3 WEEKS LATER...
Shelby sat in her living room gazing out the window. It was 2 am and all the lights were off in the house. She sat in the darkness and waited. She had been sitting there since 9 pm.
Finally she saw her. The girl running but she wasn't alone. The wind was blowing againt their bodies but they kept going their breath coming out in large cloud like puffs.
They rounded the side of the house. As they did Shelby stood up than made her way to the kitchen and stood waiting. Then she heard it. A stumble and shuffling.
Shelby may be a busy single mother but she knows when somethings up and not just any old thing. She knows the signs when something bad is going on. Which is why she has been keeping her mouth shut for the last 3 weeks about Charlie and Sam Fabray coming at around the same time almost every night.
If she thought any of them were just fooling around, she would have put an end to it. However; she has been studying Charlie and Sam over the last 3 weeks and every time they run over they're both an emotional ball of tears.
At one point the girl had been limping and the boy had been holding her up as she held her side.
Shelby always waits a certain amount of time when she knows they're asleep before she sneaks in to check on them. Sure enough they're all clothe and Skyler is always holding Charlie in some sort of protective manner.
While Sam is on the other side of the California King bed facing away from them. Shelby knows Skyler doesn't have a clue of what's going on, yet.
Because if she did, her daughter would be more of an emotional wreck instead of confused and concerned as she always looks when she's watching Charlie and Sam, when they aren't paying attention.
Shelby knew at the moment all she had to go on were theories, so she won't say anything but in her experience. It was only a matter of time before things came to light.
MCKINELY HIGH, TUTOR CENTER..
Quinn had just wrapped up her tutor session with Rachel. To say things were a working progress would be an understatement. Rachel literally did nothing but sit there.
She never even showed a sign that she was listening. Quinn was doing her best to stay positive because hey, at least she got the girl to talk a few times. So that's a plus.
The blonde sighed to herself. She was exhausted. She thanked god that her father has an emergency business trip that he has to be at, no excuses. His flight leaving later that evening and get this! for 10 DAYS!
No Russell for 10 days! Has the rest of the Fabray clan in such high spirits. Nothing could bring them down. Charlie and Sam already made plans with Sky for the next week. They even have a sleep over planned for the weekend. Sky told her she was more than invited. She appreciates the offer.
She had only been to the Corcoran's once, the day Rachel took care of her after her father beat the crap out of her and under normal circumstances she would have politely declined because Skyler was her siblings friend.
Though they've been saying hello to each other in the mornings and now she too would stand in the huddle listening in on whatever conversations Skyler and her siblings had with her adding to it here and there and Skyler asking her about Rachel's progress.
Other than that, they barely spoke to each other personally. However; now knowing that Skyler and Rachel are siblings means Rachel would be there so logically Quinn had to go.
Quinn was packing her backpack as Rachel stood up. The brunette didn't utter a word as usual. She just walked away. Quinn watched her go and sighed.
The blonde shouldered her back pack and was waving goodbye to the centers teacher, when she heard a splash and loud obnoxious laughter. The blondes heart seized and she bolted for the door.
Just as she stepped out, there standing frozen in layers of slushy was Rachel. Whoever had done it to her, were already gone. Just as Rachel was about to start walking down the hall and begin her trek home in the freezing October weather.
She was lightly grabbed by the arm. The brunette was about to flip out on whoever had the balls to touch her. Her angry chocolate eyes were seized by soft concerned Hazel-green ones.
Quinn didn't look at her with pity. The blonde took the brunettes hand and Rachel was screaming in her head to herself to shove Quinn away but her body just would not comprehend because the second the blondes hand made contact with her own.
She had felt the sensation in her chest and that scared her into obedience.
"Jesus, your sopping wet! Who did this to you?!" Quinn ask in contained anger as they walked or more like Quinn dragged Rachel.
The brunette didn't answer. Quinn walked her all the way to the cheerios locker room. She knew coach Sylvester was gone for the day and so was most of the faculty and students. The only people left were the kids in the student center and that's if they showed up.
