The Way To Each Other - Chapter Eighteen
Title: The Way To Each Other
Author: Sio & Maura
Rating: Hard NC-17
Length: Epic (230,271)
Spoilers: This is AU. Some mentions of Seasons 1 & 2 events though handled differently than in canon.
Pairing: Santana/Quinn
Summary: Santana's life is far harder than it appears to the average viewer. Her dad's in jail and her mom turns tricks in their old family home. Worst yet, Santana herself has to do the same to keep her mom alive and food in her belly. Can Quinn save her? Or will Quinn's domineering father ruin everything? For the Glee Bang
Warnings (highlight to read): talks of suicide, angst, language, graphic het and femslash sex, non-con, dub-con, oral, vaginal, anal, pedophilia, sex work, underage prostitution, abuse, violence sexual and non, minor character death, self-harm, drug use, disease - HIV
Chapter 18
The February morning dawned cold and grey but warmer than it had been for the last few months. The sound of bluebirds flocking in the tree outside the house announced the coming of spring and the final end of the long cold winter. Quinn woke up slowly, just lying snuggled down in the warmth of her bed and breathing the chill air of the room as she let herself take the time to wake gradually.
She smiled as she finally opened her eyes, blinking first at the tousled head of dark hair peeking out from the mound of nearly all the blankets at her side and then the calendar just visible over the mound’s shoulder across the room. She could see the date circled in a red marker and grinned as she realized what day it was. Leaning over, she slid a small wrapped package out of her nightstand drawer and slipped it under Santana’s pillow before digging into the blanket pile to wrap her arms around her friend and hug her close.
“Happy birthday, Santana,” she murmured into the girl’s ear with a pleased smile.
"Sleepy." Santana whimpered as she turned her face from the two kittens who had snuggled under her neck to the other girl. She moved and rested her head on Quinn's shoulder and she tried to drift off to sleep once more.
“But it’s your birthday, San,” Quinn laughed softly at her friend’s sleepy behavior. “You’re sixteen today and I even got you a present. Don’t you want it?”
"Present??" She perked up a bit as she lifted her head up, "I like presents." She yawned and let her head fall back to Quinn’s shoulder with a soft thump. "But, it's sleepytimes. Quinn."
“It’s morning, San. Don’t you hear the birds singing outside?” Quinn smiled, one hand gently rubbing Santana’s back as she allowed herself to relax with her friend. “I bet Cindy and Aunt Becca will be up soon if they aren’t yet and don’t you want to see Pony on your birthday?”
Santana smiled at the mention of her pony. "Pony," She mumbled as she moved closer to Quinn and let her lips brush softly against Quinn's neck.
Quinn shivered at the brush. They hadn’t even kissed since Santana had run away and Cindy brought her home though their physical closeness had increased. Her arms tightened briefly around Santana at the kiss and she sighed softly. “Yeah, don’t you want to go see Pony? And get your presents? I think Cindy got you something cool, but she’s been pretty secretive about it.”
Santana's eyes flickered open and she pulled away with a yawn. "Yeah. What did you get me?" She smiled innocently. Santana hadn't had a birthday in years, she forgot about hers last year and Brittany and Quinn made her cupcakes the year before. But, no one ever really gave her presents since her dad went to jail. "You didn't have to get me anything, Quinn." She said as she struggled to sit up and bring the kittens to her lap.
“I know,” Quinn shrugged, helping Santana sit up as she pulled the brightly wrapped package out from under Santana’s pillow, “but I wanted to. I would have last year if things weren’t so crazy with… well,” she shrugged with and awkward smile as she recalled her pregnancy scare, “you know. Here.” She handed her the package, watching as she started to unwrap it, “I read it’s good to write stuff down when you’re upset or things are just crazy and I thought this might help you feel more, I don’t know, in control or something.”
Santana smiled and ran her fingers over the leather cover of the journal. "I love it, Quinn." she smiled and leaned over and kissed the girl's cheek. "You're amazing, thank you so much."
“Not really,” Quinn shrugged with a shy blush, looking down at her hands in her lap, “I just want you to be okay. And I know you don’t really like talking and stuff but maybe you could get things out that are bothering you this way and... not have to talk if you don’t want.”
"Okay." She said softly as she hugged the journal. "We should get dressed and go see Pony now?" She said with a smile, "I wanna make sure he and Beauty eat breakfast."
“Yeah. That sounds good,” Quinn got off the bed, holding out a hand to help Santana if she needed it. “Then maybe we can find out what Cindy and Aunt Becca have been so secretive about all week.” She smiled, moving to the closet to pull out warm clothes, tossing Santana one of her sweaters and a pair of old Cheerio sweats. “Unless you’d like to walk across the hall in your pajamas?”
Santana pulled the sweatpants over her sleep shorts and pulled on the sweatshirt. "I like wearing your clothing." she said with a shrug as she moved to go get her boots and socks from her room. She pulled them on and waited for Quinn, "I'm gonna get Beauty an apple from the fridge," she stated as she moved to the kitchen.
