Hello everyone,
I hope you had a wonderful week. I am actually supposed to spend the day with some friends, so I wanted to get this up, before I did that. I very much hope you all enjoy this chapter.
Warnings: Marley's still a wreck. I KNOW and BELIEVE she needs a phsycotherapist of some kind. I'm working on it. I want to make sure what I write is fairly accurate.
Bonus Point - There is are two surprise NEW & PERMANENT characters. One shows up in this chapter and there is mention of the other one. A lot of you must have planted the seed, but it took THIS LONG to figure out where to put one of the said characters.
I will say, I've read over this chapter twice now. When I wrote it, in my head, it made perfect sense. If anyone has any confusion with it, please feel free to PM me, or leave it in the review, so I can better explain it.
As always, many thanks to NayaFan, UnholyUnderBoob, & Beaner008 for their inspiration and encouragement. I also want to thank everyone who has sent me PM's, and given reviews.
Happy reading to all of you.
Two hours later Santana was on the couch, holding a calmer Marley. Rachel let them be for as long as possible. When she noticed the time, she went to the kitchen and pulled out Marley's snack, which were simple slices of cheese and grapes. Santana felt Marley squirm and she moved to stretch out a bit. Once Santana had her legs out in front of her on the couch, Marley fell forward, sinking down a bit. She put her head on Santana's chest, curling her legs under herself and turning her head so that she could at least see Rachel.
"Hey there baby girl," Rachel smiled. "Are you ready for your snack?" she asked.
"I sorry Mama," she whimpered, pressing her ear further into Santana's chest, to try and find her heartbeat.
"What are you sorry for baby girl? You didn't do anything wrong," Rachel told her and she fed her a small slice of cheese. "You have been so good and brave these last few days. Mama is so proud of you, and I know Mommy and Papa are too," Rachel said kindly.
"We are baby," Santana said kindly and kissed the top of her head.
"I know you are frustrated baby girl and I know you are still scared of what's to come, but you have done so well," Rachel told her hoping to reiterate her point and have it stick with Marley as she fed her. "Such a good girl our Marley is," Rachel praised as she fed her another grape. After she finished her entire snack, with no complaining, Rachel and Santana lavished her with praise. "You know what my love? Mommy has to go take care of some emails, how about you and Mama play on the floor with your new piano," Rachel suggested and Marley gave a soft smile and then it faded.
"Mommy?" she asked and every bit of her voice held the same panic Santana had heard before. Marley was attached to her Mommy and didn't want her to leave, ever.
"I'm not leaving baby girl, I just have to do some work on my computer. I think it's a very good idea that you play with Mama," she told her.
"I good Mommy, I good," Marley said panting immediately. She couldn't do anything right and this was proof. She'd eaten her entire snack, with no arguments and yet Santana was still leaving her.
"Shhh, of course you're a good girl Marley, Mommy is so proud of you," she told her and Marley looked afraid.
"I good, I good, I good," she cried.
Santana sighed heavily and shifted slightly, pulling Marley to her. "Shhh, yes you are baby, you are a very good girl. You are Mommy's best girl," she told her.
"Mommy stay, I good," she cried and Santana took a deep breath.
"Okay love bug, okay, Mommy's here, you're safe, it's okay," she assured her and Marley continued to cry, holding on tight and trembling. "My sweet baby girl, you did so good today. You had a good breakfast, and then you ate all your snack and you didn't complain, and you had most of your lunch, and cuddled with Mama, and then you had therapy with Mr. Joe and ate all of your second snack. You did so good today baby girl. Mommy is so so proud of you," Santana said and Rachel stayed back. It was very clear, Marley needed her Mommy, and if Rachel was being honest, she was enjoying seeing this side of Santana. Santana had on this very sweet, grandmotherly type, sing song voice, and it was only ever used when Marley was this young minded and obviously frightened. Rachel had only heard it one other time.
"Come on princess, let's sit down together. We'll sit down and play piano with Mama," she said taking a seat on the floor and guiding Marley to her lap. "Come on baby, let's play piano with Mama," she said and Marley whimpered and curled herself into Santana's body, burring her face in her Santana's chest. "Shhh, come on, let's ask Mama to come play," Santana encouraged and Marley just whimpered and cried.
Rachel moved over toward them and took a seat across from them, with the piano near by. "How many emails do you have to do?" Rachel asked.
"My last count was only two," she said.
"How long does it take?"
"It depends on what they want done," Santana said rocking slightly, side to side with Marley in her arms.