Quinn walked in to the locker room with a confused Rachel. The blonde was beyond upset and Rachel couldn't fathom as to why. They weren't friends.
Quinn opened her locker and began pulling out a extra pair of her cheerio sweats and thermal top with a thick cheerio hoodie, socks and sneakers. She handed them to Rachel along with her cheerios towel, her shampoo, conditioner and body wash. Rachel just stared at the items as if they were deadly.
"Take them." Quinn said softly. "You can shower, it's ok." Quinn continued sincerely.
Rachel looked at her with mistrusting eyes. The brunette began backing away from the blonde and heading for the door but Quinn was having none of it. She stepped in the way between Rachel and the door.
"Where do you think your going?" Quinn ask not in an accusing manner but in a soft friendly one.
"Move." It was spoken in a blank tone.
"No. Not until you shower and change." Quinn spoke calmly.
"Move out of my way." Rachel spoke through clenched teeth.
"Not going to happen." Quinn replied casually.
Rachel felt her anger building. Who the hell does this bitch think she is? No one told her what to do.
"Move the fuck out of my way!" Rachel raised her voice.
"No!" Quinn raised her voice as well.
"Do you want me to kick your ass right now, Barbie?! I SAID MOVE!" Rachel shouted.
"AND I SAID NO!" Quinn shouted back.
It happened quickly. Rachel snapped forward with speed and accuracy and punched Quinn across the face hard, so hard in fact the blondes lip busted.
The next hit she threw Quinn was prepared for because of all the years of Russell's attacks.
The blondes reflexes were up and she landed her own blow to Rachel's face and froze in shock as did Rachel. The blonde moved forward to apologize.
"I'm so sorry! I didn't-"
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Rachel fired back.
The locker room fell silent. Quinn could not believe she just hit someone. Her heart began to pound at the implications of what that meant. Was she becoming like her father? Was she an abuser? Quinn's mind was spinning out of control.
Rachel couldn't believe that the cheerio had actually hit her. Quinn always seemed like a pussy but surely she was mistaken. The brunette sat on the bench holding her jaw, begrudgingly impressed with the reflex, speed and weight behind the punch but Quinn didn't need to know that.
However; at the same time Rachel was furious. It had been a while since she had been hit like that. The metallic taste of blood in her mouth was pissing her off. She was beyond confused by the blonde in front of her.
All this time she acted calm and now she's flying off the handle than apologizes sincerely shocked by her own actions. Why the fuck was she being so nice? Like what the hell did she want from her?
"What the hell do you want from me?" Rachel said with attitude. Quinn's head snapped up from the whirlwind of thoughts that were slowly consuming her. She furrowed her brow in confusion at the brunette.
"What?"
"Why are you doing this?" Rachel asked irritably.
"Doing what?"
"The whole shit! The fucking tutoring! The clothes! What the fuck is your angle? Because I'm pretty sure I don't have shit to give!" Rachel replied angrily. Quinn's eyes softened. She cautiously walked over to the bench and sat down beside the weary brunette.
"I don't want anything. I really was just trying to help. It's 40 degrees outside and I know you walk home. Walking over forty minutes home in this weather as wet as you are, will only get you sick.." Silence descended upon them before Quinn spoke again.
"Look, I'm-I'm sorry I hit you.. I didn't mean to I just.." Quinn rubbed her face with her hands tiredly. It was the first time Rachel actually noticed how exhausted the girl looked.
"Just.. Just take a shower and change, Rachel. That's all you have to do and not for me or anyone else but yourself. You don't and won't owe me anything." The blonde stood up and shut her locker.
Leaving Rachel with all the toiletries she would need to get cleaned up. The blonde exited the locker room as Rachel sat confused and irritated.
MCKINELY PARKING LOT, SAME DAY...
Skyler stood in front of Charlie with soft eyes and a gentle smile. As Charlie informed her about having the next few days free. Charlie had been over almost every night for the last 3 weeks along with Sam and Skyler didn't know whether that was a good or bad thing.
Good because they felt safe with her enough to come to her in their time of need or bad because something was obviously wrong but neither of the two have divulged anything to Skyler as to why they were coming at such an hour and in tears.
