Hello everyone! I hope you're all doing well and here is Chapter 9 of the story. It is one of the shorter chapter for sure, but know that, as creative as this story is, I didn't realize how much energy it took out of me and sometimes, you guys need a break too. Especially after last chapter.

The warnings for this chapter are still trust issues and Marley's used of the pacifier.

Also I would like to take a moment to explain one thing. I know that I basically pleaded and slightly blackmailed you all into reviewing. What I would like to explain is that I was concerned. I personally took a risk with this story and after 178 view for chapter 7, I had ONE review, so I honestly thought there was no interest in the story. It tells me, that the story is reviewed and who's following and who's reviewing, but it doesn't tell me if you read it all the way through, or if you gave up because you were grossed out by something in the story. If that makes sense. So please do review. You don't have to review EVERY chapter. People have lives, I understand that. It's why I only post once a week most of the time. I don't want to promise something and not be able to follow through with it. However, if the reviews dwindle, then I tend to think interest has been lost, so if you could all check in every two or three chapters, I would love that.

Also the other thing I never mentioned and should have, is that EVERY song I reference in this story has been done in the show by said character, so if you don't remember it you can you tube it or google it or something and you'll be refreshed. I'm really glad I picked these characters though, because even with these talented singers, it gets hard to find performances that fit the situation.

I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I look forward to any review you feel like leaving. I'm also up for PM's to answer questions and/or concerns. Also, many and massive thanks to NayaFan, UnholyUnderboob, & Beaner008 for all their guidance and inspiration.

All the best my friends.

It took twenty minutes for the water to start to cool off and Santana called for Rachel and together they got Marley out of the tub, dried, dressed, and then Rachel took her into the kitchen. "What should we eat sweetheart?" Rachel asked.

"Eeee," Marley said softly.

"Point to it baby, I'm sorry," she told her honestly. Marley pointed to the pack of string cheese and Rachel smiled giving it to her. "Here you go love," she said and then she set about figuring out what she was going to make for dinner. "Marley honey, let's try grilled cheese tonight okay?" she asked and Marley instantly dropped her snack and Rachel sighed. She said something that triggered other things, because now Marley's bottom lip was wobbling and Marley looked rather upset. "Oh sweetheart, I don't know what I said," Rachel sighed and she sat next to Marley and tried to wrap her in a hug, but Marley screamed and Rachel sighed heavily. "Okay, okay, take a breath honey," she said kindly and Marley just cried.

"Someone seems to be a picky eater," Terri had said. She had on a terribly sweet sickening voice, and Marley didn't trust her. It'd been a month now and after two weeks Marley had seen Terri go from demanding with a few bits of comfort to downright cruel with no comfort ever. "If that's how you want to play it fine, that's all you'll have," she said and she put a large bag of carrots into the blender. Marley watched with wide eyes as Terri ground up carrots into a paste. "I want it gone, all of it, and if you don't, I will force it down your throat," Terri said. There were four cups of mashed up carrots in the blender now, in a thick paste, and Marley did her best to eat as much as she could. Unfortunately Terri didn't approve, and she force fed Marley all the carrots, the poor girl gagging and sputtering. Marley couldn't do it and Terri was getting frustrated. She threw the blender of carrots on the floor and everything shattered. "You'll be cleaning that up later!" Terri growled and without warning she yanked Marley over her lap and began spanking her firmly, turning her bottom a bright shade of red, and creating two large blisters.

Marley's memory had taken over her body and she didn't even realize that she was in the living room, on the couch, in Santana's arms. "Shhh, Mommy's here, you're okay baby, and Mama Rae would never ever do anything to hurt our little girl. I'm so sorry we scared you before," she told her gently. Marley's breath was getting out of control and Santana looked at Rachel. "I can't, and you know it."

"Her breath is out of control, she's going to hyperventilate and pass out," Rachel said.

"I can't force her," Santana said.

"She hears you. Try. Don't force. Strongly encourage. You know there's a difference," Rachel said.

"Get the fairy one," Santana said rolling her eyes and she pulled Marley tighter to her body. "Okay baby, listen to Mommy," Santana said. "We have to have a very serious talk sweetheart. I'm not forcing you. I would never ever force you to do anything that scares you baby, you know that right? Mommy does her best to be as careful as possible when it comes to you. Right now though, you're not breathing well, so we want to help you control it," she said and Rachel returned, carefully putting the pacifier into Santana's hand while still staying out of view. "Look baby, just look at it. I'm not going to put it in for you. You're going to do that, if you want," Santana said. "I don't want it to be so hard for you to breathe that you pass out on us. It's just Mommy baby, it's just you and me, and if you suck on the pacifier it will help you calm down," Santana said.

