'No!' Rachel shouted walking back slightly. The hooded figure closed in on her. She went to run around them as they held out their arm grabbing her around the middle. She groaned as she was thrust to the floor. Q leant forward and Rachel kicked her leg hitting them in the chest. They fell backwards into the boxes. They stood back up and slowly limped away.

-l

1 Day Before.

'Are you sure this is a good idea?'

'Yes! It could help us uncover who is doing this to us.' Sugar said to Rachel who sat across the table from her. Santana and Brittany sat hand in hand on the other side of their usual table in the courtyard which sat next to the cafeteria.

'But Tina could be Q.' Rachel said, holding Tina's party invite in her hands.

'Even the more reason to go. You could find something to uncover her and see why she's doing this.' Sugar said.

Brittany looked unhappy about the idea, Santana looked at her and furrowed her brow. 'Maybe we can find another way to do this, without putting Rachel in any danger.'

'Rachel told us what Tina said, she hates us.' Sugar said, 'This is the best way, come on Rachel.'

Rachel twiddled her thumbs, folding and unfolding the invite. 'Ok, I'll go. But keep your phones on you, just incase there's any trouble.' The group nodded as the bell rang. 'I best go tell Tina.' Rachel smiled awkwardly as they walked into the school. She walked briskly down the corridor before coming to Tina's locker. Her head was buried inside as she looked for something. She slammed the door jumping at seeing Rachel so close.

'Rachel, you scared me.' She smiled up at her.

'Sorry,' She smiled awkwardly again. 'Uh I was just saying I can come to your party, if it's still on.' She shrugged slightly.

'Yes! Of course!' Tina burst into a smile. 'Ok you got the dets?'

'Dets?' Rachel looked confused.

'Details, Rachel.' Tina laughed and Rachel nodded. 'Ok then I shall see you there.' She smiled again walking off.

Rachel's phone buzzed and she opened the message. 'Looks like it's fright night tomorrow. Q'.

-l

'Yes, they dropped the charges…. I know how silly of them I feel like suing them for misconduct.' Santana walked into her kitchen, her mom was cooking dinner and was on the phone. She waved at Santana and mouthed that she was speaking to her aunt.

Santana quickly peaked in the refrigerator pulling out a carton of juice. She poured herself a quick glass and sat on one of the stalls at the breakfast bar.

'Ok, bye, thank you. Yes, bye.' Santana's mom hung up the phone and turned around smiling at Santana. 'Are you ok sweety?' grabbing the carton from Santana and placing it back in the refrigerator.

'Mmm.' Santana nodded reassuringly.

Santana's mom picked up the phone again but put it down. 'You aunt called, she heard about the arrest.'

Santana rolled her eyes fed up of talking about it and being even more frightened than before it had happened. 'Can we not talk about it?'

'I'm sorry mi hija, you know you can talk to me about anything don't you?'

'Of course, mama.' She smiled and stood up walking up the stairs and into her room. She chucked her bag on the bed and sat herself down. As she unzipped her brown boats she heard a buzz coming from her bag. She quickly opened it and reached inside pulling out a phone, she couldn't recognise whose it was. She clicked to open the message to see if there was a chance at finding whose it was.

'24 hours, tick tock goes the clock till Santana gets arrested. Q' Santana stared at the phone before putting it down. She quickly looked through some of the pictures and wish she hadn't, it was Mr Schuester's phone.

*l

Quinn sat reading a text on her phone smiling slyly. Santana walked over towards her 'Who's that that's got you so happy?' She sat down next to her.

'Oh,' Quinn said quickly putting the phone away. 'Just some guy, he really needs to get a life.'

Santana smiled slightly. 'I got you a skinny frappuccino.' She passed it over to Quinn.

'Thanks,' She said taking it and sipping slowly on the cup. 'So how's your Spanish class going?'

'It's fine, why?' Santana asked confused.

'No reason just seen that teacher around. So, Rachel's meeting at my place we best get going.' Quinn stood up smiling. Santana stood up too following her.

*l

The girls were all sat on Santana's bed. 'Why would Q do this?' Rachel said looking at the text on Mr Schue's phone.

