Sam sat on the couch, his siblings sitting around him with Beth in his arms.

He knew logically that some of these people scattered around the large living room talking amongst themselves were related to Rachel, so he should relax but he couldn't.

He felt himself on high alert. It doesn't help that Quinn is in a room with some strange woman, granted she's an old woman but she gave off the vibe of 'Don't fuck with me.' So, no, he didn't trust her old or not.

He had been going crazy for hours in that porter potty, at first it was tears of his circumstance than it turned to rageful anger as he fought to break open the door but to no avail, than as time passed it grew to worry because Quinn hadn't come for him and he had no idea how long he had been in there.

Now he's apparently in Rachel's family's house with no sign of Rachel.

Now his fear began to make him paranoid because though no one was giving him nor his siblings an ounce of attention, he felt eyes on them.

Just when he was about to stand and demand to speak to his sister, the room door opened and out walked Quinn with that woman behind her.

Sam stood up with Beth in his arms with relief shining in his eyes. He already felt like shit after having his ass handed to him, than being locked away covered literally in shit for the better part of the evening.

Now he just wanted to go home with his family safely and tend to his wounds than hopefully see his mother who they haven't seen all week because she was not allowed to leave 'The Ranch' until she was given permission.

However; seeing as how she's the ranch favorite. So she's on a tight leash and gets maybe if they're lucky, a handful of days a month to actually be with her children more than a few hours.

So yes, going home to be able to spend time with his mother was high on the list of things he wanted to do.

"Quinn, are okay?" Sam asked in a hush tone.

"Yes." Quinn replied as she reached for her daughter than cradled her to her chest, feeling relief after the events of the evening finally settled.

"Good, can we, like, go now? Bec-"

"I think it's best if we stay, Sam." Quinn replied calmly.

"What?!" Sam asked incredulously.

"I think w-"

"No." Sam replied instantly filling with anger.

"Sam, you don't understand-" Quinn tried.

"I don't need to! Mom will be coming home tonight. We've been waiting weeks to see her Quinn!"

"No, actually she won't be." Rachel's voice cut in as she stepped out the doorway she was standing in with a Latina girl behind her.

Sam clenched his jaw as his eyes cast angrily to Rachel. "You don't know that!"

"Yes I do." Rachel replied.

"Rachel, I appreciate everything you've done for us but this is family business and you don't know anyth-"

"She's at Brock Weston's birthday party." Rachel cut in with calm remorse. Sam's eyes blazed with angry tears as his heart clenched strongly at the news.

"No.. No she said she'd be at home toni-" Sm began refusing to believe that once again his mother was being held against her will.

Rachel cut him off once more. "I know what she said just as much as you do, Sam, but you also know just as much as I do that she never makes promises because she's under his thumb and when he changes his mind that's it. It's her job for all of your safety."

Sam felt his anger begin to seep into hurt. His eyes cast from Rachel to Quinn who also had eyes glassy pink eyes, because mama Fina had just told her what Rachel had told her earlier before they arrived about their mother's whereabouts. Hence, mama Fina asking them to stay the night.

Sam swallowed thickly and the little boy inside him crushed with despair because he had gotten his hopes up again about being able to spend time with his mother.

"Okay whatever, she can't come home than fine but we don't have to stay just because you say so!" Sam fired back irrationally. Refusing to give in.

Quinn watched her brother with sad eyes. Under normal circumstances, Sam was level headed and in control of his emotions.

He's always optimistic looking for the silver lining in bad situation but when he hit critical mass, he exploded like a coke bottle full of Mentos.

He became angry, snappy and demanding as well as irrational. She could see how tired he is.

She could only imagine what it was like for him to sit stuck in a porter potty from the time school ended to almost midnight that night all alone. She knows how it feels but not for that long because he always came for her and vice versa but this time she failed him and she feel like the worst sister because of it.

His face at the moment was already covered with bruises and his lip was busted. His nose swollen and red.

When she had first helped him out of the porter potty he was covered in shit and blood. When she walked in on him in the shower his body was littered with fresh wounds and bruises.

She knew in that moment Sam was done. He reached his critical mass and she had to step in before he became explosive but just when she was about to speak, mama Fina beat her to the punch.

"Samuel is it?"

Sam's angry eyes cast to mama Fina. He didn't give a nod of acknowledgment to his name or anything. He just stared her down ferociously.

