Chapter 4
A/N: Hey everyone, thank you for the love and support you give this little story. I'm sorry that it has taken me so long to update. In order to make up for it, here's a kinda long crazy chapter. Hold onto your hats, kids.
Thanks again to sdmwd1115 for helping me practically every step of the way with this.
Thank you to my beta, threeltlbirds.
This chapter is pretty long. I'm sorry for those of you who don't like long chapters. Please let me know and I'll try to break it up. Hoever, for those of you who read Changes In the Tides, Courage in the Wings know that those chapters were HEINOUSLY long. P.S. I'm still thinking about that story. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about those girls.
When Quinn woke up, she didn't open her eyes right away. She didn't want to be here. She didn't want to be reminded that this was her life. She listened to the noises around her. The house was quiet. After living in the chaos that was the group home, the Corcorans' house was so quiet. However it wasn't the eerie quiet of her parents' house. It was different. She shook her head. She wasn't going to be happy here. No way. She needed to embrace her anger again.
She turned and sat up. She had crawled and slept on the floor because it felt safer and more comfortable than the bed. She searched around for her lamb. She needed to put her away before Santana saw her. She didn't need to give that girl more fuel to use against her. She felt something unfamiliar and she scowled.
There was an old, but not tattered stuffed monkey next to her. I looked very similar to the cartoon character Curious George. It was well taken care of but clearly it had seen better days. She looked around. She would bet that Santana's little sister gave it to her in the middle of the night. What was her name again? Rachel. She shook her head. She was going to refuse to recognize the cuteness of the gesture.
"You're awake," said a voice at the door.
Quinn scowled in response. Shelby was leaning against the open bedroom door. She gave the girl a soft smile. She expected Shelby to ask her why she was on the floor, but the question never came. Quinn shook off her own surprise and focused more on her frown.
"If I were you, I would take a shower now," Shelby said. "The rest of the kids aren't up yet."
She continued to frown but stood up and started toward the bathroom.
"That's George," Shelby said nodding to the monkey as Quinn quickly stuffed her lamb in her duffle. "Maybe Rachel will tell you the story of how she got it."
"Great," she sneered. Quinn put the monkey on the bed that wasn't slept in.
"George is pretty special to Rachel. I'm surprised that she gave him to you," Shelby said folding her arms.
"Well, now I feel super special," she hissed.
"Knock it off with the attitude, Quinn," Shelby said straightening and handing Quinn a fresh pair of towels. "You've been in this house less than twenty four hours and clearly Rachel adores you. Please don't be a little snot."
Quinn stared at Shelby. She couldn't remember the last time she was scolded for her bad attitude.
She shook her head. "Fine. Whatever."
"We're leaving in about 45 minutes. Get ready. Get dressed and come downstairs."
Quinn huffed and went into the bathroom.
….
Santana heard the door of Rachel's room creak open. Her eyes popped open immediately. Rachel was still cuddled into her. She needed to get out of here before Quinn saw her. She spotted her mother at the door with a look on her face that only Shelby could wear.
"Hi Mom, I need to shower," she said hurriedly as she popped out of bed, waking up her sister.
"Santana," Shelby said bringing her sprinting daughter to a halt. "Quinn is in the bathroom. And the three of us will talk about this later."
Shelby watched as her eldest daughter frown and then look back quickly at Rachel before walking rushing down the hallway. She heard who she suspected was Quinn enter into the hallway.
As Santana closed Rachel's door behind her, Quinn emerged from her room toweling her hair. "I thought you had your own room," the blond sneered.
"I thought you just got in the shower. Did you even bathe?" Santana barked back. She saw a slight falter in Quinn's face. "Whatever. I need the bathroom anyway."
When she heard doors close, Shelby turned her attention to her youngest child who sat up in bed and was rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She sat down on her bed and rubbed her legs.
"Morning, sweetheart," Shelby said gently.
Rachel blinked a few times and looked at her mother. She spotted George.
"Why do you have George?" Rachel asked. She looked at her mother with a genuine look that she never quite outgrew. "I gave that to Quinn last night."
"I know," Shelby said after a pause.
"Oh," the young girl deflated slightly. "I was trying to be nice. She's my new sister right?"