Quinn took a deep breath as she stretched coming out of her room in jeans and a sweater. “Mmm, smells like coffee, bacon and eggs. I think Cindy or Aunt Becca’s up. I’ll fix us a couple of cups of coffee and come out with you if you want? Or do you want some bonding time with Pony and his mom on your own?”
The birthday girl blushed and took Quinn's hand. "I want you to come, you're still helping me pick his name right?" She asked as she tugged Quinn's fingers with a smile. "I want you to be around me today and it's my birthday, so you gotta do what I want." She smirked and pulled Quinn down the stairs towards the door to the barns.
“Of course I’m helping, but don’t you want coffee?” Quinn laughed, lacing her fingers with Santana’s and letting herself be pulled along.
“Coffee after Pony." She said sternly as she headed outside and moved as quickly as she could into the barn and down to the larger stall where the mother and colt were being kept now that Cindy had determiend they didn't need to be in isolation any more. She pushed open the door and was quickly greeted with a whinny and a tiny horse prancing over to her. "Hi, baby boy." She smiled and carefully sat on her relocated bean bag and let the horse come to her and nuzzle her. "Hi, Beauty." She smiled as she rubbed the nose of the mother horse when she came over to her as well.
Quinn smiled fondly to see Santana interacting with the horses. She always looked at peace when she was with them and actually happy. She leaned on the stall door and sighed wistfully, wishing she could make the younger girl that happy. “Gee, with all that love, are you sure you need me around?” she teased.
"Yes." Santana patted the spot next to her, "Because I love you the most," she whispered and looked down at her hand against the bean bag.
“Do you?” Quinn teased, coming over and sitting beside her on the bean bag, nudging her with her shoulder as Pony came over to sniff her curiously, “Well, good because I’d hate to think my best friend loved me less than a couple of horses.” She smiled, swallowing down the curious feeling - almost like fear - in her chest and throat at hearing Santana tell her she loved her the most.
"Um.." she bit her lip not sure if Quinn was understanding what she was trying to say. She never had felt love for anyone, and was scared to admit that she loved Quinn. "No.. Quinn.. I mean it different." She said softly, "Not like friends."
Quinn was trembling but tried to smile before her eyes dropped to her lap. “No, you don’t. You’re just kidding, right?” She was scared that if Santana loved her as more than friends she’d mess everything up. She couldn’t think of a single instance where someone told her that they loved her and she hadn’t destroyed everything either on purpose or by accident. “San, I hurt people who love me... you know that. You’ve seen me do it...” Her voice was shaking and she couldn’t raise her eyes from her hands, “I don’t want to hurt you... I don’t.”
Santana bit her lip and looked away from the girl she loved, "Okay." She whispered, "Then.. then I don't okay? If that's what you want then I don't." She fixed her gaze on Pony and tried to not feel heart broken.
Quinn wanted to cry. “But it’s not what I want,” she sounded lost, “I just don’t want to hurt you. I don’t know how to let someone love me without hurting them. I don’t want you to be like the guys I’ve dated, San. Can’t you understand that? I don’t want to hurt you!”
"You won’t." Santana said simply, "Unlike everyone else I've ever met you don't want anything from me. You just wanna be around me. You don't ever have to feel the same but, I do wanna love you and it's gonna happen either way so you can ignore it or accept it."
She finally managed to look up at Santana with a tremulous smile. “I just want you to be happy, Santana,” she whispered, “but I don’t know if I can love you enough or the right way. I,” she licked her lips, looking uncertain, “I’ve never felt like this. I used to think I couldn’t. I don’t want to hurt you if I can’t, San...”
"No matter what, you make me happy and if that's all it can be... I'll live with that." She sniffled and laid an apple slice onto her hand and fed it to Beauty. "I just don't know what you want from me if you don't want to love me because you're scared."
Quinn took a deep breath and worried at her lip while scratching Pony’s head before speaking again. “I... that’s not it, Santana.” She sighed, “It’s not that I don’t want to, I just,” she shrugged, “I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel. I don’t think I really know what love is.” She picked up a piece of straw and started peeling it apart to have something to do with her hands, “I know you’re the most important person in my life. I know it terrified me when I found you missing and I know I never want anything to happen to you...” She glanced over at Santana shyly, “I know it makes me happy being around you.”
Santana nodded, "That's what I thought love was, Quinn. That's what Cindy told me it was..." She licked her lips slightly, "I just wanted you to know... I didn't know what love felt like either so I asked and how Cindy described it is how I feel." She handed the other slice to the horse and sighed, "Don't say anything now just think and whatever and you can bring it up again if you want sometime."
“I just,” she sighed softly, “I just want to be sure before I say something like that.” The words came out as a whisper and she offered her hand palm up, “Maybe we can figure it out together? Like, I don’t know, d-dating or something?”
