Open Wounds

by 216BLT

AU: The past is the past. Puck, Santana, & Rachel Corcoran have moved on from theirs, but when their mother decides to take in a teen, old memories resurface. Also, new scars are made as they navigate through adolescence, ones that might not heal.

62. Chapter 62

OTHangels – No problem about reviewing – thank you for this review. I love any and all reviews. I am glad you are enjoying it and hope you like this chapter.

Comegetit - - You are officially on the Russell Fabray hate list – it is getting longer and longer by the day. Thank you for liking the story and reading. I hope you like this chapter. Thanks for the review.

Cookie07 – Santana is very hurt, confused and feels lost and helpless. This is really difficult for her. This is very alarming and she is truly starting to crumble. Shelby will get Santana help before she would ever physically hurt Brittany or anyone else. And frankly Santana will never get that far but she is struggling and will continue for a little longer. But the family is there to help she just has to realize and start to accept it.

MTLover – Thank you so much. I am humbled by your words. I am glad you are enjoying the story. Thank you for reviewing now and while I LOVE reviews I understand people are busy. Thank you again for your review.

HannahWilliam33 – I am sorry you cried. I am so glad you found the story and that you like the story. Thank you so much for your kind words.

thelastcenturian – Sorry to leave you hanging it is never my intention. My beta and I try so hard to get the chapters out as quick as possible but this was really intense so it takes time. Thanks for reviewing.

Brittanyismyunicorn – Santana feels like she has to be so strong all the time and she is actually crumbling. Unfortunately she will learn the hard way. But she will always be loved and supported. Thank you for your review.

1moredreamer – you registered! Yay! Rachel has regressed but she is still an 11 year old and with Sugar around it helps a lot. As much as the girls should have been punished regarding the drinking they have such huge days ahead of them that Shelby has to find a balance and has to give them an outlet that is not dangerous to relax and decompress. You will see how Shelby helps the girls in the very near future – stay tuned. Things are finally starting to settle for me but some days there are not enough hours. Thank you for your endless support.

lemon-rind – They will finally get down to the core of the issues and start to build from their foundations very soon I promise. Thanks for reviewing.

NayaFan - Loved your review. Thank you for understanding the drinking and while they are not supposed to do it - they have their reasons and while it is not an answer at least they understand why they did. Santana is sad and it is so complex because even though it is not happening it to her directly she feels so much for her sisters and so little for herself that its almost worst. And who doesnt love Bear! According to my beta - this is every parents nightmare. Shelby is what Quinn needs right now but Quinn has never had a mom so it is hard for her. Santana and Rachel and Noah have had years of a nurturing mother - Quinn not so much. The testimonies are very hard to write so I hope you can enjoy them. Thank you for reviewing. I appreciate it a lot.

JWilson18 – You know the girls too well! They will not go without a fight but at this point they are running out of options. The testimonies are going to be tough real tough. Thanks for the review.

Mox – Thank you for your love! I am so happy you are enjoying it. Thank you so much. I hope you like this chapter! Thank you for the review.

IMHO – Those hours were killer for me! Am I am so glad they are over. The family is a blessing and a curse but they are going to need all the support that she can get. This chapter is an intense chapter as well. Santana is struggling and she needs so much. They are struggling with testimonies and feelings that they have no idea how to deal with. The girls need therapy and they need it fast. I am so glad you are enjoying this story. Thank you so much for your review.

NinjaGleek21- I am honored that you have chosen my story to review. These chapters are intense and part of the reason it takes so much time to get them out. I appreciate you being so patient and I am sorry they make you sad. Thank you for the review.

krazyy989 – Testimonies are in this chapter and you will see them testify but they will not be in the courtroom otherwise. They cant handle it. I can't put a number of chapters left to go but there will be a sequel. Thanks for the review.

Lolathe17th – and yes this is yet again another intense chapter. Thank you I am glad you enjoyed the playlist. They will not be pleased about therapy of any kind but they NEED it. Thanks so much for the review.

Sarah11650 – It is not ending anytime soon and you will see only a glimpse of Shelby taking care of them because she is focused on this trial and the girls testifying. Thanks for reviewing.

zuperkt – Thanks for the warning! It was intense to write as is this one. Thank you so much for reviewing. I did not mean to make you sob. But get your tissues because this one is very intense too.

Bookworm0485 – Shelby wont get the flu. She has a lot on her plate. She is a very strong woman. She will get comfort soon but there is a lot more happening before she gets anytime to relax. Thanks for your review.

Hello, everyone! thank you so much for your patience! This is the chapter we've all been waiting for. Take a breath and read when you can. It is emotional and touches on abuse that has happened so far. Please read this chapter with caution.

I'm also not a lawyer... please be gentle with my law knowledge.

Shelby pulled onto her street. The sun was finally out and the snow seemed to sparkle on the streets. The snow blanketed the trees that lined the street with such a gentle, a calming grace that only the winter brought. It had yet to turn that impending shade of brown and gray and turn to piles of sand on the side of the road that made you forget about the beauty that was once there.

She gave a tiny frown as she neared the house. She was so grateful and thankful that her father and brother in law and cleared the driveway. The storm had brought about eighteen inches to Lima. She made a mental note to thank them again even though her words wouldn't be enough for their hard labor because she knew her would have been so angry at every flake of that snow if she had to shovel it herself.

Her head had been spinning since she left the office. It kept teetering from extreme to extreme in her head. She didn't know what she was doing and she was so scared that she was going to ruin everything that she took so hard to rebuild and -

SPLAT

Shelby slammed on the brakes. Just yards from the driveway a softball sized snowball had slammed into the passenger side of her car.

She parked the car on the street and climbed out of the car with a frown deeply etched in her brow, but it changed to one of confusion when she saw children in her front yard... and none of them were hers.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Shelby!" a little boy who's name Shelby didn't know said. All she knew was that he was from the green house with the blue shutters five houses down.

"Uh... What's going on?" she asked as she surveyed her front yard.

There were almost a half dozen children in her yard and none of them were hers. They were all around Rachel's age and were madly building what looked like a snow fort village with a man dressed in a suit with a pair of snow pants digging next to them. She looked at the driveway and saw a black Cadillac. Sugar was at her home and from what she could see Sugar was calling out all of the orders... to everyone.

She felt her heart skip a beat as she scanned for Rachel. Rachel should be out here if Sugar was here. She spotted the tunnels. She looked in one and one of the twins across the street was in it. She looked in another tunnel and heard herself wonder, why there were so many snow tunnels in her yard. It was empty. She spotted another one and looked in and Rachel was sitting quietly bundled in her snow gear playing tic tac toe in the snow.

Rachel looked up and smiled and released a little sigh, almost in relief. She moved to her knees and hugged her mother tightly.

"What are you doing in here by yourself?" Shelby asked gently as she rubbed her back.

"I'm having fun," she said with a slight grimace.

Shelby sighed.

"Alright, guys, I got more little shovels," Bear called.

Shelby released her daughter and stood up to see that her brother in law was holding most of Shelby's gardening tools.

"Hey," he smiled sheepishly. He leaned over and looked at Rachel. "Rach, you ready to come out?" She shook her head and he stood up. He gave Shelby a small sigh. "We thought it would be good for her to get fresh air and you said it was okay for her to have a friend over."

"I was thinking maybe a movie with Sugar," Shelby said quietly before she bent down and looked at Rachel. "Bug, why don't you go and say goodbye to your friends and then go inside to warm up."

"I don't really talk to the neighbors... I don't know why they're here," she said quietly. "It was just Sugar and me...and then everyone else showed up and I didn't want to be there."

Shelby nodded. "Okay, Rach. Thanks for still staying outside, but it's time to get you inside." Rachel's cheeks were rosy red and she had taken off her hat because it was tucked in the back of the tunnel. "First grab your hat please." Rachel did and kept it in her fist before Shelby pulled it on her head and her own gloved hands could feel the coldness of Rachel's cheeks. "Why did you take your hat off?"

Rachel just shrugged. "It was pulling my hair funny. I have a ponytail and it's a hat..."

Shelby sighed. Duh, she thought to herself. "Say goodbye quickly and go in."

Rachel walked over to her friends. Bear looked at Shelby apologetically. "I'm sorry. I'm sure she's cold, she hasn't been moving around like the other kids. I had her dress as she would as if she was running around. I didn't want her to overheat in her suit. All these other kids came over and I was distracted."

Shelby shook her head. "It's fine. She wouldn't tell anyone that she was cold anyway."

She paused as she saw Sugar follow Rachel toward the house. She opened her mouth to protest. She wasn't planning on her daughter's only peer to stay. Shelby's head was too full of chaos. She paused to remind herself that she shot herself in the foot when she put up the option for Rachel to have a friend over. When she finally got inside after saying goodbye to the other children in a way that was really saying, 'go home,' Sugar was ranting about how how they needed more time outside and how the other children couldn't design as well as her. Shelby sighed and listened to the child bicker with herself .

"Hush, flour!" Santana said with a moan from the couch. "I have a headache and i feel like I battled earth wind and fire just to get downstairs. I can't deal with the sound of your voice. It feels like everything good in the world is dying."

"Don't be so cranky, Medusa," Sugar snapped.

"Careful or I'll turn you to stone, you little urchin," Santana sat up on the couch and barked but then moaned again and forced herself to lay back down. "Get out of my house," she said as she draped her arms over her eyes. "Bug, come here."

"Santana, try to set an example," Helen called.

"Why? She's devil spawn," Santana hissed as she tried to shift on the couch to let Rachel lay with her, but Shelby held Rahel to her side. "Pure evil doesn't need an example. Ma, let Rachel lay with me. Come here, bug."

"Santana, enough," Shelby said as she turned to Sugar. "You're sick, Santana. I'm not sure how you made it downstairs when you should be in bed, but rest and don't argue." She turned to the child that was not her own. "Sugar, it's late and I believe that you are grounded. Neither your father or your aunt told me that you were coming today."

"Mr. Lion-"

"Bear," Rachel said with a frown as she leaned into her mother's side.

Sugar frowned. "Why do they call you an animal. Do you not like being called by your real name? What is it?" she asked all at once.

"It's Lawrence," he laughed as he took a sip of his coffee.

Sugar snorted. "Bear is definitely better. Anyway he called me and I told Frank that if he didn't bring me that I would fire him."

Everyone's gaze looked toward the chauffeur who looked sheepish and embarrassed. He shrugged. "Sugar, drives a hard bargain."

Santana coughed from the couch. "Whipped," she faux sneezed.

"Santana! Enough," Helen barked.

Rachel gave Sugar a wave and walked and curled up into Santana's lap . "I'll see you later. Thanks for the fort," she mumbled.

