"Anything?" Santana questions Rachel as she opens the door and slides into her car. Three days, it had been three days and there had been nothing but radio silence. When Rachel shakes her head, she closes her eyes and lets out a shaky breath. "What am I going to tell the team? I've been putting it off, but they have questions and they want to know what they can do to help."

"I wish I knew more, but the last I heard from Quinn, the bodies were cremated yesterday. I asked about a service, but I never got a response back."

"And Charlie?"

Rachel hesitates for a moment, "They haven't heard from her since she showed up in New York. Quinn hasn't said anything to me, but I think she's worried about her. But at the same time—Charlie's a big girl and can handle herself." Rachel quoted Quinn, watching as Santana scowls at the response. She was just the messenger and if Santana lost her shit, she could still get out of the car and ask her fathers to take her to school.

Santana gripped the steering wheel, everyone was telling her to be patient and that Charlie would come to her when she was ready, but she didn't really think a text or a sign that she was okay was too much to ask. "You have thoughts?" Santana presses Rachel who immediately glances away.

"She's probably somewhere chain smoking, despite my many lectures on the dangers of smoking," Rachel offers, trying to remain hopeful, when she's met with a look from Santana she sighs. "I was there on Thanksgiving, they were more concerned about the government coming for them, I thought that they were being facetious, but after what Charlie did, even my fathers think it's likely. Charlie certainly wouldn't go with them without a fight?"

"She'd probably start yelling about stranger danger really loudly," Santana muses, trying not to smile. "I'm not worried about that, even if the government were to come if Charlie doesn't want to do something she won't do it."

"Then Charlie will probably be fine, she's just taking some time." Rachel offers.

"Because she processes emotions so well," Santana muttered under her breath. "I shouldn't make this about me, something awful happened to her and I'm worried about her and I know it shouldn't be about me. Then I feel like shit cause her family just died, and I'm upset that she can't give me some sort of sign that she's alright."

Rachel nodded, understanding completely. It would be a lie to say she wasn't worried about her friend, New York had been awful for her. "I talked to my therapist, I asked what the best way to support them was, and she just reminded me that people don't grieve the same way. So when she does come back, I think the best thing we can do for the two of them is to let them know that we're here for them. If they want to call us in the middle of the night to talk or to vent, just make ourselves available to them. Remind them that they have friends."

Santana nodded as she turned into the school parking lot, pausing when she saw a lone black car with neon blue highlights in the parking lot with a person sitting on the roof of the car looking at what she could only imagine was a phone. Without hesitating she immediately speeds up and quickly parks a few parking spaces besides the new car and gets out to see her girlfriend muttering something about her phone. "Charlie?"

Charlie blinks and turns to look at Santana, "My phone isn't the same," she huffs as she hops off the top of her car and drops in front of them, there was a pout on her features as she quickly comes up to Santana with her phone extended. "I got it for free—but it's not like my old phone! And I don't know how to get my contacts back, or my text messages, or anything—I didn't know your number."

Santana blinks and stares at the phone for a moment before looking at her girlfriend, and suddenly her irritation at her vanishes as she immediately throws her arms around her and pulls her into a hug. "You got the wrong phone, you fucking idiot."

The hug causes her to immediately stiffen for a brief moment, she's not sure if it's in surprise or if it's something else entirely but after a moment of Santana against her arm slowly wraps around her in a hug. "Are you alright? I swear I didn't forget to text, I just really didn't know your number!"

"Do you have any idea how fucking worried I was?" Santana snaps at her, looking up at her girlfriend's face, but instead of seeing emotion, or grief, she just sees confusion on Charlie's face. Almost immediately the worry is back.

"Cassandra hasn't been an actual threat to me in years, all the booze and drugs ruined her stamina and her strength. I was always going to win." Charlie reminds Santana. "I'm hungry, do you want to come to Bob Evans with me?" Charlie questions. "They have a few new omelets on the menu. And I think I want the pot roast one."

Santana immediately looked at Rachel who shrugged immediately, before they both looked at her. "I'm probably not the best person to talk to—about grief and stuff. But I need you to know that I am here for you."

Rachel's eyes narrowed, "Charlie you do remember what happened on Thanksgiving, right?"

Santana let out a breath glad that she hadn't been forced to ask the question, that was on her mind. Charlie didn't seem like she was grieving.

Charlie glanced over at Rachel, "My grandmother dropped her guard, Cassandra murdered her, my grandfather and my mother. Brutally. Perhaps Cassandra was going through a psychotic break, but at the end of the day they're gone and I'm still here."

"Have you been to see Linda?" Santana questions, dropping her voice gently. This wasn't her girlfriend, she had no idea what grief looked like with Charlie, and she knew it was different, but Charlie wasn't cold. She wasn't callous about human life either. Something was wrong.

"No need," Charlie replied immediately.

"Did Britt check you out after the fight?" Rachel questions after exchanging a look with Santana, perhaps a head injury.

"I'm fine, I didn't get hit in the head, Cassandra barely touched me. She tried, but she didn't actually land a blow, I don't need a checkup from Brittany. I don't think she's up for it honestly and I feel good. I mean physically, like really good. I am hungry though. So breakfast? We can take my new car, I also got it for free. People have just been giving me things, and it's a really nice car. It's a shame about my sex truck, we never actually got to christen her." Charlie said, shooting a look at Santana.