"You wanna date me?" Santana asked confused, she had never dated anymore before. "I don't really... I don't know how to do that but okay. Can we still sleep in the same bed?" She cocked her head to the side to look at the blonde and take her hand. "Cause I like doing that. Can that be dating?"
Quinn shrugged, smiling shyly, “Sure, why not? It’s not like either of us knows what we’re doing, so it can be whatever we want, right? But maybe when the snow melts and I can borrow a car we could,” she bit her lip, shrugging one shoulder, “maybe go into town and I could buy you dinner or something? Like just us?”
"Cool." She smiled as she pet the horse's head and placed a small kiss to Pony's nose. "This little guy still needs a name, Quinn." She looked over at her expectantly, "I believe that was your job."
“I thought his name was Pony,” she teased, nudging her friend. “San, I’m not the most imaginative person for names...”
"Hmm. He needs a better name than Pony for the future." She said softly, pressing another kiss to the baby's head. "We should head back inside for coffee and whatever..." She said once she stood up and stretched. She pet both horses goodbye and offered Quinn her hand.
Quinn took the offered hand and stood up with a grin, “Coffee and presents, San. It’s your sweet sixteen and I want to know what Cindy and Aunt Becca have been up to all week, don’t you?” Her smile turned shy, “Since we’re maybe dating and there’s still a lot of snow out, can I carry you in?”
Santana rolled her eyes and lifted her arms up and wrapped them around Quinn's neck. "Are you gonna keep doing this when my legs are better?" She asked softly as she nuzzled her nose into Quinn's neck. She held on tightly as they walked into the house.
“Maybe,” Quinn blushed, “I like being able to keep you close like this. I just,” she shrugged, making her way down the dug out path, “I like it.”
"I like it too." She whispered as she closed her eyes and held on tightly.
Cindy was setting the coffee table in the living room with breakfast when she heard the door open. She wanted Santana to be comfortable and happy on her birthday. She set down the fruit and coffee before heading into the kitchen to check on Rebecca.
"The girls are back inside." She smiled and kissed her lover’s neck. "You ready?"
“A little scared,” Rebecca admitted, glancing over at Cindy nervously. “What if she says no? What if she doesn’t want to be our daughter? She... she doesn’t still think I hate her does she?”
"That little girl needs a family," Cindy smiled and hugged her wife. "Look, I doubt she'll say no. I think that she wants to stay here, but I also know we're gonna need to explain it to her. She's never felt like anyone wanted her and now we all do. I don't think we should tell her about her dad though. I know he didn't want to give up his parental rights... and I know he gets out soon. But, we need to let her have this, just let her be a kid and innocent for a little while."
Rebecca nodded, reaching over to let her hand rest on the cheerfully wrapped thin box sitting on the counter. “Are you sure this is the best way to ask though? Surprises are rarely a good thing in either of our professions. I don’t want her to feel like she has to say yes, Cindy.”
"I think it will be okay. Now let's feed the hungry teenagers before we shock the hell out of them." She kissed Becca softly before grabbing two plates and bringing them into the living room.
"Happy Birthday, Santana." She smiled as she put down the plates and moved to gently hug the girl. "How are Beauty and Pony today?"
"Awesome, except Quinn's not helping me think of a proper name for Pony." She pouted and tugged Quinn's hand as they moved to the floor. Santana sat down carefully on the pillow and took a sip of her coffee. She looked down when she heard a soft meow, "Toast, what are you doing down here?" she asked as she put him on her lap.
"Rebecca is breaking the rules today and letting Toast and Blackie join the party."
"I'm helping!" Quinn protested, sitting down and catching Blackie before he could jump on the table and get into the food, "It's not my fault I'm not very creative with names. Now what's going in? It's got to be pretty big if you're letting San's kittens come out of my room, Aunt Becca."
Rebecca did her best to look too dignified to respond to the prodding from her niece. "It's Santana's sixteenth birthday today. That's a sufficiently big deal, don't you think? Now eat your breakfast before it gets cold and Cindy and I have a birthday gift for Santana afterwards."
"You didn't need to get me anything, living here is more than enough," she stated before she ate a bit of her eggs. "This is freaking good." Santana smiled as she looked up, before slipping one of her pieces of bacon onto Quinn's plate.
Quinn shook her head with a smile noticing the furtive attempt and dropping a couple of strawberries on Santana’s plate in exchange. “Aunt Becca really is a good cook,” she grinned at her aunt, taking a bite of her own eggs, “Thank you for making breakfast.”
“You’re welcome, Quinn and Santana, that is utter nonsense,” Rebecca smiled at the younger girl, “You turned sixteen today. All sorts of doors have opened up for you now and, well,” she smiled shyly at her wife, “Cindy and I feel you deserve this.”