Sugar rolled her eyes. "Of course, they will be better next time. Won't they, Frank?"

"Yes, Miss Sugar," he nodded as he opened the door for her.

Once the door was closed, Shelby turned with a sigh and saw Quinn napping on one couch as Santana tucked the blanket around herself and Rachel on the opposite couch. Her children were magnetized to each other; it was a fact she realized a long time ago. She sighed and went over to feel Santana's head. She was still burning up.

"No, Rach," she said untucking Rachel from Santana's little nest. "No, I know you want to curl up but I don't want you sick."

"If I'm sick I don't have to testify," Rachel mumbled as she continued to shiver and leaned back into Santana.

"No," Shelby said softly.

Rachel frowned. "You move around too much. I can't lay with you if you don't even lay down until night time. I want to lay with San."

"Rach, don't whine," Quinn mumbled into the couch.

Rachel perked up. "I can't lay with San because she sick?"

"Yes, Rach," Shelby said shaking her head with a laugh. "Get up."

Rachel climbed off of the couch and crawled on the the longer couch with Quinn, who let out a grunt. "Rach," she moaned.

"I wanna lay with you," Rachel said as she rested next to Quinn.

Quinn sighed. "I'm sleeping."

"You're talking. You're awake," Rachel said as she carefully messed with the blankets. "And I'm cold. Pleeeeease."

"I'm sleep talking," she said dryly. "You're interrupting my REM."

"Nuh uh," Rachel said as she reached and laid down closer to Quinn.

"Is this okay?" Quinn asked as she looked over Rachel's body at Shelby.

"It's fine," Shelby said sitting on the arm of the couch. "Are you okay with it?" she asked more quietly.

Quinn paused and Rachel looked up realizing the tension. "You really don't want me to sit here with you?"

Quinn tried to form words but all she could hear were Alicia's words.

Rachel's eyes fill with tears. "What did I do?" she asked.

Quinn sighed and wished she could bury herself in the couch cushions. She felt Shelby's eyes on her. "What's going on?"

"I don't know!" Rachel said with a sigh as her tears ran down her cheeks. She threw back the blankets and headed toward the hallway toward under the stairs but Bear scooped her up.

"Hey," he said gently as she rubbed her back. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Quinn said as she shook her head and tried to keep her face hidden. "I have to go to the bathroom," she said.

Shelby stood up and calmed her hand through Santana's hair lightly as she watched as Quinn rushed out of the room and her mother and brother-in-law ushered Rachel toward the kitchen.

"Mumma, what did I do?" Rachel asked from Bear's shoulder.

"Nothing that I know of Rachel," Shelby said. "Go warm up. You're still shivering."

"She can lay with me," Santana called over the couch as she started to sit up only to have her mother push her gently back down.

"You're sick and you have a fever," Shelby scolded gently. She looked at her mother out of the corner of her eye. "I'm not even sure how you got downstairs."

Helen shook her head and tucked the huffy teenager back in. "San, no, you need to rest. No snuggles until you can keep a meal down," Nana said. "But I'll make you some hot cocoa too."

"Kay," she said rolling her eyes.

Down the hallway, Quinn stared herself in the bathroom mirror. She didn't know what to say. She didn't talk about it with Elyse. She couldn't really even wrap her head around it all. She let out a shuttering breath.

"Quinn?"

She looked at the bathroom door with a frown. "I don't want to talk," she said quietly as she ran the water. "Nothing's wrong I just... I don't want her hanging on me right now... and... I don't..."

"Okay," Shelby said through the door. "Can we not talk about this through the door?"

Quinn dried her hands and opened the door. "there's nothing to talk about."

"Really?" Shelby said as she searched her eyes. "What's going on?"

Quinn tried to look away. "I have so much on the line tomorrow... She does... and I don't... I don't need to be reminded of that responsibility." Quinn couldn't believe how the lies were coming out of her mouth. She didn't know what to say but she couldn't say the truth. She couldn't say the words that were in her mind and the doubt in her heart. She told Shelby before she didn't know who she was and Alicia just knocked her feet out from underneath her. She didn't know how to articulate any of this.

"Is that what's really going on?" Shelby asked.

Quinn gave a rapid nod. "Yeah."

"It doesn't have anything to do with what you talked about with Elyse or Alicia?" Shelby asked gentle.

"How did you know about that?" Quinn asked feeling her body tense.

The truth was Shelby didn't know much. Elyse didn't have much to report and she didn't talk to Alicia at all.

"I don't," Shelby said gently. "What happened?"

Quinn just shook her head. "Nothing, I swear. Nothing happened. I would never do that. You have to know that."

Shelby took a deep breath. "Quinn, I don't know what you're talking about."

Quinn just shook her head and felt the weight on her chest cave in. "I would never hurt, Rachel," she said with a quiver of her lip. "Ever."

"Honey," Shelby said as she pulled Quinn into her arms. "I don't believe that you would. You are so kind and gentle with her. Even when you weren't with anyone else, you always were with Rachel."

She shook her head. "People think that I made it up. People think that I hurt her and not him. I wouldn't I swear!" Quinn sobbed.

Shelby rubbed Quinn's back. "Q-bear, I would never think that you would do that. You know why?" Quinn shook her head. "Because you get so upset when you make her feel an ounce of unhappiness."

"I can be mean, Mom," she whispered into her shoulder. She pulled away and wiped her eyes. "I can be mean to people and make them upset and …. I … I can... what if I can do that?"

"Quinn, I don't believe you will," Shelby said.

"But, … but Alicia said that sometimes those who are abused become the abusers and … and... and ..-" she was trying to contain her hiccups. "What if it only take a moment? What if we just... what if I -"

"Quinn, calm down," she whispered. "Look at me."

"I can't … do this... if that's what they're going to say to me... if that's what they're going to accuse me of if -"

"Quinn," Shelby whispered as she cupped her face. "Look at me." She wiped the girl's tears with her thumb. "I know the truth. You know the truth and we know that they're wrong.-"

"But that's not enough!" she whimpered. "Don't you know what it's like when people think so little of you? And you can't get that dignity back?"

"Yeah, I do," Shelby whispered. "for a long time, I was the celebrity mother that left my children in the hands of a monster. I was that mother that was over analyzed and gossiped about. It hurts, Quinn, and I wish that I could protect you from it all but I can't. …. But I promise that I won't love you any less after this trial. I'm not going anywhere."

She shook her head. "What if it's not enough?"

"It will be," Shelby whispered. "If you don't want Rachel to snuggle with you, you have to tell her. and it's okay if you don't want to. Just tell her."

"I know...It's not that... I just... I don't want to … I don't want to... be tempted."

Shelby felt something explode in her chest. She was going to kill that woman. "Q-Bear, did you ever feel that way toward Rachel before?"

"No," she replied quietly. "But she's right... I might... because.. because of what happened..."

"It is true that people who have been in situations that you have been in sometimes can become abusers. If you ever feel those urges, you can tell me. I will still love you but you need to come to me. Okay? Let me know what's happening when you're confused or scared and I'll be there."

Quinn looked at her tearfully. "I think that I'm going to hurt her?"

"No, I honestly don't believe that you will, but I know that it's a fear that is in you right now. I don't want you to be scared. Ever. I know that this isn't what you want for you or Rachel or anyone else. you know what you feel about Rachel."

"I love her. She's … she's my sister and she's the first one that accepted me without a question..." Quinn thought remembering.

"Exactly," she whispered kissing her temple. "That's all you need to remember. Every moment. Talk to Elyse about this. We can do it together."

"I don't want to talk about it," she said. "I won't... I won't do that...I'm not saying I want to-"

"Quinn, she put a doubt in your head that I wish wasn't there-" Shelby began.

"I've... always thought about it..." She continued to avoid Shelby's eyes. "About the kind of mother I would be... the kind of child I would bring into the world..." She gave a tearful scoff. "Look what happened."

"Quinn," Shelby began softly.

"I don't know who I am or what I'm capable of... Good or bad..." She looked up at Shelby with tearfilled eyes. "I ... don't want to disappoint you."

"Quinn, I will always love you. I will always support you. I didn't know who I was or what I was capable of when I was your age. I just... I had no idea..."

"You are a mom... You're the best mom," she muttered.

"I didn' ... I didn't know that I wanted to be a mother... I thought that I was destined to be a Broadway legend... Then I did an internship and my life changed and I wanted to do more...Life changes everyday, Quinn... and we all do our best to be together with it."

"I'm still scared," she muttered as she leaned her head on her mother's shoulder.

"It's okay to be scared. I am too."

….

Rachel poked at her hot chocolate. She kept fishing the marshmallows out and then pouring more in once she finished. She had eaten almost the whole bag of marshmallows because of the process.

"Sweetheart," Helen called. "If we wanted you to eat the bag of marshmallows, we would have given you just the bag."

Rachel frowned and held up the bag. "But you did."

"To go with the hot chocolate, bug," Bear said as he took the bag from her. "Finish your hot chocolate or go lay in the family room, but not with your sisters."

"Where's Noah? Can I sit with him?" she asked.

"No, bug," Bear said. "Even though his fever broke, he's been wiped out the whole day. I don't want you getting sick."

"If I'm sick, I won't have to testify," she said.

"If you're sick, you won't have to testify tomorrow, but you will eventually," Bear said. He felt her forehead with the back of his hand and gave a heavy sigh. "I think it's brewing in you and Quinn, but I think you'll be fine for tomorrow. You're going to do fine and then it'll be over."

Rachel looked at her marshmallow-less mug. "I don't want to talk about it. I'm not …. it's not for me... it's for the other girls."

Bear paused. "You know about the other girls."

Rachel nodded. "Do you? Do you know how many there were? Or... if they were my age too?"

Bear felt like a he had been shot in the heart. He remembered seeing those pictures in Schuester's basement. He remembered all of the faces. It was why he couldn't sit in court like his father-in-law, wife, and sons were today. He couldn't sit there and listen to what the man could have done to Rachel and had done to others.

He leaned down and scooped Rachel up. "Rachel, you just need to answer the questions tomorrow and tell the truth."

Rachel elbowed him lightly. "You didn't answer my question." She looked up at him with pleading eyes. "Will you tell me? The truth I mean."

"About what?" Shelby asked as she entered the room.

"The truth about the other girls," Rachel said casually. "No one will tell me anything."

Helen and Bear looked at Shelby for advice. Bear caught the look in his sister-in-law's eyes. He knew something was up.

"Rach," he said gently. "We will tell you everything after the trial is over. Only concern yourself with the truth and then I promise I will sit down with you afterwards and tell you everything."

"Everything?" Rachel asked.

"I'll answer all of your questions," he smiled softly.

"Okay," she said as she leaned against his chest.

