Xoxoxoxoxo
A/N: Part 3 of the Lima break.
If you haven't read "Negotiating the Terms Of Our Reconciliation",this chapter may seem out of place. (You could probably skip it, actually). Shannon and Riley are OCs that put in their first appearance in NtTOOR and will probably show up in future fics as well. I don't think you need to read NtTOOR (but, why wouldn't you want to? :D) to understand this chapter.
I was going to cut the last chapter and this one but … I didn't want to. This is actually setting stuff up for a future!fic (Brittana after marriage stuff).
xoxoxoxoxo
Chapter 33 - Lima/Cleveland
It was almost four in the morning by the time they got underway again (after going through another drive-thru for, yet, more coffee).
The drive to Cleveland was quiet and they pulled into the bus station parking lot at six-twenty-seven am.
The three of them exited the SUV and looked at the bus station; Shannon was sitting alone in the coffee shop at a corner table, trying not to catch anyone's eye. Santana saw the sketchy guy Shannon had been talking about; it had to be him, he was keeping far too close an eye on Shannon.
"Go get your girl, Rye." Brittany said softly.
Riley ran off and they tracked her progress; saw her walk into the coffee shop, saw Shannon's head snap up and stare as if Riley were a mirage. Then they were in each other's arms; Shannon crying and clinging to Riley like a life preserver. They pulled apart and Riley picked up Shannon's bags before grabbing Shannon's hand and leading her toward the exit.
Santana moved her eyes from the girls to find the sketchy guy and then she was on the move before she was even aware of it.
The sketchy guy had caught up to the girls and grabbed Shannon's arm; Shannon was trying to pull away.
"Let me go!"
"Let her go!"
Shannon and Riley were both yelling at the guy.
Santana didn't bother yelling. She walked up to the guy and, in a well practiced and oft used move, kicked him square in the nutsack. As he doubled over, she grabbed the back of his head and pulled it down as she lifted her knee; grinning as she heard the satisfying crunch of bone and cartilage. She'd have kept pummeling the guy but Brittany had caught up to her and gently touched her shoulder, calming her down.
"They told you to let her go, asshole. Why are you messing with a seventeen-year-old kid?"
They had attracted a lot of attention.
"Is there a problem here?" An older gentleman, looking to be in his sixties, still in good shape, with a mane of silver hair approached them.
"Depends on who you are and what you consider a problem."
"I'm Jarrod Carmichael. I'm the station manager."
"This guy," Santana nudged him with her foot as he sat on the ground groaning and holding his nose, "has been following our friend around since …"
"Just after Toledo," Shannon provided.
"Just after Toledo. When our other friend went in to get her, he followed them out and grabbed her arm. They BOTH told him to let go and he didn't." She shrugged. "So I made him let go. I'm sure it's on your security cameras."
The sound of sirens had them groaning. They were tired, grungy, hungry and, in Santana's case, cranky.
The police came over to them and one of them dispersed the crowd while the other took their statements.
"We'll need the security tapes, Mr. Carmichael."
"Of course."
"Ladies, you're not from around here." The officer looked up from Santana and Brittany's licenses.
"It's a bus station. Nobody is from 'around here'." Santana snapped.
"San," Brittany said softly.
Santana huffed a sigh. "Right now, we're staying in Lima at Britt's parents house. We're actually between addresses right now, truth be told. We have to find a new apartment in New York."
The officer nodded and took down the Pierce's address.
"We'll be in touch, ladies," the officer said politely as he and his partner took the now cuffed sketchy guy to their car.
"I'm hungry. Anyone else?" Brittany asked, acting as if nothing had just happened.
"I could definitely eat. Shower. Sleep. Yep. That's the correct order." Santana agreed.
Shannon and Riley both nodded as they all climbed into the SUV.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
Riley's POV
They were seated at a booth at a twenty-four hour diner, finishing their meals when Riley finally broke the bubble.
"Shan … what happened?" Riley felt almost broken as she looked at her girlfriend.