Santana raised her eyebrow and ate a strawberry, "Um. Okay, cool. Thanks, I guess." She said softly as she ate and reached for Quinn's hand out of nerves. She didn't like attention being on her, she didn't want that but she was trying to overcome it. "I've never really celebrated my birthday, so thanks." she smiled.
Quinn took her hand, squeezing it gently with a reassuring smile as they finished eating. Once everyone was done and the plates were cleared away, Cindy brought in the package with a tiny smile and set it in Santana’s lap. “I know it doesn’t look like much, but we hope you’ll like it.” She sat beside her wife, wrapping an arm around the other woman’s shoulders as they watched Santana for a reaction.
Nervously Santana opened the box and pushed aside the purple paper around the item. She looked down at the document inside the box. Petition for adoption. She looked at it confused for a few minutes before flipping through it. Her breath caught when she saw her dad's signature on a line and she fought back tears. "I... i don't understand." She whispered like her breath had been knocked out of her. "I don’t get it."
Cindy looked at Rebecca, nodding at Santana to let her explain. Rebecca nodded, taking a breath and smiling hopefully at the girl, “We... would like to adopt you, Santana.” She paused for a moment, letting that sink in. “I mean, if you want, we would like you to be our daughter. Legally.”
Quinn looked stunned, unable to stop glancing between Santana and her aunts. “You want to adopt San? Like, make it so this is her home for real? For real, right? Forever?”
Cindy nodded, “That’s right. Forever. We’ve always wanted children of our own, but with your father willing to cut off our contact with you, we couldn’t risk it. Then you came and brought Santana with you and well,” she smiled wistfully at Santana, “she just seems to fit with us. We’d really like to be your parents or your family or whatever you want to call us, Santana.”
Santana was overwhelmed to say the least. "My dad gave me up?" she whispered knowing that she shouldn't have hoped that someday she could have kept her family, or at least a part of her biological family. She sniffled and looked at the paper, seeing the unfit parenting certificate that Sue had filed against her mother and the legal reports of her mother’s death and HIV status. She read through the papers silently finding more out about her parents then she ever knew. "And... you wanna keep me? Even though..." she looked up with red eyes. "I'm sick. Why do you want a sick kid?"
“You’re not a sick kid, Santana,” Cindy explained patiently, “You’re you and we love you and want you to be part of our family.”
“Your dad gave you up because he doesn’t think he can offer you what we can while he’s still in prison.” Rebecca sighed softly, knowing losing her family had to hurt, “But he made us promise to let him see you if you wanted to as a contingency of surrendering his legal rights to you. He’s still your dad, Santana. No matter what the law says, he’ll always be your father. No one can take that away. All he’s given up is custody of you so that we can adopt you. If you want him in your life, that’s entirely up to you.”
“San,” Quinn whispered, squeezing her hand, a bit overwhelmed, but hopeful for her friend, “you’d never have to leave... this would be your home. Forever.”
“Quinn,” Cindy called out softly, stopping her. “Santana, if... if you don’t want us to adopt you, you can still stay here. We won’t kick you out. This is your home for as long as you want it, whether you want to be our daughter or not.”
"I don't really know what to say." She whispered, "I never... I never was wanted." She wiped her running nose with her sleeve and looked at them. "You really wanna keep me?"
“You’re wanted, Santana,” Rebecca smiled at her, “You’re wanted by everyone in this room. And we would like very much to be able to keep you forever and call you ours.”
"Okay." She whispered as a few tears fell out of her eyes and onto Toast. "I'd like that." Santana whispered as she put the papers back into the box. "I'd like that."
Cindy scooted over to hug the tiny girl, “Would you like to go into the city with us this afternoon and file the papers? We didn’t want to file until we were sure you wanted it. We can make an evening of it and get some cake somewhere. What do you think?”
Santana hugged her back then moved to hug Rebecca before shyly moving to sit in Quinn's lap. "Yeah. I... think that would be... yeah." She smiled and nuzzled into Quinn's neck shyly.
Quinn just wrapped her arms around Santana, quietly rocking her with a little smile. “I’m glad you’re going to be part of my family in this way too, San. You’re still my best friend,” her voice dropped until only she and Santana could hear it as she breathed across her ear, her cheeks heating slightly, “and my girlfriend, right?”
"Always." Santana exhaled softly as she rested into Quinn's arms.
The two women watched the girls. One with trepidation, not wanting her niece to be hurt by falling for someone who was sick or risk getting sick herself. The other with the quiet amusement of an older person watching the hesitant beginnings of love in the younger generation.
After the court and the papers were filed Santana tugged Quinn's hand as she moved out to the court yard. "I can't believe this is happening." She whispered as she looked into her new girlfriends eyes. "I never thought anyone would want me."
Quinn shrugged, "I've always wanted you, San. You just didn't always want me." She offered a lopsided smile, "And now you're on your way to having a real family too. And my aunts want you a lot more than my mom and dad want me. At least your dad gave you up because he couldn't take care of you."