Marley heard a few words, but not full sentences, and her chest was starting to hurt and it was starting to get harder and harder for her to get air into her lungs. "Listen to Mommy, Marley. Just hear Mommy's voice," Santana said.

"Sing Santana, sing anything," Rachel said kindly.

"Like what?"

"When I find myself in time of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be," Rachel sang and Santana took the hint and continued.

"And in my hour of darkness, she is standing right in front of me. Speaking words of wisdom, let it be," she said. Marley couldn't focus though, it still hurt to breathe and while she was in safe arms, she felt really scared. Santana stopped singing and pulled Marley tighter, kissing her temple softly and repeatedly before putting the pacifier in Marley's hand. "This is your choice baby, but if you suck on that, you'll have to regulate your breathing and it will stop hurting and stop being so hard, but I will not force you," Santana said.

Marley looked at the pacifier in her hands with wide eyes, trying to figure out what Santana wanted her to do with it. She couldn't truly hear anything going on around her and then she realized that she was too worked up. It happened all the time when she was younger. She'd get all worked up about something and then she couldn't hear things. A few words broke through Santana's little lecture and Marley shoved the pacifier in her mouth, almost violently. "Easy, easy, don't choke," Santana said and she carefully hooked her finger in the loop, tugging lightly on it. "Just have it sit there baby, the more you suck, the more you'll have to regulate your breathing, it's okay, you're safe. It's just you and Mommy," she said and looked to Rachel.

Rachel smiled and shook her head. "She can't know I'm here right now anyway, you're doing great, and she's doing better," Rachel said pointing kindly to the now less stressed out Marley, from her perch on top of the couch.

Marley put her head on Santana's chest and simply held her breath. "No sweetheart, it's okay," Santana said and she took the pacifier out of Marley's mouth and let her breathe how she wanted. "I don't want you to be scared of this honey. It's just to help you calm down right now, and Miss April wants you to use it at night so that your mouth doesn't go dry," Santana explained.

Marley cried heavily and let all her weight fall against Santana. It took several minutes but eventually Marley cried herself to sleep. "I hate this," Santana said gently.

"And what would that be?" Rachel asked moving to sit on the coffee table.

"That I can't help her. That I'm not helping her."

"You can't possibly think that Santana," Rachel told her.

"I do. She's so stressed and so out of it, that, ugh, I just. I'm failing her and I didn't want to do that," she said.

"Okay, listen to me very carefully lady. You and I don't see eye to eye on a lot of things. Including this apparently. Santana, Marley does everything, for you. She speaks, she eats, she moves, she tries, and it's all because you showed her that you can be trusted, that you won't hurt her."

"She just had a total melt down," Santana said and as she spoke Marley shifted a bit, laying her head flat on Santana's chest, sighing softly.

Rachel smiled and nodded. "She did, obviously over something I said, which I'm sorry about, but do you think that two months ago when she was with Terri, she got any of this? Do you think Terri would hold her, bathe her, let her even have a tantrum? We both read the file Santana we know she came from a really terrible place. You are helping her. I can't imagine how frustrated you might be at what seems like slow progress, but you need to give yourself credit. You're doing a really fabulous job," she said honestly.

"I just can't fail her and she was so scared."

"It's not failing Santana, it's finding ways that do or don't work. We also have to find out what I did to set her off, because I definitely did it," Rachel said.

"You wouldn't be able to make anyone do that!" Santana said kindly and softly.

"Apparently you've been proven wrong," Rachel said with a cheeky grin. The front door opened and Kurt came home, looking exhausted. "Hey, stay quiet please," Rachel told him and he looked over at the couch. He craned his neck around and saw a very tired looking Marley sleeping on a very depressed looking Santana.

"Maybe the Mommy needs a nap too," he said.

"Maybe Papa would like a foot up his ass," Santana growled.

"Alright, that's enough. You," Rachel said turning to Kurt. "You leave them alone. Come with me into the kitchen, so I can pick your brain about dinner ideas, and you," she said looking at Santana. "Rest up and know that you are a very wonderful Mommy for Marley. End of discussion," she told her kindly and dragged Kurt out of the room.

"What did I miss?" he asked her.

Santana kept Marley against her, absent-mindedly combing her fingers through Marley's hair, keeping the younger girl calm and relaxed as she read over the blue folder. She was missing something, she knew she was. "Come on, jump out at me, something has to be here," she said.