"Yes," she said watching her daughter carefully. "In some ways yes, but in some ways no."
"She needs to adjust, right?"
Shelby nodded as she wondered how this precocious eleven year old understood this. "She's had a really hard time, Rach."
"I know. And she doesn't want to be here. And she hates Santana and Santana and Puck are angry and you're stressed. I'm …. I know she's not my sister, but I just feel badly for her…." Rachel looked into her mother's eyes. "She had no one. I've always had San."
There was something in Shelby's eyes that Rachel couldn't comprehend.
"I'm just… I thought George might help her…." She trailed off.
Shelby regained her composure. "I know, Rach, but I don't think she's ready for it. I think she appreciates George, but I don't think she'll admit to it. Maybe you can try to give him to her again this evening."
Rachel gave a small smile and looked at her hands. She suddenly looked at the door. "Is Santana okay?"
Her mother followed her gaze out the open door. "She's angry but she'll be okay."
"You hope she will," Rachel interjected.
"Yes," Shelby smiled. "I hope."
…..
Puck entered the kitchen and was met with an uncomfortable silence. Rachel and Santana were sitting at the breakfast table munching on cereal. Santana was pushing hers around more than anything. Quinn was sitting as far away as she could on a bar stool at the counter with her hear buried in her own cereal bowl.
"Hey," he said cautiously.
Living in a house with his mother and two sisters had been bad enough. Now, the house was not only overflowing with estrogen, it was combusting with angry estrogen.
He watched the women continue to glare. He decided to talk to his safest bet.
"Rach, are almost done?"
She tore her attention away from the old girls whom she had been staring at back and forth and nodded at her brother.
"Yes, I am almost finished," she replied crisply. "Mom, may I walk to the high school with Kurt?"
Quinn's head shot up. "Kurt Hummel? Finn's little brother?" she asked in surprise.
"Yeah," Santana said dropping her bowl in the sink. "The midgets are friends. Do you have a problem with that too?"
The blonde shot the girl a death glare and then noticed Rachel looking at her also. "No," she finally said. "I just…" she watched Rachel's face carefully. "I just used to date his brother. I didn't realize you were friends. Kurt is … a nice boy."
Santana and Puck chuckled. "He's obnoxious as hell," Puck laughed. "But… 'nice boy' is a alright."
"You and Hudson dated all last year, what happened?" Santana asked.
The girl shook her head. This wasn't something she wanted to discuss in the kitchen of the Corcorans. She reconsidered. Or ever with the Corcorans.
"We weren't going anywhere. And it's none of your business. It's over," she said sliding off of the stool.
"Whatever," Santana muttered. "Come on, Rach."
Santana started toward the door.
"Freeze," Shelby commanded. "Quinn, I'm taking you to school. I need to sign a few papers with Mr. Figgins." Santana gave her signature glare. "Santana," her mother scolded getting her attention. "You are super grounded which means that you have the pleasure of catching a ride with your mother to school. Congratulations. Puck, you and Rach can go ahead."
"Bye," Rachel mumbled and barely had time to respond before Puck practically ran with her out the back door.
"Mom!" Santana yelled.
"Look at me, both of you," Shelby commanded. "You're both in serious trouble. Your behavior toward each other is ridiculous. It's childish and tiring. Not only are you both grounded for the next month, but you will spending time together."
Quinn tried to refrain from cowering, but she saw that Shelby noticed her reaction.
"Grounding in this house means your privileges are eliminated. You are to spend most of your time with me. Errands, homework, you name it," Shelby explained. She was trying to convey that they did not physically punish in this household. She wasn't sure if the young blonde understood her. She made a mental note to discuss it later.
"I'm not going to be here that long," Quinn barked.
Santana beat Shelby to respond. "You have no idea how the system works. Nothing with CPS gets solved in one month. NOTHING! You're with us for at least six. So suck it UP!"
The words caused both girls to pale as the realized their meaning.
Shelby cleared her throat. "Get in the car."
Both of the girls were sullenly in the car, Quinn wasn't going to take it. They were about half way to McKinley. She needed to regain some sort of control.
"I heard that you moved from New York," Quinn said. "I thought you were on Broadway….. how are you a therapist? Are you a fake therapist, like Dr. Phil? Because that makes me feel tremendous."
