QUINN AND RUSSELL.
Quinn thrashed wildy as she screamed. Russell had a fist full of her hair. He was dragging her through the halls as everyone else were locked in their rooms, pounding on their doors begging him to stop, once again.
The blonde cried out in pain as he dragged her down the stairs, her body hitting each step as she went, heading straight for the cellar.
Quinn knew when she got home what was coming because she'd be blamed for it, anyway. She was suppose to be having dinner with her boyfriend and his family but never made it.
When Mr. McIntosh called Russell to inquire if Quinn was still available to come. Russell said he'd call and ask her. Russell called Quinn's phone seething in anger but the blonde never answered.
Sue had demanded more that evening. She didn't let the girls go until almost 6 pm because she shouted they were sloppy and the routine was garbage.
Quinn not only was sore from hours of training but she hadn't eaten pretty much anything all day. So when Russell attacked, she had no real energy to protect herself in the only way she could, blocking.
She also puked all over her self when he punched her in the gut and when a little got on him, he went ballistic. Quinn's eyes widened in fear when she realized where exactly he was taking her. The blonde felt her chest tighten an her breathing became even more erratic, as she pleaded for mercy.
"NO! NO! PLEASE?! NO!" She screamed and sobbed.
There in the center of the cold empty cellar was a tall rectangular box with holes drilled in it for breathing, laid on it's back on the floor. It was Quinn's worst nightmare. She hated the dark and was now claustrophobic because of the damn thing.
Russell lifted her into the air and slammed her into it causing the air to leave her lungs as she gasp from the impact. He slammed the door shut pulling the latch over and locked it with a bolt lock.
Quinn began screaming again and banging against it's door. Russell stood up and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"That will teach you to make a fool out of me, again." He said and walked away leaving the cellar while shutting the door and locking it as he went.
The rest of the house was silent, no one on the second floor could hear Quinn anymore. They all knew where she was. Sam had put on his head phones to drown out the silence as he cried.
Judy was on the floor against the wall a sobbing mess. Charlie was angry and in tears. She knew he was downstairs drinking himself into a stupor. She got dressed and as silently as she could began climbing out of her window.
BERRY-CORCORAN RESIDENT'S..
Skyler was having an amazing dream about a blue eyed blonde (Charlie) when she was slowly being dragged from her dream by tapping against her window. The brunette sat up groggily and turned on her bedside lamp.
Her head whipped towards the window when she heard the tapping again and her eyes widened in shock. She thought for a moment that she was dreaming. There at the ledge of her closed window was Charlie. The brunette threw the covers off her legs immediately and rushed to the window.
It was 50 degrees outside and almost midnight. The brunette unlock the window immediately.
"Jesus! Charlie, what are you doing out here?! it's freezing!." The brunette whispered harshly in concern as she helped the blonde through the window as fast as she could.
Skyler just finished locking and closing the window behind the blonde and turned as she was about to speak. She stopped short at the tear stained face of Charlie. The blonde was trembling. Her eyes were filled somehow with sorrow and anger.
"Charlie, sweetie what's wron-" Before Skyler could finish Charlie slid her arms around the brunettes waist, pulling Skyler to her and burying her face in Skyler's neck.
She began to sob quietly as she shook with emotion. Skyler's eyes widened in shock and concern. She wrapped her arms around the taller girls neck and began rubbing her hand back and forth across the girls shoulder blades and back the best she could.
Shushing her like a baby. She began to whisper in the blondes ear, doing her best to console her. "It's ok. Your ok. You don't have to say anything. I'm here.. I'll always be here for you, when ever you need me for how ever long you need me..." Skyler spoke with such warmth and truth in her tone, that Charlie shook even more in tears from relief and consolement at those words.
In the back of her mind she knew, she and her siblings would never be safe from him but hearing Skyler tell her that she was there for her. That she would always be there, made her wish for it to always be that way.
After a few minutes they pulled apart. "Come on, let's clean you up and get you ready for bed." Skyler whispered as she cupped the blondes cheeks using her thumbs to wipe away the tears.