"Marley baby, will you come sit with Mama?" Rachel asked her and Marley started shrieking, forcing her body into Santana, her grip getting tighter, nails digging into Santana's skin, even through her clothes.
"Oh my goodness, what's the matter, my baby," Santana cooed softly and adjusted Marley so she was in a cradle like position. She held her tight and made sure that every exposed nerve ending had pressure on it. Even going so far as to tip her head down so her lips were pressed to Marley's forehead and she kept them there, murmuring softly. "Shhh, Mommy's here baby girl, Mommy's here, you're safe," Santana said gently.
It only took thirty seconds for Marley to calm down and then she stayed cuddled tight into Santana. "You know what baby, I bet if you let Mama hold you, she would play piano with you," Santana bargained, her voice still holding that very delicate tone.
"Mommy, I good," she whimpered.
"Of course you are baby. You're a very good girl my baby. You're Mommy Santana's baby and Mama Rae's baby, and Papa Kurt's baby, aren't you?" Santana cooed softly and Marley nodded, but repeated over and over again that she was a good girl. She was off in her head somewhere and Santana had no idea where she was, or how to pull her out of it.
Rachel picked up on it too though, so she moved in very close and began to sing softly. "Where is thumbkin, where is thumbkin, here I am, here I am, how are you today sir, very well I thank you, run a-way, run a-way," she sang and Santana gave a kind smile. Rachel was trying and she was using ever "tool" she could think of, "tools" they knew Marley worked well with. First, she put on a higher, softer voice, secondly, she began to sing, she added in the proper hand movements for the song, and lastly, she got so close and so near that Marley was forced to focus. Marley wouldn't dare close her eyes, they knew that for sure, that brought too many memories of Marley's torturous time with Terri.
"Will you sing with Mama?" Rachel asked her gently, brushing Marley's hair back out of her eyes. "Will you baby? Should we try again? Let's try. Mama will be the first one and Marley can be the second one," she said gently and she tried again. "Where is thumbkin," Rachel sang softly, moving her hand to be the first person and Santana took Marley's hand moving it to mirror Rachel's.
"Where is thumbkin," Santana sang softly moving Marley's other hand. Santana was hoping that if she got involved it would help pull Marley into the game as well.
"Here I am."
"Here I am," Santana sang, but Rachel saw Marley's lips moving, so they were getting through to her at least.
"How are you today sir?"
"Very well I thank you."
"Run a way."
"Run a way," Santana sang, but just below her voice were the very soft and sweet tones of Marley's voice. Rachel glanced up at Santana and she nodded to keep going.
"Where is pointer?"
"Whe' i' poin-ta," Marley sang and Rachel and Santana both beamed. It may have been toddler speak, but at least Marley was speaking. As long as she spoke, they were very happy with her.
"Here I am," Rachel sang, her voice much higher than Santana thought it would be.
"Hewe I am," Marley parroted.
"How are you today sir."
"How ah you ta-day sa," Marley copied and Santana and Rachel simply grinned. Marley was copying, which was fine with them, at least she was engaged. It wasn't exactly how the song went, but if she was interacting with them, who cared.
"Very well I thank you," Rachel sang for her and Marley babbled something that was not intelligible at all, but they ignored it and kept going. "Run a way."
"Un a way," Marley smiled.
"Yaaaay Marley," Rachel praised and she gently leaned a bit closer, cupped Marley's face in her hands and kissed her forehead. "Such a good girl we have," she gushed and praise after praise, she kissed her way down the slope of Marley's nose and when she pulled back, Marley was all smiles. "My good baby girl, I'm so proud of you. You sang so nicely, should we play music together on the piano?" she asked her kindly. "Should we sit together and play piano?" she asked her in a high pitched, way too happy voice and Marley looked up at Santana with uncertainty etched on her face.
"Hi baby girl," Santana smiled, leaning in to nuzzle her gently. "Do you want to play piano with Mama? You can, I won't stop you," she assured her and Marley carefully reached for Rachel, willing to sit in her lap, but she kept looking up to see Santana. She had to see her Mommy. If Santana left, she would die, she was sure of it. "Sit with Mama baby, and Mommy will be right back. I'm going to do my work right here while you play," she said and Marley started to cry all over again.
"Oh baby girl, it's okay," Rachel said and she rocked her back and forth. "Shhh, Mommy's coming, Mommy had to get her computer. She'll be right back baby," she told her and as soon as Santana returned, Marley practically threw herself at Santana, wailing in fear and a small amount of pain, needing her Mommy.