Shannon's lip quivered. "I'm so sorry, Rye. I love you … I didn't mean to …"
"Shan?"
"I cheated on you …" came out as a whisper.
"What happened?" Riley didn't believe her. At all.
Xoxoxoxoxo
Shannon's flashback
They had gotten home from church and Shannon was going up to her room to change when her father stopped her.
"Don't bother changing, your boyfriend will be here to take you to brunch shortly."
Shannon was confused. "I don't have a boyfriend."
"You do now. His name is Derek and his father is a friend of mine. You're seventeen Shannon, it's time for you to start thinking about settling down and starting a family."
"I don't WANT a boyfriend," Shannon controlled her anger as best she could, she would stand up for herself; her counselor told her it was okay to want something different than her parents wanted for her. "I don't want to settle down and start a family. I want to concentrate on my studies."
"Nonsense. A woman doesn't need to concentrate on her studies. Her husband will take care of her and their children. You will go out with Derek and you will be polite and submissive as a woman should be."
"I'm not interested in having a boyfriend!" Shannon shouted, knowing it was a mistake.
Her father struck out, slapping her across the face. "Well, you better get interested and you best watch your tone, young lady. I am your father, you are still a child under my roof, and you will do as I say."
Shannon clenched her jaw, willing herself to keep her mouth shut. She wouldn't cry; wouldn't give him the satisfaction. She ran up the stairs and slammed her door even though she knew it would mean a beating.
Her mother came in a moment later.
"Your father just wants the best for you."
"No, he wants what's best for him! I don't WANT a boyfriend. I don't WANT to get married and have kids. I want to go to school. I want to be a teacher or a social worker."
"Shannon. That is not what we believe. You've always known that."
"Devon did it! And she's doing fine!"
"You know better than to mention her!" Her mother hissed at her. "She is a deviant. She is no longer part of this family."
"If being part of this family means being miserable then I don't want to be a part of it either!" Shannon yelled.
Her door flew open and her father stood there, belt in hand.
"Assume the position."
Shannon stood up; anger boiling in her veins. She hated him. Hated everything he stood for, everything he wanted for her.
"No." She stood defiantly in front of him.
He slapped her again.
"I hate you!" She spat at him. She knew she was provoking him; if he beat her badly enough, she wouldn't be able to go out with that guy. She wouldn't cheat on Riley. She felt sick.
"You will go on this date and when you come home, you will seriously regret your attitude. I suggest you make the most of this date; you won't be leaving the house again except to go to school until Derek takes you out on Friday. I would keep you home from school but the 'authorities' frown on that and no man wants to marry an illiterate woman." He turned and stalked out of the room.
Shannon glared after him before turning her glare on her mother. "Go away."
"Shannon …"
"No. I don't want to hear it. I don't want to talk to you. You ALLOW this. This bullshit 'submit to your husband' crap. I don't WANT your life! So … just go."
Her mother looked at her sadly before leaving the room. Shannon went to the bathroom and splashed water on her face. She didn't know what to do; her father was capable of dragging her down the stairs and out of the house. She didn't see a way out of this. What would she tell Riley? A lone tear tracked down her face. Riley …
Her father called up the stairs that Derek was there. She swallowed hard and scrubbed her face. She would NOT give him the satisfaction of thinking he broke her.
End Shannon's flashback
Xoxoxoxoxo
Riley's POV
"Shannon," Riley said softly, "look at me, honey."
Shannon's face was a study in misery. "I'm so sorry, Riley. I didn't want to go. I didn't …"
"Shhh," Riley tipped Shannon's chin up, "you didn't cheat. Your father made you go on a date. Did … did you kiss him?"
Shannon shook her head. "On Sunday, I told him I wasn't feeling well. He took me home and … my father beat me with his belt. I couldn't lie on my back or sit down." Tears were sliding free. "Then on Friday …" a sob broke free and Riley pulled her girl into her arms. She didn't care what happened. Shannon didn't want it and that's all that mattered to her.
