Clipped Wings 14/?
Title: Clipped Wings 14/?
Author: insanely_quirky
Rating: R (for graphic scenes)
Legth: 4656
Spoilers: None, AU
Disclaimer: Not mine
Summary: There's a prompt somewhere about an Angel!Rachel who fell down from heaven and met Quinn.
A/N 1: RL was just being a pain. I apologize for how long it took to have this chapter up. Much love to everyone who's read this story and commented but please know that I am grateful for all of them.
Previous Chapters: 1 -- 2 -- 3 -- 4 -- 5 -- 6 -- 7 -- 8 -- 9 -- 10 -- 11 -- 12-- 13
-o-o-o-o-
“I remember them.”
-o-o-o-o-
Santana collapses unto Sue’s outstretched arms, chest heaving with exhaustion. She desperately tries to catch Sue’s gaze. “Tell me she didn’t,” was Sue’s whispered command, knowing full well what it would mean otherwise.
She tries to remain stoic, but her voice tremble as she answers, “I tried to stop her coach, I really did. But she-she didn’t listen, she wanted me to make it back here.”
Carl kneels beside them, grabbing Santana’s hand making her focus on him in return, “Was it everything?” he asks his demeanor changing with every word.
And Santana’s answer changes everything, “If it was, I wouldn’t be connected to her would I?”
-o-o-o-o-
Quinn keeps staring at her wrist, tracing a pattern only she sees. She could vaguely hear someone call her name, she lifts her head up and sees the same police officer from the cruiser.
“Ms Fabray,” he says softly, “Why don’t we get you checked out,” he adds extending out his hand for her to take.
She looks at his face and his gentle smile, “Can I call my mom first? I need her to know I found help and my phone died awhile back,” she tells him as she clasps his offered limb in her smaller one. And he helps her up and immediately let’s go of her hand once she was on her feet.
“Of course, I’m sure there’s a phone you can use somewhere,” was his reply as he leads her towards the nurse’s station, “Hi, can we use your phone?” he asks one of the nurses. With a nod she hands over the phone and Quinn proceeds to dial a familiar number.
“It’s ringing,” she tells him before biting her lip in anticipation, “Hi Mom, Lexi. I made it I’m at Mercy Hospital in Westerville, and right now I’m about to get checked out. I don’t know how she is they whisked her away as soon as we got here, I’ll see you guys here. I love you.” She ends the call and places the phone back in its cradle, before looking at the police officer, “They’re probably on their way like they said they would be,” she tells him.
He nods his head once, “Let’s get your exam out of the way, and when your mom gets here I can get your statement,” he tells her as he leads her to an exam room.
“Thank you,” Quinn whispers right after she had launched herself at the unsuspecting police officer, “Thank you so much sir,” she says again as she pulled away before turning around to smile at nurse in the room. She wonders why in this room full of strangers, she felt more at ease than in a room with her father. She thinks about ‘Belle’ praying that she was being taken care of, that she was going to be ok.
The nurse directs her to sit on the bed, “Let’s get started ok Hon?” she hears her say. She gives the older lady with a smile, and tries hard to pay attention to what’s happening during her exam, and she answers all the questions the best way she could.
At one point during her exam, a doctor came in and started asking her questions. Quinn was pretty sure she was able to answer them as best she could, but her mind kept straying to that small girl who had saved her life. She wondered if she would even be told of her condition. If someone was out there worried about her, if there was someone looking for her.
Quinn had no idea how long she’d been sitting there, she doesn’t even remember how many out dated magazines she’d leafed through. All she knew was that no one had approached since she sat back down on the surprisingly comfortable seats.
She’s been trying to read the article on the page she had stopped on, she’d gotten as far as the first sentence, when she vaguely hears her name being called. She lifts her head before taking off running.
“Mommy,” she cries clinging to her mother, “Mommy you’re here,” she whimpers both hands clutching her unto her mother’s shirt. She could hear her mother whispering words of comfort, but it all went over her head, she could pay attention to them later, she just wanted to melt in her mother’s safe embrace. She keeps her arms wrapped around her, taking in the feel of her, inhaling the scent of her, it was that last reminder that she needed. She was safe, she was with her mother, she was home.
She feels a hand on her head, gentle fingers running through her hair, forcing her to lift her head from the her mother’s neck, her eyes find familiar hazel ones. Eyes brimming with tears, relief, worry and joy evident in them, “Lexi,” she croaks, before heaving sobs wrack her body, her mother lets her go long enough for her sister to take her place, pregnant belly cradled in between them.
She knew words were being said, her name and prayers of thanks falling from their lips. Their hands never idle, always touching, her arms, her hands, and her head or wiping away her tears, tucking her hair behind her ear. If they weren’t speaking she’d feel their lips on her forehead, on her cheek, on the back of her head.
At one point, she knew her mother directed them to the couch, she knew she had soaked her sister’s shirt with her tears and she knew that she was clutching their hands as tight as she could, the same way they clutched hers. And she knew, she finally knew that she was safe. She really made it out. She found her way home.
Everyone else in the room could only watch the joyous reunion unfold as the three women clung to each other. Everyone knew that what they saw was either a miracle, or close to one as they could get.
Everyone there could only wish that this was the last time this family had to go through anything like this again.
-o-o-o-o-
Holly sat in her home office, staring off into space. She kept thinking of what’s been happening all around her, kept thinking of what her role really was in all of it. her ringing phone startles her, and she quickly picks it up, hoping for good news, somehow knowing what she was about to hear just that, “Hello, Oh Judy you are? That’s good to hear. Yes, I’ll let them know right away, I’ll go grab it right now, yes we’ll see you all soon, take care,” ending the call she runs her hand through her hair, “Why does it feel like something big is about to happen?” she asks out loud.