"I've heard a great deal about you."

"You don't know anything about me." Sam replied with a clenched jaw.

"Maybe so but I've heard enough. I've been told you are kind."

At the word 'kind' Quinn saw a tiny shift in her brother's armor.

"Protective." Mama Fina continued as she took measured steps to him.

"Strong."

Sam's eyes cast away from hers at that. He didn't feel strong. He felt weak.

"Level-headed."

Sam's eyes felt so full as the woman got closer. He felt his rage filled armor begin to crumble under her soothing gaze and kind words in the face of his cruelty.

"You are also from what I understand from your sister, an amazing, noble brother."

Sam bit the inside of his cheek refusing to meet her eyes as she reached him and stood before him unthreatening.

"Tell me, Samuel. Does that sound like I've heard the truth about you? Is that you. Because if it is, I respect you greatly. You a person I can see doing marvelous things in his lifetime.."

Sam didn't reply but the slight tremble his body was fighting to keep hidden from the eyes before him spoke otherwise.

"Who did that to your face?"

Sam's eyes cast down in shame. Not only because he was ashamed of himself for snapping at Quinn, Rachel, and this woman but because he was the football teams whipping boy.

Hell, he was even the whipping boy to the losers of the losers. He was a nobody going no where fast and to hear that Quinn told this lady all that stuff he didn't believe about himself made him feel even worse.

To him he was none of those things and he lost all his steam by the end of her speech.

Mama Fina watch as her words crumbled the boy. He was oozing self consciousness, self hatred, loathing and sadness.

The image of his abused face made it all the more worse. His eyes casting down shook her to her core.

He was a boy beaten into submission but she wouldn't allow. She never allowed her children or her grandchildren to do it and she wasn't going to allow this boy to either.

With gentle ease of a mother she cupped his cheek and he startled in surprise with wide glassy pink, watered eyes. Mama Fina lifted his face gently to her own.

"Come now, don't do that. Look at me Samuel." She commanded softly.

Sam's eyes barely keeping in his tears struggled to hold them back. His breath was labored with the exertion it took to keep his breakdown from happening in front of these strangers.

"Listen to me and listen to me good. I don't care where you come from. I don't who your parents are. I don't care if your circumstances at home are not picture perfect. I don't care who dares throw dirt on your name and I certainly don't care if you don't like me and neither should you. Never bow your head in submission or obedience when someone is speaking to you or about you behind your back or in your face and do you know why?"

Sam stared at her and almost like he was enchanted by a spell, his head moved of it's own violation as he shook it 'No, he didn't know why?'

"Because.. you.. are a king!"

Sam's eye's widened more as she held his gaze firmly and his mind took in the word 'King!'

It resounded and bounced across the walls of his fragile mind trying to figure out how the word king and himself fit together.

Mama Fina continued. "You are a king and no king bows before anyone or anything because he is law himself. He is righteous and regal."

"He is a lion, a dragon and the most cherished magnificent beast wrapped in one in his own right!"

"I will tell you like I have told my children and grand children and I will repeat it to you until my voice resounds in your sleep to aide you in sleeping with peace as a king should."

"You are the king of your world and you shall rule and mold it into who you are and everything you wish to be!"

"Open your eyes to your own reflection and remember who you are! You are not a boy! You are a young man on the precipice of your life and no one should be able to knock your crown to the dirt for it to lay untouched!"

"Your sister has shown me in the last two hours what kind of Queen she truly is and it is fierce, loyal! Her crown is indestructible!"

"Now I need you to see and understand that so is yours! Now pick up your crown and dust off, straighten yourself young man and were your crown with pride for you only get one! Never let anyone de-thrown you for your reign within yourself shall always be eternal! Do you understand me?!"

Through out mama fina's speech Sam's lips trembled and his tears fell in silence. Quinn had silent tears as well and was staring at mama Fina in awe.

"I asked you a question, Samuel. Do you understand me?" Mama Fina asked with a raised brow of a seasoned mother.

"Y-Yes."

"I can't hear you."

"Yes!"

"Yes whom?"

"Yes ma'am."

Mama Fina's eyes lit up warmly as a grandmother's would. Surprising Quinn and Sam, Mama Fina stepped forward and pulled Sam into an unexpected hug.