Xoxoxoxoxo
Shannon's Flashback
Everything hurt. Her father had beaten her every day since she got home on Sunday. She hadn't spoken to Riley all week; had, in fact, avoided her. Her back, legs, and ass hurt. Her head hurt; her heart hurt. She had been sick to her stomach all week. She just couldn't face Riley.
"Shannon! Your boyfriend is here!" Her father yelled up the stairs.
She wasn't going to break. She wasn't going to let her father break her. It ends tonight. She checked to make sure her backpack and duffle bag were ready and well hidden. She wouldn't break.
She went down the stairs and glared at her father; it's not like he could hurt her anymore than he already had.
"I hate you," she hissed at him, not caring anymore. It all ends tonight.
"I don't care. You are a woman. Your opinion means nothing." He turned away from her and walked toward the front door where Derek was waiting.
He was dressed nicely in a suit jacket and tie. He was, objectively, not a bad looking guy. Dark hair, hazel eyes, fit and trim. He was holding a bouquet of mixed flowers.
"These are for you," he smiled in a way that Shannon didn't trust.
"Thank you," she reluctantly bit out. "They're lovely." She knew her gaze wasn't friendly; she felt dead inside.
Her mother took the flowers to put them in water as Derek offered her his arm.
"We shouldn't be too late. The movie ends around ten."
"That's fine. She's with you, we know she's in good hands."
He smiled again as they left the house.
Xoxoxoxoxo
Dinner was relatively quiet. Derek kept a running commentary on his dreams, goals, ambitions; what he wanted to do, what he wanted from his life. He never asked her a thing about herself or what she wanted.
She pushed her salad around on her plate, only listening with half an ear.
"You know, one would think you didn't want to be here."
She looked at him. "I don't."
He looked taken aback. "Why? I'm attractive, athletic, well-educated, come from a good family, Christian. I have a full scholarship to Ohio State on a football and academic scholarship. I'm a catch."
"I am just not interested in having the life you want. I'm not interested in having a boyfriend right now. Or a husband. Or kids. I have goals and dreams of my own and they just don't include you." She shrugged.
"Well, I suggest you get interested, and quickly. You and I are going to be together for the foreseeable future."
She shrugged again. "You can't force me to be interested. You can't force me to like you. My father can't beat me anymore than he already does. I don't know why you'd want to be with someone who is clearly not interested in you or your life."
Derek chuckled meanly. "Because your father is wealthy and owns a successful business with plenty of room for me to climb the ladder. And, as his son-in-law, I'll have an advantage." He shrugs. "You're the only daughter of marriageable age. So, get used to me."
The waiter brought the bill.
"Ready, darling?"
She stood up and ignored his proffered arm.
She heard him chuckle behind her. "I am going to have fun breaking you." He said lowly.
Shannon clenched her jaw. It ends tonight.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
The movie ended at eight-thirty. She thought that meant she'd get home early.
But, no, Derek had another plan.
He pulled into the deserted parking lot of a defunct restaurant and undid his seat belt before reaching for her.
She tried to resist as he pulled her toward him.
"If I get you pregnant, your parents will force you to marry me." He said it simply, as though commenting on the weather.
She pulled back so he just followed her, pinning her to the seat. She saw red. She wasn't panicked; just completely pissed off. She couldn't move her head much but she pulled it back as far as she could and slammed it into his face. Then she was all hands and feet, elbows and knees; fighting him for all she was worth – for all RILEY was worth. She managed to hurt him enough that he pulled back and she quickly undid her seat belt, scrambled out of the car, and began to run.
She could hear him yelling at her to come back. He was bigger, faster, stronger. The only advantage she had was she knew where to run. The restaurant was two miles from her house if you followed the roads; a wooded area afforded a shortcut if you knew where to look.