She was vaguely aware of Marley moving beneath her, but she was determined to just keep reading. "Mommy's right here baby, you do whatever you want, and if you need me you just squeeze my hand. I'm only reading something," she said not even looking at her but continuing to pet her hair.

Marley moved a little bit, seemingly getting comfortable, but in reality she was trying to gauge Santana's sincerity and see if she was focused on her. Sometimes Santana would let her be and she needed this to be one of those times. When she woke up, she saw the pacifier in her own hand and she tried to remember if she had used it or somehow asked to use it. She thought about it a few more minutes and then with a very deep breath, she inched it slowly into her mouth, sucking on it gently. She had to admit that it was helping her calm down. The first ten seconds were fine, but when she saw Santana's arm reach over her to do something, she went into panic mode and let the pacifier fall out of her mouth, her breathing going ragged again.

"Shhh, Mommy's here baby, you're safe. You rest as long as you need to my love," she told her and kissed the top of her head and went back to reading. Marley wasn't able to relax right away though and she carefully ran her tongue around the inside of her mouth, wincing when she pressed against the sores. With a great deal of courage and a quick burst of confidence she opened her jaw and got the pacifier back into her mouth, sucking furiously at first and then calming down. "You okay love?" Santana asked looking down and Marley immediately spit out the pacifier. She pushed it away so hard that it started to topple off Santana's lap and Santana quickly caught it. "How about juice, is that okay?" Santana asked her kindly, putting the pacifier back in Marley's hand. "Hey Rachel can I get some of Marley's fruit punch please?" she called out.

Marley didn't budge and Santana looked at Rachel as she walked over with the glass of juice, their eyes catching and then Santana moved her eyes to her palm where Rachel saw the pacifier. "Did you want some juice baby?" Santana asked her and again Marley didn't move. "Okay, here's what we do. Mama Rae will leave the juice here and you can rest on me as long as you need to," she said and Marley didn't move. The pacifier was still in her hand, but she wasn't going to fuss with it. Not in front of people, although they didn't seem to care too much that she was or wasn't using it. That much she had focused in on.

Rachel stood up and then knelt in front of the two girls, rubbing Marley's back and she spoke softly. "Marley baby, let me know when you're hungry okay? You barely had any of your snack and I don't want you getting dehydrated or low on energy. You get muscle cramps that way," Rachel told her kindly, gave her a kiss and left them alone again.

"What was that all about?" Kurt asked Rachel in a hushed whisper once she returned to the kitchen. She gave him a look of curiosity and he rolled his eyes. "Maybe it's some weird mother thing, but you and Santana just had an entire conversation with your eyes and there was something she wanted you to notice, what's going on?" he asked.

"She used her pacifier."

"She used it?" Kurt asked with a happy smile.

"Yes, well I think she did, but if I'm taking my cues right, we don't mention it," Rachel hissed at him.

"You're okay baby, you keep resting for as long as you need, Mommy isn't going anywhere," Santana said kindly. Kurt heard Marley's erratic breathing all the way in the kitchen and he said a silent prayer for her to take the pacifier. Obviously it worked the first time.

"Wait, did she fall asleep with it?" he whispered.

"No, she cried herself to sleep."

"So she used it when she woke up?" he asked and Rachel nodded and then shrugged. She wasn't completely sure.

"Mommy," a small voice said.

"What's up baby?" Santana asked putting the folder on the coffee table and before Marley could say any more Marley leaned over and threw up. Santana wrinkled her face but didn't say anything. She carefully got her out of the position she was in, away from whatever vomit was on Santana and Marley burst into hysterical sobs. "Help please," Santana called and both Kurt and Rachel went to help. Kurt showed up with a roll of paper towels and Rachel and Santana guided Marley into the kitchen, where she threw up twice more in the sink. "She's burning up," Santana said sadly.

"Of course she is, you'd be burning up too if you'd been throwing up," Rachel said. "Marley baby, Mama Rae is going to rub your tummy, very gently, just like we did with the lotion. It's just to settle it," she said. Marley was crying so hard, that she didn't pay any attention to Rachel. She didn't know where she was, or what was going on. She just felt terrible. "San, I'm singing okay?" Rachel asked and Santana nodded, wetting a small cloth so that she could wipe down Marley's face. "When the rain is blowing in your face," Rachel started to sing and eventually her voice broke through Marley's cries and Marley started to calm down. "There's my sweet girl," Rachel smiled as she saw Marley start to come out of her stupor. "Look baby, look at Mommy," she said pointing her to look toward Santana.