She spoke low and soft in his ear. "I'm here for you and your family. Don't ever be afraid to come to me if you need help. I've been where you are my love and no one deserves to be where you all are."

Sam whimpered and fought with his emotions as all the built up sadness and anger began bursting through as he began to cry.

Quinn continued to cry as well because she was standing so close to them she heard what mama Fina said.

Everyone in the room filled with sadness for the two teens. Everyone watched as Sam withered in mama Fina's arms. It was intense and painful to see.

Rachel walked to Quinn and pulled her into the best hug she could with Beth in hers arms to give the blonde some form of comfort.


Rachel sat reclined against the head board of her bed. it was now 3 am and she couldn't sleep.

She had used the excuse of having to shower to give the Fabray's privacy to talk as did everyone else.

She won't lie she was also in pain and a little tired. So after her shower she grabbed her bottle of whiskey and sat on her bed to drink her pain away.

She refused to take any medication because she didn't want to feel drowsy in the morning.

She also needed to be on alert just in case Hester's crazy ass was still pissed at her and snuck in to finish the job but most importantly she couldn't sleep because she couldn't get Hester's voice out of her head telling her that they couldn't live normal lives.

Now that Hester had planted the seed, Rachel felt nothing but mournful for her unrealistic dream of one day marrying the love of her life and having a family.

Her secret fantasies of a gorgeous woman beside her. Taller than her, blonde and everything she's ever wanted.

Rachel's drunk mind conjured an image that when sober she refused to let blossom.

Her fictional wife may have been taller than her and blonde but she never allowed a face to come to fruition but in her drunk haze her unfocused and wandering mind finally decided to betray her and before she knew what was happening she was at the back yard of a beautiful house.

She was playing with five children that were her own. Their peals of laughter causing her heart to melt.

She chased them with glee tickling them to breathlessness than the house door opened and out step the most gorgeous creature she had the pleasure of ever seeing.

Quinn Fabray with shining eyes, a radiate smile and love seeping from her pores for only her little family.

She was carrying a tray of cookies and glasses of oat milk. Her yellow and green flower printed sun dress blew like soft petals in the warm summer breeze.

Her hair falling to her shoulders under a sun hat with a green ribbon wrapped around the caps base with a bow at the back.

She was graceful in her movements as she greeted their excited children as they surrounded her in excitement for their treat.

Rachel watched in awe as she interacted with them and once the children were distracted by eating and drinking Quinn's eyes fell on to Rachel.

It was as if Quinn was floating to her. Rachel couldn't look away as the blonde reached her than soft warm hands cupped Rachel's cheeks.

No words were needed as Quinn's lips descended onto Rachel's with soft power and magnified love that the brunette has never experienced in her lifetime.

Rachel shivered as she felt a coil in her belly slapping her back to reality. The brunette's gaze flittered around the room before she groaned in despair and took another swig of her whiskey with more vigor.

"In your dreams, Berry." Rachel sighed to herself in sadness.


Quinn sighed as she covered the three kids in the bed with the quilt.

They stayed.

After mama Fina's talk with Sam the woman showed even more kindness when she offered them dinner.

The rest of Rachel's family had dispersed to give them privacy as mama Fina introduced herself to the kids.

She told the kids they could have whatever they wanted. Charlie, Stevie, and Stacy had been hesitant until Quinn gave them permission to be open and honest about what they wanted.

They had chosen pizza.

The kids ate happily with Sam and Quinn in the living room since mama Fina had put on a movie for them.

Rachel had gone upstairs to change and shower and mama Fina had informed them she'd come for them to show them to the room she'd let them stay for the night, since Rachel had informed her that Quinn liked to have them all in the same room because she felt safer.

Now everyone had gone to bed, the entire house was asleep. Sam had crashed after Carmela gave him Vicodin for the now double raccoon eyes he's currently sporting and the obvious pain he's going to be in, in the morning.

The kids passed out soon after followed by Beth after Quinn breast fed her. She was the only one awake and she couldn't sleep.

She wanted to talk to Rachel so badly but after what happen last time she tried to wake Rachel up, she was nervous.

Add the fact that she was now in a house full of strangers made things a little more worse so wandering the halls to find Rachel's room was a no go but luck seemed to be on her side when she heard a barely there knock on the door.

Quinn opened it and a smile exploded onto her face at the sight of a freshly showered and changed Rachel.