"Shhh, Mommy's here, you're okay, Mommy's here," she assured her and held her close and rubbed her back. "Shhh, Mommy's here, you're okay baby girl," she told her and her heart broke. Marley was having a terrible afternoon. Santana could see that her memories were taking over her brain and she was having a hard time shaking them.
Santana finally got Marley to calm down and take a nap. While she slept, Santana took care of her emails. As she finished hitting send for her last email to her client, her phone rang. She looked at the caller id and frowned. The club was calling. They never called. "This is Miss Rivers," she answered and immediately Rachel went on edge. Something was definitely up.
"Hello my darling girl," Beth smiled. "Do you have some time and how is Marley?"
"Marley is about two years old, she's napping, and I'm concerned. You almost never call me from the office," Santana said honestly.
"We have a few issues going on sweetheart," she said, not beating around the bush. Santana sighed and Beth simply continued. "Firstly, Terri has been arrested and is being held without bail, secondly Dr. Isabelle is going to be Marley's therapist, she is my cousin, and so she is very sensitive to your particular situation. Lastly, Terri got her hands on one more person before she applied here and Dr. Martinez called me, this afternoon to inform me."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down, back up. say that again," she requested politely.
"Which part darling?" Beth asked.
"All of it, but especially the part about Dr. Martinez," she said and Rachel stopped what she was doing and looked at Santana with wide, panicked eyes.
"Dr. Martinez is treating a young man named Noah who was brought in for dehydration, hypothermia, genital abuse, physical abuse, and muscular trauma."
"Fuck!" Santana hissed. "I'm sorry Miss, I am, but she can't keep doing this to people," Santana said tears springing to her eyes. "It's hard enough dealing with Marley sometimes. She has her mood swings and needs her Mommy to hold her and if there is another one who is going through all of that, I mean, what am I going to do? I'm not anyone's biological Mommy. I don't even know how to do this with Marley, and I feel like you're getting ready to ask me take on Noah as well. I can't let him suffer, but it's going to be so much work for him and ten times harder for Marley. Are you sure I'm the right fit for him?" Santana babbled. As she did, Rachel began making mental notes and then texted Kurt to come home as soon as he possibly could.
"Santana my love, they share a lot in common, it's why I went to you first. The other thing is, that the sooner she talks to Dr. Isabelle, the sooner things will be easier for you at home."
"Our house is too small as it is, what am I going to do?" she asked with panic and Beth spoke kindly.
"Darling. Before I even introduce you to Noah, we would work all of this out, but if you are really set against it, I can talk to Quinn and see what she says."
"Wait, Quinn? Is she new?" Santana asked.
"Yes, she is. She just moved here last month, she's been training with Susan for the last few days, she's going to be Auntie Quinn to any of the little ones who come in. Originally I would have gone to her first, but the problem is that she looks far too much like Terri for me to place Noah with her."
"I thought Dianna was our new Nanny-in-training person."
"She was, however she didn't work out and Quinn was a recent applicant from upstate, who is doing very well."
"Quinn does everything well," she thought to herself. Santana closed her eyes for a moment, turned around and snapped her fingers at Rachel to grab her attention. "I'm going out on a limb here. Auntie Quinn Fabray?" she asked and Rachel's eyes nearly popped out of her head when Santana nodded at Beth's confirmation.
"Only the two of you could find a similar job with the same company," Rachel said shaking her head slightly and went back to fixing dinner.
"Do you two know each other?"
"Yes, we all went to high school together," Santana answered honestly.
"Alright, well how uncomfortable are you with this whole set up then?" Beth asked.
"Quinn and I get along fine. We can fight for the same cause as a team so I don't have a problem with any of that. I don't want her alone with Marley until she's been properly introduced though and if she really does look like this Terri woman then I have no choice but to take Noah on," Santana said. "Unless he can have a Daddy," Santana said hopefully, knowing full well there were two Masters at the club who would make wonderful Daddies to this poor little boy. "Wait how old is this boy?" she asked.
"Seventeen."
"He's not even legal!" Santana shouted in surprise and hurt. It was killing her to know that Terri had caused severe trauma to another human and she could only imagine how bad it was with Noah. She knew how bad it was and could have gotten to be when it came to Marley.
"Stop yelling darling," Beth said sternly, but her voice was kind and gentle. She knew it was a lot to ask of Santana and it was a lot to ask of her roommates as well. Beth was just trying to do the best she could with the options she had. "And to answer your other question, no he is not ready for a Daddy yet. He was emancipated at twelve, because his father raped him for two years and his mother was a raging alcoholic," Beth explained. "We're getting little bits and pieces from him at the hospital. He keeps asking for water to rinse his mouth with, but I'm not so sure that he even knows if he wants a Mommy." she continued.