"Hi baby," Santana said and Marley saw unshed tears in her eyes.

Marley was afraid she'd done something wrong, obviously she'd made Santana cry. This was it, this was where they were going to get rid of her. Marley burst into further tears and Santana sighed. "Shhh, you're okay, you're okay. I just got scared. Despite what some people think, I do have feelings, I do cry," Santana told her with a smile, wiping her away her tears.

"Mommy is just very sad baby," Rachel said kindly. "See, Mommy loves you so much, and when you got sick just now, she got scared and was afraid there was something wrong," Rachel said and Santana nodded.

"You are my big brave wonderful baby girl Marley," Santana told her. Marley nodded and looked down at the sink, seeing her own vomit in there and then she looked to Santana for some sort of confirmation. "You're okay, just got sick. You were doing very well and then you were lying on my chest and then got sick. I don't know what caused it. Did you eat anything funny tasting?" Santana asked her kindly, brushing her hair back and petting her forehead. Her face was flushed, but not as warm as before. "Do you want to sit back down now? We can go sit and cuddle if you like," she said.

"Well once Mommy gets changed," Rachel smiled. "Come on baby. You come sit with Mama Rae and Papa and we'll order in take out and watch a movie all together on the couch okay?" she asked.

"Take out?" Santana asked rinsing off the bottom of her shirt and washing the sink as well.

"Hold my shoulders sweetheart," Rachel said to Marley, helping her into position. "Yes, it's my night to cook. I decided on take out," she said. "Mainly because I don't know what else to cook," she laughed leading Marley to the couch where Kurt was waiting with Teddy Bear and the pacifier was on the coffee table. Marley went stiff, afraid they were going to make her use it and tears sprung to her eyes.

"Mommy," she cried out softly.

"As soon as she's done sweetheart, she just has to change tops," Rachel said kindly helping Marley to sit on the couch.

"MOMMY!" Marley screamed.

"I'm right here honey, I promise, I'm just changing!" Santana called from the other room, and as soon as she emerged, Marley went to spring forward, however she didn't have a lot of stability in her core yet so she toppled onto her side. She moved too fast for her own body and the pain exploded through every nerve ending. Kurt and Rachel watched with wide eyes and Marley laid between them, screaming bloody murder. "Alright, that's enough," Santana said. Her voice was completely calm, but she was in full Mistress Mode, Kurt was in awe.

She sat down on the couch, pulled Marley tight to her body. "No more screaming Marley," she told her strongly, and squeezed her just a little bit tighter.

"Mommy," she cried, gasping for breath.

"Yes, Mommy's here and you're safe, but no more screaming," she told her. "Look at me Marley, do you know my name?" she asked and Marley nodded. "Say it quitely," she told her kindly, rubbing her back, their foreheads now gently pressed together.

"Mommy," she said softly.

"Good girl, and who else is here?" she asked.

"Mama ah Papa," she said softly.

"Yes my love, very good. Now, are you still in pain? I saw that face, I know that face," she told her. Marley nodded slowly. "Okay, so we have to breathe and calm down to get rid of the pain, just like you do with Mr. Joe. Just breathe in and out my love, you know how to do that," Santana coached. It took some time but then she was calm and Santana smiled. "Very good my sweet girl, now, I have a few questions, do you think you're ready?" Santana asked and with some hesitation Marley nodded. "We will go slow, I will always go slow with you. I want you to understand everything around you," she said.

Rachel and Kurt watched in awe as Santana took over the situation with such authority and grace and Rachel marveled at how Santana could even possibly think she was failing Marley in any way at all. "Alright baby girl. First. You woke up on my chest, did that scare you or make you feel safe?" she asked holding up two fingers. Marley grabbed the second finger. "You also woke up with something in your hand, do you know what that was?" Marley nodded. "Will you say it for me?"

Marley thought for a moment, little tears trickling down her cheeks. "Pa-fy-ah," she hiccupped. This was Mommy Santana. Marley was willing to try for her.

"Very good, and you know what you said a word that has been scaring you for a while and nothing happened did it?" she asked and Marley looked at her questioningly. "No one laughed, or yelled, or teased you, or told you to stop, or called you names. The floor didn't open up and swallow us all to the ground. Nothing bad is going to happen to you if you choose to use your pacifier. Mama Rae, and Papa, and I fully support you, if you feel that you need to use it," Santana said.