Her heart hurt just seeing the blonde so upset but she knew from experience of dealing with Rachel. You should never push someone to tell you what was the problem.
You might end any chance of them coming to you again or in this case, Charlie coming to her house for whatever reason, ever again.
She'd rather have her there where she knew the blonde was safe and sound than out wandering the streets in the dead of night.
So, for now she'd wait Charlie out. Hopefully, she'll feel safe enough to tell her one day.
Charlie nodded but didn't speak. Skyler took her by the hand and escorted her to the en-suite bathroom. The brunette started the shower than handed Charlie a towel.
"Take a shower. It'll help, when your done just come to bed, ok?" Skyler spoke sweetly.
Charlie's eyes watered again. She couldn't believe she had found such a good person to call her friend. She nodded silently and Skyler hugged her once more before exiting the bathroom. Skyler shut the door and sighed deeply. She wanted to know but kept her mouth shut than climbed into bed.
Charlie had just finished her shower and stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. Her eyes were swollen and red from crying so much. She felt torn between wanting to confide in Skyler and terrified of what would happened if she did.
Her thoughts raced with the possibilities of putting her siblings and mother at risk by telling but at the same time she was tired of pretending that it wasn't happening. That it didn't exist.
She wanted freedom for them all. She wanted her father gone and a small part of her secretly dreamed of one day possibly killing him literally herself. Everyday that dark thought grows.
She even pictures and plans it out in her head. How'd she do it. Where she'd dump his body and how happy she'd be in prison for the rest of her life, knowing he could never hurt them again.
Sometimes she scares herself with how much that thought has manifested in so many ways and wonders if he managed to actually help in creating the psychopath she thinks she is for wanting to kill her own father in the first place.
Than she thinks how much it would hurt her mother and siblings if she ever followed through with the thought. Not because they'd be sad he was dead but because she'd rot the rest of her life away behind bars.
She clenched her eyes shut and shook her head of the thoughts whirling uncontrollably. She took a deep breath and exited the bathroom shutting off the light. The blondes eyes took in Skyler's form on the bed, facing away from her. Her eyes softened at the sight of her.
Charlie stepped forward and climbed as softly as she could on to the bed without waking the brunette. Charlie faced away from the Skyler, they were back to back.
Charlie shut her eyes and the image of her father beating an exhausted Quinn flashed in her minds eyes and she had to bite her lip to stop the sob from clawing out her throat.
She could not however stop her trembling form. Skyler was still awake and rolled over immediately gently grasping the blondes arm to silently turn her over.
Charlie made eye contact for a second before allowing the brunette to pull her into her chest and lay the blondes head just below her chin. Rocking her a little as Charlie cried silently. Crying herself to sleep.
FABRAY MANOR..
Rachel stood outside the Fabray home staring up at the mass structure silently. The blonde head cheerio usually would have been down to walk with the brunette but that was over an hour ago.
Rachel waited the allotted time she would sit at the river. The blonde never came. The brunette turned on her heel and began to walk back the way she came. All the while wondering if maybe the blonde got such a beating she couldn't move.
That thought halted the brunette in her steps. She turned back around and stared at the manor from her distance, she took a step towards it than stopped. She shook her head at herself. "Caring only gets you hurt, Rachel.. You know that." The brunette reminded herself. Than turned back around and continued her trek home.
MCKINELY HIGH, THE NEXT MORNING...
It was the next morning and Skyler was rushing to get to the school. She rushed through the doors and scoured the halls until she reached the locker she was looking for and her thudding heart slowed as relief washed over her. There looking as if nothing happened was Charlie. The brunette rushed over.
"Hey! What happened to you this morning? I woke up and you were gone." Skyler said with concern. Charlie licked her lips looking back and forth making sure no one was too near to hear them.
"Nothing happened. You were sleeping and I went home. I didn't want to wake you." Charlie said sincerely.
