Chapter 7

A/N Thank you everyone for your really mean a lot. Thanks again to s and k who are helping with the story, yes i mean you.

This next chapter dives into everyone's past. For those of you who have asked, I do work closely with CPS. I supervise visits of families who have been separate by CPS.

Sorry that this wasn't Friday's posting guys. I am rocking the antibiotics and they are kicking my ass.

Warning: This chapter depicts some pretty intense child abuse and incest.

…

When Santana walked through the door with Puck behind her, Rachel sat tiredly on the couch with her monkey tucked in her arm and the nebulizer in the other. Santana spotted Quinn was still working on her lunch in the kitchen as she worked on another problem set. She rolled her eyes and focused on the one person she had wanted to see all day.

"Hey there," Santana whispered as she dropped her bag and herself next to Rachel.

Rachel looked up at her and gave a smile. "Hi," she said around the nebulizer mouthpiece.

"Hey," she muttered kissing the top of Rachel's head.

"Santana," Shelby called. "Please come in here you're grounded."

Santana rolled her eyes and stood up and she felt a hand grab onto hers. Rachel stood up and followed dropping the nebulizer next to her stuffed monkey.

"Rachel, stay in here. Put that back in," Santana said from the doorway to the kitchen.

"I'm finished," Rachel said.

Santana frowned but allowed Rachel to walk in front of her into the kitchen.

Shelby looked up at the girls. Puck was standing at the refrigerator searching for a snack.

"Rachel, come here," Shelby said gently.

Santana watched the routine unfold as Shelby listened to Rachel's breathing as Rachel rolled her eyes. "Alright let's get ready," Shelby said.

"Ready for what?" Santana asked glaring at Quinn.

"Quinn and your appointments," Shelby said. She looked at Santana in her uniform and then saw that Rachel was in her sweatpants and Noah's old jersey. "Now let's go change girls. Quinn and Puck let's go."

"Why do I have to go? I don't need to change," Quinn huffed.

"You're grounded," Rachel shrugged. "It's like Follow the Leader, but all the time. Follow the Mom."

"She's not my mom," Quinn muttered as they all trailed up the stairs.

….

Quinn held her breath as they approached the CPS office. She hated it there. She didn't like it one bit. She had even been tempted to stay in Shelby's Range Rover after the most awkward ride of her life. Santana was glaring at her. Rachel was trying to break the mood as she sat in the middle seat. Puck had been a douche and called shot gun so all three of the girls were crammed in the backseat. At least Rachel was the size of a pea-pod so that had helped. However, Quinn didn't want to be near Santana not one bit. Sharing the backseat with Santana was surely not at the top of the list.

She arrived at the office. She felt as if Shelby practically pulled her out of the car. She threatened her again with having to share a room with Santana . That threat worked and got her out of the car. The eleven-year-old child kept looking at her. She was trying her best not to look back. She wasn't going to look at her. She would be leaving soon. She would tell Jackie she was leaving. It would be a command not a request.

Shelby sat her children outside of the office. There was a very quick greeting between Jackie and them. Quinn stood back with her arms folded. She would simply tell this woman she wanted out. She wanted to go home. She wanted to leave the Corcorans now. She would go somewhere else just to bide her time until she could go home. She was going home. There had to be some other crazy group home in Lima that would take her. She hadn't really meant to set off the fire alarm at the last group home. She sighed as she was suddenly brought back to reality. She was in Jackie's office with Shelby Corcoran. She barely let Jackie sit down before she opened her mouth.

"I want out," she barked. "This sucks. I can't live here."

"Quinn, let's calm down," Jackie said. Quinn noticed Jackie look at Shelby.

"Don't look at her," Quinn said with a sigh. "This is about me. I want to go home. Why can't my mom pick me up?"

"Quinn, how many times have I explained this to you?" Jackie asked with a hint of exhaustion.

"Not enough apparently," Quinn snapped. "My mother has done nothing wrong."

"Two days in the Corcoran residence you can't possibly think that," Jackie said. "You're an honor student and – ''

"Don't call me stupid because I don't understand," Quinn said with a sigh. "You don't understand my mom has always been like this. So what if she has a few drinks. I can take care of myself. I always have. And…." Quinn trailed off. She hadn't realized she was ranting. Without thought she began to speak. She wished so desperately once the minute the words were out of her mouth that she could put them back in. "Now that he's gone, I'll be fine."