"I've never wanted anything." She shrugged as she squeezed Quinn's hand. "Now, I want you. I just want you and now your aunts want to give me a family and that makes me feel wanted." she frowned when Quinn started talking about her dad. "Your aunts wanted you and you're here with them. And me." She smiled and kissed the girl's hand.
"I'm glad you're here," Quinn admitted with a tiny smile, squeezing Santana's hand and using it to pull her into a hug. Resting her face in the crook of Santana's neck, she hugged her tight, "You're the closest I have to a real family since mine doesn't want me. I know my aunts love me and stuff, but Aunt Becca's my guardian. That's it. I'm so glad they love you enough to adopt you. I don't know what I'd do without you, San."
"You'll never have to find that out, Q." Santana whispered as she hugged Quinn. "I promise I'm not going anywhere." Her arms tightened around the girl. "And it's a good thing that Cindy adopted me so legally I can still be with you without it getting awkward."
"Who says it won't get awkward?" Quinn pulled back to look at Santana with a watery smile, reaching up to wipe at her eyes with the heel of her palm, "I mean, it's us, right?"
"This is true." She whispered, "Where do you wanna go to dinner? Rebecca said we could pick and I don't really know what's around here." she said as she pulled away and ran her fingers through Quinn's hair.
"I don't really know either to be honest," Quinn sniffed, getting control of herself again. "What kind of food would you like? I bet they could find something if they knew that."
She was mildly embarrassed, "I've only ever been to Breadstix in the last few years. I can’t remember anytime I had food out besides the time you and I went to Breadstix a few months ago..." She said softly.
"Well, that means you have lots of room to experiment then," Quinn grinned, perking up, "and," she added with a shy blush, "I have lots of places to take you on like dates and stuff."
"So, girlfriend," Santana said as she saw the older women come out of the courthouse, "you better come through on these dates, since I've never been on one before." She smiled as pulled away, as they came closer. "But you'll be there so I know I'll love it."
"You ladies ready?" Cindy beamed coming towards the teenagers, "I'm starving, that took way longer then I thought it would."
"Is everything okay?" Santana asked as she looked at Rebecca, "Are you gonna be able to keep me?"
Cindy squeezed her wife's hand and smiled, "Totally, Chica. It will take a couple week but yeah... you're stuck with us now."
"Actually," Quinn pointed out with a teasing grin, sliding an arm around her new girlfriend's waist a bit shyly, "she's always been stuck with us. Now there's just legal paperwork agreeing with that fact."
"You're exactly right, Quinn. Santana, I do realize it's your birthday, but as you're unfamiliar with the area still and Quinn has told me all about how much you loved your local Italian eatery, may I suggest Italian for dinner?" Rebecca smiled warmly at the birthday girl, "It may not be Breadsticks, but they do bake their bread fresh daily in the restaurant."
Santana looked excited and nodded enthusiastically, "Okay!" she smiled, already pondering how many breadsticks she could eat.
Once seated at the restaurant a basket of breadsticks were brought to the table and Santana's eye's went wide. "Sticks...." She moaned as she quickly picked one up and bit into it. "Mmmmm." She smiled as she continued eating as Cindy watched with her mouth open.
"Okay.. So Santana likes Sticks isn't a euphemism for anything. Child loves breadsticks."
Quinn laughed, resting on cheek on her fist as she watched Santana. "I tried to tell you, Cindy. And what is with you and euphemisms anyway?" She glanced at the blushing older woman curiously, "Both Santana and I tend to mean exactly what we say but you...keep thinking we're referring to something else? What are you thinking we mean?"
Rebecca leaned back in her seat looking at Cindy expectantly with a smirk, "Oh this should be good. Do tell the girls what sort of things go through your mind, dear."
"Uh." Cindy shrugged as she took a sip of her wine. "I mean like... um. I'm just teasing you guys..." She said trying to stifle a smile as she watched the girls.
Santana was munching on her breadsticks and slipped her hand under the table and rested her hand on Quinn's leg. She ran her finger tip over her the blonde's thigh with a smile. "I like breadsticks. I like took a wheelbarrow out full once." What she was not saying was that it was so she could feed herself and her mom for a long time, but she was still impressed by her 12 year old ability to get her way.
Quinn chuckled, catching Santana's hand and giving her a pointed, but fond look. "Santana doesn't quite know the meaning of giving up. She does know the meaning of intimidation and has applied it successfully from a young age."
"Just teasing, hmm, dear?" Rebecca murmured, taking a sip of her Coke.
"Yup." Santana smiled as she looked over at Quinn's menu with her because she was too lazy to open her own. "People be scared of the Lime Heights Adjacent." She shrugged and looked at the choices. "Quinn..." She wined, "What should I get?"
Cindy just shook her head and looked at her wife. "Seriously, they make me wanna puke they're so cute." She whispered as the girls entered their own world.