The fact that Charlie, Sam and Quinn walked around every day like everything was sunshine and daises, like two out of the 3 triplets weren't practically living with her to the point that Sam and Charlie now have some articles of clothing hidden in the brunettes closet and no one was none the wiser. It was all perfectly normal.
They were amazing to watch. They smiled and laughed. They were calm collected and cool. It was literally as if nothing was wrong. It had freaked Skyler out last week when Charlie and Sam came over with Sam who had a black eye.
When she had got to school that morning in a hurry to make sure they were ok because the two always leave before she wakes up and they all meet by Skyler's locker in the mornings.
Sam looked just as he had the morning prior, no black eye in sight. It wasn't until she was close enough to look that she noticed a slight difference in his skin tone. He was wearing make up. It was blended so perfectly that you would never be able to tell it was there unless you were purposely looking for it.
Skyler felt her stomach churning from the billions of different things that this all meant. She had her suspicions but didn't know how to broach the subject. On the one hand she wanted to help them in anyway she could but what if they stop coming to her for 'safety' if they got spooked by her questions and stopped showing up. She'd worry herself sick.
She wanted to talk to her mother about it but didn't want to set off a chain reaction that could cause her to ruin their friendship and stay away from her because they'd feel like she betrayed them.
She was already going through something with her own sister. Sam, Charlie and Quinn were her only actual friends at that school. Although, Quinn and she had just begun actually having small conversations when the blonde would come into their little 3 person conversation, here and there but still.
She'd lose all of them and what if she said something it caused them to get hurt some how or worse than what she's seen.
All of these things were bottled up in her. All those worries and thoughts were driving her crazy and watching Charlie talk and smiling at her right now wasn't helping.
Because Skyler's pretty sure, her feelings for the girl as the days and weeks passed are slowly growing deeper than just a crush and if she lost Charlie in anyway shape or form she's sure she'd feel like she's dying.
"So, I was thinking we could do something different.." Charlie spoke nervously.
"Like what?" Skyler ask her interest piqued. They had tomorrow afternoon to themselves. Sam and Charlie have been coming to her house during the day time everyday.
To the point that Sam comes over to play video games even when Skyler is at her dance class. Sometimes Charlie would be with him and other times it's just him when Charlie would just head to the dance class to watch Skyler practice.
Shelby just let's him in and he's allowed up to Skyler's room to play all he wants. She has even ordered take out just for the 2 of them. Shelby says he's her honorary son which caused Sam to blush so deeply red and his eyes misted with tears. Shelby just hugged him.
"Well.. I was sort of thinking like.. A picnic maybe-of course we don't h-have to!" Charlie had started off shyly than rushed out the rest thinking Skyler would find it weird or uncomfortable because a picnic was more like a date like thing that couples did.
Skyler felt her stomach flip and her cheeks hurt from fighting with her self not to smile to hard or eagerly. A picnic with just her and Charlie sounded amazing. No one else but them! "I-I would love to!"
"Re-Really?" Charlie ask in disbelief and nervousness. She still hasn't told Skyler she's a lesbian or that she has feelings for her. She has been slowly drowning in those truths in silence.
Every day it was getting harder and harder. She likes Skyler a lot. She loves being in the brunettes arms and vice versa when she comes at night and they cuddle together. She feels free in those moments.
Skyler has also taken to kissing her forehead before wishing her sweet dreams. It felt foreign at first but did make her blush but now.. She felt.. cared for and safe.
She wanted Skyler as more than a friend and though seeing her now on Finn stupid Hudson's arm, kills her everyday and makes her want to puke her guts out, she secretly fantasies about Skyler being hers.
She hates when they're talking and having a moment than Finn or Puck interrupts them. It drives her crazy. Yesterday when they had been talking about their separate plans and found out that Finn and Puck were both going to bro's night because of a new game release.
Charlie and Skyler had not only planned their own game night but they would have the entire day to hang out. Neither of their boyfriends being privy to the fact that their girlfriends were just as heavy game geeks as they were, if not more. Sam had informed the girls that they were better at video games than Finn and Puck.