Jackie took a deep breath and looked at Quinn squarely. Quinn noticed that she didn't look over at Shelby.

"Quinn, you are a ward of the state now. Your parents do not have their rights as parents anymore. All of that was taken away once we, as Child Protective Services, started our investigation. Your parents demonstrated reasons for the police to believe that night that they were hurting you. And when we took you to the hospital to get you checked out, you were hurt. You told us it was him.—''

"And it was! But it wasn't my mom! Why can't I see my mom?" Quinn asked in frustration.

"Quinn, your mother had an alcohol level way over the limit. On top of that she's dropped dirty for prescription drugs," Jackie said with another sigh. "She hasn't been to a meeting with me where she hasn't been reeking of alcohol. We're investigating her as a parent. While you might be used to her behavior, it's not okay. And the fact that it has been sixteen years before anyone has made an accusation is beyond me." She looked at her carefully. "Do you understand? You can't go home, Quinn. You need to be safe."

"I am safe at my own house! This woman is smothering me!" Quinn yelled in frustration. "What about my sister? Can't I go live with her?"

She hated that she asked that but she had. She needed to exhaust her options.

"She's hard to find, Quinn. We're still looking for her." She saw Quinn frown and continue. "Lawyers are contacting her. She's in New York and….." Jackie trailed off.

"She's siding with them isn't she?" Quinn asked exhausted.

"I can tell you more later when I know more, but I think it's a little more complicated than that." She sighed. "So Shelby's that bad? And what is she doing?" Jackie asked.

"She's taking me to doctor's appointments. Forcing me to have her put on my infection medicine stuff. Grounding me by making her be her lackey. I just gah!" Quinn threw her hands up. She shook her head. "What are we talking about here like a month with this lady?"

Jackie looked at her and paused. Quinn knew that the pause was a bad sign. However, she didn't seem to care because she still had hope inflated in her chest. She needed someone to actually pop her bubble. She just wasn't sure if she could handle it.

"Quinn, we are in the process of establishing a case plan for your mother in order for her to get her rights back. We have to do a minimum average of three months of supervised visits and then if she demonstrates improvement we move to unsupervised visits. You case is reviewed ultimately in six to twelve months to see if your mother has followed the case plan and been able to re-establish a relationship with you. It's going to be awhile."

She had done it. Quinn sunk back into her chair. A minimum of six months? Quinn shook her head. She never should have left that night. She never should have left.

"Now," Jackie started again. "I was able to get the rest of your clothes. They're in those suitcases over there." Quinn didn't look. She continued. "I've set up your therapy appointments beginning next week. Now, you know your father will be put on trial right? " Quinn refused to look at her. "From the accusations that you made at the hospital that night –''

"I didn't accuse him! You asked me a question and I was….. scared and tired and….. I just …. I said it I want to take it back," Quinn said with fluctuating volume. She stared off silently at her hands caught in a memory.

"Did you think I was kidding?" fourteen year old Quinn watched as her father slammed the door to her bedroom. "Answer me, Quinn." He never yelled. She always wished that he yelled more. The icy fury of his voice horrified her more.

"No, sir," she said with her head held high.

"Then why on earth did you believe that your behavior at school would be tolerated?"

"I thought you wanted me to be better, sir," she said quietly looking at her feet.

"Look at me, Quinn," he ordered. She did. "You thought because you were on the varsity cheerleading squad that you can pull whatever shit that you wanted? You think that I would be proud? You need to do better than this. You have four more years of high school to succeed. You messed up. Did you think that climbing the social ladder and becoming perfect is what you needed to do because that's what Frannie did? Do you think throwing that humiliating that scum kike Israel into the dumpster with your lackeys would be enough? No, Quinn, wrong. You are supposed to not get caught. People are meant to be in their place. Aren't they?"

She nodded. "Yes, sir."

"And it's our job to put them there," he continued to lead her.

"Yes, sir."

He began unthreading his belt. "It's not our job to get caught by the idiots who think we're doing wrong. Now is it?"