"Pick two things and you can get one and I'll get the other and we can split them," Quinn suggested reasonably, leaning over the menu with Santana.
"Leave them alone, Cindy," Rebecca murmured, "I don't want either of them getting hurt, but I can't stop this either so just don't push them someplace they can't come back from."
"Please," Cindy rolled her eyes, "They aren't even thinking about that... they're like flirting 11 year olds with how emotionally stunted they are." She whispered knowing they couldn't hear her. "They'll be fine babe."
Santana nodded and looked at the menu, "You like shrimp right? Why don't we get a shrimp Alfredo and a chicken Marsala?" She said as she rested her head on Quinn's shoulder.
"That sounds great, San," Quinn murmured with a smile, tracing her thumb over the palm of Santana's head as she rested against her.
Rebecca sighed softly watching them for a moment before ordering then turning to kiss Cindy's cheek, "They are quite affectionate together. As much as I wish Santana was healthier, I can't deny that I'm happy to see our little Quinn opening up to someone like that."
"We'll make sure Santana stays healthy. She'll be on our insurance so she can get the medications that she needs... I've known people who have never really been affected by having HIV so hopefully her body is strong and she can fight it." Cindy said softly, "I'm more worried about her legs right now and as soon as it thaws physical therapy starts again full force." She insisted, "Babe, I promise we can handle this and get them through it."
"I hope you're right," Rebecca whispered reaching for Cindy's hand, "I just don't want Quinn to face the sort of loss I did with my parents."
"I know you don't... so we'll take her to the doctor and get her everything she needs... Quinn too. It's what moms do, baby."
Chapter Nineteen
Author: Sio & Maura
Rating: Hard NC-17
Length: Epic (230,271)
Spoilers: This is AU. Some mentions of Seasons 1 & 2 events though handled differently than in canon.
Pairing: Santana/Quinn
Summary: Santana's life is far harder than it appears to the average viewer. Her dad's in jail and her mom turns tricks in their old family home. Worst yet, Santana herself has to do the same to keep her mom alive and food in her belly. Can Quinn save her? Or will Quinn's domineering father ruin everything? For the Glee Bang
Warnings (highlight to read): talks of suicide, angst, language, graphic het and femslash sex, non-con, dub-con, oral, vaginal, anal, pedophilia, sex work, underage prostitution, abuse, violence sexual and non, minor character death, self-harm, drug use, disease - HIV
Chapter 18
The February morning dawned cold and grey but warmer than it had been for the last few months. The sound of bluebirds flocking in the tree outside the house announced the coming of spring and the final end of the long cold winter. Quinn woke up slowly, just lying snuggled down in the warmth of her bed and breathing the chill air of the room as she let herself take the time to wake gradually.
She smiled as she finally opened her eyes, blinking first at the tousled head of dark hair peeking out from the mound of nearly all the blankets at her side and then the calendar just visible over the mound’s shoulder across the room. She could see the date circled in a red marker and grinned as she realized what day it was. Leaning over, she slid a small wrapped package out of her nightstand drawer and slipped it under Santana’s pillow before digging into the blanket pile to wrap her arms around her friend and hug her close.
“Happy birthday, Santana,” she murmured into the girl’s ear with a pleased smile.
"Sleepy." Santana whimpered as she turned her face from the two kittens who had snuggled under her neck to the other girl. She moved and rested her head on Quinn's shoulder and she tried to drift off to sleep once more.
“But it’s your birthday, San,” Quinn laughed softly at her friend’s sleepy behavior. “You’re sixteen today and I even got you a present. Don’t you want it?”
"Present??" She perked up a bit as she lifted her head up, "I like presents." She yawned and let her head fall back to Quinn’s shoulder with a soft thump. "But, it's sleepytimes. Quinn."
“It’s morning, San. Don’t you hear the birds singing outside?” Quinn smiled, one hand gently rubbing Santana’s back as she allowed herself to relax with her friend. “I bet Cindy and Aunt Becca will be up soon if they aren’t yet and don’t you want to see Pony on your birthday?”
Santana smiled at the mention of her pony. "Pony," She mumbled as she moved closer to Quinn and let her lips brush softly against Quinn's neck.
Quinn shivered at the brush. They hadn’t even kissed since Santana had run away and Cindy brought her home though their physical closeness had increased. Her arms tightened briefly around Santana at the kiss and she sighed softly. “Yeah, don’t you want to go see Pony? And get your presents? I think Cindy got you something cool, but she’s been pretty secretive about it.”
Santana's eyes flickered open and she pulled away with a yawn. "Yeah. What did you get me?" She smiled innocently. Santana hadn't had a birthday in years, she forgot about hers last year and Brittany and Quinn made her cupcakes the year before. But, no one ever really gave her presents since her dad went to jail. "You didn't have to get me anything, Quinn." She said as she struggled to sit up and bring the kittens to her lap.