"So he can talk?"
"Not well, but yes he can. His mouth is severely infected."
"Vinegar?" she asked, almost hopefully. The vinegar sores could be healed, Santana saw it first hand. She didn't want to think what other type of infection although her brain was coming up with a million different thoughts. None of them were pleasant.
"No my darling. He doesn't use pacifiers. He was tortured in a different way than Marley was."
"Mmmm," she growled softly. "I don't want to know then."
"You don't have to. I will spare you the details, however, if you do decide to take Noah on, even if it's for a little while, there are going to be key points that you need to enforce. We will go over those when the time comes though," Beth said.
"Marley comes first, she has to. When she wakes up from her nap, I will talk to her, but I have to put her first. I can't let her think that she's being replaced," Santana said sadly.
"Alright darling, alright, call me when you have all discussed it, as a family, Rachel and Kurt included," Beth told her.
"Yes ma'am," she said and they disconnected.
Rachel looked at Santana and the two held the other's gaze for a long moment, almost in a battle of wills. Santana was trying to figure out how to put it into words, and Rachel was trying to figure out when she should say anything at all. They didn't have to say anything to each other at all though, because very shortly there after Kurt walked into the house and Marley was heard crying in the other room. They all rushed to her and with tears streaming down her face, she lunged for Santana holding on tightly and trembling.
"I good Mommy, I good," she wailed.
"Shhh, Mommy's here baby, and yes, you are good, you are very good," Santana soothed her and both Kurt and Rachel saw her trembling. "Come on baby girl, let's lay down and get you changed. Time to get all clean. Mommy will change you and you'll feel better, I promise sweetheart," Santana told her.
She laid her down on the bed and when she stood up Marley began wailing. "Mommy!" she screamed.
"Shhh, Mommy's here, it's okay. Mommy's right here, you're okay," she told her as she moved around the room and gathered her supplies.
"Mommy, mommy!" she screamed, over and over again, the entire time Santana changed her diaper.
"Shhh, okay little girl, okay, Mommy's here, you're okay," she soothed and she rocked her little girl in her arms until Marley calmed herself. "Shhh, there's my good girl, there she is," Santana told her and she continued to rock her in her lap while she worked on getting Marley calmer.
"Mommy," she said softly.
"What baby? What's wrong? You can tell Mommy anything you want to, you know that," Santana assured her. "But you're Mommy's sweet baby girl and Mommy's right here for you, I promise you sweetheart," she said.
"Mama," Marley whimpered.
"Mama's here honey," Rachel said and without understanding why it was happening, Marley crawled into Rachel's lap once she sat down and began wailing all over again. "Oh my goodness baby girl, what's the matter? Did you have bad dreams?" Rachel asked her gently.
"Mama!" she wailed.
"I'm here baby, Mama's here, you're okay," Rachel assured her. Santana rubbed Marley's back, gave her a kiss, and then kissed Rachel's cheek. She whispered something in her ear and then Santana took Kurt into the other room and explained everything Beth had explained to her earlier.
"When did she get like that though?" Kurt asked. "Marley hasn't been that hysterical, in I can't remember how long, if ever," he said. "Those cries are very different from the ones she did the other day at the club and a few weeks ago when she came out of the shower," he commented.
"She's been at it all afternoon and now I have this new information. Before we continue to worry about her, and we will, tell me what you think about Noah please," Santana said.
"I think he needs help and I think if Beth thinks you're the one to help him, then you should," Kurt said.
"Miss Beth orginially thought of Quinn, but Quinn's blonde, so is Terri," Santana said.
"Well then I think Quinn should be here with him. He can get used to you and her. Marley can get used to Quinn. Move everyone into the apartment and just maybe, after all that getting used to other people, you can get a proper break," he said.
"And where would you like everyone to sleep?" Santana smirked.
"We'll figure it out, we always do," Kurt smiled and kissed Santana's cheek kindly before getting up and started for the bathroom. "And go be with your baby, she needs you just as much as she needs Rachel," he said.
Santana took a heavy sigh and fixed Marley a cup of juice, before she went back into the bedroom. Rachel was cooing softly over Marley and Marley was trembling in her lap, resting her head on Rachel's shoulder. "I good Mama, I sorry, bad baby, no bad, good guh, I sowwy Mama," she said and she kept babbling, her speech getting younger and younger as she continued.