"Rach..." Quinn called from the doorway. The eleven year old perked up. "Do you want to come lay with me? We can watch Animal Planet if you want."

Rachel nodded and climbed off of her uncle's lap and took Quinn's hand that the blonde was offering. "You're not mad at me?" she asked quietly.

"No," Quinn answered back as they settled onto the couch.

Shelby watched them settle and closed the sliding doors most of the way.

"You alright?" Helen asked. "I need to call that stupid ADA," she hissed.

"She's in court for the case," Bear said. "What's going on?"

"I need to call Elyse then," she said.

"She's testifying today," Bear said again.

"Well, I don't care! I need to talk to someone," she hissed. She continued barely above a whisper. "Alicia put ideas in Quinn's head that she was an capable of being the abuser and told Rachel about the other girls and I am going to kill her."

"What?" Bear asked.

"I just... I can't," she said as she put her head in her hands as she leaned on the counter. "I don't need this, too."

Helen and Bear exchanged a look. "How was your meeting?" Bear attempted casually.

Shelby let out a groan into her hands. She paused for a few minutes before she spoke. "I don't want to talk about it yet."

"What happened?" Helen pushed.

"What part of I don't want to talk about it did you not understand?" she snapped. She squeezed her eyes shuts. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I just. I …. I can't think about that right now. At this moment, I'm trying to coordinate what I need to pack for tomorrow for court. I want to bring Rachel's neb just in case. I want... I think that Dad will take Quinn back and then we'll bring Rachel in. We have a few hours between their testimonies... I just I can't think about it yet."

Helen frowned. "Okay," she said thoughtfully. "You know we'll be here as long as you need."

"I don't know if I need you here!" she slipped. She felt herself panting with anxiety. She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Mom. I didn't... I'm sorry. I do... I do appreciate all that you and Dad do. Same for you, bear. You and Joey being here has helped …. I just... I don't know... I …. I'm sorry. I need some answers and I need to yell and I need-"

"You need to breathe," Helen said offering Shelby a cup of tea.

"You know it'll take so much more than that to keep us away," Bear smirked as she took the mug just as the sliding door opened.

"Mumma," Rachel said with a quiet sigh as she peeked through the door.

Shelby straightened and looked at her youngest. "Yeah, bug?"

"Quinn's snoring and Santana is sleeping, too," she said. "Can I go find George?"

"I'll go get him," Bear said as he ran up the backstairs.

Shelby set her tea up down and crouched down in front of Rachel. "Why don't you try to take a quick nap too?"

Rachel shook her head but wrapped her arounds around her mother's neck. "I want..." she trailed off and rested her head on her mother's shoulders.

Shelby put her hands on Rachel's sides and pulled her back from her and looked into her eyes. "What do you want?"

"Can I have..." she asked quietly. "Can I ..um..."

"Yes, Rachel? What is that you want?" Shelby asked with a smirk.

"Can I have the rest of my Christmas candy?"

Shelby exhaled with an arch of her brow. Her other kids inhaled their candy. Rachel still seemed to believe they were still allotted a certain amount of sweets and then handed the rest of hers in and continued to ask permission for when she had it. Or, much to Shelby's amusement, she would try to 'sneak' sweets in the most obvious way, as if she wanted to get caught.

"What did you eat for lunch after I left?" Shelby asked.

"A sandwich with tomatoes and basil... and cheese," she said remembering. "And... um... sweet potato chips and... um... carrots and green pepper sticks..."

"What a big lunch," Shelby said with a smirk. "Now how much of it did you eat?"

Rachel frowned in thought. "Um...I ate enough."

Bear let out an amused scoff as he entered the kitchen with the stuffed money in his arms. "Rachel," he said as he handed Rachel her Geroge. "How much of your lunch did you eat?"

"Some of it," she whispered. "Nevermind. I don't want candy."

"You know you can have some, Rach," Shelby said gently. "But we need to eat some real food too."

Shelby peeked in the refrigerator and say Rachel's sandwich sitting in the drawer. There were approximately 4 bites taken from the sandwich and next to that sandwich was Quinn's soup. It looked like she didn't even eat any of it. Practically the entire container was full of soup.

She shook her head and walked over to Bear and leaned against his side slightly as she rested her chin on George, using the monkey as a pillow. "I changed my mind."

Shelby took the sandwich and the soup out of the refrigerator. "I know that we're going to have dinner in a bit but I want to have a snack with you. I'm hungry. Will you eat with me? You can have an orange and maybe a bite or two of some sandwich." Rachel looked at her with a sigh. Shelby knew that look. It was the Corcoran look of disinterest. Rachel had already moved on. She didn't care about eating anymore. "Hey, hey, Rach," she laughed. "Don't tune me out yet. Your sisters and brother do that all the time."

Rachel laid her head down completely on the counter. "I want to lay with Santana and Quinn." She started to climb off of her chair.

"They're both sleeping, Rach. Plus," she said as she leaned over the island on her elbows. "Santana is still sick and," she paused for dramatic effect. "You're starting to feel a little warm-"

"Sooooo if i'm already sick I can lay with her," she said excitedly.

"No," Shelby laughed. she stuck her bottom lip out slightly. "Will you please do this for me, Rach? I know you know why you need to and I would really like some Rachel snuggle time too."

"You're guilting me into lying with you- and it's lying too. Miss Holly just went over that with me last week. The difference between lay and lie and …. all that... I think that's it...Maybe it's lay."

Shelby laughed as Rachel hugged her side. "It's just what I need right now, Rach," she said as she kissed the top of her head.

"I'll always snuggle with you, Mumma," Rachel whispered.

"You will?" Shelby laughed.

"Yeah."

…..

Noah opened his eyes and looked around the room. It was dark. Was it night time? Was it Christmas? No, they had done that. That fox, he reminded himself. He looked around. There was a glass of water on his nightstand and his room was fairly clean. He frowned as he leaned over the side of his bed. The carpet was clean... and smelled like flowery baking soda. He rolled his eyes. His nana must have cleaned. He looked down at his bed sheets. They were damp. He frowned... that wasn't good. He yanked the sheets off of the bed and through them into the hallway on his way to the bathroom. After making sure that all three of the door were shut, he didn't want his sisters walking in on him. He started a long shower. As he scrubbed his body and became a person again, he was trying his best to remember what day it was. They did Christmas... and …. hmmm... he remembered nothing after that... He had a fever and felt sick and... There was snow... and …. He knew that there were days but they seemed to blend together.

He dried off and walked back to his room and grabbed his sweats and changed and hauled his sheets down the hallway. He peeked into Quinn's room expecting the girls to be in there. He only saw that Quinn and Rachel were asleep in her lofted bed. He didn't see Santana so he dropped his sheets heavily and peeked into Santana's room only to see his Nana walking out.

"Hey there," she said with a smile as she reached out and felt his forehead. "You feel better. You're not hot."

He nodded. "I was kinda hot and sticky when I woke up." His eyes widened. "Not like that, Nana!"

She chuckled. "You're fine, bud. Your fever just broke. I'm just glad it didn't give too high to take you to the hospital."

"How long was I sleeping ? I don't even know what day it is Did I miss New Years?"

Nana tilted her head. "Noah you've been asleep for days. We've been taking you up . taking you to the bathroom. Feeding you soup..."

"Oh," he said in surprise. "Thanks... I'm starving."

She chuckled. "I bet."

Noah nodded. "Is it late? Why are they sleeping?"

She chewed her bottom lip. "The girls are testifying tomorrow," she said slowly. She watched as his posture changed completely. "And Santana has your flu too. We're keeping a close eye on it though. I think it's a little worse than yours but she'll get through it. And I think Quinn and Rach might get it. They have low grade fevers now."

"Low grade? Like failing?" he asked.

She smiled as she began to pick up the sheets on the floor and collect his laundry. "It's barely 100. A little bit below."

"That's no good. Isn't she supposed to be like 80...or 90... ?"

"No, almost," Nana stated. "98 is normal."

"Yeah," he nodded. "So I can't see them?"

"Well, they're sleeping," she smiled. "Let's get some food in your belly."

He paused and looked back at their rooms. "They nervous?"

"What do you think?" she said with a weak smile. "Let's head downstairs."

He sighed and picked up the sheets and laundry basket and he followed her down the back stairs.

"Look who it is," Bear chuckled.

Shelby looked at her son with a smile. She reached out and felt his forehead. "How are you feeling? I thought that was you showering."

He nodded. "I feel better. I didn't realize I was out for so long. That little dwarf gave us the killer strain."

"Don't say that," Shelby said as she began to make her son a sandwich.

"Ma, can I have more than a sandwich?"

"Give my guy some pasta," Michael laughed.

"I don't want to give him anything too heavy," Shelby said as she reached for some soup. "Your sister hasn't been able to keep anything down for days. You have slept for days."

"I'll take whatever you give me," he sighed with a grin. "But know that I might want more."

"Noted," she smiled.

"So..." he began with a frown. " Will... What's going to happen tomorrow?"

He watched with a frown as everyone exchanged a look.

"We're not sure," Joey began seriously. His aunt was never serious.

"What do you mean? What aren't you saying?" he asked as his mother handed him a sandwich.

"We've been going," Dexter began.

"To the trial?" he asked.

Dexter nodded. "Open arguments have stated that they're really going to bring up Rach and Quinn's past... to discount them... " he said carefully.

Noah narrowed his eyes. "What are you saying? He can't do that. We have her clothes. Quinn saw it."

"We know," Joey stated. "But it'll be hard for him."

"And he'll be in there with them?" They nodded.

He shook his head and looked at his mother. "You won't leave them alone right?"

"Absolutely not," she said gently. "We will get through this."

"Mom?"

Noah looked on the stairs and Santana was standing their in their dad's old shirt and a pair of sweats.

"You look like crap," he said with an amused smirk.

"Glad to see you've risen from the dead," she hissed back at him.

"Santana," Nana stated with a sigh. "I just checked on you. What do you need?"

"I cannot sleep by myself," she said said avoiding everyone's eyes.

Noah looked at the family. Something had happened. He wasn't sure quite what, but something had happened. Even Griffin wasn't saying anything.

"I'll come up and lay with you," Shelby said with a gentle smile.

"I want to lay with Rachel," she said quietly. "Is she sick yet?"

Noah soaked in her sister's appearance. Something happened. He hadn't seen her like in a long time and it scared him.

Noah stuffed his clothes into his duffle. He didn't get it. He didn't understand why he was leaving and his sisters had to stay. He wasn't stupid.

"Everything will be settled soon," some grown up said from the door.

"Shut up," he muttered. "I want to see my sisters." He looked at the stupid grown up with determination like his mom used to. He wasn't sure if it would work though.