“I know,” Quinn shrugged, helping Santana sit up as she pulled the brightly wrapped package out from under Santana’s pillow, “but I wanted to. I would have last year if things weren’t so crazy with… well,” she shrugged with and awkward smile as she recalled her pregnancy scare, “you know. Here.” She handed her the package, watching as she started to unwrap it, “I read it’s good to write stuff down when you’re upset or things are just crazy and I thought this might help you feel more, I don’t know, in control or something.”
Santana smiled and ran her fingers over the leather cover of the journal. "I love it, Quinn." she smiled and leaned over and kissed the girl's cheek. "You're amazing, thank you so much."
“Not really,” Quinn shrugged with a shy blush, looking down at her hands in her lap, “I just want you to be okay. And I know you don’t really like talking and stuff but maybe you could get things out that are bothering you this way and... not have to talk if you don’t want.”
"Okay." She said softly as she hugged the journal. "We should get dressed and go see Pony now?" She said with a smile, "I wanna make sure he and Beauty eat breakfast."
“Yeah. That sounds good,” Quinn got off the bed, holding out a hand to help Santana if she needed it. “Then maybe we can find out what Cindy and Aunt Becca have been so secretive about all week.” She smiled, moving to the closet to pull out warm clothes, tossing Santana one of her sweaters and a pair of old Cheerio sweats. “Unless you’d like to walk across the hall in your pajamas?”
Santana pulled the sweatpants over her sleep shorts and pulled on the sweatshirt. "I like wearing your clothing." she said with a shrug as she moved to go get her boots and socks from her room. She pulled them on and waited for Quinn, "I'm gonna get Beauty an apple from the fridge," she stated as she moved to the kitchen.
Quinn took a deep breath as she stretched coming out of her room in jeans and a sweater. “Mmm, smells like coffee, bacon and eggs. I think Cindy or Aunt Becca’s up. I’ll fix us a couple of cups of coffee and come out with you if you want? Or do you want some bonding time with Pony and his mom on your own?”
The birthday girl blushed and took Quinn's hand. "I want you to come, you're still helping me pick his name right?" She asked as she tugged Quinn's fingers with a smile. "I want you to be around me today and it's my birthday, so you gotta do what I want." She smirked and pulled Quinn down the stairs towards the door to the barns.
“Of course I’m helping, but don’t you want coffee?” Quinn laughed, lacing her fingers with Santana’s and letting herself be pulled along.
“Coffee after Pony." She said sternly as she headed outside and moved as quickly as she could into the barn and down to the larger stall where the mother and colt were being kept now that Cindy had determiend they didn't need to be in isolation any more. She pushed open the door and was quickly greeted with a whinny and a tiny horse prancing over to her. "Hi, baby boy." She smiled and carefully sat on her relocated bean bag and let the horse come to her and nuzzle her. "Hi, Beauty." She smiled as she rubbed the nose of the mother horse when she came over to her as well.
Quinn smiled fondly to see Santana interacting with the horses. She always looked at peace when she was with them and actually happy. She leaned on the stall door and sighed wistfully, wishing she could make the younger girl that happy. “Gee, with all that love, are you sure you need me around?” she teased.
"Yes." Santana patted the spot next to her, "Because I love you the most," she whispered and looked down at her hand against the bean bag.
“Do you?” Quinn teased, coming over and sitting beside her on the bean bag, nudging her with her shoulder as Pony came over to sniff her curiously, “Well, good because I’d hate to think my best friend loved me less than a couple of horses.” She smiled, swallowing down the curious feeling - almost like fear - in her chest and throat at hearing Santana tell her she loved her the most.
"Um.." she bit her lip not sure if Quinn was understanding what she was trying to say. She never had felt love for anyone, and was scared to admit that she loved Quinn. "No.. Quinn.. I mean it different." She said softly, "Not like friends."
Quinn was trembling but tried to smile before her eyes dropped to her lap. “No, you don’t. You’re just kidding, right?” She was scared that if Santana loved her as more than friends she’d mess everything up. She couldn’t think of a single instance where someone told her that they loved her and she hadn’t destroyed everything either on purpose or by accident. “San, I hurt people who love me... you know that. You’ve seen me do it...” Her voice was shaking and she couldn’t raise her eyes from her hands, “I don’t want to hurt you... I don’t.”
Santana bit her lip and looked away from the girl she loved, "Okay." She whispered, "Then.. then I don't okay? If that's what you want then I don't." She fixed her gaze on Pony and tried to not feel heart broken.
Quinn wanted to cry. “But it’s not what I want,” she sounded lost, “I just don’t want to hurt you. I don’t know how to let someone love me without hurting them. I don’t want you to be like the guys I’ve dated, San. Can’t you understand that? I don’t want to hurt you!”