"Yes, Really. I've never been on one!" Skyler spoke excitedly.
"Me either!" Charlie gushed back. Both girls were building with anticipation and excitement. Skyler because she'd have Charlie to herself for an entire day and Charlie because of the same reason as Skyler with the added bonus of Russell leaving for his 10 day business trip. She wouldn't have to rush home.
The girls bubble was popped when the school front doors pushed open and slammed shut with a quickly walking Quinn exiting. It wasn't until Quinn got close enough that both girls gasp in shock and rushed over to the blonde. Quinn's busted lip swelling by the minute.
"Oh my god, Quinn! What happened?!" Charlie spoke urgently checking her sister over for any more signs of injury.
"Are you alright?!" Skyler spoke simultaneously in worry.
"Yes, I'm fine. Can we go now, please? I just want to go home." Quinn replied dismissively in tired frustration.
Charlie grabbed her by the arm as Quinn tried to pass her and spun her around to face her. "No! Not until you tell me what happened and who did this to you! So I can go kick their ass!"
"Ditto!" Skyler piped up.
Quinn tried. She really did but seeing Skyler all riled up just for her, made her picture a tiny weenie dog next to her Rottweiler sister trying to be intimidating. Quinn burst into laughter. Charlie and Skylers eyes widen in surprise and weary for Quinn's sanity.
"What's so funny?" Skyler ask and Quinn lost it again.
This went on for a moment or two more before Quinn finally calmed down and leaned against her sisters red beetle. She sighed tiredly and looked over at the two confused girls.
"Thanks, I needed that." Quinn said calmly.
"Quinn, just tell me." Charlie spoke up still worried and slightly annoyed.
Quinn took a deep breath and looked at her sister briefly before looking at Skyler holding eye contact. "It's my own fault, really.."
Charlie looked confused and irritated by not knowing who the hell the person was. It didn't matter though because whoever it was, was going to get their ass kicked but Skyler's stomach knotted immediately.
"Rachel?.." Skyler ask sadly and sorrowful. Quinn nodded and Charlie was confused as hell. "Quinn, I'm so sorry." Skyler began immediately but Quinn shook her head in dismissal.
"Don't. It's fine. I'm fine-" Quinn began.
"No! It is not fine! Who the hell is Rachel?! And where the hell is she? So I can kick her ass!" Charlie spoke angrily with a raised voice not noticing Skyler bowing her head in shame and backing away in insecurity. Quinn noticed and grabbed her sisters wrist bringing her closer.
"Will you please calm down, you don't know the whole st-" Quinn tried but Charlie was too riled up.
"Calm down?! Are you freaking kidding me?! I will not calm down! Apparently you and Skyler know this girl and I want to kno-"
"She's my sister.." It was whispered so quietly but still carried enough sound to freeze Charlie in her tracks. Charlie's eyes widened and her head whipped in the direction of Skyler in shock.
"Excuse me?" Charlie ask breathlessly.
"She's my older sister.. We're fraternal twins.." Skyler spoke soft and sadly. She turned her eyes to Quinn as Charlie was frozen in place paralyzed by the news.
"Quinn. I'm so sorry. I just.." Skyler sighed as tears filled her eyes before she turned abruptly and ran to her car. Charlie was about to chase her but Quinn gripped her arm stopping her chase.
"Let her go. Besides, We should talk before you speak to her. That way you can have a better understanding of where she's coming from.." Quinn spoke softly as Charlie watched with worried eyes as Skyler's Ferrari pealed out of the parking lot.
THE CHEERIOS LOCKER ROOM, RACHEL...
Rachel was just tying the shoes that the blonde had loaned her, though they were an inch or so bigger than her own feet. They fit good enough. It was the first time in a very long time since she wore a pair of new snickers.
She had her pair of sneakers with duct tape, holding it together and a another pair with a hole in the bottom left corner of the soles but they were hers that she got on her own with no ones help and that meant more to Rachel than a comfortable brand new pair.
However; secretly some where deep within her. She felt a tinge of something she would rather not acknowledge.