"Hey, don't talk to my mother like that!" Santana barked from the backseat.
"Santana, calm down," Shelby instructed. "Quinn, I expect more respect from you. Now, to answer your question. While my parents were supportive of my Broadway career they knew it wouldn't last forever. I received my undergrad from Columbia. It took me a year longer than most because I was doing eight shows a week, but I did it. When I was married to Santana's father and even while we were divorced, I was able to take some time and earn my PhD in a few years." She caught her daughter's eye in the backseat. "We were a good team. We were able to balance our work and our children. Some how. But we did it."
Quinn noticed that Santana had become terribly quiet in the back seat. Shelby looked at her daughter in her rear view mirror.
"I thought you went to London to tour with Wicked when it opened," Quinn said looking at Shelby.
"I did," Shelby said with a clenched jaw. "But that was a mistake. I was there for too long."
"How long?"
"Shut up, Quinn," Santana hissed. "Stop interrogating my mother unless you're ready to take it too, because I have more than a few questions to ask you."
Quinn huffed but silenced and stared out the window.
Shelby let the tension embrace the car again as all that was left unsaid blanketed them into silence.
….
Quinn sat silently through the meeting with Principal Figgins. She didn't want to be here. Six months? Six months with the Corcorans. She didn't want to let the tears to fall, but they were threatening to. She sucked them back in. No, she wasn't going to do this.
"…And here is her schedule," Quinn heard the principal say.
Quinn spun to glare at this woman. Who did she think she was? "Are you kidding me?" Quinn asked looking between the principal and this woman who seemed to be taking over her life.
"I know what courses Noah and Santana are taking. I will know yours," Shelby said. She turned back to the man. "Are we finished?"
"Thank you for coming in, Mrs. Corcoran," he said politely standing. He looked awkwardly at Quinn. "Best of luck."
"Whatever," Quinn mumbled and walked out into the hallway. " She heard Shelby's heels clicking behind her. She turned and faced her. "Please don't walk me to class too. My life is already humiliating enough." Even though she sneered, Shelby could see that she was pleading.
"I'm not. Just be prepared after school. I'm coming to pick you up. You have your follow up doctor's appointment," she explained quietly.
"Are we done here?" she asked with a sigh.
"Yes," Shelby said. "I expect a better attitude when I pick you up."
Quinn shook her head and started her day. She wasn't going to pick her up, she thought as she rounded the corner. She spotted Karofsky holding a slushie. She grabbed it from his hand and threw it at a random freshman. She took a big sigh. She felt so much better. She was Quinn Fabray. She was head bitch. And no one, especially a Corcoran, would tell her what to do.
…
Santana arrived in the locker room early. She had stolen a freshman Cheerio's phone and texted Brittany earlier to meet her before practice. Thanks to Puck's idiocy, he too lost his phone. She sighed. Perhaps it was because he gave it to her. She shook her head. No, she wasn't going to think about that. The day had been long. She shared three classes with Quinn. She had spent the whole period glaring at the blonde. However, Quinn shot her the infamous evil smirk that she had come to trademark and didn't say a word. It was a smirk that gave Santana the chills. After being on the Cheerios with her for so long, she knew without hesitation that she was up to something.
"Hey," she heard a voice behind her and smiled.
"Hey, B," Santana said with a weak smile. She felt more relaxed she saw her. She wrapped her arms around her best friend. "I hate that bitch," she whined into her friend's shoulder.
Brittany chuckled. "That bad huh? You're never in a hugging mood. You do know this means your hugging quota is now expired," she said with a laugh. "You all right?"
"I hate that fugly bitch!" Santana said pulling away. "I want her out of my house."
She straightened when she heard the door open to the locker room. She learned a long time ago that she could be more herself around Brittany. However, Santana Corcoran was not like that to everyone else. She wouldn't be weak. Her tan face scowled more deeply when the blonde that she was just loathing walked around the corner.
"Make yourself comfortable at the bottom of the pyramid," Quinn said with a cock of her head.
"You better shut that trap a'fore I ends you," Santana barked as she inched toward the blond.