"No, sir." She swallowed her fear and tried not to tremble.

"Now," he said with his belt off. "What would you like to do first? Make it up to me or be punished?"

She tried her best not to tremble. She knew if she made it up to him, maybe he wouldn't belt her for so long. She looked up and they locked eyes. Slowly, she lowered herself to her knees.

"Quinn, Quinn," Jackie said gently. "You don't want to go down that road. What your father did is a felony whether you are pressing charges or not. The state has a case against him. The lawyer will be in contact with you soon. Shelby will be with you every step of the way."

"I don't want to do that," she muttered.

"I know," Jackie said again in a mockingly gentle voice, or at least that's how Quinn heard it.

"Shelby, could you tell me about how Quinn is doing in your home?" Jackie asked.

Quinn looked over at Shelby ready for her to say how useless and a pain she was.

"We're adjusting. There was a fight between her and Santana last night. There were things thrown. It got out of hand, but we settled pretty quickly. I will let Quinn tell you about it in a few minutes when I step out, but," Shelby looked at the surprised blonde. "She is grounded for her constant attitude, but I think we're working on it. She went to the doctor. She has an infection. She's on antibiotics. I think she would do well at our home if she allows herself to. She is always welcome."

Quinn frowned and looked at Shelby and then back at Jackie. Shelby nodded and left the room.

"Quinn, what do you think?" Jackie asked once the door was closed. "Tell me about this fight."

"I want out. Where's the nearest group home?" Quinn asked quickly.

"If you want out you can," Jackie said. "However, you haven't given Shelby a chance. And honestly, I think you might really learn a lot from the Corcoran kids and Shelby for that matter. I don't know what you know, but their experience in New York was a tough one." Quinn looked up with a frown. The older woman shuffled more papers on her desk. "But if you want to move group homes, you're going to have to move districts, change schools."

"Are you kidding me?" she asked with indignation. She shook her head. Wouldn't anyone take her?

"No, I'm not. Tell you what. You and I meet again next week," she handed her a card. "You call me if you have any problems. You'll get through this, Quinn. You just need to try."

….

Puck sat across from the girls as they sat cramped in the hallway outside of Jackie's office. Rachel watched as her brother flipped through a magazine.

"Do you….." she started but trailed off. "Do you remember having to come here?"

Puck looked at her for a bit. Santana looked at her and looked away returning to her own magazine. "We didn't come here," she said quietly. "We were in New York."

"I mean," she said as she caught Puck's eye as he gazed up slightly from the magazine. "I mean…. The office. Does this…. Never mind."

"Rach, what are you going to ask?" he asked gently closing the magazine in one hand and leaning both forearms on his thighs.

She looked at her brother. "Does this make you think of what happened?"

Santana looked at her brother and then looked slowly over at Rachel. "Of course, it does," she finally said. "But we were different."

"How?" Rachel asked quietly. Puck leaned back and watched Santana, knowing that she knew something. "I don't think we are."

"What do you know, bug?" he asked carefully.

"Enough," she muttered.

Rachel leaned against the wall and looked at her hands. The three of them let the silence fall on them again. Santana was lost in thought but was pretending to read the latest issue of People. Rachel saw it and took her chance.

"I saw her back, San," she said quietly. "No one was there to protect her."

Santana looked at her. "Rach…."

"San, she needs support right now," she looked up at her with big eyes. "Why can't you do that? When it was me…."

"You're different," she said quickly. She sighed.

The fact was she didn't protect her. She hadn't been able to fight hard enough for her. Santana looked away from Rachel as the door suddenly opened.

"You guys just about ready to go?" Shelby asked. "Quinn is almost finished."

….

Santana was silent when they all loaded into the car and headed to the familiar office of Dr. Jacobs. She had been there since she could remember. She didn't hate the woman like she used to. They had a strange and mutual respect. However, she knew what it meant to be there with her, especially before her regular monthly check in. It meant that she had lost control. Rachel's face echoed in her mind. She always expected so much of Santana. Even though Santana let her down time and time again.

