Rachel spun round and grabbed for the door handle.
"Rachel, wait, please!"
She stopped, her brain desperately telling her to get out but something in the girl's voice held her in position.
"I know that you have no reason to trust me…"
"Oh, you think?" Rachel snapped, whipping round to face the other girl, her anger suddenly overriding her fear. "You almost got me killed, Marley."
"I know," She said, shaking her head and dropping her eyes to the floor. "And there is nothing that I can do or say that will ever make up for that, I just want to try and stop it from happening again, so please, give me five minutes?"
Rachel folded her arms and stared over at her. She considered her options. The most sensible thing to do would be to drag Marley down the hall to Santana and have this conversation between the three of them. But given how on edge Santana was, there was always the possibility that she might just decide to beat Marley senseless instead. She sighed deeply and sat down in the chair.
"You have five minutes."
Marley smiled shakily and nodded. "Thank you. Do you mind if I sit?"
"Yes."
"O-okay…" She shifted uncomfortably where she stood and drew her hands together. "I, uh, I'm not really sure where to start…"
"Four and a half minutes." Rachel sighed, looking at her watch. "Also, I'm bored."
Marley tilted her head to the side and smiled at her. "Wow, she's really rubbing off on you."
"Okay, that's it." Rachel stood up quickly and stomped over to Marley, grabbing her arm and yanking her across the room. "You don't get to talk about her. You don't even know her." She slammed her up against the door and whispered in her ear. "Maybe you'd like to?"
"Rachel, please," Marley tried to push back. "They're going to kill her."
"What are you talking about?" Rachel spat, pushing away from her. "Who is they?"
"Who do you think?" Marley turned to face her and smoothed down her top. "Santana's little stunt the other night really caught Sue's attention. She might as well have stopped in front of the camera and given her the finger."
Rachel turned away and ran her hands through her hair, fear tightening around her heart. If Marley was telling the truth they had to go, they had to get out of Columbus tonight. But what if she wasn't? All she had ever known about the girl had been a lie. Why not this too? She sat down on the bed and gestured for Marley to take the chair.
"Talk fast." She snapped. "Are you still working for her?"
Marley shook her head and dropped into the seat. "She...she lied to me. She told me if I brought you to Quinn she would give me back my mom. When...well, after what happened she…"
Rachel sat and watched impassively as a tear ran down Marley's face. She was shocked to discover that she felt no emotion, no empathy for the girl at all. She briefly wondered if this new lack of feeling for others pain was exclusively reserved for those who had betrayed and almost caused her to be murdered, or if something had fundamentally changed in her.
"Anyway," Marley continued, wiping her face and clearing her throat. "For some reason she just let me go. I wanted her dead so bad, so I went to a guy I know to try and get a gun and he made me see that I would die going in there by myself, and while I was okay with that he brought me into something bigger, something that has a chance."
Rachel snapped her head up. "There are others?"
"Of course there are others." Marley laughed. "Did you think your little Glee club were the only people affected by Sue's actions?"
"Affected." Rachel snorted. "Nice."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound flippant." She held her hands up quickly. "I just meant that you're not the only ones who have...lost people."
"Whatever." Rachel waved dismissively. "How do you know about Santana?"
"We have someone on the inside. They told us that Sue has gone into overdrive since she found out Santana is here and that she is planning something major." Marley locked eyes with Rachel. "We were hoping to use it to our advantage."
Rachel chuckled softly and stood up. Her eyes narrowed dangerously as she approached Marley slowly. "I don't think I heard you properly."
"Look, Rachel, I know…"
The sound of the slap echoed around the room, the force of it sending Marley rocking back in her chair. Her eyes flashed up to meet Rachel's as her hand flew up to her face.
"You," Rachel sneered, leaning down over the younger girl, one hand on either arm of her chair. "Don't. Know. Anything. I trusted you, saved your life! And in return you spied on me, sold Santana out to Quinn, watched me get tortured and, as far as you were aware, killed, before running back to Sue to find out that, surprise, surprise, she had betrayed you too."
"Rachel…"
"Don't." She spat, pushing her face right into Marley's, eyes blazing. "Interrupt me."
Marley flinched back and stayed quiet.
"And now you have the audacity to come here because you want, if I understand you correctly, my help in convincing the woman I love to offer herself as bait so you that and your new friends can launch an attack on Sue Sylvester?"
"No!" Marley's eyes went wide and she shook her head violently. "No, that's not what I am asking at all!"
Rachel raised her eyebrows and took a step back.
"Our idea is based around Sue's...plans for Santana, but it involves you guys joining us. Santana will be completely protected at all times. Sue won't even know where she is."
"And what makes you think Sue knows where she is now?"
"Rachel, how do you think I knew?" Marley paused to let this sink in. "Look, I know you don't trust me…"
Rachel scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"...but I really am trying to help you. Please let me try and make up for my mistakes."