"You can certainly say goodbye, but I know that you're seeing them tomorrow for your visit with your mom."

He frowned. "Well bring me to them."

He didn't care what the woman said as he walked into the kiddie unit. That's what he called it because that's where all of the babies were. Rachel was sitting with a corner playing with one of the ladies was sitting with her. Rachel was sitting with her holding her pacifier in her mouth and a bear clenched in her arms that she found in the stuffed animals corner that she always tried to claim during play time. The lady attempted to engage Rachel with building blocks.

"Rachel, will you hand me the red one?" she asked kindly.

Rachel silently looked over at the red block and then back at the woman.

"She knows which one it is," Noah said over the fence that wrapped around the baby area. "She's not stupid."

"Noah," the lady stated. "Use kind words."

Rachel pushed herself to standing and walked carefully over to Noah. She still walked funny but Noah didn't say anything he didn't want to embarrass her like he knew he would be embarrassed if someone made fun of him. She smiled at him. He reached over the gate and was about to pull her up and the lady behind him coughed and said no. He rolled his eyes and opened the cake and walked in.

"I'm going to go somewhere else. Okay?"

Rachel's frown deepened and her eyes filled.

"I'll still see you. I just can't stay here anymore, but I think we get to go home to Mumma soon," he said. "I know it."

Rachel shook her head and wrapped her arms around her brother. "Sorry. I sorry!"

"Rachel, you didn't do anything wrong," a grown up said. Noah thought her name was Natalie but didn't care to remember. "Noah is going to spend time elsewhere."

"What?" Santana asked as she rounded the corner.

"I was going to find you," Noah said carefully. "You can't be mad. This won't change anything."

"It will," Santana said with a deep set frown.

Noah looked behind him and saw the teachers talking. They were worried. They always looked at Santana as if she were a slingshot ready to go off. He watched the grown ups talk to the babies about the need to go in another room. They thought that Santana and Noah didn't notice, but they always did.

"Santana, you need to calm down," a grown up said once all of the little kids were out.

"I am!" she screamed. "Where's my brother going?"

The grown ups looked at each other instead of responding.

"Santana, we talked about how Noah might stay somewhere else," Natalie stated.

"No you didn't! You didn't!" she scolded.

Rachel was still holding closely to Noah and was starting to shake in his arms.

"You have to calm down, Santana," he told her. "Rachel's scared."

"I want to leave! You can't go! NO!"

Noah felt someone edge closer toward her. Rachel gripped onto Noah tighter.

"Come here, Rachel," a grown up said.

"No!" Noah said pulling back. "She's safe with me. Leave us alone!"

Santana leaned over and knocked over a shelf.

"Santana, this is not okay to break stuff. I'm sorry that you didn't know," Natalie tried.

"Go Away! My brother needs to stay here! HERE!"

Noah held Rachel close to his chest and it felt like whole room became silent. He watched his sister destroy the playroom for the babies. Rachel wouldn't stop moving in his arms and he didn't realize she was crying until later. One of the grown ups had to lead Noah and Rachel away. They kept telling Santana that she could be angry but she would need to clean up when she was finished. They told her that it wasn't okay for her to throw things. Didn't they see that Santana didn't care about the toys. All she cared about was ... going home and having Noah there.

As Noah was being led out of the room he stopped and looked at Santana.

"San, stop," he whispered.

She looked at him and shook her head. "I can't."

He met her eyes and he saw his sister. She was in there somewhere. He sighed and sat Rachel down. A grown up started toward her. "Leave her alone!" he scolded. Rachel jumped and looked at her brother. Noah could see that she was hiccuping like after he cried really hard. "Rachel," he said as he looked at her. "Sit right here okay. I'm going to talk with Santana."

"Noah," Natalie began. "We can talk to Santana."

"Well, you suck at it," he hissed.

"Let's give it a try," one of the grown ups said.

"This is the problem," Natalie hissed not quietly enough. "They are NOT supposed to be the grown ups. We are."

Noah smiled at Rachel and she nodded. He stood up carefully and looked over at Santana. "You made a mess," he said with a smirk.

"Shut up," she frowned but had a tiny smile that she was trying to conceal.

He walked over to her and began to clean up. "You know I wouldn't leave you because I wanted to," he said quietly. "You still mad?"

She shook her head. She was getting to the point where she was too tired to be angry, but she was quiet. Noah knew that that meant. He knew that she would just shut down. She would get quiet and sometimes cry or sometimes hit things.

She shook her head as she played with the toys that she knocked down. she rolled the blocks in her hands.

"Santana?"

She frowned and threw it across the room. "Why are you leaving?!"

"Because they told me to," he said. "We gotta do what they want or else we can't go home. You just went through this room like...Like the tazmanian devil."

"Don't say that," she barked with tears in her eyes.

"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" he asked softly.

Santana just looked down at all of the toys. "I'm fine. Go away."

"San, don't be mad."

"I'm not mad," she whispered. "Go away."

He stood up slowly. "I love your face," he said with a goofy grin.

"Whatever" she mumbled. "I love your face too."

He stood up carefully and felt the adult lead him out of the room.

Noah returned to the present. He would never forget how Sananta looked kneeling in the middle of toys looking as crumbled as ever. And that look was in her eyes now.

"Don't get Rachel sick, okay?"

"I won't, just leave it alone," she snapped before she walked out of the room.

"What...what happened?" he asked as he turned to his mother.

He watched as his mother followed Santana up the stairs with her eyes like moms do. "You need to talk to her, Noah," she said softly.

He frowned. Something happened. He knew that in the least, but what he knew even more was that right now his sister was on the edge and they were going to have a lot more to clean up than a room full of toys.

...

Quinn blinked her eyes open and looked around. The house still had that soft murmur that she had grown accustom to. It reminded her that she wasn't alone, but she wasn't smothered either. She stretched slightly and sat up. She untangled herself from Rachel and quietly climbed over Santana before she made her way downstairs. She heard that the television was on as she slowly made her way to the bottom of the stairs. It was if she were having to remind herself how to walk. She glanced over the back of the couch and stared at the screen with disgust but still made her way to the other couch. She had to sit down or she would fall over.

"Hey," Noah said. "You're alive."

She rolled her eyes as she tucked herself in. "You're the one we were worried about. Glad to see that you've survived the plague."

"Yeah, and I feel like I haven't eaten for years!" Noah said taking his last bite of food from the plate he was eating. "I love being sick," he said as he stood up. "They let me eat on the couch."

She scoffed and shook her head as he went into the other room to leave Quinn and Griffin together awkwardly.

"I ... I wanted to say ... I'm sorry," he as his eyes shifted to and from the television.

Quinn scowled. "What for?"

"For not... for being so hard with you at the beginning... I just... I'm sorry," he muttered.

"You've already apologized for this," she said with a confused glare.

"Quinn, I was just... I really mean it this time," he said with a shrug.

"Good to know you were faking it before,"she scoffed.

"I just... I promise I will have your back from now on...I just remember how hard the trial was before and -"

"Well I'm different," she hissed.

"You are," he recovered quickly. "You don't have to be tough all of the time, Quinn."

"You're just saying all of this because you went to the trial today and feel guilty," she said as she swung her legs off of the couch.

He sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," she hissed as she slowly made her way toward the kitchen.

Noah passed Quinn and frowned. "Quinn-"

"Go away," she said as she walked into the kitchen.

Noah sighed and leaned back on the couch with a new bowl of food. "What did you say?"

"Nothing," Griffin mumbled back. "I didn't get a chance to."

"Chance to what?" he asked with his mouth full.

Griffin looked quietly at his hands. He rarely was still or quiet. "I was at court... watching the trial for the past few days, Noah, and... it sucks... and... I think that they're going to have a hard time."

Noah looked at his cousin, soaking in his words. "Well... we all knew it wasn't going to be easy..."

"I just wish that Quinn knew she had people to go to," he said.

"She does," Noah said. "And I guarantee that one of them isn't you. Sorry, dude. You're kind of the last person on her radar to care about. So ... whatever you're thinking... stop..."

"I just wanted to thank her for everything she's done with Rach and San and -"

"Seriously, Griff," Noah said, cutting him off. "No one needs to hear it from you."

"Ouch," he grimaced with a grin.

"Seriously, man," Noah said, taking another bite. "Quinn has a lot more things to think about than you."

"I'm just ... I was a jerk and I want to apologize," he said.

"Maybe someday, someone in this family will believe you. You have to stop acting like a jerk .. apologizing for being one isn't enough."

...

Quinn wandered into the kitchen looking for something.

"Hey, there," Shelby smiled walking over to Quinn. She gave a frown was she felt the girl's forehead. "Q-bear, it feels like you're getting warmer."

Quinn groaned annoyed. "Blame it on Santana. She's drooling on my pillow."

"How about some soup?" Helen asked.

Quinn shrugged. Shelby kissed her lightly on the temple. "Soup, please, sweetheart," she whispered.

Shelby felt Quinn sigh in indignant frustration and she made her way up the stairs. She felt as if this task was pointless, but she was still going to separate them. She hated that they were so sick, but Rachel's immune system was so terrible as was Quinn's and Santana couldn't be with her sisters, but it seemed that they kept drawing each other in.

When she neared Quinn's room, she heard heaving from the bathroom. She quickened her pace and opened the door to see Santana lurching over the toilet. She gave a sympathetic sigh and rubbed Santana's back.

"I'm fine," Santana said into the toilet bowl.

"You're not, sweetheart. You're sick," Shelby said.

"No, I'm fine," she said as she pushed herself away from the toilet bowl. "I'm going tomorrow."

"Santana," Shelby said looking her daughter in the eye. "Even if you were 100% healthy, San, don't think I would let you go."

Santana frowned. "What?" she asked with hurt in her eyes. "Why not?"

"Because none of the kids are going. I think yes, you're old enough to do your own things, but I just... it's too hard," Shelby said gently.

"Too hard?" Santana asked in frustration. "All of this is too hard. She needs me there. She thinks I'm going to be there. She needs me there. They both do!"

"Sweetheart, it'll be too much. It will be hard for me," she said kindly.

"So I should be there for you too!" she interrupted. "I need to be there."

"Santana," Shelby said quietly. "It's not happening. I'm so sorry. I just... I think it'll be too much..."

"I don't care," Santana whispered as she tried to stand up weakly, but her mother put her hand on her shoulder to keep her down. She looked at her angrily. "I have to be there!"

"San, it's not going to be easy for them and they're going to have a hard time with it. They aren't really going to go that easy on you and ... I don't want you in there. Noah isn't going to be in there either."

"The boys have been going," Santana argued. She tried again to stand up. "I should be able to go! I have to go!" she shook her head. She tried to reach the sink to pull her up, but she couldn't. She let out a sob.