"I told you that we could have sex in that truck when you dealt with your control issues," Santana shoots back, "Go see Linda. I'm pretty sure you don't have to be at school today, no one would blame you for skipping. Maybe go and be with your family," Santana suggests.

Charlie shook her head, "I've got class, and I have a meeting with Figgins. I had some time to think and make some decisions this weekend, and there are promises that I need to keep. But first food, I'll see you in Math class," Charlie says, giving Santana a quick kiss on the cheek, before grabbing the handle of her door and pulling it up. "I mean this car is really cool. And they just gave it to me!"

Santana nodded and smiled at her girlfriend, "Get a new phone that is the same model as your old phone." When Charlie nods and hops in and drives away Santana waves for a moment, keeping her smile on her face until she can no longer see Charlie's new sports car. The smile fades and she looks at Rachel. "What. The. Fuck?"

"I mean we all know how well Charlie processes emotions?" Rachel offers, it's the only thing that makes sense. She was definitely going to call Quinn when she had a free moment. They needed to get Charlie in front of a therapist as quickly as possible, burying this emotion would not be healthy.

~ O ~

Russell looked up from where he was attempting to make breakfast, he had never known how hard it was to make enough for his family, and he barely knew where everything was. The kitchen had always been Judy's domain, she had enjoyed cooking and making sure their family was fed. He had never appreciated it, but it was bloody difficult especially with how much his girls ate.

"You're going to burn the eggs."

Russell glanced up and forced a smile on his face, trying to emulate his wife, he could do this. He could be there for his girls like she had been, except he had never been great at parenting. He'd been far too permissive, he hadn't shown up, he had let work take him away from his family. He blinked back tears and smiled at Britt, as he looked back at the stove and turned down the burner. "I think I started late, I wanted to have breakfast ready for you guys."

Brittany stares at him for a moment, it was clear to her that he was trying to do something, "I thought that since you were living the bachelor life, you'd at least know how to cook breakfast food," her tone is harsher than she intends it and she looks away at the hurt expression on her father's face. "The last I checked there was milk and cereal, and we've got frozen waffles in the freezer."

"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day," That's what Judy would insist upon. Though as the girls had gotten older and had grown busier, she missed family breakfasts. It was about the only time that they could have family time together.

Brittany studies him for a moment, "I should be heading back to school, Mike's probably worried about me. And I really don't want to be in this house for much longer," Brittany admits. Her mother and grandparents had been murdered in this house. There was bad energy in this house. "Maybe you should talk to the twins about moving back to LA to finish school, this house is cursed."

Russell sighed, he had thought about it, he didn't particularly want to stay in this house either. Most of his business was in LA, and it was clear, at least to him, that he had grown would need to start again from scratch to build a network that was loyal to him. It seemed that the favor system and having people owe him wasn't enough. They weren't scared enough of him now that Artemis was gone and while he could depend on Charlie, it was imperative that Charlie stayed in the public eye and that they loved her. Public perception of Charlie was trending upwards. It would at least give some politicians pause, and the thought of having his daughter shoulder even more of the burden disgusted him deeply. They had never made plans for this. They had thought that they were untouchable but it had been someone from within. "I plan on bringing it up with them when Charlie comes back. They turn 18 in February, I can't be making these decisions for them without their input, Britt. It's their last year in high school and they have friends here. I can't make you stay especially in this house, but can you at least wait till later today? Family Meeting?"

Britt hesitated and moved aside as Quinn stumbled down the stairs rubbing her eyes, and a portal opened up in the kitchen, and Frannie stepped out, Mikey in her arms. "We're missing Charlie, where the hell is she anyway?"

"School, Rachel texted," Quinn mumbled entering the kitchen and grabbing the box of cereal and popping the top.

"Those are Michel's Cheerios," Frannie grumbles, snatching the box away from Quinn.

Quinn narrowed her eyes at Frannie, but before she could make a comment, Russell spoke up. "I made breakfast," when both Frannie and Quinn look at him and then the mess that is the kitchen, he frowns. "Well I tried to make breakfast."

"You clearly failed dad, eggs shouldn't be rubbery, and the bacon is undercooked," Frannie comments as she puts Mikey down in his seat. "Is there anywhere near here that has decent breakfasts?"

"I know a place," Quinn sighs, "I'll go grab us some food, let me just go grab a hoodie, I don't want them saying anything to me. I don't want to deal with people's pity right now, or their questions."

"I'll go with you," Brittany insists, she needed to get out of this house.

~ O ~

"Charlie I understand that you've gone through an—ordeal, but have you thought this through?" Coach Beiste asked, stopping Figgins from speaking. This needed to be handled delicately.

Charlie studied Beiste for a moment, "By the end of this semester, I would have enough credits to graduate. I can't enroll in Summit until I officially turn 18, which by my estimation is March 2nd, I'm giving it a day to be on the safe side. I don't think I can stay in Lima anymore, my strength invites challenges, and I'm not sure that it's safe for me to be here at this point."