"Well, are you going to tell me what happen? I mean, it was almost midnight."
"Shh.." Charlie looked around nervously and lowered her voice. "It's not a big deal. I-"
"Not a big deal?! You were crying, for goodness sake!" Skyler whispered harshly.
"Will you calm down. As you can see I'm fine." Charlie shot back irritably.
"Your fine? Your fine! Are you kidding me, right now?!" Skyler whispered in indignation before jumping when Charlie slammed her locker in anger and fire stormed in her eyes before she looked at Skyler and the fear in the brunettes eyes swirling with her concern doused the flames stowing in the pit of Charlie's stomach. The blonde sighed and her eyes softened.
"Look.. I'm sorry but.. I don't want to talk about it. I came to you because I needed my best friend. I feel better now thanks to you. I.. I have to go. I'm sorry." Charlie said before turning on her heel and leaving a sad Skyler to watch her go.
THE TRIPLETS IN THE CHOIR ROOM, SAME DAY.
Charlie had text Sam and Quinn to meet her in the choir room immediately after her conversation with Skyler. The blondes heart melted at the concern but the fear of the wrath of her father murdered the warmth.
She made a stupid mistake blindly running to the only person she felt safe with. This was not good. Now the triplets locked themselves in the choir room to have a private meeting about the matter.
"So, do you think she knows?" Sam asked in worry.
"No." Quinn spoke up before Charlie could.
"How do you know?" Charlie ask in worry.
"What if she does and she tells. We'd be so screwed. Russell will kill us!" Sam said as he became nervous of what would happen if the police were involved.
"Oh god! I'm so sorry! I-I just wanted to get away. Just hearing everything was so-"
"Don't apologize for wanting to get away, char." Quinn replied calmly. She walked up to her little sister and pulled her into a hug. Charlie began to cry on her shoulder and Sam and Quinn were right behind in her with silent tears of understanding.
"A-Are you made at me? She might tell." Charlie ask.
"No. I'm not. Look, if going to Skyler for help at whatever time of the day you need her helps you deal with our fucked up life, than go.. Go and find safety the only way you can. You too, Sammy. I don't want you guys to have to listen to what happens to me, the same way I hate hearing what happens to you and I can't do anything about it. If I had someone to sneak off to in the night, I would but I don't. You do.. so go and don't feel guilty for it. I would feel so much better knowing that your not stuck in your rooms all night scared that he's going to come in or you not being able to sleep because you can hear me. If Skyler wants to be there for you Char than let her. Lord knows we don't have anyone else and hey.. Maybe she's that big thing you knew was coming and she's here to help save you.. Maybe even save you both." Quinn said wistfully emotional.
Charlie and Sam looked at their older sister with so much love and respect with a sorrow filled heart that she didn't have anyone to run to.
"Do.. Do you think she'd let me come?" Sam ask hesitantly. " I really can't sleep even after he's done with which ever one of you or mom. It's hard because I feel really angry and I-I ca-can't stop him from hurting you.." Sam said as his voice broke.
Quinn and Charlie engulfed him in a hug. The 3 triplets stood like that. Holding each other until the bell rung. The triplets exit the choir room and headed for their respected classes.
Just as the halls were thinning Quinn heard her name being called and turned in the direction she heard it coming from. Her eyes widened a fraction in surprise, it was Skyler.
"Hey." Skyler said a little hesitantly.
"Hey." Quinn replied. The two stood there in a moment of silence before Quinn raised her eyebrow in question.
"Sorry I just.. Look, I know that you and I don't know each other very well and we only communicate during practice but I just wanted to thank you."
"Excuse me?" Quinn asked in confusion.
"My mom told me what happened with you and my sister." Skyler spoke lowly as to not be heard by the few stragglers of students headed to their classes. Quinn's eyes softened at the memory.
"She told me you were taking over as Rachel's tutor. I just wanted you to know that it really means a lot to us that she has some one whose willing to be patient with her and actually mean it when they say they want to help her. So, thank you." Skyler finished sincerely.