"And they've been having a hard time with it, San," Shelby said quietly. "They're not going tomorrow."

She leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes. "Rachel, needs me," she whispered as she began to hit the back of her head against the wall, but Shelby reached her hand between her daughter's head in the wall to stop her. 'Quinn needs me..."

"Of course, they do, San," Shelby said. "But you can't be there." She could see Santana was on the edge of a meltdown.

"I have to -" The color from her face drained and she leaned over the toilet again.

Shelby held her hair back and rubbed her back. "It's not happening, San. You can't even stand up. You're not going to court. I'm sorry."

Santana stared angrily at the porcelain throne. She had been on the floor of the bathroom for over an hour. She hated that she was sick. She hadn't been able to get up because every time she attempted to she heaved again. She heard a gentle knock at the door broke her thoughts.

Rachel looked at her with a tilt of her head.

"Mom said you were on quarantine, but I wanted to come and see you," she said quietly as she climbed into the empty bathtub. "I'll sit over here."

"You were laying with me earlier, Rach," Santana chuckled weakly. "You don't have to barricade yourself in the bathtub."

"...So... You won't be there tomorrow and ... neither will Noah..." she whispered.

Santana looked at her with regret. "Rach," she whispered. "I will be with you the whole time."

"But you won't," she mumbled in defeat.

Santana stared at her baby sister as she sunk deeper into the bathtub. Her heart was breaking at Rachel's devastation and furious over her mother's inability to allow her to be there for Rachel.

The door opened causing Rachel to jump.

"Rachel, there you are," Shelby said with a tiny shake of her head as she held her hand out to Rachel to come toward the door. "I told you to get ready for bedtime."

Rachel nodded and walked toward her mother. She cast one more glance at Santana. "Feel better, Sanny."

Santana felt a lump in her throat. She wasn't going to be there and she couldn't be there. She was on the floor next to her own waste. She felt like she was stuck in that moment. She was finally able to get to bed with the help of her mother and uncle. Whenever she looked at them, their mouths were moving but she wasn't hearing anything. She couldn't focus on it. All she could think about was Rachel's eyes as they looked at her. They weren't just sad and disappointed. They were lost. She was scared and she couldn't have her going scared. It just could be like that.

She lay in bed alone for the rest of the night not only because she couldn't sleep alone, but because everytime she closed her eyes she kept thinking about what the lawyer will say to Quinn or the looks that Quinn would receive.

"Santana?"

Santana looked up at her door and her mother was standing there.

"What's wrong?" Santana asked as she attempted to sit up.

"I thought that i'd check on you," she said gently. "I couldn't sleep either."

Santana looked at her mother and felt the lump in her throat filling her nose and eyes as she began to cry. "I have to be there, Mom," she whispered. "I have to..."

"Oh, San," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around her. "We will be fine. We all will."

Santana shook her head and wiped her tears. She couldn't stop thinking about this; her mind wouldn't turn off.

"Let's read a book," Shelby whispered as she reached over Santana and pulled a book from her small shelf.

"I don't want to," she whispered.

"I thought you might say that," she whispered as she pulled out the iPad. "I thought we could watch a movie that I know would distract you at least for a bit."

Santana frowned. "Jurassic Park?"

Shelby smirked. "I don't know how you fell in love with this movie but yes."

Santana leaned into her mother. "You're going to get sick too," she whispered.

"I haven't yet," Shelby stated. "Your sister's have fevers but I'm okay."

"Or so you say," she whispered as the movie plated. "If I feel better tomorrow, can I go?"

"Santana," Shelby warned. She kissed the top of her head. "She'll be okay."

Santana leaned into her mother. "I hope so."

They lay quietly for a few minutes more as they watched the movie. Santana gave a few mumbles about how this would be so much better if it were real before finally falling asleep soon after they lawyer was eaten by the dinosaur.

Shelby stared down at her daughter questioning the choices that she had been making over the past nine years. When Santana had been staying at the shelter, they were worried about Santana's outbursts and to what level her trauma would still impact her puberty and teenage years. They were worried about Santana's reactions. They were sure that she would hurt Rachel and even more sure that she was going to hurt herself. Shelby felt like she had dropped the ball with Santana in areas that she had thought she was watching closely. She knew that this trial may tear them in two and she wasn't sure if they could come back from it. She was requestioning every choice that she had made and wondering if there was a moment where she could have been better, pushed them harder out of their comfort zone so that they were more prepared for it all. Her mind was overflowing with scenarios. She couldn't stop it and even more she couldn't believe that they were doing this again. How has she let this happen again? How did things all go wrong?

...

Quinn smoothed out her sweater as she looked at herself in the mirror. She looked at herself. Her heart was in her throat. She was trying her best to distract herself but she couldn't. She was constantly distracted by her reality.

"You don't look like you're ready," a voice said behind her.

Quinn didn't turn around. "I thought that you were down with the plague. Making a stop on your way to the bathroom?"

"Shut it," she whispered. Santana stepped forward and leaned against one of the Quinn's bed posts. "I brought you something."

"What?" Quinn asked turning to her. "More germs and your puke breath?"

"No," Santana said, causing Quinn's smirk to fade slightly. "I've brought something for you."

Quinn arched her brow and looked at Santana's hand. The girl held out a pair of earrings and her necklace.

"You want to give your plague jewelry?"

"I ... I can't be there," she hissed. "Mom said so."

"Well you're puking every five seconds," Quinn pointed out quietly.

Santana thumbed the jewelry. "I just...I want to be there for you."

Quinn looked at her quietly. "I ... I promise that Rachel will be fine. I will make sure of it. What I ...what I say I mean... Mom told me that I can't be there for Rachel's testimony either..."

"I want to be there for you too," she said quietly.

Quinn smirked. "You want me to wear your plague jewelry and think of you?"

"Shut up," Santana said with a roll of her eyes. "I know you're scared and you're afraid to say it...I didn't... I didn't have to testify like you are... but... I had to talk to a camera..."

"You were also a child and had the cute factor... They think that my ... what... what happened with me and my father... that ... that ... I could hurt Rachel and-"

"What!" Santana asked tensing.

"I never would! EVER!" Quinn barked.

Santana was staring ahead blankly as she shook with rage.

"Santana?"

Quinn couldn't read her. She wasn't breaking anything. She wasn't saying anything. She was just seething. She was at the edge.

"Santana?"

Santana reached for something. Quinn stepped in front of her. "Stop," she whispered pulling her into a strange hug. "You don't have to break everything because you're upset."

Santana hugged her back quietly. Her eyes were trained forward.

Santana pulled away slightly. "They shouldn't say that about you."

"Thanks..." Quinn whispered confused.

"They said that about me," she said barely above a whisper.

"But you didn't go to court about it," she replied. She shook her head.

"I'm so sorry..." she whispered.

Quinn shook her head. "You have nothing to be sorry about," she said looking at Santana honestly. "Okay?"

Santana stared at her with a frown. "Just wear them okay?"

Quinn looked at her with a tiny smile. "After I bleach them."

"Bitch," Santana mumbled.

"Asshole."

"Girls?"

Nana stood in the doorway looking at them. "Santana I thought you were on your way to shower and get cleaned up. I think you'll feel better."

"I think you'll feel better if you go," she smiled. "I ran a nice bath for you."

"Thanks, Nana," she whispered.

"I also placed a large garbage bin near it," she said as she held at her arm for her to follow her. "Try not to hurl in the bath."

"Thanks, Nana," she mumbled.

...

Shelby put her earring in and stared at herself in the mirror. Here it was. This day had come and she wasn't sure what to expect. She never did and that's what scared her most. Joey and the boys had left a little earlier to hear what was going on in the beginning. Shelby was glad that she couldn't stay for all of it. She couldn't be in the same room as that man. She didn't know how her sister was handling it.

"Mumma?"

She turned and looked toward the door of her bedroom.

Rachel stood there with her light pink dress with, what Shelby believed was three pairs of spandex from dance, and a cardigan and complete her outfit, Santana's scarf and Uggs.

"Sweetheart," Shelby said as she walked to her and knelt in front of her. "What... Why did you chose to wear this outfit?"

"It's cold outside and I don't have any dress pants like Santana and Quinn and Noah. Why don't I have pants?" she asked hurriedly.

"Because you never want to try them on. You've always insisted that double tights with your dress would be enough" Shelby reminded her youngest.

"I just... I don't want to be cold," Rachel said.

She knew that it was more than that. She knew that Rachel didn't want any skin showing. The terrible thing was... Shelby couldn't blame her. and she hated herself for not making sure that Rachel was comfortable with the clothes she had for this trial.

"We will find something nice for you to wear," Helen said from behind Rachel.

"How?"

"Well, I've been working on some options," she said with kinda looked at her with a frown of confusion. "A woman needs to have some pants. I bought her some cords and dress pants and jeans."

"Mom-" Shelby interjected.

Helen put her hands up. "Don't worry, they fit her. I've been double checking and measuring her during naptime."

"I don't have nap time, Nana," she frowned. "Don't call it that." She sighed. "Thank you though... I think... I want to wear pants."

Shelby nodded. "Okay."

"I'm ready," a new voice said from the hallway.

Shelby looked up and gave Quinn a soft smile. She hated that even while Quinn squirmed with nervousness that she looked stunning in dress pants and a nice blouse. She was wearing Santana's necklace and earrings with bashful pride.

"You look beautiful," she said softly.

Quinn nodded and looked at the ground. Her nervousness was boiling at the surface again.

Rachel followed them with anxious little pants. "You'll come back okay?" she asked.

"Of course we will," Shelby said stopping Quinn by catching Quinn's arm and pulling the girls close to her. "We're going to be fine. Look at me." Rachel looked at her mother with open wide eyes, begging for guidance and Quinn gripped tightly onto Shelby's hand, hoping to find the courage to meet her eyes. "We are going to fine. This is just another hard day. Okay? And we will have tomorrow and it will be an amazing tomorrow. okay?"

Rachel nodded. "Okay, Mumma."

"Quinn?"

She didn't respond; she only nodded. Shelby peeked one last time in at Santana and left Rachel with her mother as the girl almost had to be pried from her grip.

"She'll be okay," Quinn said quietly as they made their way down the street.

Shelby gave a gentle smile. "Are you okay?"

"No," Quinn said as she looked up at the road.

Shelby exchanged a look with her father in the front seat. "I wish I could make this easier for you."

"You can't," she bit. She squeezed her eyes shut in regret. "I'm sorry. ... I just... I don't do this..."

Shelby watched as tears began to gather in her eyes. She shook her head in manic.

"Do you want me to pull over?"