"Shhh, where's Mama's big girl huh? Where's Mama's best girl?" she asked her and Marley didn't answer, she just gripped tighter to Rachel and continued to babble softly. Rachel squeezed her tighter, to help calm her raw nerves and gently pet her face. At this point, Marley was seated on the bed, facing sideways while Rachel had her arms wrapped tightly around her. She rocked slowly and took Marley's hand. "Oooh, look how beautiful Mama's baby girl is," she said carefully holding her and and examining it as if she were the most delicate piece of jewelry to ever exist. "Mama's most beautiful baby girl," she cooed softly.
"Mama?" Marley asked on a hiccup.
"Yes my love?"
"Mama, I good, I sowwy, I good, no bad," she cried, slow tears falling down her face.
"Yes, you are a very good girl, a very very very good girl," Rachel assured her and Santana moved to sit on the bed with them.
"Look baby, Mommy got your favorite cup of juice and we're going to take nice little sips," Santana told her and Marley just cried, but took the sips of juice, claiming that she was still a good girl. "You are the best baby girl Mommy could ever ask for," she told her.
"Mommy, I good," she said, almost pleading.
"Look at Mommy baby," Santana said and she took Marley's hand and put it on her own cheek. "Mommys baby girl Marley, is a very very good girl," she told her shaking her head yes, so Marley would hopefully get the point.
"Mommy," Marley whimpered and she moved out of Rachel's lap and into Santana's holding on tight.
"I love you so much baby girl. I'm so proud of you and all your hard work that you're doing," Santana praised her.
"Mommy, owie," she said softly.
"Where do you hurt my baby girl?" she asked her and Marley touched her forehead and her eyes. "Oh I see," Santana said. "Do you know how we fix that?" she asked her and Marley immediately went tense and Santana frowned. "Shhh, no baby, no no, you're okay, Mommy knows how to fix it. She was just asking you what you thought," she explained to her.
"Mommy," Marley cried.
"I'm sorry baby. Mommy's sorry," she told her and she cuddled her tight, took out her pony tail and let her long dark hair fall down her shoulders to help block out any light. "You know what we're going to do? Mommy's going to get her baby girl some warm tomato soup, some chocolate pudding for dessert, and then we're going to lay down together with a very dark blanket, because I know my baby's eyes hurt a little bit too," she told her gently.
"Mama will get the soup for her baby girl," Rachel said and she went into the kitchen, leaving Santana and Marley alone.
"Mommy, I good, I sowwy," she whimpered.
"Shhh, yes you are baby girl. You are a very good baby girl. Mommy's best baby girl. Do you know what you have sweetheart? Do you know what it's called?" she asked her.
"Owies," Marley whimpered.
"Yes, a lot of owies," Santana told her. "There's a big girl word for it though. Do you know that word?" she asked gently and softly, petting her little girl's face gently. "The big girl word is called migraine," she said.
"My-g-in," she said softly.
"Very good my love," Santana praised her. "Such a brave, sweet, smart girl," Santana praised her. "So now, you're going to sit with Mommy, and Mama is going to come in with the soup and feed you. It will be warm enough to help you feel better, and then we'll get you some chocolate. Do you know why Mommy wants you to have chocolate? Chocolate has caffeine in it and that helps open up your blood vessels," Santana explained, being sure to talk quietly.
"Mommy?" she asked softly.
"Yes baby?"
"Baf?" she asked.
"Do you want a bath baby girl?" she asked her and Marley nodded. "We can do that sweetheart. Mommy can run you a nice warm bath, and light some candles, and turn out all the lights," she said as Marley continued to keep her face, pressed into Santana's neck to keep the light out.
Marley let out a yelp of pain as her headache began to increase and the light started to make things worse. "Shhh, I know baby, I know. You're a good girl, and Mommy loves you very much. You just need to listen closely to what we say and I promise you, in a little while you'll feel better," she said.
Rachel came into the bedroom and smiled. "There's my baby girl are you ready for some soup? Mama made sure it's just very warm, so her baby girl doesn't experience any pain," she explained softly as she sat on the bed. Marley noticed that the soup was in a glass and not a bowl and she looked at it curiously. "Mama put the soup in a cup for Marley. I will help you eat it sweetheart," she told her and Marley nodded, but the moment she turned to get a better angle, the light caught her eyes and she started to cry. It felt like her brain was disconnecting from her body, and she was sure that because she was a freak and now sick, Santana, Rachel, and Kurt were going to send her away, so she simply cried.
"Alright baby girl," Santana soothed softly and she carefully pulled Marley back to her, massaging her scalp to help release some of the tension. "Mommy's here baby and Mama's going to go close the curtains for you. No more light to hurt our baby girl," she soothed and Rachel quickly closed the curtains and Marley's whimpers began to die down.