'Tina's a psycho if she thinks she can get away with this.' Sugar said heatedly.

Santana winced slightly. 'That's not the only thing on there, there's a lot of texts between Mr Schue and Quinn's mom. It seems like she knew about their affair and … was having one of her own.'

'What did they put in the water at the Fabray house?' Sugar said handing Santana back the phone. 'But this is even more reason to go to Tina's part tomorrow. We can catch her in the act and finally this thing will all be over.'

'Do you think Quinn's mom would know anything about Q? I mean Santana said Mr Schue mentioned something about Quinn coming to get him.' Brittany shrugged.

'I don't know, but supposedly there's less than 24 hours before I get arrested.' Santana said.

Sugar picked up the phone again and stood up. 'All we have to do is get rid of the phone, if this is all the evidence that's against you.'

The phone buzzed loudly and Sugar dropped it scared. Santana quickly grabbed the phone reading the message aloud. '"I know you have the phone. Don't try to incriminate anyone else in this." The message is from Quinn's mom.' Santana looked up at the group.

-l

Santana walked out of the classroom, she had just finished Spanish. The new substitute was a very harsh woman, she was small in stature and quite round in frame. 'Umm… Santana?'

Santana turned around quickly, she found herself staring at a girl in her class. 'Yes?' She said a smile spreading across her face.

'You left your pen in class.' The girl said holding it up to Santana.

Santana looked down at the girls hand and slowly took the pen. 'Thank you, it's not like I have a million of them.' She smiled.

'I know.' The girl nodded. 'But then I wouldn't have been able to talk to you.'

Santana smiled again, blushing slightly. 'You're Emily right?'

'Right,' Emily nodded. 'Everyone seems to be avoiding you recently.'

Santana looked around nervous slightly. 'Yeah… it's just some messed up story.'

'I knew it couldn't be true.' Emily smiled again.

Suddenly Santana felt one of Emily's hands on her arm. She looked down blushing again. 'I… uh.'

'Hey!' Santana and Emily both turned around, Emily's hand fell from Santana's arm as Brittany walked forward.

'Hey, Britt.' Santana smiled and Brittany stepped forward kissing Santana lightly on the lips. She looked around and smiled at Emily.

'I'll see you tomorrow, Santana.' Emily smiled shyly at Brittany and then turning to walk away.

Brittany and Santana watched her walk down the hall. 'Who was that?' Brittany smiled as they regained attention on each other.

'Oh just a girl from Spanish class, I left my pen behind.' Santana rolled her eyes. 'What's up?'

Brittany took Santana's hand and they started walking down the corridor. 'I had an idea. I thought maybe as Rachel is going to Tina's party for some undercover work,' Brittany breathed for a second. 'Maybe we should go see Quinn's mom, she clearly knows something about Q and we can sort out what's happening with the phone once and for all.'

Santana looked at Brittany for a moment. 'That's a great idea, I go to my locker quickly and get the phone. And I'll see you at the table with the girls?'

Brittany nodded and walked off towards the courtyard. Santana quickly jogged back to her locker, the corridors were emptying quickly as the students left for home. She reached her locker quickly turning in the code and opening the door. Something fell to the floor as she opened the door. It was an envelope. Santana bent picking it up, she opened it and found more pictures of her and Quinn. She flicked through them, there were at least 20. Then there was a note, 'Put the phone in the envelope and post it. All will be forgotten.' Santana looked at the note. She needed this to be over, the torment of Q taunting her. She reached into her locker and stuffed the phone into the envelope. She looked around her to make sure no one was looking and walked to the schools entrance. The letter box stood there, she gulped slightly as she pushed the letter through the box.

*l

The girls sat on Quinn's bed all joking and getting ready for Quinn's party. There was a knock on the front door. 'They're early.' Santana smirked.

'Obviously eager to get the party started,' Quinn smiled hoping off the bed. 'I'll be right back.' She quickly left the room leaving the girls to themselves.

Sugar leaned back onto the bed and sighed. 'Do you think tonight will be good?' She said hoping that tonight was the night she could finally plant one on Sam, a boy she had been crushing on since 6th Grade.

'You're just wondering about Sam.' Rachel laughed at her playfully.