"NO!" she shouted. "We can't be late. I have to do this. I have to!... but I can't."

"Quinn, honey," Shelby said as she pulled her daughter into her arms. "I can talk to the DA but you were still subpoenaed by the defense."

Her breath hitched in her chest. "I'm scared," she whispered. Her entire body was shaking but she couldn't stop it.

"I know," Shelby mumbled as she pressed her forehead to Quinn's. "I can talk with the DA."

"No," Quinn whispered. "I need to do this... I have to do this..."

"I'm so proud of you for doing this, Quinn," Shelby whispered. "But if you chose not to I would be just as proud."

"Are you ready?" Michael asked.

Quinn looked around. They had stopped. When had they stopped? She looked around. A phone ringing brought Quinn from her thoughts. Shelby pulled her phone from her pocket.

"Yeah, I know. We're on our way, Jo, It's tough..." Shelby reached to get out of the car but Quinn snapped her arm out to stop her.

Quinn knew that she had to do this. She knew that she had to do this, but her heart wouldn't stop beating out of her chest. She wasn't ready to face him. She didn't understand why she felt like this. She didn't feel like this when she went to her own father's trial. She paused. She barely went. She knew what would happen to her father when she went and barely choked through her statement. She felt her her body shake. Rachel could barely function at home. It was up to her to do this. She had to do this right... She had to get it right. There were no other options.

"I'm ready," she whispered.

Shelby looked up from the phone. "We can wait-"

"No," Quinn said more aggressively. "We can't."

Quinn didn't look back into Shelby's eyes. Not once. As they sat outside the area waiting for her to be called, she couldn't help but feel nervous and concerned. She didn't know what to do. She wanted to wait out there with her. Luckily the judge had assured them that it would be a closed court besides family. They wanted to make it as easy for the girls as possible. Shelby was able to walk in with Quinn and take her to her seat when they were called. She was so nervous that Shelby couldn't imagine what Quinn must be feeling or even close what was going through her head.

"We're ready," someone told them from the door.

Shelby inhaled sharply. Here they go. Quinn walked in front of her, still avoiding Shelby's eyes. Shelby wanted so badly to walk her through this whole mess, but she couldn't. They swore her in and Quinn's pierce eyes were strong and solid. Her eyes didn't show an ounce of nervousness. And as they didn't waver, her jaw set as she prepared herself for battle. She took a seat quietly next to the judge.

"Alright, Quinn," Alicia said quietly making eye contact with the girl. "Please state your name for the record."

Quinn leaned forward with her shoulders square. "Quinn Nicole Corcoran-"

A chuckle from Will Schuester broke Shelby's attention as well as the rest of the courtroom. Alicia glared at the defense table.

"Is there a problem?" the judge asked.

"No, your honor," Felix Duncan responded as he gave his client a warning look.

Shelby turned her attention back to Quinn and saw that the girl had deflated slightly and was now shifting in her seat.

"Quinn, how do you know Rachel Corcoran?"

"She's my sister. My adopted sister technically," she said easily.

"Can you tell me about your relationship with her?"

"I love her very much. I would protect her from any harm. When I first moved in with the Corcorans, she is the first one who I really had a connection with. In my heart she is my sister."

"Thank you, Quinn," Alicia said with a smile. "Quinn, can you tell us what you saw when you arrived at Mr. Schuester's office on the day in question?

The girl took a tiny breath and leaned toward the microphone. "I went to Mr. Schuester's office to talk to him about what happened with Rachel earlier... before vacation. Rachel wasn't supposed to be there because I knew mom was taking her to dance class. When I got to his office in the choir room, he was fixing his shirt and he told me that he spilled coffee on it, but I didn't see a coffee stain... but his cheek was bruised." Shelby saw her pause and stare at the floor, but before Alicia could encourage her to continue, Quinn went on. "I saw Rachel's jacket was on the far side of the room and... I saw her underwear near his desk. I asked him where Rachel was. I looked for her and couldn't find her so I started to leave... And that's when he cornered me and ... I knew that I needed to find her. He was holding me to keep me from leaving so... so I hit him on the head with a music stand to get away. I had to go find her."

Alicia nodded and let the courtroom soak it in. "Quinn, did he say anything to you? Did he do anything to you?"

"What... what do you mean?"

"You said that he held you in the room. Can you tell us what happened?"

Shelby saw Quinn's shoulders give in and her once steady gaze begin to waver. "Is that important? He hurt Rachel and I went to find her and ..."

"Quinn, please, did he say anything to you?" Alicia said softly.

Quinn's eyes finally met Shelby's and the hazel eyes crumbled.

"I ... I ... I told him that I would hurt him if he hurt her. He... He came closer to me and backed me into the wall and said ... and he was laughing and he told me that he ..." She let out a sob. "He said... he said that he knew all the 'fun' my father and I used to have. And that... that the family would split up if I told... and that it would ruin Rachel and ... I... I owed him." Shelby felt her blood run cold. She watched as through Quinn's eyes as she was brought back to that moment. Quinn let out a sob. "He um... he ... said, 'I will fuck you like your Daddy did and he told me, ''You're a woman. I can't wait to feel you. Rachel struggled and cried too much and didn't even get wet.'"

Shelby felt bile rise in her throat at the words and of the image of that man confronting Quinn like that.

She let out a sob. "He told me to bend over like the slut I was and that... that h-h-he can give it to me rough." She shook her head and looked at her mother. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Thank you, Quinn," Alicia said. "That's all."

Felix stood up and buttoned his jacket. "Do you need to take a break?" he asked with a smirk.

"No," she said wiping her tears. "I'm fine."

"Only if you're sure," he said.

Shelby stared at her daughter; her whole body was frozen. Look at me, Quinn, she begged herself. Don't close off. Look over here. She didn't.

"Quinn, do you have a good relationship with your sister?" Felix asked casually.

"Yes, Rachel and Santana and I are very close," she said.

"I mean your actual sister," Felix said. "What is your relationship with her?"

"Objection! relevance?"

"Withdrawn," Felix stated.

"Do you know a Finn Hudson?" Felix asked.

"Objection!" Alicia called.

"I agree, Mr. Duncan," the judge said with annoyance.

"I have a point your honor."

"I suggest that you get to it. She is a witness and she it not on trial. Tread lightly," the judge said curtly.

"Do you know Finn Hudson?"

"Yes," Quinn said as she visibly swallowed.

"Are you aware that he told this court earlier today that you told him he was the father of your child when in fact he wasn't?"

"Objection!" Alicia scolded. "This is a completely other matter."

"I want to credit her as a witness. She is making a series of accusations against my client," Felix stated.

"She is not on trial here, Mr. Duncan. But I will allow a little leeway, please answer the question, Quinn."

"Yes," Quinn stated.

"Did you and Mr. Hudson have a sexual relationship?"

"Yes," Quinn whispered.

"Was sex between you and Finn Hudson consensual?"

Quinn chewed her lip. "Yes."

"Mr. Hudson told this courtroom this morning that it was you that initiated the sexual relationship between the two of you - is that correct"?

"Objection" Alicia interrupted. "She already admitted it was consensual"

"Just want to show the court a pattern, however I will withdraw the question"

"Is it true that you asked Mr. Schuester for sex?"

"What? No! I never asked him for sex!" she said shaking with emotion. "He came after me?"

"So you're saying that Mr. Schuester's claims that you asked him for sex and then he turned you away, aren't true?"

"I didn't ask him for sex!" she practically screamed.

"Do you feel like Mr. Schuester wronged you?"

"Yes, he hurt Rachel..."

"Did you ever want to seek revenge?" he asked.

"Objection!" Alicia added.

"The jury will disregard the statement."

"You said that you love Rachel very much," Felix continued. "Do you love her enough to lie for her?"

"Objection," Alicia called out. "She was sworn in. She is well aware of the gravity of perjury."

The judge put her hand up. "Mr. Duncan, ask her specifically about the case, please."

"Where were you supposed to be that day in question?"

Shelby watched as Quinn bit her lip with a frown. "I had Cheerios practice at the school."

"Really? We have a statement here from your therapist stating that you had an appointment with her at the time of the alleged incident. Were you supposed to be at the appointment Quinn?"

"Yes, but ... it was the beginning and I couldn't be there... I .. " She looked at Shelby. "I'm sorry." Their eyes connected across the room. "I called a friend for a ride."

"I see," Felix said with a nod. "Can you tell me about your relationship with Rachel?"

"She's my sister," Quinn said straightening her back.

"You stated that you loved her. Like a sister do you love her?"

"Yes!" Quinn said with a frown.

"How do you know what kind of underwear Rachel wears?"

"What?" Quinn asked. She felt her stomach drop.

"You stated that you went into Mr. Schuester's office and you saw Rachel's underwear. How did you know it was hers?"

Quinn shook her head as tears ran down her face. "What are you saying? I wouldn't never hurt her like that?"

"I'm just asking you how you knew it was hers. Had you seen it before?"

"I help my mom with the laundry," Quinn said with a tiny sob.

"Is it correct that you and Rachel had a car accident after this alleged incident? How did that happen?"

"I found her in the locker room. She was scared and bleeding and she just wanted to leave. I thought.. I would drive her in my brother's car for a bit and then bring her there. She needed to feel safe."

"She was hurt and you didn't get her help?"

"No... she ... yes... she was scared..." Quinn said as her breathing became more deeply. "I knew what that was like!"

"Knew what what was like?"

Quinn looked at Alicia in desperation. "I ... I felt like that. Like I needed to get away after times with my ... with my father."

"Would you say that Rachel looks up to you?"

"Yes," she replied.

"You had an issue of bullying at school correct?"

"Yes, but I-"

"Can you tell the court who Jeannie Marks is?" Felix pushed.

"She's a girl that was teasing Rachel. I went and played dodgeball with her at the school..."

"And gave her a black eye?"

Quinn attempted to form words but couldn't. "I didn't mean to hurt Jeannie like that."

"Like you didn't mean to hurt Rachel?"

"I never hurt her," Quinn growled. "She's been through so much. I was just trying my best! I didn't hurt her!"

"I'm not saying that you did, Quinn," Felix stated. "You're in transition. You're a girl who has had a long history of abuse. You may have never intended on it."

"Objection, is there a question?" Alicia asked.

"You never got angry at Rachel? Your school record shows that you had a history of some anger issues."

"He did this. He pushed her. I didn't!" She looked at her mother. "I didn't! "

Quinn tried to hold back her tears. She tried to hold back her heartbreak in her entire being. She closed her eyes and remembered what it was like to be under her father. She remembered what it was like to wish for it to end. she couldn't imagine Rachel sobbing underneath her wishing to be safe somewhere else. Was that what people thought of her? Was that what people believed? Quinn suddenly jerked forward and heaved into the barrel close to the witness stand. This was all too much for her.