"Marley baby, Mommy has to potty. I want you to sit with Mama and drink as much soup as you can while I'm gone, okay? Can you do that?" Santana asked her.
"I good Mommy."
"Yes you are baby, I just have to go to the bathroom. I will be back as fast as I can. Sit with Mama," she told her and with soft whimpers, Marley sat in Rachel's arms.
Rachel sat with Marley and got her to drink all of her soup slowly, so she didn't burn her mouth. Rachel gave her lovely little kisses and pet her face gently. "Papa is going to come feed you pudding sweetheart, it will help more, and then I know Mommy is going to lay down with you, in the very dim light and quiet to help your head," Rachel assured her. Marley was already fighting sleep though. She had a belly full of warm soup and it was making her very sleepy.
Kurt came in later to relieve Rachel of her baby sitting duties and began feeding Marley her favorite chocolate pudding. "My sweet baby girl, Papa is so proud of you," he praised her as she tiredly ate each bite he gave her.
"Mommy is proud of you too. You are doing so well and you're being so brave," Kurt told her lovingly. He got her to eat everything, calm down, and miraculously fall asleep. Santana had returned halfway through the pudding and laid down next to her little girl. Once she had been sleeping for half an hour, Santana went to the kitchen table and Kurt and Rachel joined in and the three had a little conversation.
"What do you feel in your heart of hearts Santana? Because ultimately, that is what it boils down to. You have to make the decision and it has to be right for you and Marley before it's right for us," Rachel said kindly.
"Miss Beth said that he needs someone, and being that Marley has been with us, and we're 'used' to this, we're a good fit. My gut however has convinced me over the past half hour that Quinn and Noah, need to move in with us. We will be Aunties and Uncle, and Quinn will be Mommy. This is the easiest solution, I can come up with," she said.
"Is Quinn on board with this?" Kurt asked.
"I have to run it by her. Then I have to convince her that she should move in here, and get her to spend time with our little one, before she gets a little one of her own. I'm just very concerned, because according to all the descriptions we have of Terri, from when she was arrested, Quinn looks a little bit like her, so I'm concerned it's just going to freak out not only Noah, but Marley too and that leads to too much stress for her."
Santana opened the door to the apartment and pulled Quinn in, hugging her tightly. "Thank you for coming," she told her.
"Quinn!" Rachel said happily and excitedly and practically attacked the blonde with a bone crushing hug and Quinn didn't mind at all. She kept Rachel in the hug and smiled.
"You I'm very glad to see," she said to Rachel with a warm smile, "and you threatened my life," Quinn said directing her statement toward Santana. "Of course I'd show up," she said and there was a small duffle bag of hers in the hallway, "even though it's nine thirty at night," she added.
"Some things never change," Kurt said, "and can you all lower your voices, she's starting to stir," Kurt said kindly and he walked over and gave Quinn a hug hello.
"So how does all this work?" Quinn asked noticing the blocks on the floor, the toy piano, the small basket of toys by the tv, and the pacifier that was on the coffee table. "Also how old is she?"
"Biologically, she's nineteen, soon to be twenty. Depending on her mood and how scared she is, we've been operating at a three/four level. By the time she wakes up and realizes she has to deal with a new person in her house, we'll be back to two for sure," Santana said and she moved over to the fridge and pulled the infamous blue folder off the top of the fridge. "If you read that, you'll get a better idea of what might be going on with Noah," Santana offered. She was kind, but also very serious and when Rachel and Kurt showed their full support, she felt the hair stand up on the back of her neck. This wasn't play, this was deadly seriously.
"Did it start out as play?" she asked softly.
"It started out as a longing and maybe some play, but not everyone was on the same page, and Terri took advantage of Marley. She brainwashed her and if I'm going to guess at what might be going on with Noah, I'm going to say she brainwashed him too. Quinn, Terri is not someone who was kind by any stretch of the imagination. The amount of night terrors we go through are ridiculous and the times she pleads and begs and cries that she's a good girl, it's heart breaking. I don't know why you signed up for the club and in reality, it doesn't matter, but I promise you that these two want nothing sexual. They just want to be loved. It's very different than what you thought. They won't get off on this. That wasn't their intention in the first place. Terri ruined them," she explained and then fell quiet, letting her words settle into Quinn's brain.
Quinn nodded and started to read. The entire apartment was quiet as she did so and the peace was only shattered when Marley started screaming in the bedroom. "MOMMY!" she wailed at the top of her lungs, scrambling to get away from something and then she managed to fall off the bed, just as Santana walked into the room.