"You don't have to thank me but your welcome and I guess I should be thanking you as well." Quinn replied.
"I didn't-"
"Do anything? Yes, you did. My brother and sister are a lot happier now that they're friends with you and you may not know it but.. Your their saving grace. So.. Thank you. Though, your right. You and I aren't acquainted. I still would like you to know that I appreciate your kindness and friendship toward my siblings." Quinn finished cordially but still full of sincerity.
"Your welcome.." Skyler bit her lip nervously for a moment before braving the question burning on the tip of her tongue. "I.. I know it's not my place but is something going on with Charlie? The other night she-"
"Understand this, Skyler. When I say your their saving grace I mean your their safety. I can't tell you anything right now but please.. If she knocks.. Be there to answer.. Even for the both of them if you can.." Quinn spoke sadly.
She turned on her heel and began making her way to her class. She knew what she said could be interpreted in so many ways and hopefully that statement won't come back to bite her in the ass but if that statement helped Skyler see a little clearer that her siblings needed the brunette, than she won't ever regret it. Even if it puts she, herself in danger.
BERRY-CORCORAN HOME, SAME DAY..
Shelby and Judy sat at the kitchen table talking. Shelby was currently speaking of her job at Carmel high and the obnoxious up their own ass snot nose teens who thought the sun and moon rised and set on their asses.
"So, I told him I didn't care who the hell his father was, he could get my shoe up his ass, too!" Shelby recounted to a giggling Judy.
"My goodness, what did he say?" Judy asked eyes dancing in anticipated glee.
"He huffed like a girl and said he was going to the principal with it. I told him go ahead and I let him. Needless to say, I received my apology and he hasn't been a bother so far but I have my eye on him."
"Wow.. Some kids are just.. ugh." Judy replied shaking her head in disbelief.
"Yeah well, at least you don't have to worry about that. I gotta admit, your kids are something else. I've never met any as respectful as yours. Even Skyler has her moments." Shelby spoke with warmth. Although it was short lived as she noticed Judy's posture tense a little and the shine to her eyes dimmed. Her smile went from genuine to forced.
"Thank you.." Judy murmured. Judy felt her heart drop to her stomach at the reminder that her children were not like ordinary kids, who occasionally gave you snark.
No, her children were as obedient as a well trained dog or as robotic as any robot thanks to Russell's 'Training'. As was she. When Shelby had called her the day prior as she was doing laundry, Judy had got on her knees thanking god in tears that the call didn't come when her husband was home, for she feared the worse than what her imagination could create.
Russell was still out of the loop about Quinn's arrest. Especially, since it was a first time offense. Shelby hadn't contacted her since. So, it was a surprise that she did.
The sad pathetic house wife in her, thought Shelby just didn't care to get reacquainted and Judy, though it hurt, thought that maybe it was for the best because her husband would never approve and if he knew he'd most likely almost kill her and quite possibly kill Quinn.
Judy had to make sure she set up the little coffee date when she knew her husband would leave on a busy trip, so there was no possible way he'd be around. She also had to try and get Shelby to agree to somewhere private where no church members or Russell's colleague's or their wives might notice her.
So, when Shelby said Judy could pick where they got coffee. Judy ask if it wasn't to much to ask, she'd love to see how well Shelby had done for herself. She also would like to hang out just the two of them and a coffee shop or restaurant would be too loud.
Shelby readily agreed and Judy felt relief wash over her. When she first entered Shelby's house it felt completely warm and inviting. She felt the oppression drop from her shoulders and left out the front door as if an invisible spell had forbade it from entering with her.
She felt like she could breath for the first time in a long time. When the two embraced in a familiar sisterly hug as if time and absence hadn't passed. Judy was over come with tears. As was Shelby.
As they sat at the table again it felt like no time had passed at all between them. They were teenagers again and their hilarious banter was still strong. She couldn't tell you how much Shelby Corcoran meant to her.