"Please," Quinn replied with a roll of her eyes. "What are you going to do? Aren't you grounded?" Her voice was taunting.
Brittany held Santana back as she stepped close to the blond who gave her a smug look. Santana wanted so desperately to wipe that look off of her face.
"San, calm down," Brittany whispered into her ear.
Santana ignored her. She couldn't break her gaze from the alien in her guest bedroom.
Quinn walked towards the door. She turned on her heels and gave Santana another smirk. "I won't be needing a ride to your spoiled house. I'm out. Tell your family that they can fuck themselves."
That was it. That was fucking it. She ripped herself out of Brittany's arms and tackled Quinn to the ground. The locker room seemed to erupt in screams. Santana gained the upper hand and flipped Quinn over by her hair so that Santana was straddling her. Her palm flew sharply and connected with Quinn's perfect face.
"You bitch!" she screamed.
Quinn screamed in anguish as she shook off her stinging cheek, found her footing, kicked Santana off of her and they tumbled on the floor, crashing into the lockers. Quinn grabbed Santana's pony and held her head in place as she brought her own open palm back and slapped her across the face.
"Fuck you, bitch! Take your Yankee tatas, and get the hell out of my face!" Quinn screamed.
Santana rolled onto her side and pushed herself up to standing. She scowled and ran at the blonde. Pinning her against the lockers, she brought her face closer to Quinn.
"These are 100% real you crazy cock sucking Lima Loser," she barked. She slammed Quinn into the lockers.
Quinn forced her off of her and slammed the brunette's body into the opposite aisle of lockers.
"You crazy fucking bitch, I will-''
Throughout their fight they did not see the other Cheerios enter in awe and interest. They did not hear Brittany's yells of protest. However, what brought them both to a halt was a whistle.
"SHUT UP!" Sue Sylvester screamed after she blew her whistle so loudly that Quinn was sure her eardrums were vibrating.
"Brittany, take everyone out to the field," she ordered. She pointed at the girls with annoyance and frustration and a bark that had both of the girls plummeting back to reality. "You and you. My office!"
…..
Kurt chattered away next to Rachel as they walked up the street to the high school. Lima was a small enough town that the two schools were nestled in the same corner of town. Rachel pulled her backpack tighter to her body. She couldn't stop thinking about Quinn. What had happened to her? Had it been the same as what had happened with them?
"Rachel? Rachel?" Kurt's voice finally made it into her head.
"Yeah?" she asked looking at him curiously.
"Isn't that your mom?" Rachel looked over her shoulder and followed her friend's gaze.
"Yes, it is," she said with a frown.
Shelby pulled her Range Rover next to the two children on the sidewalk. She rolled down the window.
"Want a ride?" she asked with a smile.
"Mom, what are you doing here?" Rachel asked with confusion.
"Quinn has an appointment and I'm meeting with Coach Sylvester," Shelby said glancing down at her Blackberry.
The eleven-year-old girl frowned. "What did they do?" she asked with curiosity.
"Did they have another down throw?" Kurt asked as he leaned against Shelby's car.
Rachel frowned and looked at her friend. "It's a throwdown." She turned back to her mother. "Please say no."
"Rachel, this doesn't concern you. Do you want a ride or not, kids?"
She looked at Kurt briefly and ignored her friend's pleading eyes. She sighed and shook her head. "We're fine, Mom," Rachel said. "It's only four more blocks."
"Alright, sweetheart. Behave for Noah. I'll be home with the girls around dinner time," Shelby said with a wink. "Thank you for walking with her, Mr. Hummel."
Kurt shrugged in embarrassment. "It's fine, ma'am."
"Bye, kids."
Rachel watched her mother drive away with a frown. Kurt continued to blabber next to her.
"Rachel, are you even listening?" She heard Kurt ask.
"Not, really," Rachel whispered.
"Why not?" Kurt asked as they approached McKinley High School. He looked at her curiously.
"Never mind," Rachel muttered. She looked at him was more conscious attention. "What were you saying?"
…
Quinn looked around. Santana was seething next to her. She couldn't be here. She couldn't be sitting in Coach Sylvester's office. She couldn't go back to the Corcorans'. She couldn't go home. She couldn't even sit here. However, she knew one thing: She was getting out of here.