-o-o-o-o-
Judy sat back down beside Quinn, putting one arm around her baby, “I just called Holly, I’m pretty sure we can expect everyone in a few hours,” She softly tells her girls as a content smile blossoms on her face as Quinn cuddles closer to her, she gives her forehead a kiss and catches her Alexis’ eyes who was gently smiling at the scene.
A nurse walks towards them, and Quinn sits up straight before trailing the nurse’s movement before visibly deflating as said nurse just passes them by, she snuggles back into her mother’s side, moving ever so often until finding the perfect position. She sighs happily before tensing up.
“What’s wrong Baby?” Judy asks, Quinn instead of answering burrows further into Judy’s arms, “Quinny,” prompts Judy.
Quinn untangles herself from her mother’s arms, biting her lip, “Do you think…”, she starts glancing at the double doors where the girl was rushed through, “Do you think she’ll be ok? That she is ok?” She asks, “Will they tell us how she is, do you think she has a mom and sister worried about her too?” Quinn continues forehead scrunched, emotions running wild inside of her, the thought of Belle being alone worrying her, “Can we help her get home? Can we stay here until she’s ok?”
“We’ll stay squirt,” Says Alexis, “We’ll stay as long as you want.”
“OK,” says Quinn as her eyes grow heavy, she tries to snuggle back into her mother but instead almost falls face first if not for Judy’s arms wrapping around her middle. She knows she was asked a question, she tells her mother what she feels instead, “Mommy, mm tired,” she mumbles before everything goes black.
-o-o-o-o-
“Hi, we’re here to see Quinn Fabray,” Holly tells the nurse in front of her, who takes one look at her and her ‘entourage’ : The Berrys and her darling daughter, worrying her lip while clutching Mr. Lambchop to her body tightly.
“They’re over here,” the nurse tells them leading them over a hallway, before stopping at one door, “The poor thing was so exhausted she just conked out, we’ve been trying to tell her to rest up, but stubbornly refused to leave the waiting area until she knew how the girl she came in with was,” she says adds nodding her head towards one door where an officer stood guarding it, “You can go and visit but I’m pretty sure they’re all asleep in there,” she continues, before moving back towards her station.
“What of the other girl, the one Quinn came with?” asks Hiram.
The nurse looks from side to side, “I’m sorry sir, I can only release her status to family members or if applicable legal guardians,” she gives them a sad smile before leaving.
Brittany doesn’t waste any time and opens the door and quickly makes her way inside, “Q?” she whispers, when she finds everyone in the room asleep, she quietly walks over Quinn’s bedside, before putting Mr. Lambchop in her best friend’s arms, “We were worried about you Q,” she murmurs, smiling as Quinn grabs on to Mr. Lambchop tighter, she leans forward and kisses Quinn’s forehead before turning around to sit beside her mother, who sat with a now awake Judy, she gives her a tight hug before she watches the berry men, fidget beside Quinn’s sleeping form.
“Has anyone said anything about the other girl?” Holly asks Judy, who just shakes her head, “Not even the detectives or attending?”
“The young man outside, told me that the lead detective will be by in an hour or so, they’re at the cabin checking it out, and as for the other girl, she appears to be a minor, and that he can’t say anything else,” was Judy’s answer, before standing to accept the hugs that the Berrys wanted to give.
Holly catches her daughter’s eyes before giving a barely noticeable nod, she’d take care of it. She stands up, letting them know she had to make a call, she had a feeling her hunch was correct, but she just had to make sure.
-o-o-o-o-
Holly walks up to the hospital roof and just stood for awhile, and wasn’t surprised to hear the voice coming from behind her.
“The Big Boss wanted you to know, all that should happen, will happen,” Becky tells her, “And he also said that go with your gut,” she gives Holly a huge grin before disappearing.
Holly takes a deep breath, before placing a call, “Hi Honey,” she greets her husband, “Yes she’s when we got here they were all asleep,” she answers, “but we still don’t know anything about the girl,” she trails off, knowing her husband would automatically pick up on it, “ yes that’s why I’m calling, aside from giving you an update about your other daughter,” she smiles when she hears him sigh, pick up what sounded like his desk phone and start conversing with someone, she could barely make out what they were saying, but it wasn’t long before he was back on the line with her everything she needed and wanted to hear, “Thank you Seth, you really are perfect,” she hears him tell her that he was perfect for her, and she smiles thinking he was absolutely right, he was perfectly made for her.
-o-o-o-o-
Judy and Holly were quietly talking in the couch at the corner of the room, the Berrys and Alexis were currently out looking for dinner, and Brittany was sleeping curled beside Quinn, when a knock on the door makes them stop, a man with a shield clipped to his belt comes in and introduces herself as the Detective Cabot, the lead for the case.
“We went to the cabin where Quinn said she came from, but we didn’t find any clues that could lead us to finding him,” she tells them gently, “Would there be any place you can think of that he might go to? Anyone he could try and get in touch with?” she asks Judy.
“I can’t think of any place or person really, when we divorced his parents stopped talking to me and the girls,” she answers, “The friends I thought I had before the trial stayed away after from us after he ‘got convicted, and I doubt they’d do something as scandalous as help a fugitive,” she continuous starting to get worried.
“We’ll find him, we’ll do everything we can and we’ll find him,” the detective says with conviction, now about the girl, we’ve searched any matches in Missing Persons, as well as Child Services, and we didn’t find any record of her, we are also unable to question her at this time,” she adds, only to be cut-off by a worried voice from the bed.