As she stared down at her feet in the very comfortable tennis shoes. She felt her eyes glisten just a little. Some one was nice to her. Someone had worried about her well being.
Some one had cared enough to lend her clothing and toiletries so she wouldn't have to go out in the cold and practically freeze on her long journey home.
Rachel knows that other people say they want to be there for her and maybe some where deep inside them they mean it but.. Because of past experience with a certain some one who shall never ever be named, even in thought.
She's learned not to trust because in her moment of need, they had failed her. They broke a promise and they hurt her.
She promised herself after crying and sobbing to herself in a juvenile cell, that she'd never be so stupid to trust anyone ever again. She let her guard down too easily back then but now she was faced with someone else, who for some reason wanted to be there for her and she couldn't fathom as to why.
She also didn't understand why it felt so different with Quinn than anyone else. Rachel has never felt a pull so strong before. She has never felt so much when some ones presence was no longer there and she's never battled with herself so internally as she has to not respond to Quinn.
When Quinn dragged her to the bathroom, she wanted to stop her but couldn't. When Quinn handed her the toiletries and everything else and told her to shower.
Rachel felt her body about to do exactly as asked just because it was from the blonde who requested it, so sweetly and dripping in care. That's what caused the flair of anger to spark and caused her to lash out. Because Quinn unknowingly had that affect on her.
It was so powerful that Rachel believes that in another life, she'd be one of those girls just dying to be the blondes most trusted confidante and would go to great lengths to achieve it and when she hopefully succeeded would just want more because Quinn Fabray was a goddess inside and out and she obviously has a heart of gold to top it all off.
Though people may not think so, Rachel always has her ear to the ground. She knows that Quinn is obviously a triplet. She has been watching her sister and Quinn's sister Charlie and is more than positive of their mutual desires for one another.
She knows that Quinn and Charlie's brother Sam has the hugest crush on Mercedes Jones and secretly pines for her 24/7. She knows that Quinn's boyfriend Biff cheats on her with half the dance team and some of the cheer squad but not the important ones only the new baby cheerios.
Because he knows the other veteran cheerios would be too terrified to cross that line, not only out of fear of Quinn's wrath which has never really been unleashed but also Quinn's obviously psychotic second in command/best friend Santana or the crazy cheerleading coach.
Because the woman refuses to allow embarrassment thrown at her cheerios from anyone other than her. Backstabbing each other ruins team morale and if team morale goes out the window, so does her championship trophy's.
She knows Britney is Santana's kryptonite. She knows Finn Hudson is secretly having make out sessions with Kayla Sanders a geek from the debate team. She knows Noah Puckerman is actually bisexual but keeps it a secret and has been hooking up with Daniel Lambert the swim team captain after football practice.
She knows a lot more than that and than some but she never says anything. She doesn't care to. She wants out of the Corcoran home and out of this town and as far away from Quinn Fabray's hypnotic spell over her, before the blonde actually succeeds in breaking down her walls and doing with her heart as she pleases. Because Rachel finally understands what the slither of emotion is and it's dangerous.
The brunette sighs to herself as she stands. She doesn't bother looking in the mirror. She puts on than zips up the cheerios hoodie to cover her head and grabs the cheerios towel than balls her wet slushie clothes in the towel like a make shift knapsack and begins her trek. No real destination in mind.
CHARLIE, SAM AND QUINN. THE FABRAY MANOR.
Quinn had texted Sam and told him to come straight home after football practice. Quinn wanted to kill two birds with one stone. She had recounted everything that had happened between her and Rachel from the moment the blonde noticed the brunette walking in the middle of the night pass their house.
To Quinn being arrested. Meeting Shelby and finding out about the friendship between their mothers. To Rachel's pregnancy and Skyler being Rachel's sister. Becoming the brunettes tutor to the incident in the cheerios locker room.
Russell wasn't home because he had left just before school let out and their mother had been out since. She was on a lunch date with Shelby as the two continued becoming reacquainted. Charlie and Sam sat stunned for a moment.
"Oh, god!" Charlie spoke first burying her face in her hands than sliding them into her hair in frustration.
