled her eyes when Santana flashes her an amused smirk.
~ O ~
Rachel tilted her head ever so slightly as she watched both twins lifting up the crib to move it into Charlie's bedroom. They had already managed to pull out the mattress that Charlie slept on and moved it to the living room. Well this was certainly a dream come true for her and she opens her mouth to say something to Quinn when Santana elbows her hard in the ribs.
"Don't you dare ruin it," Santana hisses at Rachel, before flicking her eyes back to Charlie. Perhaps it hadn't registered with her the last time she had seen Charlie, but Charlie clearly worked out. The way her arms moved—Santana bites her lip. That was her mate. Perhaps, she had been a tad bit too harsh when it came to Charlie. Even if Charlie didn't wish to mate, that didn't mean that they couldn't have fun.
Quinn grunted as they placed the crib down in the middle of the bedroom, and narrowed her eyes at Charlie. "Will you knock it off!"
Charlie paused from where she was checking the crib to make sure that it was still fine, the movers hadn't exactly been gentle with all of the things, and she didn't want to put Harper into anything that was damaged. "Knock what off?" As far as she knew she hadn't done anything.
"Making me look bad in front of Rachel! She's practically drooling over you!" Quinn hissed, keeping her voice down.
Charlie blinked again and shook her head, "It's not my fault that you aren't visibly pleasing to your mate," she replies bluntly, before going back to checking the crib for any imperfections.
There was a moment of stunned silence from Quinn as she stares at her twin before she snorts, she should have seen that coming. "I missed you."
Charlie sighed and looked up at her sister, "I missed you too." She's quiet for a moment, "Rachel's been staring at the both of us, you should probably work out more so she doesn't need to look at anyone else."
Quinn rolled her eyes, she wasn't worried about Rachel looking, but it still felt weird that Rachel was staring at Charlie. "You know, you didn't have to leave right? You could have just stayed in the guest house. It would have made mom happy."
Charlie was quiet for a moment as she finished inspecting the crib. "Dad made it very clear to me when he kicked me out that it wasn't my home. I know I deserved it, and I'm not mad at him for doing it, but this is my home. I need to be a role model for my daughter, I don't want her to think that I don't work hard. She needs to be proud of me. What type of alpha would I be if I didn't provide for my daughter?"
"Except you would be providing for your daughter. She'd go to one of the best public schools in the city, she'd be surrounded by family, and she would be in a stable environment—"
"Harper isn't dad and mom's responsibility, she's mine," Charlie interrupts looking at Quinn. "I have to be her role model so she can see what an alpha is supposed to be like. I can't be that person if I'm relying on mom and dad to bail me out. I don't need them to bail me out. I've managed to survive without them."
Quinn narrowed her eyes, "It's not just about survival Charlie, I mean if you're going to insist on doing this by yourself then it's not just surviving. Harper needs to thrive, what if she's super intelligent like you? I mean the school district in the area is a disaster. You're not doing what's best for Harper, you're trying to prove to yourself and mom and dad that you don't need them, and that's not what is best for Harper."
Charlie clenched her fist, "What's best for Harper is unconditional love, and even if I don't know what the fuck that is, I'm going to give it to her. And I still have time, she's just a baby, if I work hard and I earn enough I can move us into a nicer neighborhood, with a better school. It might not be the best school in the city, but it'll be a safer school." She takes a deep breath trying to control the rage that was bubbling underneath the surface, Quinn was looking down on her just like their father did. "Thank you for your help, I think I can handle the rest on my own."
At this Quinn pauses for a moment, there were still plenty of things to arrange. "Don't be like that, look I'll just—"
"Get out."
Quinn shivered, she could feel the danger from here, and she shakes her head. And Santana thought that being feral was a good thing. "Whatever," she says with a shrug and turns and walks out the bedroom door. Charlie was being stubborn, and she knew she was right. Staying with their parents was the smart thing to do.
Charlie waits until Quinn is gone before she inhales deeply and exhales deeply trying to grapple with the rage that was bubbling up, and closes her eyes. But it needs a release, she needs a release and she turns around and slams her fist into the wall, punching through the drywall. She takes a step back and looks at the damage before a wave of guilt washes over her. This was Harper's room, and she had just left a hole in the wall. She immediately looks around for something to hide the damage when she turns around and spots Santana staring at her.
Santana studies Charlie for a moment before spotting a poster and grabbing it and moving towards the hole in the wall so she can hide it. "I noticed you had some GED books. Rachel's unpacking them, she's not sure where you want them."
"I—my father bought them for me, but I'm probably not going to do anything with them. It'll be a waste of time if I fail," Charlie answers closing her eyes and her cheeks flushing.
Santana hides the hole in the wall, and turns back to look at Charlie. "I've got some free time since I finished my last major exam. I don't mind stopping by and helping you get it done. Having it will open a few more doors for you job wise, and you'll be able to move up, maybe go to a trade school. I hear they can make good money," Santana offered.
"I can't mate with you."
"So you keep saying," Santana replies, not the slightest bit irritated this time. She had seen a glimpse of what lurked beneath and she'd never been as turned on. That was her mate, the violence didn't bother her, Charlie seemed to be in control.
Charlie narrows her eyes, "I can't mate with you Santana, and you made it clear last time that I wasn't the mate that you wanted. I don't disagree with that notion."
"I haven't changed my mind, I'm not interested in mating with you. Having sex with you on the other hand, assuming that your dick still works since you had your kid, I'd be down for a few rounds."
Charlie stared at Santana, not quite sure what to make of her. She knew better, "I already have my hands full with Harper, maybe when she's a bit older I'll get my GED." Charlie promises. "Thanks though."
Santana smirked at her poor foolish mate, "I understand, when do you finish work? Nevermind I'll just ask your dad."
Charlie blinked, "I don't—"
"I heard your little spat with Quinn, and I think it's nice what you're attempting to do. You're wrong though, it takes a village. I can help you study, so you can get a better job quicker and move out of this shitty apartment. It has holes in the wall Charlie."
Charlie glanced at the silly children's poster and then back at Santana and shook her head, a small smile gracing her features. "If you want to waste your time trying to tutor me, then fine."
At this Santana smirked, "Well from where I stand, you're already smarter than Quinn. It took her much longer to realize that I always get what I want Charlie. Now give me your phone, so I can put my number in it."
Charlie stares at Santana's outstretched hand and sighs, before doing exactly what she's told.