"Your honor, I request a recess," Alicia called.

"I see that we need one," he said. "I reserve the right to ask her questions later but I'm finished for today."

The judge turned to Quinn. "You're dismissed."

Quinn slowly stood from her seat. She felt like her life was falling apart and her body was going with her. She couldn't see straight. She couldn't breathe. She saw Shelby staring at her. She felt her entire body race toward her as fast as her legs could carry her.

"I'm so sorry," she sobbed as Shelby pulled her into her arms. "I promise. I didn't touch her. I didn't. You have to believe me."

"Quinn, you have nothing to be sorry about," Shelby whispered softly. "Let's get you home."

Shelby felt the girl's body against her. Her entire body was on fire. She closed her eyes hating herself for hoping that it was only the stress of the trial.

...

Santana pulled on her clean sweats. She was pretty sure her grandmother took the time to iron it, but she didn't care. She looked at her closet and spotted her dress pant hanging. She made her way slowly to the closet. maybe she could somehow get dressed instead to go to court and her mother would see she was better.

"You feel any better?" a voice asked before she made her way to the closet.

She looked up at the doorway. "What are you doing here?" Santana asked with a deep frown. "You're supposed to be at the trial."

Bear smiled. "I want to be here." He leaned out and felt Santana's forehead. "Still pretty warm. You should get back to bed."

"No," I have to find Rachel," she said with determination.

"Santana, you need to rest," he pushed.

"I'll rest when I'm dead," she said with a push.

"Well, that'll be soon if you don't get back in bed," Noah said from the door.

"Ugh!" she groaned. "I need my sister!" She she began to breathe heavily.

"Sanny?" Rachel peeked in behind her uncle.

Santana calmed at the sight of Rachel.

"Look," the tiny girl said as she smoothed out her dress pants. "I'm wearing pants like yours."

She smiled. "I see that."

"I ... I realized that I can have you with me," she whispered as she leaned back into her uncle and put her hand in her pocket. "I don't have to be alone."

"Yeah?" Santana asked trying not to become emotional.

"Look," Rachel whispered holding out her palm. In her palm were the plastic beads that Santana had given Rachel so long ago. Somehow they were still on the same plastic gimp that Santana had made it on. "It's too small for my wrist now though," she said thoughtfully as she thumbed the beads. "But I can still hold them..." She gave a gentle smile. "They're... they're still magic right?"

Santana wasn't sure if Rachel was being serious about the magic since apparently she was still a child who believed that wild foxes could be real pets.

"Yeah," Santana whispered as Rachel neared her and climbed onto Santana's bed. Santana looked down at the beads with a smile. "I remember making that," she whispered as she wrapped her arm around her.

"Did you make it just for me? You did right?" Rachel asked.

"Sort of," Santana said. "I made it during art at school... and I was wearing it that day... in the elevator when .. um... when Dad died," she finished with a whisper. "I just didn't want to take it off... " Santana could feel her brother and her uncle watching her carefully. It all hurt too much. "Then you were scared one night. Remember?"

Rachel nodded but then shook her head. "Not really."

"And ... I told you the beads were magic...And each one was special..." Santana said getting lost in the memory. It was after Hiram had brought Rachel back from a 'changing.'

"What did they mean?"

Santana looked at her. She honestly didn't remember. "I..." she stared down at the bracelet intently. "I ... think I ... " She was going to lie. She was going to say something that wasn't true to fill that void. She met Rachel's eyes. She felt her stomach bottom out and her uncle planted a trash can in front of her just in time and picked Rachel up and handed her to Noah. "I'm sorry, Rach," Santana said into the barrel.

"It's okay," Rachel called as Noah carried her down the stairs.

Noah sat them on the couch downstairs with a sigh. Rachel continued to stare down at the beads in her hand. "I ... I'm going to be just fine," Rachel said with a nod. "I'm going to be just fine. It's going to be easy. I have my magic beads and they're going help me and it's going to be great."

"Rach, it's okay to be scared," Noah said softly.

"I'm not," Rachel said as she looked at her brother. "I'm not scared. Santana will be with me and Mumma will be there."

"Rach," Noah said again, unsure of this fearless girl next to him.

"I'm going to be just fine," she said again. "Fine. I'm brave and I can do this."

"I know you can," he said kindly. "I'm scared though."

Her face fell. "You don't think I can do it?"

"I know you can, but -"

"But nothing," Rachel smiled. "I'm going to come home and I'll be fine. Just fine."

...

Michael put the car in park and glanced back at Shelby in the backseat. The entire ride had been silent. Shelby looked at Quinn as they pulled into the garage. She hasn't said a word or loosened her grip on Shelby's hand since they left.

Shelby was scared. She was scared because simply from her line of work she knew that Quinn could have been triggered by a number of things in the courtroom. The girl was now trying to sift through her feelings to find a meaning or explanation. And on top of all that the girl was burning up.

"Quinn?"

The girl still didn't look up.

"Sweetheart?" Shelby said again.

Nothing.

"Honey, we need to get you inside and in bed. I want to take your temp."

Nothing.

"Quinn," she said again. Shelby attempted to pull her hand away but the girl held her with an iron grip.

"Don't leave me," she whispered.

Shelby watched as the color drained from Quinn's face. "Dad, grab me a bucket!"

Somehow after two daughters and six grandchildren, Michael was able to move fast enough to get the bucket and open Quinn's door so that the girl hurled into the bucket. Twenty minutes, two Tylenol, a change of clothes and a gentle backrub latter, Quinn was asleep. However, Quinn hadn't let go of Shelby's hand the whole time. It was starting. She wasn't sure exactly what, but Shelby knew that the were barely holding on.

"Day by day, Shel, hour by hour. We'll be okay," a voice said behind her.

She looked up and her father was standing there. "We can do this."

Shelby shook her head with a heavy sigh. "God, I hope so."

"Mumma?"

...

Rachel held her mother's hand as she was guided into the courtroom. Her mother had been nervous since she came home, but she was pretending not to be. She looked like she might cry and yell all at the same time. Rachel was determined to get through this day without her mother shedding a single tear. Her mother already looked sad. She didn't want to make her mother cry. She was going to be strong and perfect and the best.

However, the same time her heart was beating too fast in her chest that she was scared it would fall out of her mouth, even though she knew that wasn't physically possible. Shelby leaned down in front of her and pulled gently at Rachel's shirt.

"You look beautiful, bug," she whispered.

"Really?" Rachel asked feeling a twist in her stomach. "I was hoping that I didn't."

Her mother paused and stared at her. She watched as her mother swallowed and took a deep breath before speaking. Did her mother know that she just didn't want him to think she was pretty. She bit her lip, maybe she should explain it.

"I just... don't want to be pretty for him," she whispered.

"I know," shelby said softly. "I'll be there with you the whole time, Rachel. I won't let anything bad happen to you."

"Will he be in there?" Rachel asked.

"Yes, bug. I've told you that he will be, but he won't get near you," she said for the millionth time in the past few days.

"Kay," she mumbled.

"We're ready."

Rachel felt her mother take a step toward the courtroom but Rachel didn't follow. She was frozen. She felt her mother return to her.

"I'm scared," Rachel whispered with her head bowed.

"That's okay," Shelby replied. "Are you ready? Or do you need more time."

Rachel frowned but nodded her head as she looked up and stared ahead blankly. She stood up slightly. "I can do this. It'll be easy and... I'll be fine."

Shelby frowned. Rachel's emotions from the beginning of the day to this moment had been so worrisome.

"Rachel, it's okay to be scared. I'm scared now. We will get through this-"

"I'm fine," Rachel smiled a smile that didn't even meet her eyes. The smile barely extended past her lips. "I'm ready," she told the officer and she walked ahead of Shelby before she could stop her.

Rachel passed the table where he sat at and couldn't help but stare at him. She felt a shiver run through her. All of the strength that she just thought she had, was now gone. She had thought that she could be strong for this, but she couldn't breathe. She couldn't think; she couldn't even tell if she was breathing anymore.

She sat down in her seat quietly.

"Please state your name for the record."

Rachel continued to stare at him.

"Please state your name for the record," Alicia said standing between the two.

Rachel seemed to snap out of her daze. "Rachel Barbra Corcoran," she said quietly into the microphone.

"I'm going to ask you some questions, Rachel, okay?" Rachel gave a tiny nod.

"How long have you known Mr. Schuester?"

Rachel couldn't look away from him. There was something about him. She just couldn't look away.

"Rachel?" Alicia asked gently as she moved closer to the girl.

Rachel jumped at Alicia's presence. "W-wh-what?"

"How long have you known Mr. Schuester?" she asked again more gently.

Rachel shrugged. "Um... a few years... but I never really talked to him... he taught at my brother and sister's he and my Mumma went to high school together." Her eyes seemed to drive back toward him and was looking at her. Right at her. She felt as if they were the only ones in the room and it scared it. Her heart almost stopped.

"Rachel?" her view was suddenly blocked by the attorney. "Rachel, did you start taking voice lessons from him this year?" She continued to stare at him.

"Rachel?"

"Yes," she whispered.

"Can you speak up a little louder please? I'm sorry we need to make sure we can all hear you."

"Yes," she said more loudly.

"Can you tell me what kind of teacher he was with you?" Alicia asked.

"He scared me... but not at first..." she whispered as Alicia nodded encouragingly.

"How did he scare you?"

Rachel was looking down at her hands and her gaze snapped toward her mother. Shelby felt her heart clench . Rachel was staring at her in panic and Shelby knew her daughter well enough to know that she didn't want to be there anymore. She was changing her mind.

"I don't …. "

"You don't what?"

"I don't want to talk about it" she said quietly.

"Rachel, we need to talk about it," Alicia said trying not to look panicked.

"Why?" she asked quietly still looking toward his table.

"Because we need to keep you and the other girls safe."

"What other girls?"

"Objection!" The defense called out.

"Sustained. Stay on task please."

"Withdrawn," she said with a nod. "Rachel, there were two incidents that happen with Mr. Schuester?"

"Yes... where he took off my clothes... but there was another time in the bathroom where he put his hand on my back but I wasn't as scared then." Rachel thumbed the beads in her hand tightly as she tried her best to be brave.

"What happened with Mr. Schuester the day that Quinn dropped you off for your lesson, before you went to Florida?" Alicia asked.

Rachel looked at Alicia and then looked at Mr. Schuester and then back her mother.

"I ... um... he..."

"Okay," Alicia said. "Rachel do you recognize this?" She placed a bag of Rachel's dress near Rachel.

"That's my dress in a bag," she said simply.