"I can't believe I threatened her sister in front of her and said what I said like that! What is wrong with me?! Now she's going to hate me!" Charlie said mortified at her behavior.
She couldn't help the protectiveness that engulfed her upon seeing Quinn's busted lip. She may not be able to take on their father but she was not going to let anyone abuse her siblings outside of home as well. She felt horrible and scared that Skyler wouldn't want anything to do with her now.
"I can't believe this." Sam spoke still a little surprised. "So, the kid in the hoodie's a girl.." Sam stated than his eyes widened. " Oh man!" Quinn and Charlie looked at him in surprised and worry.
"What?" Quinn ask urgently.
"The other day Azimio and Biff ordered one of the guys from the hockey team to dumpster dive her because she bumped into Biff when he was drinking his coffee. Truthfully, it was his fault but a drop hit his letterman and he was pissed. Rick Nelson was there with Azimio but Biff and Azimio were already leaving when they ordered it. I intervened but when I was in the bathroom during 4th period, I saw her climb out of the dumpster from the second floor bathroom window. The guys went after her anyway." Sam said sadly.
Charlie felt sadness engulf her. Quinn felt her heart clench in rage. What no one knew in that moment was that by attacking Rachel Berry, Slowly a new Quinn was forming.
She felt ice begin encasing her heart for the masses at school but was warm as the sun for Rachel. Mckinely high had no idea what they were secretly causing the blonde to become. Especially, Biff McIntosh.
"I swear on all that is holy that if they touch her again, it's over!" Quinn said jumping to her feet. Her body trembling with silent rage. Sam and Charlie's eyes widened in surprise.
"Quinn, what can you do? Biff has that entire school on lock down. He's the king of Mckinely." Charlie spoke up.
"He may be the King but I am the Queen! Everyone knows the head is useless without the neck." Quinn spoke with authority and determination in her eyes.
JUDY AND SHELBY.
Judy giggled and smiled at Shelby with deep affection in her eyes. She missed her best friend terribly. Russell had left and she and her children were free for 10 days and she couldn't be happier.
The busier he is, the less he's home and that meant more freedom they had to breathe. The two were currently having coffee and Shelby was in the middle of telling her about the time she met Morgan Freeman on a movie set she was the lead in and basically made a fool of herself as she was star struck.
"So, I said well how about dinner and he agreed. I was shocked I couldn't believe it. Morgan Freeman was coming to dinner at my house. It wasn't until I got home that I realized that I couldn't cook. So, I ran across the street to the store in search of something because surely for someone as talented as myself I could make something. That's when I discovered mac'n'cheese. I bought like 8 boxes and 8 boxes later, I finally conceded that, that was the best that I could do. Wh-" Shelby was cut off by a disbelieving Judy.
"Excuse me but please do not sit here and tell me that you still don't know how to cook?" Judy ask in astonishment. Shelby flushed and bowed her head in shame for a moment.
"Guilty but! I did master mac 'n' cheese." Shelby spoke with an air of superiority as if she had accomplished the climb to mount Everest and no one else had. Judy giggled at the brunettes antics before shaking her head with a fond affectionate smile.
"Get up." Judy stated abruptly. As she did exactly that and began getting her pea coat on. Shelby stood up in confusion and surprise but was smiling at the spontaneity of it, just like the good old days.
"Where are we going?" Shelby asked Judy adorably confused.
"We are going to your house." Judy supplied.
"Why?"
"We're going to teach you how to cook. If you remember when we were teenagers, I did promise I'd teach you."
"And if you remember my response was 'Why would I need to, when your going to be cooking all my meals for the rest of our lives.' Shelby countered with a 'Duh' tone to her voice and roll of her head.
Judy cackled at the stupefied look on Shelby's face. As if Shelby and cooking were never to go hand and hand because that's what she had Judy for in the first place. Why would she cook?
"God I missed you.." Judy smiled so richly full that it reached her eyes and Shelby smiled back full with just as much.
"I missed you, too.." Shelby replied than pulled the blonde into an unexpected hug.