Though they weren't blood related by any means. Judy couldn't express to you how much it meant to the person whose hidden within her, who has been lost without this woman before her. She felt so at peace to have her sister back, even if it meant in secret..
"Are you alright?" Shelby ask as Judy fell silent. The blonde had gotten a far away look on her face after Shelby spoke of Judy's children. Shelby isn't stupid. In fact, she's 99.9% astute when it comes to people and things amiss but unseen to the naked eye.
Shelby is also very talented at acting. So, though her heart is telling her that something is wrong. Her gut is telling her not to push just yet.
When Judy first arrived outside her home. Shelby had stepped out to meet her when Judy pulled into the drive way. As Judy exited her car than approached, there was a nervousness in her walk.
She also kept her head bowed and crossed her arms in a protective manner. She walked a little too quickly to get to the house though that could be do to the weather however again Shelby's gut told her other wise.
When Judy finally stepped into the house and Shelby helped to take her coat. She could see relief begin to radiate off of Judy as she began to relax. When they hugged it was a very emotional moment.
Yes, they had gone to lunch that first day of running into each other. Shelby noticed that though Judy had been goofing around along with her, the older blonde would glance around and seem as if she was watching to see if she was being watched.
It was all very odd behavior and she was also a little tense. She may have looked relaxed to people who thought they knew her but Shelby knew Judy like the back of her hand when they were teens and she's confident enough to say that she still knows her friend now.
Judy was definitely not completely relaxed. There was a hidden paranoia in her friends eyes. She didn't say anything about it because she wants to wait it out but between Judy's behavior as well as her children? Yeah, There's definitely SOMETHING amiss. Shelby placed a gentle hand on Judy shoulder and the woman jumped in a freight.
"Oh! Oh my goodness." Judy spoke with a hand over her chest, breathing deeply as she blinked several times. Shelby watched her taking in her body language.
"I ask if you were alright but you didn't answer." Shelby spoke acting as if she wasn't scrutinizing her friends every move.
"Oh I-I'm sorry. Forgive me. Sometimes I get so lost in my thoughts, I forget where I am." Judy said a little breathlessly full of nerves.
"Right. I completely understand.. Sometimes it happens to me... So. Tell me what do you do?" Shelby ask genuinely.
"Oh uh.. Well.. I don't really do anything per se.. I'm a house wife. I cook, clean, make sure the laundry's taken care of, I'm part of the church committee and the PTA at the high school.. Oh and I also garden and sew as well as nit-" As Judy spoke about what she actually does in a day.
Shelby couldn't help the ache growing in her heart. All Judy was listing were things that were done to make sure everyone else was happy. Though, the gardening she knew Judy actually loved doing because she had learned it from her grandma. Everything was all the things Shelby remembered Judy saying as a teenager, she didn't want to be.
Judy would go on and on about how much she hated the way her family cared more about their status than actually being a family. She hated how her mother was nothing but a house wife that lived at the bottom of a bottle every night, knowing her husband had 2 mistresses on the side.
Judy only knew because she had come downstairs for a glass of water once and heard her mother telling him to keep his mistresses were they belong, in a hotel room. Not in their home.
Judy never wanted to become her mother or her parents as a whole, period. She had big dreams. She just like Shelby, wanted to be on Broadway because though no one really knew this about Judy but again Just like Shelby, she was a mezzo soprano.
She and Shelby were in glee club together and used to sing duets all the time. They even wrote a song together but never sang it for anyone but themselves.
Singing together was always there go to fun during the hot summer days when they hid out on Mr. Branson's old farm. There was no actual farming happening there because Mr. Branson had died and the property was left to overgrow.
Judy would go on and on about how she and Shelby would take on the world. The two would in-prov act with just each other and had the best times doing so. Shelby remembers one particular conversation when teenage Judy made a promise.
'One day, Shel. I promise, we're going to get out of this place and move so far away and never look back.. People are only going to hear about us because we'll be famous and never have to answer to anyone ever again.. It'll be just you and me against the world and I can't wait to see the world with you..' It took everything in Shelby to keep her poker face firmly in place because the memory was wreaking havoc on her emotions.