Marley still looked scared and Santana took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She opened them up again and gave Marley a gentle kiss to her ckeek. "Marley baby, you look terrified, and I don't want you to be afraid of me, or this house, or what goes on here," she said kindly. Marley leaned in and rested her head on Santana's shoulder, wrapping her arms tightly around Santana and sighed softly.

"I think she's okay with everything," Kurt told Santana softly and the buzzer rang startling the tender moment. "That's dinner, I'll get it," he told her.

"I ordered chinese food. Sesame Chicken and Rice for Marley," Rachel smiled as she leaned in and kissed her forehead. "And I got double for Marley's Mommy," Rachel giggled and Santana rolled her eyes.

"Mama Rae thinks she's cute," Santana said and Rachel nodded proudly. "She isn't," Santana said simply.

"Mommy thinks she's fresh, and she definitely is," Rachel said rolling her eyes. "Marley love, which would you like with dinner, juice or something else?" she asked her. Marley touched her first finger and Rachel nodded. "You're so special and so brave Marley, never forget that," she told her.

The four of them had eaten dinner on the couch and Marley let all of them take turns feeding her. Santana had been right, no one laughed, or teased, or did anything to make Marley feel like she was less important than she actually was. After an hour they finished and Marley sat on the floor next to Santana playing with a toy piano. She liked it because of the lights and the fact that it actually played music. Joe had given it to her a while ago.

"Remember my counting cups Marley? Well this is almost like that. It looks like a baby toy, I know, but for you it isn't. Your hands are much better, due to all the lotion that your Mommy has been giving you. So now we have to get them moving again. I heard somewhere along the line that you like music. So this is a little toy that will let you do that. I had to get it small to start with because this hospital only has so much space," he explained and Marley nodded her understanding. "I know your Mommy sings, maybe she plays too, or she can play it with you. Maybe you can teach her," he suggested.

"Okay baby girl, teach me now," Satana said and Marley smiled. She tapped one key twice, then a second, then a third and then a fourth. It carried on until she tapped 8 keys twice each and Santana smiled. She knew the song, but it was slow now and she was so proud of Marley. "Help me baby, you do it first, one at a time, then I will follow," she said and Marley nodded. One key twice. Santana repeated. This carried on for an hour before Marley started to yawn and then snuggled closer into Santana's side. "How about we stop playing now and watch a movie?" she asked.

Marley shook her head. She didn't want to. Movies with everyone were fun, but Marley knew she would fall asleep and falling asleep meant her dreams would come to life. She was afraid of the nightmares that would haunt her tonight. Everything she feared would come back to haunt her. Just thinking about it made her want to be sick and now her stomach was still digesting, so if she threw up, it was going to hurt a lot. She turned into Santana and started to cry softly.

"Oh baby," Santana sighed and she gathered her into her arms, keeping her close, rocking gently, humming softly to help Marley settle down. "Alright my love, bed time for us," Santana said kindly and she carefully stood up, brought Marley with her and with help from Kurt and Rachel they went into the bedroom. Santana went in and Rachel and Kurt left. Santana shut the door and Marley burst into tears all over again.

Kurt had been staring at the bedroom door for the past hour. He felt Rachel slide in next to him and she frowned. "You know, if you stare any harder I think you might actually get a migraine, and you'll need glasses," she told him softly.

"She's been in there for two hours and for the past twenty minutes it's been nothing but dead silence. Do you think she killed her? Because the last thing I heard was a scream and then nothing," he said softly.

"Santana is all bark and only semi bite. She wouldn't murder Marley. She's probably just staying with her until she's calm," she suggested.

"I don't like it. It's too quiet."

Rachel got a smile on her face and leaned forward picking up the remote. "So turn on some noise," she said kindly and the two of them cuddled on the couch to watch Funny Girl which was miraculously on television that night.

"Hey keep it down please, she's finally sleeping," Santana said emerging from the bedroom.

"She lives!" Rachel smiled shouting as softly and excitedly as possible.

"You didn't kill her, did you?" Kurt asked bluntly as Santana sat next to him.

"Yes, I did, she's in there, right now, soaking in her own blood," Santana sighed.

"Poor Mommy Tana," Rachel said in a mock pout.

"Shut it dwarf," she snapped quietly.

Rachel ignored that comment and continued speaking. "You want tea?" she asked. "We have mint and chamomile," she said.

"Oooh, I want," Kurt said and Rachel nodded and then looked at Santana. "It'll help your nerves," she offered.

"Yeah, okay fine," she said and she sat on the couch quietly, closing her eyes and she felt a hand slip into hers. "I need more than that," she said.

"This is all I can give you, you're not interested in my parts," he said with a small laugh.