"I need to go to the bathroom," she said standing up.
"Bull shit," Sue called from her desk.
Santana scowled at her. "You can't be serious."
Quinn hardened her face. "I will pee on your floor right here."
Santana scoffed. "Bull shit!"
"Santana!"
The brunette froze as her mother rounded into Coach Sylvester's office.
"Sit down, Quinn," Shelby instructed.
The blonde did not have a choice as Shelby closed the door of Coach Sylvester's office.
"Ice queen," Sue nodded to the woman.
"Lucifer," Shelby offered and took her seat. "Why am I here?"
"I tried to send for one of your flying monkeys, but I guess the message got lost in the storm."
"What's going on, Sue?" Shelby asked annoyed taking in the girls' postures.
"It seems like your eldest daughter Tweedledee," Santana glared at Sue indignantly. The woman continued. "And her newest live-in sibling, Tweedle-dumb." Quinn scoffed loudly and folded her arms tighter. Sue ignored her. "Got into a little rough-n-tumble today."
Shelby shook her head. "Do you ever speak like a regular human being?"
"No, I'm part god," Sue said with a shrug.
"Like Hercules? I knew you were kicked out of the heavens. They wouldn't be able to contain you," Shelby said smugly. "Welcome to the world."
"Your wit astounds me. Thank you for your warm welcome. I hate it here already." Sue sighed and looked at the women. "We need to discuss a few things."
…
Rachel sat on the bleachers watching the practice idly. Kurt was talking quietly next to her about something again. She wanted to not be watching practice. She wanted to be helping Quinn. She wanted to be included but instead she was ostracized to the bleachers.
"We need to make our year great," Kurt said. His words had finally made it through her thoughtful barrier. "They're doing a musical at school?"
"Oh right," Rachel said as she cringed and watcher her brother scream at another player. He was pulling another player by the cage of their helmet.
"Rachel? What's wrong with you? You're not paying attention at all," Kurt said more upset that he wasn't getting attention that the fact that his friend was so distracted. Rachel wasn't paying attention. Her mind was all over the place. She kept glancing over at the Cheerios practice and noticed that Quinn and Santana weren't over there.
"I apologize, I just have things on my mind. Are you trying out for the musical?" she asked.
"Of course," he said. "And so are you!"
"I'm really busy, Kurt," she muttered. "My training has been lacking and I don't have a strong skill set."
"You're kidding right? It will be great! You have plenty of time until auditions anyway," Kurt said encouragingly.
"Hey guys."
Rachel jumped at the new figure who stood below them on the bleachers.
"Hi Mr. Schuster," she said politely relaxing a bit. "This is Kurt."
"Hello, Kurt," he said just as courteously.
"Hello," Kurt said as he watched Mr. Schuester carefully. "You're the music Spanish teacher right?"
The young man laughed. "I don't teach Spanish music but I do the choir program here at the high school as an extra curricular and teach Spanish during regular hours."
Kurt's face lit up. "That's perfect! Do you teach private lessons?"
Will Schuester gave a smile but shook his head. "No, I don't." He gave the kids a wink. "But maybe we can work something out."
…..
Sue leaned forward in her chair. For the last few minutes she has been silently staring at the three in front of her.
"Please, Sue," Shelby said with annoyance. "I know you enjoy keeping us in suspense, but we have a day to get to."
"These girls were hurling each other to the ground and into the lockers like they were fighting for their lives at the coliseum," Sue said casually. Shelby's face hardened and glared at both of the girls. "While I admire your fight club level of aggression, I prefer for it to be on the other team or ugly people."
Shelby cleared her throat angrily and glared at Sue.
Sue ignored her. "I'm announcing at the end of today's practice, which the two of you aren't at because you decided to throw this hissy, that starting next week three of our five practices will be in the morning instead of after school." Her tone was casual as if she was announcing the obvious.
"What? Morning practice?" Santana barked. Her eyes darted around the room. "Our practices are over two hours long…. That means we'll need to be here at—''
"5:30am. Nice adding, Santarini." Shelby opened her mouth to scold but Sue finally stared at everyone. "You're my leaders of this team. Get it together. I win. And I can't win with you like this." Sue looked at Quinn. "We've talked already and I want you as my head cheerleader. Start acting like it."