“Is Belle ok? Is she awake? She’s ok right?” Quinn asks rapidly while trying to get out of bed and Brittany’s arms.
All three adults turn to look at Quinn who seemed to falter on her feet prompting Judy to jump on hers, “Baby, not so fast, let’s go sit down beside Holly and let Brittany sleep some more,” Judy coos leading her daughter to the couch.
“Did she say her name was Belle?” asks Detective thinking this would be something that can help them find the identity of the young brunette
And Quinn readily shakes her head “I had to stay awake so I kept talking to her, and I felt bad that I didn’t know her name so I gave her one,” she answers sheepishly, blushing knowing her mother and Holly was smiling at her rambling and telling answer, before remembering that the detective did not in fact answer her questions, “Is she ok? Can I see her? Is she awake?”
“I can tell you that she’s ok, and that she’s currently sleeping,” she tells Quinn, before looking at Judy, “We’re still trying to find out who she is, but given the circumstances, the department thinks that for the time being the girl, who we will refer to as ’Belle’ needs an advocate or social worker that can work this case, even without her statement, she is in fact a victim of violence,” she then catches Holly’s eyes, “Seth called the station, somehow convinced the cap that we could have you take care of it instead.”
“And I assume you have the paper work with you?” Holly asks, when she gets her answer, she looks over at Judy and then Quinn before she starts speaking again, “Can we speak outside Detective?” she stands up and tells the Fabray women she’ll be right back.
Quinn watches them go before telling her mother, “I really want to see how she is mom.”
Judy could only hold her daughter closer whispering, “Me too.”
-o-o-o-o-
Santana opens her eyes, and looks from side to side. Realizing she was alone, she slowly sits up, and smiles as she doesn't feel any pain. She rolls both her shoulders then stretches her arms above her head. Swinging her legs to the side of the bed, she lowers both feet on the ground then wriggles her toes. She rolls her head, smiling as she hears her bones crack and pop.
She gets on her feet, and falters as a wave of emotions hit her full force.
It was Rachel.
She knew what she was about to do was risky and flawed at best. What Rachel did had repercussions and she could only guess what happened to her dear friend after the fact. And as the small brunette was moments from a full breakdown she knew she didn't have much time. So on shaky feet, she gathers her bearings. Yet a nagging thought made her falter, but instead she lets it go fully intending to be there for her dear friend, like she promised.
"Besides," she tells herself, "Coach will understand."
And then she was gone.
She appears in a hospital room just as a doctor and nurse was walking out. She pays them no mind and instead keeps her eyes focused on the bed, where whimpers could be heard, coupled with minuscule movement. And she knew, just like she's always known.
Something was wrong.
She slowly walks toward the bed that seemed too large, it felt wrong, this was never something she thought Rachel would be in. She pauses when the whimpers turned into a sob that was quickly muffled by a hand.
Rachel was beyond scared, she was terrified.
"Hey," Santana says in greeting, and takes a step back when Rachel looks towards her. Her friend, her Thumbelina looked at her with terror in her eyes. She could only watch as her friend tried to subtly move away from her.
'She's terrified of me,' Santana thinks to herself in horror.
"It' ok," she whispers, "Don't be afraid, just breath, ok, just breathe," she gently smiles as the smaller girl does as she was told. "Good, just like that," she coos.
Rachel wipes her face with the sleeves of her hospital gown as quick as she could, before looking back at the stranger in her room. She felt familiar, but she was confused and alone. And the girl's sudden appearance and the recognition on her face initially scared her but said stranger's presence gradually made her feel safe, and for the first time since she woke up she didn't feel so alone. And as the stranger beams at her once she had calmed down, she finds herself smiling back just a little.
"There you go," Santana murmurs, "I bet you feel so much better don't you?"
Rachel bites her lip before giving Santana the barest of nods, making the standing girl grin and move closer.
"So," she starts drawing out the word, "Wanna tell me what the doc said, that started the waterworks?" Santana immediately senses she said the wrong thing, as the smaller girl burst into tears once again. "Oh no, please don't cry, don't cry," was all Santana could say, as she tries to console a distraught Rachel, "I'm sorry, please don't cry, I don't like it when you cry, and I know you know that I don't," Rachel starts crying harder, Santana not knowing what else to do, clears her mind and breathes deep, keeping her eyes on Rachel. Her forehead crinkles in confusion as another barrage of emotions assault her mind only this time so much stronger, something she's never been accustomed to.
who?
scared
alone
can't
no words
hurt
can't
remember
who am I?
"You," whispers Santana, as something inside of her breaks, her eyes lock with familiar brown eyes and she grabs a trembling hand and she feels her insides clench when Rachel tightens her grip, "I know you're scared," she says softly, "but somewhere inside of you, you know I could never hurt you," she adds.
Rachel tries to keep her eyes on this stranger standing before her who made her feel safer than the smiling nurse, and gentle doctor who kept asking her questions she couldn't answer, who touched her hand making her cringe. But this beautiful stranger, looked at her with caring eyes, and it looked like this girl felt what she felt, knew what she was thinking.
"I'm going to ask you a few questions ok?" she says and smiles as she feels her hand being squeezed "can you speak?" she asks softly.
Rachel shakes her head, and more tears flow done her face, and all Santana could do was wipe them away.
"Do you know who I am?" Santana asks, somehow knowing the answer. And Rachel shakes her head, eyes filled with anguish. She could only try and smile, trying to show Rachel that it was ok, that it was going to be ok.