Sugar sat up. 'What? He's really cute.'

'Aww you want to kiss him!' Rachel cooed and the girls laughed. Then they suddenly heard shouting from downstairs. Quinn was having an argument with someone.

'Guys, what do you think that's abo…?'

'Shh!' Rachel said looking worried. There heard something smash and then a slam of a door. Everything went silent for a few moments and then they heard Quinn's footsteps on the stairs. They busied themselves again falling into conversation when she came into the room with a bottle. 'Who's ready to get wasted?' She shouted happily at them smiling brightly.

*l

Santana quickly joined the girls back around the table in the courtyard. 'I must've left the phone at home.' She said as the girls looked up at her.

'So, what's the plan for tonight? Are we gonna stake out Tina's party?' Sugar said, she seemed happier about this than the other girls.

'Actually I had an idea,' Brittany started. 'Because we have the phone and we know Quinn's mom knows something about Q, or at least Quinn and Mr Schue, we should go and speak to her. Tonight.'

Rachel suddenly looked scared. 'I'm not going to Tina's party without anyone else. If she is Q I don't want to be vulnerable to her.'

'Ok then, how about this?' Santana said and the girls turned to her. 'Sugar and I will go and speak to Quinn's mom, and you and Brittany go to Tina's. Everyone knows Brittany is the quickest on the phone, if anyone's got your back is should be her.' Santana smiled.

'Ok I'm fine with that.' Sugar smiled too.

Rachel looked at Brittany. 'I'll be texting you the minute something goes wrong.'

'I look forward to your text.' She smiled and the girls laughed.

-l

Rachel knocked on the door. Tina answered quickly, 'Oh Rachel, hi.' She smiled looking behind her as if expecting someone else. The party seemed in full swing already, there was music blaring loudly from one room and the clinking of glasses coming from another.

'Sorry I'm late, I had to drop my mom off to the train station.' She smiled handing over a neatly wrapped present to Tina.

She took it straight away and placed it on a table. 'Ok, so drinks are in the kitchen. Feel free to have as much as you like as long as you don't pass out because honey, you will be waking up outside if that happens.' She smiled and walked off leaving Rachel in the dimly lit entrance. She breathed slightly walking into the kitchen. The floor was sticky with spilt drinks. She grimaced slightly as she saw people grinding on top of each other. She walked into the living area and decided to seat herself in the corner away from everything, but keeping a prying eye and what was going on. She quickly flicked open her phone and typed to Brittany. 'I'm in, and hating it.' Within a matter of seconds she had a reply. 'Just let me know when you're ready to get out of there :)' Rachel put her phone into her small clutch bag and leant against the back of the chair.

'Uh, hi.' She heard a voice and looked up, she recognised the boy from school.

'Hi?' She said thinking he wasn't talking to her.

'Sorry I didn't mean to interrupt anything.' He smiled at her.

'It's fine I was just thinking.' She smiled slightly.

'Must have been some intense thinking.' He laughed and so did she.

She looked up at the boy again, his dark eyes hung brightly on his face and his red lips seemed full of life. 'I'm sorry, you're in my English class right?' She said trying to place him.

He nodded. 'I'm Noah.'

'That's it! Sorry I'm terrible with names.' She laughed slightly and he smiled again. She felt comforted by his smile, there was something about it that was so inviting.

'And you're Rachel Berry.'

'You know my name.' she smiled blushing slightly, she remembered who he was now and was surprised he was even noticing her at all. Noah Puckerman, he was a quarterback on the school's football team, she hadn't really paid much attention to him before now. But now that she was, she never wanted to give the attention up.

'Yeah, you see I'm good with names.' He joked with her and she laughed looking up at him. 'Would you like a drink?'

'That would be nice.' She smiled, 'I just need to do something quickly. I'll be right back.'

'Sure.' He smiled walking into the kitchen.

Rachel stood up quickly walking towards the entrance hall again. She darted up the stairs looking for the bathroom. She opened a door peering inside, she saw two boys sat on a bed kissing each other. Heat suddenly rose in her cheeks and she looked away quickly, embarrassed on walking in on the intimate scene. The next door she found was the bathroom. She entered quickly turning on the light and looking at herself in the mirror. She combed her bangs and smiled to herself. She was about to leave when she heard some banging coming from above her. She opened the door looking up at the ceiling and saw the hatch to the loft was open.