Eight year old Santana watched the ceiling fan creak around in circles. She hated the damn fan. This was supposed to be summer. Her father had promised the Hamptons. Instead, they were in this shit hole. She wasn't sure what a shit hole was, but she had heard her father say it about the Bronx once. She was pretty sure she must be in the shittiest Bronx there was. She looked down next to the bed. Puck's makeshift bed was on the floor. When Hiram had told the three of them that they were sharing a room and a bed, Noah had not been happy. Needless to say, Hiram shut up him fast. His bed was empty. Santana felt a tear escape from her eye, because she could hear the belt hitting his bare flesh from behind the closed door. She couldn't even remember what he had done wrong. She turned to her right and saw baby sister sound asleep. She leaned over and put her hands softly on her ears trying her best not to wake her.

"Shhhh," she whispered as Rachel started to stir. "It'll be over soon."

Rachel's eyes fluttered open and she jumped. She used to be one of the most energetic two year olds in Manhattan. Now, she jumped when she woke up.

"Close your eyes," Santana whispered using her hands that were just holding her sister's little ears to hold her sister's cheeks. "Sanny's here. Close your eyes."

It never occurred to her that eight year olds should do this, but it was her job. She was the big sister. The more that she thought about it she was sure that Puck was being hit because of something Santana did. It was almost something she did. But Noah never cried out. Santana was sure that fueled him more. As she lay there trying to coax Rachel back to sleep, all she heard was the belt. She never heard him cry. He was stronger than she was. She always cried eventually. She bit her bottom lip. She had cried when she had had her turn before Noah. She always cried.

The door flew open and both of them jumped. Noah came stumbling into the room. His face was tear stained but his eyes were angry and determined.

"Get in there, you little shit," Hiram said pushing the boy into the room. He spotted both of the girls on the bed.

Santana frowned instinctively at the man. They had barely been there a week and she was pretty sure that he had found an excuse to beat both Santana and Noah at least once a day. However, she and Noah deemed themselves successful because other than occasional slam, Rachel had escaped his wrath.

"What are you looking at, you fucking cunt?" he spat.

Santana frowned deeper. She had no idea what that was but she knew she should be offended. She looked away at him and then back down at Rachel who had scrambled into her arms at the man's scream. Santana could feel her trembling in her arms. She held on tighter.

"I asked you a question!" he bellowed. He grabbed the back of Santana's nightshirt. She flinched at the still healing welts.

Rachel let out a sob in her arms.

"What the fuck are you screaming about?" he barked at the youngest Corcoran.

Santana's eyes widened in protest. "No." Her voice came out barely as a whisper as she realized what he was going to do.

"I'll fucking give you something to scream about," he yelled as he yanked Rachel up by her forearm and dragged her out of Santana's arms.

"No!" Santana yelled. "She's too little. No!"

She even saw her brother from the side push himself up and try to go after him. "Please! No," he yelled after them.

He held Rachel up by her arm as she sobbed. "She hasn't gotten her turn yet." Santana saw him look between her and Noah. He shook her. "She's not too little. Are you, Rachel? Are you too little for a spanking? Maybe the belt?"

Santana jumped off of the naked mattress and ran toward him. "Please, please. I'll do anything let her go," she pleaded.

"No," Noah sighed with pleading eyes. "I will take it again. Please not her."

Hiram gave a slight smirk. "After a week of hell with you kids, why didn't I see this before? This is how I get you to behave." He shook Rachel with his words. Her teeth shattered around her sobs. He yanked off her pull up and her nightshirt, leaving her naked. He threw the items at Santana. "She won't be needing these. Don't worry. I'll do it loud enough for you to hear it."

Santana ran after him but before she or Noah could get to the door it was slammed shut and locked.

"Good job holding still, Rachel," he beamed on the other side of the door. Santana could hear the spanking begin. "You're not a fighter like your brother and sister."

Santana slid down the door with defeated, angry tears. Puck banged on the door as if Hiram would let him in because of his knocks. For what seemed like a lifetime, all Santana heard were Rachel's screams and the Hiram rained down on her exposed flesh.

Santana opened the familiar door and sat down. It was at that moment, she remembered that he stopped hitting her and Puck as much and started going after Rachel. He had recognized her as a pawn. He had seen her power over them. Santana closed her eyes in her memory as the vivid nature caused Rachel's screams to echo in her head. She never fought back against him. She barely even moved. All she had done was cry.