"You might not remember me here," Santana starts before lifting her free hand to gently touch Rachel's forehead. She keeps her eyes locked with Rachel's then asks, "But how about here?" she points to Rachel's heart. All she could do was watch as Rachel closes her eyes as if to concentrate.
Rachel closes her eyes and just feels, the hand in hers did not stifle her, instead it made her feel safe. Those eyes when looking at her did not feel invasive or pitying, she could instead feel the concern and care. She opens her eyes abruptly when something finally clicked, this girl was no stranger.
She was familiar.
Santana stifles a sob when Rachel finally nods at her. And all she wanted to do was take her friend in her arms, and take her away from here. But the two voices coming closer stops her from doing so. She turns her head towards the door, and knew she didn't have much time. She looks back at Rachel and tries to smile, she had to leave and this time it was harder than ever, she had to go but she didn't want to leave Rachel defenseless.
"I have to go now," she whispers, Rachel's eyes widen and squeezes her hand tight, "I don't want to, but I really have to. But I'll be back for you, I promise I'll come back," she says her voice breaking, "They'll take care of you while I can't, but I will come back."
Rachel seems to search her eyes before nodding her head dejectedly, then let’s go of her hand.
"Close your eyes," she says softly, Rachel takes one last look at her, lifting up a hand to wipe away a tear that was falling down the Latina's face, she gives her one last smile and then closes her eyes. Santana hears footsteps and she takes a quick look at the door before looking back at Rachel, "sleep," she utters before disappearing, leaving a sleeping Rachel alone.
-o-o-o-o-
"Quinn! We shouldn't be here!" exclaims Brittany in a whispered manner, as the other blonde drags her in front of a door, cautiously looking from side to side, "Let's just go back to your room," she adds all the while pulling the determined girl towards the direction they came from.
But Quinn stood her ground, and pulls Brittany back, "I can't wait anymore B! And if I stay in that room any longer, I might just go insane," she says as she once again checks their surroundings, "besides the doctor already said she could receive visitors, and I just wanted to be first, I need to see that she really is ok," she adds the last part sheepishly as she blushed faintly.
Brittany takes in her friend's overall appearance and demeanor, and could only lift an eyebrow before breaking out in a grin.
"What's that smile for?" Quinn asks with her own eyebrow raised, and was just answered with a snort and a head shake, "Fine! Don't tell me, just will you stand guard while I check on Belle?" she asks exasperated, Brittany seemingly was being a tad difficult for some reason. Instead of getting mad, she pouts at her friend, while whispering please over and over again. It seemed like hours until Brittany finally gives her a nod, and she almost jumps for joy, but hugs her friend instead, "Thanks B! You're the best," she says squeezing her friend tighter before letting go, "I won't take too long, I just want to see her ok?"
Brittany nods her head, and giggles as Quinn wasn't quite paying attention to her, the hazel eyed girl had all her focus trained on the door instead, she was looking at the door handle like it would disappear, and Brittany couldn't help herself and said, "Q, it doesn't work that way."
Quinn whips her head around and looks back at her friend, "What?" she asks.
"The door," Brittany quips, “You don't stare at it, you turn it silly duck," she adds with an even bigger grin.
"I knew that," Quinn says before looking back at her friend with a scowl.
"Uhuh," drawls Brittany, amused at her friend, "So why haven't you?"
"Haven't what?"
"Turned the handle so you can open the door and see your Belle?"
"My Belle?" Quinn whispers to herself, her heart stopping, 'I'm having a heart attack!' she thinks, only to jerk out of her stupor when she feels a nudge from behind.
"Quinn, I really love you and all but you need to get a move on, I don't want our moms to get mad, and they will if we get caught!" says the taller blonde while pushing her friend forward, a few steps closer to the door.
"I'm going, I'm going," Quinn says not moving.
"Do you want me to open the big bad door for you Quinny?" teases Brittany.
"No!" huffs Quinn, moving even closer, she takes a deep breath before grabbing the handle, and slowly opening the door.
"Be brave Quinn, you can do this, nothing to be afraid of," she tells herself as she takes a step inside the room, closing the door behind her.
"She saved your life and like B said, she's your Belle."
Hazel eyes find the pristine bed, and the slumbering form of the small brunette. And like a moth to the flame, Quinn moves forward, getting closer one step at a time. Until she was right beside the girl.
She watches the girl sleep, just taking it all in, knowing that they both made it. They were safe.
-o-o-o-o-
"Tink doing good?" Sue asks appearing beside Santana who just appeared inside the same room she had vacated.
"She's awake," was Santana's clipped answer, eyes downcast, not knowing why she was feeling the way she did.
Sue eyes the Latina, surprised at the connection the two friends shared, "And is she well?"
Santana's eyes close as she whispers, "She doesn't remember me, and she can't speak."
They stay silent, somehow both needing a few minutes for the situation to sink in before Santana breaks the silence.
"She needs me more than ever," she says, "You need to send me back."
"I will soon."
-o-o-o-o-
Quinn brushes back some hair, tucking it behind the sleeping girl's ear, she whips her head round when she hears voices outside the door. She turns around and was surprised to find brown eyes looking at her.
"Hi," she whispers smiling.
-o-o-o-o-
She felt fingers on her hair, and heard faint noises from afar. Her eyes open, and sees a girl standing beside her bed making her heart beat so hard, she thought it would burst out of her chest. When their eyes finally meet, everything stops.
I know you.
Then the girl said hi and smiled.
I know that voice
And she smiles back.
You're the only thing I remember.