Quinn held her breath hoping that Sue wouldn't air all of Quinn's dirty laundry in front of the Corcorans. Sue turned to Santana and Quinn released a sigh of relief.
"You, Corcoran, have exercised such a leadership that you are second in command. We've focused your energy and skill," Sue said. Quinn couldn't help but notice the same panicked look on the brunette's face that she had just felt earlier. She rolled her eyes. As if Santana Corcoran had anything to worry about. "Don't go rogue on me yet."
"The three days that you have morning practices, you will be spending the afternoons with me. You will have your appointments without exception," Shelby said crisply. "This bullshit fighting stops now."
"You are the leaders of this team so unless you want to be the leaders of some snot snorting loser team, get in line!"
Shelby looked at the girls. "On those days that you do not have practice after school you will be with me going to your appointments."
She made eye contact with each of the girls and watched their faces as the realizations of what appointments dawned on them. "If you do not attend any of the doctor's appointments, therapy, or case manager appointments, you will then miss a Cheerio practice."
Santana caught a glance at Sue's tightened face, but the cheerleading coach gave a nod.
"Get things in line, ladies," Sue said with a nod.
Quinn wanted to run from all of this. She didn't feel well. She wasn't going to admit it, but Santana had hurt her when they fought. She couldn't be here.
"Anything else?" Quinn heard Shelby ask.
Santana didn't hear the rest of the conversation. She was fuming. Her day felt so out of control. Her mother was leading them out to the football field.
"Mom, where are we going?" Santana asked with her arms folded. She snuck a glance at Quinn. "We both don't need to be reminded that we're not at practice."
"Too bad," Shelby said.
Santana watched her mother scan the bleachers. She started walking with a brisk pace. She watched as Quinn also followed. She was trying to distance herself from them, but she hadn't run. Maybe, she had won, Santana thought to herself. Her satisfied smile turned into a frown.
"Why is he talking to her?" she said as they moved closer to Rachel, Kurt, and Mr. Schuester.
"Santana," Shelby whispered. "Please behave." She turned to Will. "Good afternoon, Will."
"Shelby," he said with a smile.
"You've found Rachel, my youngest, I see," Shelby said giving her a wink.
"Of course," Will beamed. "She's a great little girl."
Santana's frown deepened. "Rach, you're going to come with us, okay?"
"No, Santana, actually she's staying here and Puck will take her home," Shelby said quietly. "Rachel, you wait here for Noah please. Mr. Hummel, do you need a ride home?"
He shook his head. "No, ma'am. My brother's taking me home."
"Alright," Shelby nodded. "Bye, Rach. See you at home."
During the whole exchange, Quinn never felt more out of place. They doted on Rachel. She wasn't a child. Quinn felt a surge in her chest. No one had ever doted on her like that. She gave a sigh. No one ever would. She didn't want to be around with the family as they pretended to care about her. They knew nothing about her. She was being pulled from practice for meetings with people who wanted to "help" her. She had been in a group home for a week with people who wanted to "help" her. Her case manager wanted to " help" her. Her therapist that she was forced to see wanted to "help" her. And now her rival's mother who happened to be new foster mother, thanks to a serendipitous joke, wanted to "help" her. Screw their help and screw this.
She looked up and saw that they were now headed into the parking lot. She needed to get out of here, she couldn't be here anymore. It was then that the fire in her soul and the anger in her head gave power to her legs and she ran.
Santana looked up just as they approached her mother's Range Rover.
"Shotgun," Santana called out.
Quinn didn't seem to hear her because suddenly all Santana saw was a blur of red and white race past her.
"Mom—''
"Santana, car now!"
Santana watched in slight amusement but mostly shock as her mother sprinted after Quinn. Her mother was many things. However, the way her mother was so agile, graceful and classy as she sprinted across the parking lot after an increasingly distressed blond, Santana was reminded of the tenacious fire that her mother had. It was a fire that allowed her always to win.
