Title: Lazareth

Chapter Title: On the Streets

Author: Stargirl888

Word Count: About 1000

WARNINGS: None in this chapter – see full warning before the prologue.

Disclaimer: Not mine, never has been and unfortunately never will be :(

A/N: So here's the first proper chapter for you. Enjoy.

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Quinn sat huddled against the side of a building, tears cascading down her face as she tried to process what had happened when only hours before she had been arriving home from school, focussed on trying to forget the last few days when her father had stormed into the house.

Her father had always been an imposing figure, one of those men who wanted you to be uncomfortable around him, and ever since she was a child, Quinn had been intimidated by him. It had taken her a second to work out why he was yelling and when she did she had felt her knees give out beneath her.

Things moved quickly then as he yanked her towards the door and thrust her out of it, throwing her out of the home she had grown up in with nothing more than the clothes on her back. It had been near dusk at the time, and all too soon the private security that was paid to patrol the area was telling her to move along, forcing her out of Golden Ash and onto public streets that suddenly seemed much more frightening than they ever had before.

Quinn didn't know what to do first. She had no money, no phone and it wasn't like she knew off hand where the local shelter and soup kitchen was.

She began walking, not having a destination in mind, but hoping something would come to her.

When she got too tired to walk anymore she stopped and sat down on the edge of the pavement, before feeling far too exposed and moving instead into a nearby alleyway, huddling into the corner, by a mesh fence. Hearing the sound of voices and footsteps, she curled herself up tighter, hoping she wouldn't be noticed by whomever was out at this time of night, and suddenly realising that her aimless wanderings had brought her to the outskirts of Lima Heights.

Luck was clearly not with her today when the group came into sight at the alleyway entrance, practically everything about them screaming trouble. They had been about to walk past without stopping when one of their members, a large, oafish type guy noticed her. He drew the others attention to her, a leering grin spreading across his face while she felt herself begin to shake slightly, realising she was trapped as they blocked the only entrance to the alleyway.

Two guys; the oaf and another large African began to stalk towards her, while the other three followed a step or so behind, practically blocked from her view by the front two.

"What's a pretty young thing like you doing out here so late?" The one asked and Quinn tensed but didn't reply.

"Come on, we just want to talk to you, there's no reason to be rude." The other coaxed with faux kindness and Quinn tried to push herself further into the corner and away from where they were crowding her, tears once again slowly trickling down her face. They were practically within an arms reach of her when another, female voice called out from behind them.

"Alright, enough." Both of the guys froze as scowls took up residence on their faces as a girl elbowed her way between them, her face hidden from Quinn by the shadow of the cap she was wearing.

"We were just having some fun," the one defended "and besides she's in our territory, you have no right to stop us from exacting payment for her trespassing."

"Please, she obviously didn't do it on purpose, and I'll think you'll find its our territory she's trespassing on." The girl argued, turning to give them a hard glare, challenging them to try fight her on this. The was a momentary silent battle of wills before they shrugged and took a step back, the African muttering that she wasn't worth the effort. Quinn let out a sigh of hopeful relief.

Turning back to Quinn the girl held out a hand, which Quinn just stared at as if it would potentially bite her.

"Come on, take it." The girl gestured impatiently, "you can't just hang out in the alley all night."

Quinn reluctantly did so, allowing herself to be hauled to her feet. The change of perspective takes the girls face out of the shadows and Quinn froze as she recognised her.

"You go to McKinley." She said before she could stop herself. She had seen the girl in the hallways a few times. Quinn didn't know her personally; being two years below and circling a completely different clique, but she had seen her about; one of those girls you could expect to find smoking under the bleachers.

"Santana," the girl introduced, nodding in confirmation of Quinns question.

"Quinn -" Quinn replied as the girl rolled her eyes and cut her off.

"Quinn Fabray, I know. Practically every student at McKinley knows. A girl like you shouldn't be in this neighbourhood, you're lucky I was with these two tonight." Santana nodded to the guys behind her. "You should go home, get over whatever argument you had with your mother, get into your bed with 1000 count sheets and forget about tonight."

"I'm can't" Quinn admitted, choking back a sob. She couldn't even attempt to pull up the strong facade she had at school; not while her world was crumbling around her. Santana eyed her appraisingly for a moment, as though judging just what her words meant, before coming to a decision.

"Alright, come with us and I can get you a bed for night, it's not what you're used to but it'll be better than this alley." Santana turned and walked back between the other guys to the entrance of alley. Quinn didn't make a move to follow; not trusting the girl.

"You're not staying here." Santana added in a tone that clearly wasn't to be argued with and Quinn hesitated before deciding she was probably no worse off if she went with them. She reluctantly followed the latina, flinching as she passed between the two guys who had been tormenting her minutes ago.

"She's coming with us?" the one asked in disbelief, causing Santana to spin back around to face him.

"You really might want to stop questioning me tonight, Azimio. You're here as a courtesy, nothing more."

The guy – Azimio – muttered something under his breath but said nothing more and after a moment Santana turned back around and started to lead the group away; the other two members, a guy and a girl Quinn didn't recognise, walking a few steps away murmuring quietly to each other.

Quinn had no idea where she was being taken to, but considering everything that had happened so far this evening, sticking with Santana seemed to be her best option.

Thoughts? Ideas? Comments? Please review and let me know what you thought!