-o-o-o-o-
Author: insanely_quirky
Rating: R (for graphic scenes)
Legth: 4656
Spoilers: None, AU
Disclaimer: Not mine
Summary: There's a prompt somewhere about an Angel!Rachel who fell down from heaven and met Quinn.
A/N 1: RL was just being a pain. I apologize for how long it took to have this chapter up. Much love to everyone who's read this story and commented but please know that I am grateful for all of them.
Previous Chapters: 1 -- 2 -- 3 -- 4 -- 5 -- 6 -- 7 -- 8 -- 9 -- 10 -- 11 -- 12-- 13
-o-o-o-o-
“I remember them.”
-o-o-o-o-
Santana collapses unto Sue’s outstretched arms, chest heaving with exhaustion. She desperately tries to catch Sue’s gaze. “Tell me she didn’t,” was Sue’s whispered command, knowing full well what it would mean otherwise.
She tries to remain stoic, but her voice tremble as she answers, “I tried to stop her coach, I really did. But she-she didn’t listen, she wanted me to make it back here.”
Carl kneels beside them, grabbing Santana’s hand making her focus on him in return, “Was it everything?” he asks his demeanor changing with every word.
And Santana’s answer changes everything, “If it was, I wouldn’t be connected to her would I?”
-o-o-o-o-
Quinn keeps staring at her wrist, tracing a pattern only she sees. She could vaguely hear someone call her name, she lifts her head up and sees the same police officer from the cruiser.
“Ms Fabray,” he says softly, “Why don’t we get you checked out,” he adds extending out his hand for her to take.
She looks at his face and his gentle smile, “Can I call my mom first? I need her to know I found help and my phone died awhile back,” she tells him as she clasps his offered limb in her smaller one. And he helps her up and immediately let’s go of her hand once she was on her feet.
“Of course, I’m sure there’s a phone you can use somewhere,” was his reply as he leads her towards the nurse’s station, “Hi, can we use your phone?” he asks one of the nurses. With a nod she hands over the phone and Quinn proceeds to dial a familiar number.
“It’s ringing,” she tells him before biting her lip in anticipation, “Hi Mom, Lexi. I made it I’m at Mercy Hospital in Westerville, and right now I’m about to get checked out. I don’t know how she is they whisked her away as soon as we got here, I’ll see you guys here. I love you.” She ends the call and places the phone back in its cradle, before looking at the police officer, “They’re probably on their way like they said they would be,” she tells him.
He nods his head once, “Let’s get your exam out of the way, and when your mom gets here I can get your statement,” he tells her as he leads her to an exam room.
“Thank you,” Quinn whispers right after she had launched herself at the unsuspecting police officer, “Thank you so much sir,” she says again as she pulled away before turning around to smile at nurse in the room. She wonders why in this room full of strangers, she felt more at ease than in a room with her father. She thinks about ‘Belle’ praying that she was being taken care of, that she was going to be ok.
The nurse directs her to sit on the bed, “Let’s get started ok Hon?” she hears her say. She gives the older lady with a smile, and tries hard to pay attention to what’s happening during her exam, and she answers all the questions the best way she could.
At one point during her exam, a doctor came in and started asking her questions. Quinn was pretty sure she was able to answer them as best she could, but her mind kept straying to that small girl who had saved her life. She wondered if she would even be told of her condition. If someone was out there worried about her, if there was someone looking for her.
Quinn had no idea how long she’d been sitting there, she doesn’t even remember how many out dated magazines she’d leafed through. All she knew was that no one had approached since she sat back down on the surprisingly comfortable seats.
She’s been trying to read the article on the page she had stopped on, she’d gotten as far as the first sentence, when she vaguely hears her name being called. She lifts her head before taking off running.
“Mommy,” she cries clinging to her mother, “Mommy you’re here,” she whimpers both hands clutching her unto her mother’s shirt. She could hear her mother whispering words of comfort, but it all went over her head, she could pay attention to them later, she just wanted to melt in her mother’s safe embrace. She keeps her arms wrapped around her, taking in the feel of her, inhaling the scent of her, it was that last reminder that she needed. She was safe, she was with her mother, she was home.
She feels a hand on her head, gentle fingers running through her hair, forcing her to lift her head from the her mother’s neck, her eyes find familiar hazel ones. Eyes brimming with tears, relief, worry and joy evident in them, “Lexi,” she croaks, before heaving sobs wrack her body, her mother lets her go long enough for her sister to take her place, pregnant belly cradled in between them.
She knew words were being said, her name and prayers of thanks falling from their lips. Their hands never idle, always touching, her arms, her hands, and her head or wiping away her tears, tucking her hair behind her ear. If they weren’t speaking she’d feel their lips on her forehead, on her cheek, on the back of her head.
At one point, she knew her mother directed them to the couch, she knew she had soaked her sister’s shirt with her tears and she knew that she was clutching their hands as tight as she could, the same way they clutched hers. And she knew, she finally knew that she was safe. She really made it out. She found her way home.
Everyone else in the room could only watch the joyous reunion unfold as the three women clung to each other. Everyone knew that what they saw was either a miracle, or close to one as they could get.
Everyone there could only wish that this was the last time this family had to go through anything like this again.
-o-o-o-o-
Holly sat in her home office, staring off into space. She kept thinking of what’s been happening all around her, kept thinking of what her role really was in all of it. her ringing phone startles her, and she quickly picks it up, hoping for good news, somehow knowing what she was about to hear just that, “Hello, Oh Judy you are? That’s good to hear. Yes, I’ll let them know right away, I’ll go grab it right now, yes we’ll see you all soon, take care,” ending the call she runs her hand through her hair, “Why does it feel like something big is about to happen?” she asks out loud.