Judy's promise never got to come true. They never got to get out of this town together. Judy got stuck behind and never lived her dream and still to this day, Shelby doesn't know what had happened to her friend. One day Judy was there and the next she was gone..
AUDITORIUM THAT SAME DAY...
Rachel sat staring straight ahead. She was adding up the best she could in her head with how much she'd manage to save so far and it still wasn't enough. She had been secretly saving her stipend checks of 25 dollars each, for a while and was just waiting until the day she would have enough.
She had a plan that in a few months time she'd give birth and leave the baby at the hospital than catch a bus up to Canada where she knows for sure they'd never be able to find her again.
She heard the auditorium door click shut and knew there's only one person who ever comes there at lunch time other than her and she rolled her eyes at her self for feeling a tinge of surprise that the girl showed.
She heard the chair beside her creek before the soft sigh was released. Rachel heard rustling before an aroma hit her nostrils and she felt the hunger in her stomach begin to shake in anticipation. Her mouth salivated and she grit her teeth in resistance.
"Hey." Quinn spoke quietly. She was met with silence.
"So. How has your day been?" Silence.
"Ok.. I get it. No talking today. You don't mind if I eat, do you? I haven't eaten anything since dinner yesterday and I didn't even get to finish." Quinn spoke again, silence was her answer.
"I'll take that as a yes." The blonde said.
To be honest, Quinn only bought the burger because she wanted to see if she could get a reaction out of Rachel or if she could get Rachel to eat.
So far she could tell the smell was having an affect on the brunette and she'd be lying if she said it wasn't having an affect on her as well.
She just didn't know what kind of affect it was having on Rachel, yet. Her own stomach began to growl in anticipation.
The brunette was clenching her jaw. The blonde decided to eat slowly. Quinn moaned at the taste of the burger and Rachel grit her teeth at the sound for two very different reason's.
One being in hunger and the other she had no clue what it meant but there was a stirring in her below.
Quinn was trying to think of a way to get Rachel to talk and from what she could tell from the brunettes actions so far. There was a slither of care within her Quinn just had to figure out what worked to bring it out.
So, she had decided before coming that she would tell the brunette some of her truth. Hopefully it would work. She wasn't worried about Rachel telling her secrets because the brunette hasn't so far. She was hoping that it would stay that way.
"Why do you think we get handed the cards we do? I don't understand why we're placed with who we're placed with in life but than again the lucky assholes who are loved don't get to be called lucky if it weren't so, would they? I suppose that's the black and white of balance." Quinn giggled a little but than became somber.
"Sometimes.. When I think about my life. Who I am and who I'm suppose to be. They don't add up. Often I'm consumed with the thought of what's the point in being here? I don't feel like I have a purpose.. I never have." Quinn spoke so feather light as her eyes misted after revealing that truth.
Her appetite slowly disappearing though thankfully she finished most of the burger because that would be her only meal for the rest of the day.
"I have a boyfriend who doesn't know me and I don't care to know him. What is the meaning of a relationship with someone when you can't even be who you are and be accepted as that?" Quinn was releasing and though she had originally started this conversation to ease the brunette into conversation and get her to eat.
It was slowly becoming her solace. The bell rung in the distance and Quinn shut her eyes at the fact that she'd has to return to her façade. She sighed and stood up. Obviously, Rachel didn't care about any of it. She began making her way out of the aisle.
"Sometimes you have to be your own purpose when who you are is all that you've got.." Rachel spoke as she stood. The two teens made eye contact an held it briefly.
"What if you don't want to be all that You've got? What if all you want is to be loved?" Quinn ask sincerely.
"I don't know.. But to me.. Love doesn't exist." With that the brunette turned on her heel and exited through the other side of the auditorium. Quinn watched her go sadly. For some reason hearing that love doesn't exist to Rachel made Quinn's heart seized but she had no idea why.