"Hey." Quinn whispered as she stepped out the door into the hallway shutting the door behind her.

"Hey." Rachel replied being sure to speak in hush tone because everyone in the house was sleeping.

Quinn could smell the strong stench of alcohol and her lip curled in disgust.

"Rachel, why are you drinking?"

The brunette could hear the annoyance in the blonde's tone and it had just enough worry to back it up and that made Rachel feel like shit.

"I didn't want to take any meds."

"Why?"

"Because I'd feel like shit tomorrow."

"Alcohol does the same thing actually it makes you feel even worst." Quinn argued quietly.

"No, I feel great-"

"Rachel." Quinn replied sternly in warning and Rachel bowed her head in shame.

"I'm sorry."

Quinn furrowed her brow. Rachel looked exhausted but at the same time looked genuinely chastised. She also seemed.. sad?

"No I'm sorry. I shouldn't try to tell you how to live your life. I have no right to. I just-well I care about you.. A lot and when I worry my mama bear instincts kick in and then I'm in full protective mode."

Rachel chuckled with a shake of her head at how adorable the girl was. Her mama bear instincts were definitely endearing to the brunette.

"Well thank you for your concern."

"Your welcome."

"I know it's late but I didn't get to ask you earlier, how are you feeling?"

"I'm okay."

"Are you sure."

"Yes, why wouldn't I be?"

"Oh I don't know, Quinn, because you were kidnapped by my psychotic sister."

"True but in reality I wasn't harmed. Scared? Yes but harmed not in the slightest. You on the other hand, were. So how are you feeling?"

"I.." Rachel trailed and thought about it. It was true. Hester did kidnap Quinn but obviously didn't actually hurt her.

She hurt Rachel physically and emotionally and maybe that's what Hester was aiming for all along.

It was never about Quinn. It was always and will always be about Rachel.

Rachel felt so many emotions hit her at once and not for the first time felt like putting a bullet in her sisters head.

"Rachel? You okay?"Quinn asked cautiously as Rachel's gaze became unfocused.

Rachel shook her head to clear it.

"I uh-Y-Yeah, I'm fine..." The brunette licked her lips and cleared her throat. "Okay well I just uh.. I just came to make sure you guys were comfortable and okay. So I think I'll just head to bed. Good night Quinn."

Quinn felt her insides knot up. Rachel was giving off vibes that were strong but the blonde couldn't place them but after having Rachel put a gun to her head. She now understand clear signs when Rachel isn't in the right frame of mind. So she decided not to push.

"Okay. Thank you by the way, for coming to save me. It meant more than you know that you came for me." Quinn said softly.

Rachel's eyes softened. Maybe it because she's been dying to or maybe it was the alcohol giving her the balls to be so brave. She stepped forward unexpectedly slidining her arms around the blonde's waist and pulling her into a tight, warm hug that had the blonde's eyes fluttering close and her stomach battering with butterflies as the brunette's scent invaded her senses.

"I will always be there for you whenever you need me, Q."

Quinn felt her emotions flare. It felt so good to hear someone say they'll be there. It felt amazing to be a priority to someone for once instead of always being the care taker of others. Quinn's arms tightly around the brunette's neck as she snuggled into the brunette.

"Thank you.." Quinn whispered back.

Rachel held her for a moment longer than necessary and both girls unknowingly felt the same thing.

They never wanted to let go.

But like all good things it came to an end when Rachel realized what she was doing.

She cleared her throat once more, embarrassed as she awkwardly ducked her head.

Quinn blushed deeply as she bowed her head shyly while wrapping her own arms at her stomach to hold onto the ghost of Rachel's arms. As she too realized how she held on longer than it's deemed appropriate for friends to hug.

A yearning exploded within them and a invisible tug pulled at them with pleading. Begging them to give in to temptation and never let go.

"Well uh.. Goodnight." Rachel whispered softly.

"Good night." Quinn whispered back.

Quinn watched Rachel back away before turning on her heel and head back down the hall to her own room.

She glanced at Quinn one more time before entering and shutting the door behind her.

Quinn did the same but the moment she was locked away, her now weak knees gave out and she lightly dropped against the bed room door with a deep sigh before sliding down onto her bottom as her heart made itself known to exactly what it wants."

"..Shit." Quinn whispered to herself with her head in her hands.