-o-o-o-o-
Judy sat back down beside Quinn, putting one arm around her baby, “I just called Holly, I’m pretty sure we can expect everyone in a few hours,” She softly tells her girls as a content smile blossoms on her face as Quinn cuddles closer to her, she gives her forehead a kiss and catches her Alexis’ eyes who was gently smiling at the scene.
A nurse walks towards them, and Quinn sits up straight before trailing the nurse’s movement before visibly deflating as said nurse just passes them by, she snuggles back into her mother’s side, moving ever so often until finding the perfect position. She sighs happily before tensing up.
“What’s wrong Baby?” Judy asks, Quinn instead of answering burrows further into Judy’s arms, “Quinny,” prompts Judy.
Quinn untangles herself from her mother’s arms, biting her lip, “Do you think…”, she starts glancing at the double doors where the girl was rushed through, “Do you think she’ll be ok? That she is ok?” She asks, “Will they tell us how she is, do you think she has a mom and sister worried about her too?” Quinn continues forehead scrunched, emotions running wild inside of her, the thought of Belle being alone worrying her, “Can we help her get home? Can we stay here until she’s ok?”
“We’ll stay squirt,” Says Alexis, “We’ll stay as long as you want.”
“OK,” says Quinn as her eyes grow heavy, she tries to snuggle back into her mother but instead almost falls face first if not for Judy’s arms wrapping around her middle. She knows she was asked a question, she tells her mother what she feels instead, “Mommy, mm tired,” she mumbles before everything goes black.
-o-o-o-o-
“Hi, we’re here to see Quinn Fabray,” Holly tells the nurse in front of her, who takes one look at her and her ‘entourage’ : The Berrys and her darling daughter, worrying her lip while clutching Mr. Lambchop to her body tightly.
“They’re over here,” the nurse tells them leading them over a hallway, before stopping at one door, “The poor thing was so exhausted she just conked out, we’ve been trying to tell her to rest up, but stubbornly refused to leave the waiting area until she knew how the girl she came in with was,” she says adds nodding her head towards one door where an officer stood guarding it, “You can go and visit but I’m pretty sure they’re all asleep in there,” she continues, before moving back towards her station.
“What of the other girl, the one Quinn came with?” asks Hiram.
The nurse looks from side to side, “I’m sorry sir, I can only release her status to family members or if applicable legal guardians,” she gives them a sad smile before leaving.
Brittany doesn’t waste any time and opens the door and quickly makes her way inside, “Q?” she whispers, when she finds everyone in the room asleep, she quietly walks over Quinn’s bedside, before putting Mr. Lambchop in her best friend’s arms, “We were worried about you Q,” she murmurs, smiling as Quinn grabs on to Mr. Lambchop tighter, she leans forward and kisses Quinn’s forehead before turning around to sit beside her mother, who sat with a now awake Judy, she gives her a tight hug before she watches the berry men, fidget beside Quinn’s sleeping form.
“Has anyone said anything about the other girl?” Holly asks Judy, who just shakes her head, “Not even the detectives or attending?”
“The young man outside, told me that the lead detective will be by in an hour or so, they’re at the cabin checking it out, and as for the other girl, she appears to be a minor, and that he can’t say anything else,” was Judy’s answer, before standing to accept the hugs that the Berrys wanted to give.
Holly catches her daughter’s eyes before giving a barely noticeable nod, she’d take care of it. She stands up, letting them know she had to make a call, she had a feeling her hunch was correct, but she just had to make sure.
-o-o-o-o-
Holly walks up to the hospital roof and just stood for awhile, and wasn’t surprised to hear the voice coming from behind her.
“The Big Boss wanted you to know, all that should happen, will happen,” Becky tells her, “And he also said that go with your gut,” she gives Holly a huge grin before disappearing.
Holly takes a deep breath, before placing a call, “Hi Honey,” she greets her husband, “Yes she’s when we got here they were all asleep,” she answers, “but we still don’t know anything about the girl,” she trails off, knowing her husband would automatically pick up on it, “ yes that’s why I’m calling, aside from giving you an update about your other daughter,” she smiles when she hears him sigh, pick up what sounded like his desk phone and start conversing with someone, she could barely make out what they were saying, but it wasn’t long before he was back on the line with her everything she needed and wanted to hear, “Thank you Seth, you really are perfect,” she hears him tell her that he was perfect for her, and she smiles thinking he was absolutely right, he was perfectly made for her.
-o-o-o-o-
Judy and Holly were quietly talking in the couch at the corner of the room, the Berrys and Alexis were currently out looking for dinner, and Brittany was sleeping curled beside Quinn, when a knock on the door makes them stop, a man with a shield clipped to his belt comes in and introduces herself as the Detective Cabot, the lead for the case.
“We went to the cabin where Quinn said she came from, but we didn’t find any clues that could lead us to finding him,” she tells them gently, “Would there be any place you can think of that he might go to? Anyone he could try and get in touch with?” she asks Judy.
“I can’t think of any place or person really, when we divorced his parents stopped talking to me and the girls,” she answers, “The friends I thought I had before the trial stayed away after from us after he ‘got convicted, and I doubt they’d do something as scandalous as help a fugitive,” she continuous starting to get worried.
“We’ll find him, we’ll do everything we can and we’ll find him,” the detective says with conviction, now about the girl, we’ve searched any matches in Missing Persons, as well as Child Services, and we didn’t find any record of her, we are also unable to question her at this time,” she adds, only to be cut-off by a worried voice from the bed.