Santana went to the bed and pulled Marley off the floor and into her arms. "Shhh, Mommy's here honey, you're okay," Santana soothed and Rachel took a seat by Quinn as she continued to read in the other room.
"Mommy, MOMMY!" she panted, panic taking over her body.
"Shhh, yes baby, Mommy has you. Mommy Santana has her baby girl, close in her arms, very safe," Santana said and she rocked her side to side, singing a soft lullaby.
"Owie," Marley whimpered.
"I know baby, it's okay. You just fell out of bed. I think you were having a bad dream," Santana told her kindly.
"Terri's hewe. Her gonna gets me," she cried, her body trembling.
"No she isn't baby. Mommy, Mama, and Papa, would never let that happen. Even Miss Beth won't let that happen," she said.
"Her been hewe," she cried.
"She was?" Santana asked kindly.
Marley nodded her head and began to speak softly. "Bafroom, an her push you hard, an' her sc'eam at me so 'oud Mommy," she whimpered and snuggled into Santana while Santana frowned and thought for a while.
"Marley baby, I'm so sorry that you were scared and felt so unprotected," she told her honestly and Marley snuggled in tighter.
"Mommy, I hears her," she cried.
"Do you hear her now?" Santana asked.
"No," she said and then she thought for a moment, hearing a soft new voice. "Mama an not Papa?" she asked.
"Sort of," Santana said brushing her hair back. "Mama is in the kitchen, Papa is in the shower, and that new voice you hear, that voice belongs to Auntie Quinn," she said.
"No, no, no, Mommy. I good," she cried.
"Shhh," Santana said gathering her tight. "Yes you are baby, you are a very good girl. Auntie Quinn is very nice. Auntie Quinn went to school with Mommy and Mama and Papa. We've known Auntie Quinn for a very long time. I do want you to meet her, but if you aren't ready yet, you don't have to," Santana told her.
"Hun'gee Mommy," she said.
"Yeah? Okay. We can go into the kitchen and get you some food," Santana told her. "What should we get you? Are you in the mood for anything specific?" she asked her and Marley shook her head no.
"Ho'd me pee," she said softly, little tears still falling.
"I will absolutely do that baby, but I want you to remember, Auntie Quinn is here and she's very safe. She will do everything she can to help care for you and keep you protected okay?" Santana asked.
Marley nodded, but she didn't believe her. For all she knew Auntie Quinn was here to take her away. They'd left the house so many times and still returned with Marley. Maybe this Auntie Quinn person was here to take her away because they didn't know where else to drop her off.
"I'm confused," Quinn said kindly. "She wanted to be a toddler, and then she was abused, for lack of a better term, and now you all baby her, all the time?" Quinn asked.
"Only when she let's us know she wants it. A few times we've heard her call Santana, Ana, and I have to tell you it's heart breaking. Santana has been Mommy since the very beginning and when she feels safe, that's what she says. If she calls for Ana it's because she is completely unsure of what she wants in the moment. She needs to go see a therapist, but we haven't reached that stage yet," Rachel explained.
"Gee, ask a simple question," Quinn teased.
"Mock me all you want, but you're about to get a little boy, who could be just as tortured and abused as Marley was, by the same exact person. Here's the trick though, if you are okay with it, she will be too. Don't try too hard, but don't expect a nineteen year old either. Expect a very tall, toddler, because lately, that's exactly what she's been," Rachel said.
They heard Marley babbling softly to Santana as she lead her out of the bedroom. Santana came out from the bedroom a moment later and immediately Marley clammed up. "You're okay baby," Santana soothed and Rachel turned to see what was going on.
"Hey baby, how's your head?" she asked her gently and Quinn watched this terrified young lady put a death grip on Santana.
"Someone indicated they were hungry, so we got up, and came to the kitchen, so we could get something to eat," Santana smiled.
"I'll get it for you," Quinn said quickly and she went to the fridge before anyone could stop her. Rachel went to say something but Santana tapped her foot on the floor to gain her attention and then shot her a cautionary look. She carefully moved with Marley to the kitchen table and sat down. Marley was clearly on edge, but she was watching Quinn very carefully pull things out of the fridge. "Marley are you a lot hungry or only a little bit hungry?" Quinn asked and Marley didn't answer. "Okay, well I will make a little bit now, because it's late, but if you get hungry again later still, we'll make more," Quinn reasoned.