Rachel regarded her coolly. She didn't trust this girl as far as she could kick her, but if she was telling the truth this could be the chance they had been looking for. On the other hand if she was lying then they could be walking into something that could get them all killed. So, no change there, then.
"Tell me this plan." Rachel sighed.
Rachel steered Marley down the hallway, watching the girl's body tense with every step. She didn't blame her, Rachel wouldn't want to be in her position either. She only hoped Santana didn't actually kill her. She still didn't trust the girl but the plan was a good one, if it was true.
There were voices coming from the kitchen but they were quickly silenced when Rachel and Marley turned the corner. Puck was sitting at the table, his foot, as usual, resting on top of it even though he knew Rachel hated it. His jaw clenched at the sight of them and Cara quickly put a hand on his shoulder to keep him in his seat before snapping her gaze to the centre of the room.
Santana was standing with her back to them, arms crossed, and Rachel saw her shoulders stiffen at their approach. Slowly she turned around, her face neutral as she took in the two of them.
"Damn, girl, that looks painful." She smiled tightly, taking in Marley's bruised cheek. "You should get some ice on that. Rachel. Interesting evening?"
"Extremely." Rachel's grip tightened on Marley's arm as she steered her towards the table and pushed her into a chair. "Marley here has an interesting proposition for us." She moved over to Santana, pleading with her eyes for her to stay calm as she took up position next to her.
"Proposition?" Santana repeated, a dangerous tone in her voice, the muscles in her arms and back flexing against Rachel's hand.
"Yes." Rachel said softly, stroking her back and moving slightly closer. "Please just listen."
She kept her hand on Santana as Marley told them all the plan, her eyes snapping between her, Cara and Puck to try and gauge their reactions. Aside from a sharp intake of breath when Marley them that Sue was aware of her visit, Santana showed no emotion at all. Cara was her usual self, her expression bordering on disinterest and irritation, and Puck just glared for the whole thing, his eyes never leaving Marley's face.
As Marley finished an uncomfortable silence settled across the room. Rachel glanced up at Santana. Her eyebrows were furrowed in that way they got when she was having a realisation that both disgusted and intrigued her.
"Santana," Cara sighed, breaking the silence. "If you want me to take this bitch outside and slap her about a bit I'd be fine with that."
"No." Santana said evenly, taking a step towards Marley and staring down at her. But let me be very clear. I'm going to ask you some questions and you are going to answer them. If at any point you say anything that is even remotely irrelevant, or I think you are lying to me, what happened to me and Rachel in that basement will be something you dream of happening to you. Nod if you understand me."
Marley nodded, gulping slightly.
"Good." Santana nodded slightly, her arms still folded tightly across herself. "First question. How do they know where I am?"
"Some guy told her."
"Some guy?" Santana said, menacingly. She glanced up at Cara. "Kind of feels like a lie, don't you think?"
"Little bit." Cara nodded, sitting on the table and leaning over towards Marley.
"It's not, honestly!" Marley replied quickly, voice uncomfortably high. "I don't know his name because our source didn't tell us but I know he went to Sue and said that you had been to see him this week looking for something."
Santana glanced over at Rachel. Sebastian. Rachel narrowed her eyes and nodded.
"Okay. Second question." Santana walked back over to Rachel, her back to Marley. "Who's your contact?"
Marley dropped her gaze to her lap. "I don't know. They don't trust me with that information yet."
Santana let out a short laugh. "Shocker." She turned back round to face her. "So why did they send you to us if they don't trust you?"
"Because I told them what I did to you." Marley straightened her shoulders and chanced a glance at Santana for the first time. "And they figured if you didn't kill me you would be onboard."
"Well," She barked out a laugh this time. "I think they could be right about that. Jury's still out though."
Rachel watched her girlfriend pace back and forth across the room, studying her expressions and trying to work out what was going on there. It seemed like she had already made her decision, she was just looking for any reason not to take it. Suddenly she locked eyes with Rachel and gave her a look. It was a look that asked if they were on the same page, if they should trust this girl or not. Rachel gave a barely perceptible nod and tried to convey through her eyes everything she felt. They had no choice. If Marley was lying then whoever she was actually working for knew where they were and would be here soon anyway. If she was telling the truth then they actually had a shot at Sue. Either way, Rachel would follow Santana wherever she chose to go. Santana smiled softly at her and turned back to Marley.
"Final question." Santana stood directly in front of her, her face set, her feet planted firmly and her arms crossed. "Are you still working for Sue?"
The room seemed to take a collective breath. Marley paused and raised her eyes to Santana's. "No."
Rachel kept her eyes on Santana. Santana's eyes remained on Marley. Cara shifted her gaze from Marley to Rachel before settling on Santana. Puck was still glaring at Marley, jaw clenching.
Santana narrowed her eyes at her. "Why don't I believe you?"
"Because you have every reason not to." Marley dropped her eyes again. "I honestly don't expect you to believe me, I just want to make things right." She flicked her gaze to Rachel. "Please just let me make it right."