The court room filled with tiny smirks of amusement.

"Do you remember when you wore it?" Rachel nodded. "I need you to answer, Rachel."

"Yes, I remember," she said quietly.

"Can you tell me what happened?" Alicia asked.

"I ... It got dirty..." she whispered.

"What does your dress have on it?" she asked.

"It's not my dress anymore," she said. "I gave it to the police..."

"Rachel, what's on the dress?" she asked gently.

"Sticky white stuff," she whispered squeezing the beads again.. "... It came from Mr. Schuester's ... um... his... penis..."

"Do you remember where it was on the dress?" Alicia asked more gently.

Rachel moved down lower in the chair. "It was on the inside... of my dress," she muttered.

"How did it get there?"

"...It was on my ... um... it was..."

"Can you point on this doll Rachel where it was on your body?" Alicia asked bringing a generic doll to the stand. Rachel pointed to the entire midsection of the doll

"... And then Mr. Schuester ... pulled my clothes on over it... and spilt coffee on it ... because it smelled."

"What did you do with the dress?" Alicia asked.

"I ... I hid it," she said looking at her mother.

"Why did you that, Rachel?"

"Because... because... I ... didn't want to ... do this..."

"Do what?"

"come to trial..." she said. "It's scary... and ... I could ... I could be okay... we were okay before it."

"What do you mean, Rachel?"

"When I was little..." Rachel whispered.

"Alright, Rachel. Thank you," Alicia said hurriedly. "Can you tell us why you felt scared and needed to hid it?"

"Because... Mr. Schuester told me my mom would go to jail and my sisters and brother and I would be separated... And I... I can't do that. I can't sleep without my sisters or my mom-"

"Okay..." Alicia started noticing the shift in the courtroom. "So you didn't tell anyone about that day?"

"No, but my mumma and my therapist thought something happened... or that I was remembering... and I... I did. I remembered being in the closet and on a bed and -"

"Okay, Rachel," Alicia said softly. Rachel's eyes continued to shift toward Mr. Schuester. Alicia was trying to stand between her but couldn't be there the whole time and Rachel was getting off track.

"Rachel, do you know who took you from dance class on the day of the car crash?"

Rachel nodded. "Mr. Schuester. He put a cloth over my mouth and said... um... he said...I was a good girl..." she whispered.

"Then what happened?"

"I don't want to talk about that," Rachel said.

"Rachel, we need to talk about it happened?"

"I was in the choir room... and ... I ... I was on the floor... and then..I wasn't... I don't want to say anymore..." Rachel said with tears in her eyes.

"We need you to talk about what happened in the choir room, Rachel," Alicia urged.

"Objection, your honor! Leading the witness," Felix called out.

"Enough," the judge said and turned to Rachel calmly and put on a more softer gaze. "Do you remember what happened that day, honey?"

Rachel just shook her head. Her whole body was shaking from what Shelby could see and she was yards away. She wanted to get up and run to her.

Alicia nodded. "I'm sorry, Rachel. Are you sure you have nothing else that you remember?"

Rachel just shook her head with a bodily hiccup.

"Let's have a fifteen minute recess," the judge stated. "You can go see your mom, sweetheart."

Rachel started to get up but before she was able to exit the witness stand she was in her mother's arms. Her exhausted mind didn't realize that Shelby's mind was just as scattered and Shelby was determined not to have Rachel pass by Mr. Schuester without her tiny girl in her arms. It took most of the fifteen minutes to calm Rachel down. She wasn't sobbing but her breaths were scattered. Shelby could feel the wheezing in Rachel's chest. This needed to be over as soon as possible. However, she knew more than ever that the worst had yet to happen.

"You're okay, bug," Shelby whispered. "Mumma is right over here. You're going to be just fine. You're doing so well. We're almost done."

The judge returned to the stand and Shelby felt like Rachel was removed from her arms too fast. What she hated most about it... was Rachel left her arms all on her own. She wanted her daughter to have her independence, but she could feel Rachel at war with herself. She knew as her mother and as a clinician that Rachel couldn't find a balance of everything that she was feeling. She was remembering not just the most recent trauma but all the traumas before. The fears and the anxiety was overwhelming. No amount of holding her for fifteen minutes would calm that. Shelby needed more time; Rachel needed more time.

"Hi, Rachel, my name is Felix Duncan. I'm going to talk with you." Rachel chewed her bottom lip as Felix went on. "Do you recognize my client?"

Rachel nodded. "Yes." Felix wasn't doing Rachel the service that Alicia did. Mr. Schuester was looking right at Rachel.

"He's your teacher?"

"He... he was... my voice teacher," she whispered.

"Rachel, can you tell me how long you've been seeing your therapist?"

"... Um... since ... since... a very long," she said... "Since I moved here to Lima when I was five."

"Can I ask you why you see her?"

"I ... I have ... anxiety...over... stuff," she struggles as Mr. Schuester's eyes didn't leave hers.

"What kinds of stuff?"

"When I was little... things happened and..."

"CAn you tell me about that supposed day in the choir room?"Felix asked.

"It happened," she said with a confused frown.

"Your testimony to the police stated that your sister, Santana, was there. Was she there?"

"Not in person... I saw her... I saw her like I saw my Papa Hiram," she whispered.

"You said you were on a bed. "Well, where were you Rachel? the floor or in the closet? You keep switching?"

"Which time?... I um..."

"We all need to be on the same page, Rachel. We're talking about the times that Mr. Schuester allegedly hurt you. Where were you?"

"Both times were in his office and … then there was that time in the bathroom but i didn't know it was bad."

Felix and Alicia exchanged a look that caused Shelby's stomach to drop. "The bathroom?" Felix asked.

"Objection!" Alicia called. "Badgering. We just went over this."

"I'm... I'm confused."

"Clearly," Felix mumbled. Alicia and the judge flashed him a look and he put up his hands in surrender. "Withdrawn."

Rachel head a fresh batch of tears running down her cheeks. "I don't... I don't remember how it happened."

"Why?" Felix asked aggressively.

"Because he made me remember other stuff!"

"Other stuff?" Felix asked changing to a softer tone.

"When I was little... I don't remember much of it... but I ... react to it... I-I-I get triggered," she said.

Felix nodded with a confident smile. "What do you remember from that time with Mr. Schuester in the choir room?"

"I ... I ... I don't..." Rachel looked up and with blurry vision looked at her mother. She didn't want to let her down. "It hurt... what Mr. Schuester did."

"Are you sure it was Mr. Schuester?"

Rachel frowned in confusion. "What? Who?"

"Your new sister Quinn," he said casually.

Rachel shook her head rapidly and she let out a sob. "She never did that! She never hurt me like that. He bent me over and ... made me... and it hurt... Quinn never hurt me! I promise!" she continues to cry with sob as she shook her head rapidly. "She never hurt me... he ... he did it... he did it!

"No further questions," Felix stated. "She's clearly upset."

"But you y-y-you didn't ask me what he said... he... he-"

"Sweetheart, we're finished," the judge stated.

Rachel looked at her mother and shook her head. She let out a sob. She had failed. Her mother was crying.

...

Shelby looked over Rachel. She had been silent ever since they returned from court. She didn't expect much but she expected something. She expected her to be clingy. She expected her to sob. Instead she was silent. She was barely responsive. Shelby picked her up to bring her inside but Rachel hadn't clung back. There was nothing. None of the Rachel she knew was in there.

Rachel had her back turned to the island. Shelby knew she couldn't push her. She sighed and set a sandwich in front of Rachel and kissed her forehead.

"Joey," she called as she walked toward the stairs.

Joey nodded and looked toward Rachel. "We'll be fine."

Shelby climbed the back stairs and ran into her mother who was carrying a bag. "Hi!" Helen said hurriedly. There was something wrong.

"What?" she asked. "What's going on?"

"Santana's fever broke but Quinn's fever has spiked... dangerously high. It's almost 104. She hasn't kept water down. I just got off the phone with Dr. Pierce. He wants us to bring her to the hospital now. I'm sorry... how was -"

"It was terrible. She's... she's not responding... she ...Neither of them are."

"Mom?" Santana peeked out of the room. "Where's Rach?"

"She's... she's downstairs, San. It was really hard... for both of them," she began, but before she could finish Santana was down the stairs.

Shelby walked quickly to Quinn's room to where Noah was helping her pull on a jacket.

"I don't want this," she whined. "I just ... I want to s-s-s-leep."

Shelby stepped forward. "Quinn, we have to take you to the hospital. Your fever is too high."

Quinn eyes lit up with joyful tears. "You're here," she sobbed hugging her weakly. "I'm here," Shelby whispered. "I'm here. I'm right here."

Quinn clung onto her with dear life but her grip was weak. "I woke up and you weren't here..."

"I'm sorry," she said gently. "We need to get you in the car and to the hospital."

"I c-c-can't," she said barely able to sit up straight. "I... I just want to stay with you..."

Shelby sighed. "You will, Quinn, but we're going to the hospital." She turned to Noah. "Bud, can you carry her downstairs please?"

Noah picked Quinn up easily. The girl could barely keep her eyes open to respond.

"MOM!" Santana yelled from downstairs.

Shelby kissed Quinn softly on the forehead. "I'll see you downstairs."

"Don't leave! Don't leave!" Quinn said weakly.

"I'll see you in thirty seconds, Quinn," Shelby said as she let her exhausted legs carry her down the stairs.

In the kitchen, the pots and the pans were emptied onto the floor which were normally in the cabinets. The removable organizational shelves were removed. Joey and Santana were looking at the cabinets with confusion and worry. Shelby let out a sigh and crouched on the balls of her feet. She could see Rachels' feet sticking out of the bottom of the cabinets.

"Bug, please come out," Shelby said.

Nothing.

"Rachel, sweetie, I have to go. Do you want to go with me? Quinn's fever is really high-"

Nothing.

"…. Okay, bug, you can stay here at the house, but we need you out of the cabinets. They're too small... and I need you out here. You can sit with Santana and watch a movie."

Nothing.

"Rach," Santana said desperately. "Bug, please come out. I can't come get you in there."

No response.

"Rachel," Shelby said more sternly. "You need to come now."

No movement no response. Shelby frowned with her hands on her hips. She looked at Joey. She needed to get Quinn to the hospital. She looked at Rachel's foot that was sticking out of the cabinet. It was shaking.

She knelt down immediately at the cabinet. "Santana, go get the neb!"

Okay... here it is. Again. I'm not a lawyer. I'm sorry. I took an artistic license for some of this stuff. I'm sorry. I don't mean to offend, but that has been planned for awhile. I'm very nervous about how this chapter will be received. I have a long weekend. so the hope is to have the next chapter up sooner. ... PLEASE tell me what you think.