"Santana? Santana?"

The teenager shook her head. She hadn't been able to protect her at all.

"Santana, wherever you are, come back," Dr. Jacobs said gently.

Santana looked at her.

"So…. Tell me about Quinn," Dr. Jacobs began.

…

Quinn looked up when she noticed Shelby at the receptionist counter. She saw her chance. She was hating herself more than anything. She needed to either affirm her self loathing by comparing her life to someone else's or reaffirm how other people suck more than she did by comparing her life to someone else's.

The tiny brunette was sitting next to her reading her book report book. She noticed Puck sitting next to her. She just needed to wait for her opportunity. When Puck stood and went to use the restroom she took her shot.

"So, Rach," she began. The tiny brunette looked up at her as if she had called her the queen of France. "When your dad died, you went to live with your mom?" She met another shocked look. Rachel looked at her again in utter confusion.

"Um, I'm not sure if you are aware of your complete lack of subtly there or not, but…." Rachel trailed off. She looked at her mother and then back at Quinn. "Well, that really isn't how …. I …." Quinn watched as she searched for words. "My stepdad took us ….. I don't remember all of it…. Just," she took a breath. "…some…"

"So he was the one that hit you?" Quinn asked pointedly. She spotted Puck return but was relieved when he stopped to talk with Shelby.

She watched as Rachel struggled with her answer. Finally, she responded, "Yes." It came out like a tiny whisper.

"Did he hit Santana and Puck?" she asked hurriedly. If she had taken a moment she may have noticed Rachel retreating quietly into herself.

"Quinn," Puck called from across from her. "Can I speak with you over here please?"

She sighed but followed under Shelby's watchful gaze.

Puck looked at her with harsh eyes.

"You want to know about our past you ask me. You do not, do NOT, interrogate her," his voice was calm but harsh. Quinn hated that.

"Oh, come on," she said. "How else was I supposed to find anything out?" She glared at him. "Besides it's not like you were going to tell me anything."

He huffed. "Like you're going to tell me something," he said with a laugh.

To her surprise, Puck didn't bark back. She looked at him and he was staring at Rachel.

"What do you want to know, Quinn?" he asked begrudgingly.

"I want to know what happened," she said straightforward.

He sighed and said quietly as Shelby sat next to a withdrawn Rachel. "Our stepdad took us for a little over the summer. No one knew where we were. My mom couldn't find us."

Quinn looked at him. She knew that there was more to the story that he wasn't saying. She watched him watch Rachel. "Why are you so protective of her?"

Puck looked at her. She felt suddenly vulnerable and exposed under his stare.

"What?" she asked irritably.

"Did your dad do more than hit you?" he suddenly asked.

She frowned. Where was this coming from? He shook his head at her absence of an answer.

He gave a soft nod and looked down at his hands. "You're not the only one, Quinn. I get how hard this is for you. I do, but you're not alone."

"How would you know?" she asked.

"After all that had happened, social services took us…..They had to evaluate my mom as a fit parent. She didn't know where we were or …. And after everything, they wanted to make sure we would be 'safe.' We were separated. You're not alone in this Quinn."

She looked away from him. She didn't want to know anymore. His honesty ached in her chest. She gave a sigh. It felt like she was alone.

….

Santana folded her arms tightly across her chest. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"You got into a fight, didn't you?" Dr. Jacobs asked.

"So," Santana challenged.

"Are we really going to play that game, Santana?" she asked with a hint of annoyance.

Santana sighed. She looked at her hands. "All that she remembers is that I saved her. That isn't what happened."

"Quinn brought this up? That's what you fought about?"

Santana shook her head. "No, that's what she made me think of." She sighed. "Rachel told me that no one was there to save Quinn…. I wasn't able to save her." Santana refused to look the doctor in the eye. "…. I got mad at Quinn that night because at her doctor's appointment I realized that it had happened to her… and … and that…. I don't know…..something happened….. and I broke. I messed up. And I can't….. stop being angry. I don't…. I don't understand where this is coming from….."

Dr. Jacobs looked at her. "Alright, Santana. Alright. Let's focus on that then, shall we?"

…..

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