Shelby did a lot of things growing up. She wasn't just a singer. Her children didn't have athletic ability from just their father. She sprinted after Quinn. The younger girl had almost made it to the road before she looked over her shoulder. Shelby was chasing after her. Why was she even trying? At that moment she wasn't sure if she slowed down or if she tripped, but either way she fell. Slamming against the sidewalk with a thud she felt the lingering aches of her fight with Santana along with old injuries that she forgot that she needed to nurse scream pain throughout her body.
She felt far away when Shelby helped her up. She had given up. She couldn't run from her. She had to find another way to bring the Corcorans down.
"Are you alright?" Quinn didn't respond. She winced slightly as Shelby put her arm around her back. "It's a good thing we're going to the doctors today, huh?"
Quinn scowled but folded her arms and let herself be led to the car. Shelby helped her into the back seat and Santana turned to her. Santana gave her an unreadable smirk.
"Not a word, Santana," Shelby warned as she climbed into the driver's seat. "Face forward."
…
Rachel watched her brother tackle someone else on the field. Kurt was still talking.
"I don't understand why we can't just stay home by ourselves," he complained with a sigh. "Well, I kinda can, but I would rather hang out at your house rather than the garage." He turned and looked at his friend with confusion. "Why is it that you always need to be babysat? We're eleven for Christ's sake. We should do that babysitting."
Rachel rested her hands on the cold metal bleachers and leaned forward. She teetered her weight on her hands looking around. She didn't want to answer her curious friend's question. She knew the answer, but she didn't want to provide it for others. She looked at her suspicious friend. She needed to prove that she wasn't a child.
"Come on," she said standing up. "Let's go roam around."
"I thought you had to stay here," Kurt said with a cheeky tone.
"Are you coming or not?" she asked as she walked down the bleachers.
…..
Santana watched with a frown as they pulled up the doctor's office.
"What are we doing here?" she asked incredulously.
"Quinn has an appointment and you're grounded. That's all you need to know," Shelby said she opened the driver's seat. The brunette saw that Quinn tried to open the door in the backseat and couldn't.
"My mom put on the childproof locks, Forrest," Santana scoffed as she climbed out.
Quinn scowled at her as Shelby opened the doors for Quinn.
"That's ridiculous," she mumbled.
"Do you blame me?" Shelby asked as the three of them walked in.
They checked Quinn in and sat quietly in the lounge.
Santana looked around. She studied the blonde. She started realizing that perhaps it was more than the plague that cause Quinn to be out for a week but she wasn't going to admit that. Quinn Fabray wasn't going to get her sympathy or friendship. It just wasn't going to happen.
"You're not going to all come in with me are you?" Quinn said looking at Shelby and then eyeing Santana.
"Quinn," the nurse called.
The blonde gave a heavy sigh when both Shelby and Santana followed her. She gave an even heavier sigh when the first stop was to get her weight. Being on the Cheerios it wasn't a secret that all of them were weight obsessed. Although Sue made the girls do weigh ins, she and Santana never had to do it in front of everyone. Quinn looked over her shoulder at Santana before she stepped onto the scale and was surprised and thankful that Shelby had made Santana stand around the corner out of sight where Shelby was pointing a warning finger and then gave Quinn a reassuring nod. The three of them went into an examining room.
Quinn sighed, one without a window that opened. The nurse took her vitals and she sat idly on the exam table. She avoided Santana's eyes. She didn't want to be there. She didn't want Santana to know.
The doctor came in.
"Hello, Quinn," she said with a warm smile. "Hi Shelby." The doctor extended her hand.
"Nice to see you, Dr. Wiseman." she said. "This is my eldest daughter, Santana."
"That's wonderful," the doctor responded nodding at Santana. "I see you are both on the Cheerios. That must be nice."
Both girls echoed the same uncomfortable and disgruntled growl.
"Yes, well, Doctor Wiseman," Shelby began looking at the two girls. "Quinn and Santana got into a little fight today. Actually girls, what exactly happened during the fight?"
Santana looked at her mother with her mouth open waiting for an explanation to fill it. Quinn arched her eyebrow.
"Well your daughter slapped me, and slammed me against the lockers," Quinn hissed.
"You did the same thing! Plus you told my family we could go fuck ourselves!"
"Do we want to add another week onto the grounding?" Shelby asked in a calm voice that somehow could be heard over the girls' screaming.
The girls both mumbled back into silence.