“Is Belle ok? Is she awake? She’s ok right?” Quinn asks rapidly while trying to get out of bed and Brittany’s arms.
All three adults turn to look at Quinn who seemed to falter on her feet prompting Judy to jump on hers, “Baby, not so fast, let’s go sit down beside Holly and let Brittany sleep some more,” Judy coos leading her daughter to the couch.
“Did she say her name was Belle?” asks Detective thinking this would be something that can help them find the identity of the young brunette
And Quinn readily shakes her head “I had to stay awake so I kept talking to her, and I felt bad that I didn’t know her name so I gave her one,” she answers sheepishly, blushing knowing her mother and Holly was smiling at her rambling and telling answer, before remembering that the detective did not in fact answer her questions, “Is she ok? Can I see her? Is she awake?”
“I can tell you that she’s ok, and that she’s currently sleeping,” she tells Quinn, before looking at Judy, “We’re still trying to find out who she is, but given the circumstances, the department thinks that for the time being the girl, who we will refer to as ’Belle’ needs an advocate or social worker that can work this case, even without her statement, she is in fact a victim of violence,” she then catches Holly’s eyes, “Seth called the station, somehow convinced the cap that we could have you take care of it instead.”
“And I assume you have the paper work with you?” Holly asks, when she gets her answer, she looks over at Judy and then Quinn before she starts speaking again, “Can we speak outside Detective?” she stands up and tells the Fabray women she’ll be right back.
Quinn watches them go before telling her mother, “I really want to see how she is mom.”
Judy could only hold her daughter closer whispering, “Me too.”
-o-o-o-o-
Santana opens her eyes, and looks from side to side. Realizing she was alone, she slowly sits up, and smiles as she doesn't feel any pain. She rolls both her shoulders then stretches her arms above her head. Swinging her legs to the side of the bed, she lowers both feet on the ground then wriggles her toes. She rolls her head, smiling as she hears her bones crack and pop.
She gets on her feet, and falters as a wave of emotions hit her full force.
It was Rachel.
She knew what she was about to do was risky and flawed at best. What Rachel did had repercussions and she could only guess what happened to her dear friend after the fact. And as the small brunette was moments from a full breakdown she knew she didn't have much time. So on shaky feet, she gathers her bearings. Yet a nagging thought made her falter, but instead she lets it go fully intending to be there for her dear friend, like she promised.
"Besides," she tells herself, "Coach will understand."
And then she was gone.
She appears in a hospital room just as a doctor and nurse was walking out. She pays them no mind and instead keeps her eyes focused on the bed, where whimpers could be heard, coupled with minuscule movement. And she knew, just like she's always known.
Something was wrong.
She slowly walks toward the bed that seemed too large, it felt wrong, this was never something she thought Rachel would be in. She pauses when the whimpers turned into a sob that was quickly muffled by a hand.
Rachel was beyond scared, she was terrified.
"Hey," Santana says in greeting, and takes a step back when Rachel looks towards her. Her friend, her Thumbelina looked at her with terror in her eyes. She could only watch as her friend tried to subtly move away from her.
'She's terrified of me,' Santana thinks to herself in horror.
"It' ok," she whispers, "Don't be afraid, just breath, ok, just breathe," she gently smiles as the smaller girl does as she was told. "Good, just like that," she coos.
Rachel wipes her face with the sleeves of her hospital gown as quick as she could, before looking back at the stranger in her room. She felt familiar, but she was confused and alone. And the girl's sudden appearance and the recognition on her face initially scared her but said stranger's presence gradually made her feel safe, and for the first time since she woke up she didn't feel so alone. And as the stranger beams at her once she had calmed down, she finds herself smiling back just a little.
"There you go," Santana murmurs, "I bet you feel so much better don't you?"
Rachel bites her lip before giving Santana the barest of nods, making the standing girl grin and move closer.
"So," she starts drawing out the word, "Wanna tell me what the doc said, that started the waterworks?" Santana immediately senses she said the wrong thing, as the smaller girl burst into tears once again. "Oh no, please don't cry, don't cry," was all Santana could say, as she tries to console a distraught Rachel, "I'm sorry, please don't cry, I don't like it when you cry, and I know you know that I don't," Rachel starts crying harder, Santana not knowing what else to do, clears her mind and breathes deep, keeping her eyes on Rachel. Her forehead crinkles in confusion as another barrage of emotions assault her mind only this time so much stronger, something she's never been accustomed to.
who?
scared
alone
can't
no words
hurt
can't
remember
who am I?
"You," whispers Santana, as something inside of her breaks, her eyes lock with familiar brown eyes and she grabs a trembling hand and she feels her insides clench when Rachel tightens her grip, "I know you're scared," she says softly, "but somewhere inside of you, you know I could never hurt you," she adds.
Rachel tries to keep her eyes on this stranger standing before her who made her feel safer than the smiling nurse, and gentle doctor who kept asking her questions she couldn't answer, who touched her hand making her cringe. But this beautiful stranger, looked at her with caring eyes, and it looked like this girl felt what she felt, knew what she was thinking.
"I'm going to ask you a few questions ok?" she says and smiles as she feels her hand being squeezed "can you speak?" she asks softly.
Rachel shakes her head, and more tears flow done her face, and all Santana could do was wipe them away.
"Do you know who I am?" Santana asks, somehow knowing the answer. And Rachel shakes her head, eyes filled with anguish. She could only try and smile, trying to show Rachel that it was ok, that it was going to be ok.