-l

'Come in, come in.' Judy Fabray smiled at Sugar and Santana as they walked into the house. 'Can I get you anything? A drink maybe?'

'I'm ok thank you' Santana said and Sugar repeated. 'Umm… Mrs Fabray, we're here to ask you something about Quinn.'

Judy's cheeks lost their color as if she knew what they were going to ask of her. 'Come into the living room.' She smiled walking down the hallway.

The girls sat themselves next to each other on the sofa as Judy sat stiffly in a chair opposite. 'We have reason to believe that Quinn may have been seeing someone,' Santana stopped trying to pluck up courage to say what she had to say. Judy's eyes were bearing into Santana's as if she were daring her to say what she had to say.

'An older man.' Sugar piped up and Judy's eyes moved away from Santana's.

She sighed. 'This is about Will Schuester isn't it?' She said looking between the two a slight look of amusement on her face. 'It seems you and I know the same things but girls there was nothing there.'

'But we have evidence, Mr Schuester admitted to it himself.' Sugar said looking at Judy.

She lifter her hands up. 'And where is he now?' she smiled at them tilting her head to the side.

Santana looked at Sugar. 'Maybe we were wrong.'

'There's no maybe about it.' Judy said pertly 'You are wrong.' She smiled again. 'If that is all, maybe it's best if you left. We don't need rumours spreading now do we.' She said walking towards the hallway and opening the front door again.

Santana and Sugar looked at each other worriedly and walked towards the front door. 'Mrs Fabray, we didn't mean to upset you.'

'Well you failed on that didn't you.' She said a bitterer look in her eyes. 'Goodbye girls.'

-l

Rachel looked around, the music was still blaring down stairs and she could hear the laughter of the people. She looked up at the open hatch, she knew something was going on. Q was definitely here. She grabbed the chair that sat alongside the wall. She positioned it and herself carefully under the hatch, and slowly raised herself into the loft. It was very dark and Rachel had to adjust her eyes to see anything. She scrambled up and looked around carefully. There were boxes upon boxes up there, and no sign of anything that would have made the noise she had heard. She took a step forwards and heard a creak behind her. As she turned around she saw a black hooded figure. She stared right at the person. 'Why are you doing this to us?' She said. The person lunged at her. 'No!' Rachel shouted walking back slightly. The hooded figure closed in on her. She went to run around them as they held out their arm grabbing her around the middle. She groaned as she was thrust to the floor. Q leant forward and Rachel kicked her leg hitting them in the chest. They fell backwards into the boxes. They stood back up and slowly limped away. Rachel looked around the darkness not knowing if Q was still there or if they had gone. She quickly rushed back to the hatch lowering herself through it slowly. She punched the buttons into her phone. 'S.O.S' and hit send. She was rushing down the stairs when Noah appeared.

'There you are, I was looking everywhere for you.' He smiled with two drinks in his hands.

'I'm sorry, I have to go. Stomach bug.' She said shaking her head profusely and opening the front door walking out. She ran as fast as she could down the drive way. Once she reached the end she bent over, the fear taking hold of her.

'Rachel?' she looked up seeing Brittany walking towards her. 'What happened?'

'Q.' Rachel said.

-l

None of the girls slept that night all thinking of the things they had discovered, or the things they had let slip through their fingers. Santana got to school early, she stood by her locker putting in her books when Brittany walked up to her swiftly.

'Hey Britt-Britt.' She smiled at her but Brittany's hand raised slapping Santana across the face forcefully.

'In case that's not a clear enough message. We're through!' She shouted at her chucking something to the ground. She walked off quickly leaving Santana clutching her bruised face. She looked down at the ground picking up the screwed up bit of paper. She unravelled it seeing the same picture that had been haunting her for weeks. Brittany had found out about her and Quinn. Santana looked up quickly trying to find Brittany trying to explain and then her phone buzzed. She knew who it would be from before she opened the message. 'Game on. Q.'