"Lima has a very low—" Figgins began only to be shushed by Beiste.

"My mother, and grandparents were just brutally murdered. The person who did it—my aunt—wanted to kill me and had no problems killing anyone who got in her path. My very presence is a threat to the student body, and I have friends—I have someone I love that I want to—that I need to protect."

Beiste motioned for Figgins to keep his mouth shut, Charlie was only 17. And she was already battle tested and more importantly she sounded emotionally exhausted. "If this is what you want, then I'm sure Principal Figgins can pull some strings, but I'm asking that you take the week. Take the week and talk to your father, talk to your sisters, talk to Santana and more importantly, I'm begging you to see a therapist. I've been where you are Charlie, and it will spiral, and all the pain that you feel will start to emerge in self-destructive behavior. Your Aunt is a cautionary tale, you need to take care of yourself first. You're no good to anyone as a hero, if you're not healthy and well."

"I'm fine," Charlie insists standing up. "I don't have a choice, I have to be fine. I don't have the luxury of being anything else than fine."

~ O ~

"We'll take one Honey Butter Chicken and Biscuit family breakfast, can I also get an addon of extra honey butter chicken. We'll also take a Rise and Shine Family Breakfasts, with two add ons of family sized hardwood smoked bacon, and a Farmer's Choice family breakfast, I think I want some pancakes and dad does like those little sausage things," Brittany looked up at the waitress who had her eyes wide open at the obscenely large order.

"Britt, the moment that the food arrives, text Frannie for an extraction," Quinn murmured to her sister, keeping her face neutral. She'd been to Bob Evans a million times in the morning, there were always a few older people who came in for breakfast, but they were never this full. Not on a Monday morning, of all day. But for whatever reason it was packed, and while under normal circumstances she would ignore it, recent events had made her paranoid.

Brittany froze and looked around. It just looked like a packed restaurant to her. "What do you see?"

"Armed federal agents by the looks of it," Quinn responded as she pulled out her phone and texts Frannie and looks up. "I don't think they're here for either one of us, which means that they're probably here for—" Quinn turns back to the waitress. "Did my sister stop by this morning?"

"Charlie? Yes she did, she always tips incredibly well!" The waitress responds happily.

"Why are federal agents here for Charlie?" Brittany questions. Even if they wanted to test her, which was likely, all they needed to do was send an email out.

Quinn shrugged, their father would need to be aware of it, and they would need to get the media involved quickly and quietly. Charlie was already beloved by most people in the country and seeing an injustice take place. "I need to head to school and give Charlie a heads up. I don't think this is just the government, they don't have the resources to bring Charlie in by force. But I think they're going to try regardless."

"You go—"

"No, Charlie is probably fine for now, we stick together for now," Quinn stated. Brittany would be fine on her own they all would, but she wasn't going to risk Brittany flexing her powers or there would be more eyes scrutinizing their every move. It was one thing after another and she could already feel a headache coming on. Charlie was at school which probably meant that they wouldn't try anything right now, but she would need legal representation sooner rather than later.

~ O ~

Charlie peeled off the shrinkwrap around her new phone, before pulling off the top and removing the paperwork, she touches the phone and almost immediately the battery flashes as she begins to charge it. She picks it up immediately and bites her lip as she slowly and methodically picks up her phone and places it into its case. She knew she was attracting stares from her classmates, but if she was being weird then they would probably give her space.

As her phone turns and starts going through the setup process Charlie picks it up and types in her username and password, soon she'd have her text messages back, the voicemails that she had ignored from her mother, she'd have it all back. As she finishes setting up her phone, her phone starts to buzz loudly against her desk as new text messages come in. She looks up and flashes her teacher an apologetic look as she tries to turn her phone to silent. She immediately pulls out a new pair of headphones and places them in her ears, as she starts to flick through her texts, stopping on Santana's name for a moment. She'd missed over a hundred and fifty texts from her over the past few days. There were similar numbers from members of the team, and them checking in on her. She immediately sets about texting Santana first, then she'd check in with her family, let them know she had a new number.

'New phone who this?' Charlie texts with an emoji to her girlfriend. She slips deep into her seat as she spots the three dots from Santana, and she knew that her girlfriend was going to call her a dork, but that would be normal and she really just needed—

The window that she was sitting beside shatters, causing immediate screams and she's aware of something slamming into her defenses causing her to turn as she sees a bullet made out of plastic and what could possibly be some sort of new material spinning in the air at eye level. She tilts her head at the bullet, studying it for a moment. There was a clear liquid in the bullet. She taps it with her finger and it explodes which she immediately contains as best as she can making sure that she's the only one affected by it, she sees the liquid hit the wooden table and begin to bubble and hiss. Acid or a strong base, she wasn't sure but it was certainly a killshot. Her eyes immediately light up, and she begins to search the area before pausing when she realizes that the problem is far bigger than just one sniper. "Mrs. Carlisle, you need to put the school in lockdown. No one should leave until I give the all clear. I'm the only hero that Lima has at this moment."

Before Mrs. Carlisle can say anything Charlie begins to float and exits the classroom through the shattered window.