Shannon found the path; it was overgrown from disuse but she followed it as best she could. It took her a little less than an hour to get home. She snuck around the back; her parents weren't expecting her until after ten. She hoped Derek would be too embarrassed or wouldn't want her parents to know what he had tried to do. She quietly slid the glass door open and slipped inside; she could hear the television in the living room. This was the hardest part of getting to her room; she had to get past the living room to get up the stairs.
She ducked down and army crawled past the living room; she reached the stairs and stayed as low as she could as she crept up them, avoiding the left side of the fifth stair up (it creaked). She made it to her room and quietly shut her door, taking a moment to breathe. She quickly changed into jeans, a t-shirt, and a jacket then slipped on a pair of sneakers.
She went to the closet and grabbed her backpack and the packed duffle bag. She put her desk chair under the doorknob and arranged her bed to look like she was in it before going to the window, quietly sliding it up, and pulling the screen out. This was the hard part. She slipped out the window and caught her balance on the window sill. The only way down without jumping (and risking a broken bone or worse) was to creep five feet to the left and climbing down the oak tree outside the twins' bedroom. They were home for break or she'd have just crawled out their window.
She knew it was a risk but she was determined that it ended tonight. No more 'boyfriend' or 'dates'; no more beatings. She was angry and she was done. Santana said it would get worse before it got better; she would make it get better.
She said a quick prayer (to a God she wasn't sure she still believed in) as she dropped the duffle to the ground that the television would cover any sound. As quickly as she could, while still being careful, she crept along the wall to the twins' window. Their shade was open but the room was dark; they must be out. She wished she'd have known that ten minutes ago. But, then, she wouldn't have been able to block her door and buy herself a little more time. She reached the tree and grabbed hold of the sturdy branch that scraped the house. She took a deep breath and climbed out onto the branch. She crept along the branch as quickly as possible to the trunk then hurried down the trunk; trying to be careful but wanting to move fast before they heard her.
She was almost to the bottom when her foot slipped. She fell with a soft thump onto the ground, her ankle twisting under her. Quelling the urge to cry out, she used the tree to help her stand. She took a deep breath and put some weight on her ankle; it hurt but it wasn't debilitating. A sigh of relief escaped her lips; twisted, not sprained or broken then. Quickly snatching up her duffle bag she walked as fast as she could away from the house and back toward the wooded area; she stayed just inside the tree-line, out of sight of any of the houses as she walked through the woods.
Once she judged she was far enough away that the neighbors wouldn't readily recognize her, she moved toward the first major intersection; she got on the first bus she saw, not caring where it was going.
This was the end. She didn't care where she went as long as it wasn't here. Someday, maybe she'd be able to find Riley and explain. The tears she'd been holding back all week started to fall but she quickly wiped them away; she could fall apart later.
She switched buses often until she ended up at the main bus terminal and bought the first ticket out; it was going to Toledo then onto Cleveland. Maybe that would be far enough away. For now, anyway.
End Shannon's Flashback
xoxoxoxoxo
Shannon POV
"Oh, honey," Riley gently drew Shannon back into her arms, "why didn't you tell me about your dad? Every time I hugged you …"
"I was just so embarrassed, Rye." Shannon looked at the three other women. "I mean, I didn't want you to know that I was … I don't know … bad, I guess. If my own parents don't love me … why …" Shannon finally lost her battle to keep herself together. Sobs wracked her frame as Riley held her. The shame, humiliation, fear … she was just so tired.
It may have been minutes or hours when she finally calmed down.
"Shannon," Santana was looking at her with kindness, "none of it is your fault. None of it." She shook her head. "Some people just weren't meant to be parents. They don't know what it means to be parents. They have kids for all the wrong reasons. It's not your fault."
Shannon sniffled and nodded. "Okay." She knew, rationally, that Santana was right but it was going to take more counseling to finally accept it.
Xoxoxoxoxo
They stopped at a pharmacy to get acetaminophen and Arnica gel for Shannon's bruises.
Riley had called her mother, as instructed, once they found Shannon and when they got to the hotel.