"You might not remember me here," Santana starts before lifting her free hand to gently touch Rachel's forehead. She keeps her eyes locked with Rachel's then asks, "But how about here?" she points to Rachel's heart. All she could do was watch as Rachel closes her eyes as if to concentrate.
Rachel closes her eyes and just feels, the hand in hers did not stifle her, instead it made her feel safe. Those eyes when looking at her did not feel invasive or pitying, she could instead feel the concern and care. She opens her eyes abruptly when something finally clicked, this girl was no stranger.
She was familiar.
Santana stifles a sob when Rachel finally nods at her. And all she wanted to do was take her friend in her arms, and take her away from here. But the two voices coming closer stops her from doing so. She turns her head towards the door, and knew she didn't have much time. She looks back at Rachel and tries to smile, she had to leave and this time it was harder than ever, she had to go but she didn't want to leave Rachel defenseless.
"I have to go now," she whispers, Rachel's eyes widen and squeezes her hand tight, "I don't want to, but I really have to. But I'll be back for you, I promise I'll come back," she says her voice breaking, "They'll take care of you while I can't, but I will come back."
Rachel seems to search her eyes before nodding her head dejectedly, then let’s go of her hand.
"Close your eyes," she says softly, Rachel takes one last look at her, lifting up a hand to wipe away a tear that was falling down the Latina's face, she gives her one last smile and then closes her eyes. Santana hears footsteps and she takes a quick look at the door before looking back at Rachel, "sleep," she utters before disappearing, leaving a sleeping Rachel alone.
-o-o-o-o-
"Quinn! We shouldn't be here!" exclaims Brittany in a whispered manner, as the other blonde drags her in front of a door, cautiously looking from side to side, "Let's just go back to your room," she adds all the while pulling the determined girl towards the direction they came from.
But Quinn stood her ground, and pulls Brittany back, "I can't wait anymore B! And if I stay in that room any longer, I might just go insane," she says as she once again checks their surroundings, "besides the doctor already said she could receive visitors, and I just wanted to be first, I need to see that she really is ok," she adds the last part sheepishly as she blushed faintly.
Brittany takes in her friend's overall appearance and demeanor, and could only lift an eyebrow before breaking out in a grin.
"What's that smile for?" Quinn asks with her own eyebrow raised, and was just answered with a snort and a head shake, "Fine! Don't tell me, just will you stand guard while I check on Belle?" she asks exasperated, Brittany seemingly was being a tad difficult for some reason. Instead of getting mad, she pouts at her friend, while whispering please over and over again. It seemed like hours until Brittany finally gives her a nod, and she almost jumps for joy, but hugs her friend instead, "Thanks B! You're the best," she says squeezing her friend tighter before letting go, "I won't take too long, I just want to see her ok?"
Brittany nods her head, and giggles as Quinn wasn't quite paying attention to her, the hazel eyed girl had all her focus trained on the door instead, she was looking at the door handle like it would disappear, and Brittany couldn't help herself and said, "Q, it doesn't work that way."
Quinn whips her head around and looks back at her friend, "What?" she asks.
"The door," Brittany quips, “You don't stare at it, you turn it silly duck," she adds with an even bigger grin.
"I knew that," Quinn says before looking back at her friend with a scowl.
"Uhuh," drawls Brittany, amused at her friend, "So why haven't you?"
"Haven't what?"
"Turned the handle so you can open the door and see your Belle?"
"My Belle?" Quinn whispers to herself, her heart stopping, 'I'm having a heart attack!' she thinks, only to jerk out of her stupor when she feels a nudge from behind.
"Quinn, I really love you and all but you need to get a move on, I don't want our moms to get mad, and they will if we get caught!" says the taller blonde while pushing her friend forward, a few steps closer to the door.
"I'm going, I'm going," Quinn says not moving.
"Do you want me to open the big bad door for you Quinny?" teases Brittany.
"No!" huffs Quinn, moving even closer, she takes a deep breath before grabbing the handle, and slowly opening the door.
"Be brave Quinn, you can do this, nothing to be afraid of," she tells herself as she takes a step inside the room, closing the door behind her.
"She saved your life and like B said, she's your Belle."
Hazel eyes find the pristine bed, and the slumbering form of the small brunette. And like a moth to the flame, Quinn moves forward, getting closer one step at a time. Until she was right beside the girl.
She watches the girl sleep, just taking it all in, knowing that they both made it. They were safe.
-o-o-o-o-
"Tink doing good?" Sue asks appearing beside Santana who just appeared inside the same room she had vacated.
"She's awake," was Santana's clipped answer, eyes downcast, not knowing why she was feeling the way she did.
Sue eyes the Latina, surprised at the connection the two friends shared, "And is she well?"
Santana's eyes close as she whispers, "She doesn't remember me, and she can't speak."
They stay silent, somehow both needing a few minutes for the situation to sink in before Santana breaks the silence.
"She needs me more than ever," she says, "You need to send me back."
"I will soon."
-o-o-o-o-
Quinn brushes back some hair, tucking it behind the sleeping girl's ear, she whips her head round when she hears voices outside the door. She turns around and was surprised to find brown eyes looking at her.
"Hi," she whispers smiling.
-o-o-o-o-
She felt fingers on her hair, and heard faint noises from afar. Her eyes open, and sees a girl standing beside her bed making her heart beat so hard, she thought it would burst out of her chest. When their eyes finally meet, everything stops.
I know you.
Then the girl said hi and smiled.
I know that voice
And she smiles back.
You're the only thing I remember.
-o-o-o-o-