"Well, let's get this started so you all can get out of here," Dr. Wiseman said. She held out a gown to Quinn. "I need you to undress completely and then I'll be back in a few minutes to look you over."
Santana looked at her mother.
"We will wait outside the room, Quinn," Shelby said leading Santana out the door and following the doctor.
Quinn gave Shelby a thankful nod and Santana fell onto the bench outside the room.
"Why are we here, Mom?" Santana asked once the door was closed.
"Santana, she needs a follow up appointment. It's not my story to tell," Shelby said. "Now, let's talk about what happened today."
"I'd rather not," Santana muttered as she slouched in her seat.
"Santana, this needs to stop," Shelby said. "I've made an appointment with Dr. Goodwin for next week."
"Why?" Santana sighed.
"I don't know, Santana," her mother said sarcastically. "Why do you think? You don't think I know what having Quinn here might bring up? And apparently I'm right because it already has. Hasn't it?" Santana looked away. "Also, you slept in Rach's room again last night. Why?"
Santana didn't answer.
"Was it because you couldn't calm down?" Shelby asked with a sigh. "Sweetheart, you can't keep using Rachel to help you calm down."
"Why?" Santana asked in frustration. "All she needs to do is be there. That's it. And –''
"Santana, you need to try to discuss what bothers you not cling to her in silence hoping that it'll calm you," Shelby said. "I'm glad she does but—''
"Are you scared that I'll hurt her?" Santana asked in shock.
"No," Shelby said without hesitation. "I'm just worried that you don't know how to tame your feelings and Rachel has questions for you and doesn't understand what's wrong. And you won't talk to her. You won't talk to anyone. I can see it building, San. And I don't like it."
Doctor Wiseman returned before Santana could respond. "I'll let you know if she needs you," she said quietly and opened the door.
A muffled grunt was met on the other side. Santana leaned forward and saw Quinn rub her temple. Santana shot a scowl at the girl before the door closed. That bitch was listening to them. She shook her head.
"I'm not living with her, Mom," Santana said as she folded her arms.
"Santana, you need to sort this out because there's no way I'm kicking her out."
Santana continued to sit there in silence. "It's a bad idea, Mom."
"Shelby," Dr. Wiseman said as she poked her head out. "Could you come in here for a second?"
"Stay here," Shelby said with a warning look.
The curtain was pulled around the examining table. Shelby pulled it back and saw that Quinn was sitting with her legs hanging over the side of the table and the back of her gown was open and her back was exposed to the doctor.
"Can you come around here please?" Dr. Wiseman asked.
Shelby gave Quinn's hand a squeeze and followed her around.
Santana watched as the door closed. She looked down the hallway it was almost abandoned. There were few nurses at the nursing station but that was about it. She stood up silently and leaned her ear against the door.
"See this right here," she heard the doctor say. "When the belt sliced her back it cut deep. The others have healed rather nicely. However, this one right here, it's infected. Quinn, did you have anyone help you tend to these at the group home?"
Santana heard Quinn muffle a response. "No," said the blond who didn't sound like her normal self.
"Well, you'll need someone to clean these out. This infected one in particular," Dr. Wiseman said. "Let's check one last thing and then we'll be finished." Santana heard shifting in the room. "Would you like Shelby to leave?"
Santana pressed her ear to the door. She didn't hear a response.
"Alright," Dr. Wiseman said gently. "Scoot toward the end of the table okay? And put your heels in there." The scraping of the paper on the table could be heard but nothing else. Santana scowled. Were they doing an exam? "Alright it's going to be a little cold… Hold on….. okay…..You're doing great, Quinn."
Santana froze when she heard Quinn muffle a small sob.
"Things are healing better, sweetheart," Dr. Wiseman said quietly. "Alright, I'm going to take this out. Deep breath."
Santana stared at the door. She backed away from it slightly. It couldn't have happened to her. Not Quinn. Santana shook her head. A scowl formed. It couldn't have happened to her too.
Again sorry for the long chapter. It was actually supposed to be longer… but then even that felt too long. Sorry, it took me so long to post. Work got in the way. Please send me a PM with any questions.
Also, please let me know what you thoughts of this chapter. I've been working on it for so long I feel very blah about it.