Santana had asked Riley and Shannon if they wanted their own room and the girls had shyly asked if it would be okay; not that they were going to have sex but they really wanted to be able to talk privately.
Santana and Brittany had no problem with that and they quickly set about showering and getting ready for sleep.
"Santana? Brittany?" Riley's slightly panicked voice came through the connecting door.
Exchanging looks of concern, they hurried into the adjoining room.
"What's up, Rye?" Brittany asked.
Riley was pale and looked like she might throw up … or cry … or both.
Santana approached the door while Brittany tried to soothe Riley.
"Shannon? Sweetie? Is it okay if I come in?"
A small voice answered in the affirmative.
Santana opened the door gasped at the sight in front of her.
"Oh, Shannon, honey."
What Santana could see of Shannon's back was a mottle of old bruises covered by new bruises; a riot of healing green/yellow underneath the blooming purples/blues/blacks of new bruises. There were scars criss-crossing her back as well. Things had just gotten a lot more complicated.
"Shannon," Santana said carefully, "do your parents do this to all the kids?"
Shannon shrugged. "Mostly the girls. The boys get hit but not like the girls."
"Shannon … this is not okay. We should probably take you to the hospital … or at least take pictures."
Shannon nodded. "Okay. I … whatever it takes to not go back there." She turned to Santana, holding a towel in front of her. "I can't go back, Santana," she broke into a sob and fell into Santana's arms.
Xoxoxoxoxo
Once Shannon had calmed down and they took pictures, Shannon and Riley curled up together and Brittany and Santana went into their own room.
"You have to call your mom, San, she needs to know about this."
Santana nodded. "I told Shannon I was going to send the pictures to my mom. She said okay. I think … I think she's just done with this, you know? She just doesn't want to go back and she doesn't care anymore what happens to her parents."
Brittany nodded.
"Santana? What's going on? Have you found her?"
"Yeah, Mami, we're in the hotel." Santana filled her mother in on what happened and then sent her mother the pictures.
"Aye, Dio Mio. Santana … you know I have to report this. I am a mandated reporter."
"I know, ma, I already told Shannon."
"Okay, mija. I sent you the name and phone number of an attorney in Findlay who's expecting Shannon's call. His name is Jordan Daniels and he specializes in this kind of thing. Have her call him as soon as you're back in Findlay."
"Okay, ma. Right now, though, we're going to sleep for a few hours before we head back. It's been a long and rough night."
"Sleep well, mijas. I'll talk to you when you get back."
xoxoxoxoxo
Santana didn't know how much sleep Riley and Shannon got; they were up and ready to go when Santana got up five hours later. A quick lunch and they were on the road back to Findlay.
"Guys, there's pillows and blankets in the back if you wanna lie down," Brittany told them. "They got left there after my little sister's last drive-in movie party."
Riley and Shannon quickly grabbed the blankets and pillows and cuddled up in the back seat. They were sound asleep before they even got out of Cleveland.
Xoxoxoxoxo
When they finally got back to Lima around six, Santana and Brittany were beyond exhausted. They stumbled into the house and were amazed (and grateful) to find it silent.
"Shower first?" Brittany asked.
"Only if we can do it together," Santana answered her.
"San …"
Santana laughed. "No, Britt, I mean shower. I am too tired to wait for you to finish and I'm not sure I won't fall asleep standing up."
Brittany smiled and took Santana's hand.
Twenty-five minutes later they were curled up in bed together.
"You okay?"
Santana smiled softly. "I don't know. I mean, when I think about it, I get so mad and then I feel guilty for ever complaining about my parents. Then I get mad again."
Brittany nodded. "Yeah. My parents weren't great but they were never cruel. They were supportive if not necessarily present. I get it."
Santana sighed. "I'm too tired to puzzle out my feelings on this tonight, Britt. Sleep now; figure out later."
Brittany kissed her softly, they snuggled and squirmed until they were hopelessly tangled before finally drifting off.