She opened a can of tomato soup, and made the whole thing. While that was cooking, she pulled out a pan, a piece of toast, and some cheddar cheese. "Marley do you want to come watch?" she asked and Marley shrunk back a bit. Why would she be asked to watch, especially by a stove. This Quinn person was going to burn her and Santana and Rachel were going to let it happen. Quinn turned around and knelt down so that she was lower than Marley. She was aware that sometimes abuse victims needed a height advantage, because it made them feel less threatened. "See, I talked to your Mommy and I know that a very mean lady, did very bad things to you. I thought if you come to watch me cook the food, you would see everything that is going on and you'd know I'm not going to hurt you," Quinn explained.
Marley took in her words and then looked to Santana for confirmation. "We can absolutely go stand by the counter and watch Auntie Quinn cook," she told her. Marley blinked once and then waited. She had to go back to the very very beginning, because she didn't trust this new blonde woman, although she could tell that Rachel and Santana trusted her a lot. "Okay my love," Santana said kissing her forehead. "Let's go watch," she said.
"Yes, but stand away, because if you got burned even accidentally, you're Mommy would go all Lima Heights on me, and it's too late for that," Quinn smiled.
"Yes, I would," Santana said.
"So then why don't you two stand, right there, so you can see what I'm making and then you'll be able to stay safe," Quinn suggested.
It was a risk as far as Marley was concerned but she agreed. She held on to Santana tightly and Santana spoke kindly to her. "Marley I am your Mommy until you decide you don't want me to be your Mommy any more. My job as your Mommy is to protect you and I will never let anyone near you if I think they aren't safe. I promise you, Auntie Quinn is very safe," she said and then she gave her a soft kiss to her cheek.
"Mommy safe," Marley whispered, leaning into Santana and watching Quinn cook.
"Okay Marley, I took a gamble here, do you eat grilled cheese?" she asked her and Marley nodded slowly. "That's great. I'm pretty sure you eat tomato soup though, because everyone else in this house eats it. When we were in school together, it was the one dish I could count on the three of them having, usually all on the same day," Quinn explained as she took it out of the microwave and Marley pushed herself into Santana when she saw the steam rising off of the top of the cup.
"You're okay sweetheart," Santana told her kindly, kissing her temple as they stood there. "Remember Mommy is here and I will always protect you," she told her.
"Where are your dishes and bowls and stuff?" Quinn asked.
"I can help you, what do you need?" Rachel offered.
"Small shallow bowl and a small plate," Quinn said. Rachel gathered the white dishes and handed them to Quinn. The plate wasn't exactly tiny, but she was going to use that to her advantage. "Okay Marley, make sure you watch please," Quinn requested and Marley turned her focus. Quinn poured a little bit of the soup into the bowl and then put the soup off to the side. Then she took the slice of cheddar smothered toast, cut it in half and smashed the pieces together. She then made thin little strips and fanned them out on the plate, on the side of the soup bowl.
"Look at that, Auntie Quinn is a professional chef it looks like," Rachel teased.
"I've been around," Quinn laughed. "So, now, I don't know how hungry you are, but the soup is very hot, so until it cools down some, you can just dunk your cheese sticks in it and eat it all together if you like," she smiled and set the bowl on the table and took a seat.
Marley watched her carefully. Was this how things worked? Santana's friend showed up, made her a snack, and then didn't tell her when or how to eat it? She didn't yell or scream? She didn't bother ordering Santana to get Marley to eat it immediately? Did people really act like this? She knew her 'parents' acted like that. They were calm and relaxed about eating. Nanny Susan was calm and relaxed too, or she would have been, had Marley not had a melt down. She didn't know why Quinn was so calm though. She tried to remember what her mother had been like, but those memories were failing her. All she clearly remembered was Terri, screaming and forcing food down her throat, that was either too hot or too cold.
"Should we try some baby?" Santana asked. "I know you said you were hungry. You can sit in Mommy's lap and eat, while we all talk a bit," Santana suggested and Marley agreed. She really was hungry. As they sat down, her stomach rumbled loudly and Rachel smiled.
"Eat as much as you want baby, and if you want more, Mama will make more okay? Or at least I'll ask Auntie Quinn to show me how to make more," Rachel smiled.
The three girls sat and talked quietly to each other, while Quinn watched Santana focus on feeding her little girl and the more she watched, the more she saw a mother and daughter, rather than two grown women. Marley was this tense, skittish, scared, little girl, and Quinn's heart was breaking, because as Beth has informed her, she was about to meet a little boy who had suffered some of the same tortures as Marley had. It was going to be a long day tomorrow.