"You won’t." Santana said simply, "Unlike everyone else I've ever met you don't want anything from me. You just wanna be around me. You don't ever have to feel the same but, I do wanna love you and it's gonna happen either way so you can ignore it or accept it."
She finally managed to look up at Santana with a tremulous smile. “I just want you to be happy, Santana,” she whispered, “but I don’t know if I can love you enough or the right way. I,” she licked her lips, looking uncertain, “I’ve never felt like this. I used to think I couldn’t. I don’t want to hurt you if I can’t, San...”
"No matter what, you make me happy and if that's all it can be... I'll live with that." She sniffled and laid an apple slice onto her hand and fed it to Beauty. "I just don't know what you want from me if you don't want to love me because you're scared."
Quinn took a deep breath and worried at her lip while scratching Pony’s head before speaking again. “I... that’s not it, Santana.” She sighed, “It’s not that I don’t want to, I just,” she shrugged, “I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel. I don’t think I really know what love is.” She picked up a piece of straw and started peeling it apart to have something to do with her hands, “I know you’re the most important person in my life. I know it terrified me when I found you missing and I know I never want anything to happen to you...” She glanced over at Santana shyly, “I know it makes me happy being around you.”
Santana nodded, "That's what I thought love was, Quinn. That's what Cindy told me it was..." She licked her lips slightly, "I just wanted you to know... I didn't know what love felt like either so I asked and how Cindy described it is how I feel." She handed the other slice to the horse and sighed, "Don't say anything now just think and whatever and you can bring it up again if you want sometime."
“I just,” she sighed softly, “I just want to be sure before I say something like that.” The words came out as a whisper and she offered her hand palm up, “Maybe we can figure it out together? Like, I don’t know, d-dating or something?”
"You wanna date me?" Santana asked confused, she had never dated anymore before. "I don't really... I don't know how to do that but okay. Can we still sleep in the same bed?" She cocked her head to the side to look at the blonde and take her hand. "Cause I like doing that. Can that be dating?"
Quinn shrugged, smiling shyly, “Sure, why not? It’s not like either of us knows what we’re doing, so it can be whatever we want, right? But maybe when the snow melts and I can borrow a car we could,” she bit her lip, shrugging one shoulder, “maybe go into town and I could buy you dinner or something? Like just us?”
"Cool." She smiled as she pet the horse's head and placed a small kiss to Pony's nose. "This little guy still needs a name, Quinn." She looked over at her expectantly, "I believe that was your job."
“I thought his name was Pony,” she teased, nudging her friend. “San, I’m not the most imaginative person for names...”
"Hmm. He needs a better name than Pony for the future." She said softly, pressing another kiss to the baby's head. "We should head back inside for coffee and whatever..." She said once she stood up and stretched. She pet both horses goodbye and offered Quinn her hand.
Quinn took the offered hand and stood up with a grin, “Coffee and presents, San. It’s your sweet sixteen and I want to know what Cindy and Aunt Becca have been up to all week, don’t you?” Her smile turned shy, “Since we’re maybe dating and there’s still a lot of snow out, can I carry you in?”
Santana rolled her eyes and lifted her arms up and wrapped them around Quinn's neck. "Are you gonna keep doing this when my legs are better?" She asked softly as she nuzzled her nose into Quinn's neck. She held on tightly as they walked into the house.
“Maybe,” Quinn blushed, “I like being able to keep you close like this. I just,” she shrugged, making her way down the dug out path, “I like it.”
"I like it too." She whispered as she closed her eyes and held on tightly.
Cindy was setting the coffee table in the living room with breakfast when she heard the door open. She wanted Santana to be comfortable and happy on her birthday. She set down the fruit and coffee before heading into the kitchen to check on Rebecca.
"The girls are back inside." She smiled and kissed her lover’s neck. "You ready?"
“A little scared,” Rebecca admitted, glancing over at Cindy nervously. “What if she says no? What if she doesn’t want to be our daughter? She... she doesn’t still think I hate her does she?”
"That little girl needs a family," Cindy smiled and hugged her wife. "Look, I doubt she'll say no. I think that she wants to stay here, but I also know we're gonna need to explain it to her. She's never felt like anyone wanted her and now we all do. I don't think we should tell her about her dad though. I know he didn't want to give up his parental rights... and I know he gets out soon. But, we need to let her have this, just let her be a kid and innocent for a little while."
Rebecca nodded, reaching over to let her hand rest on the cheerfully wrapped thin box sitting on the counter. “Are you sure this is the best way to ask though? Surprises are rarely a good thing in either of our professions. I don’t want her to feel like she has to say yes, Cindy.”
"I think it will be okay. Now let's feed the hungry teenagers before we shock the hell out of them." She kissed Becca softly before grabbing two plates and bringing them into the living room.
"Happy Birthday, Santana." She smiled as she put down the plates and moved to gently hug the girl. "How are Beauty and Pony today?"
"Awesome, except Quinn's not helping me think of a proper name for Pony." She pouted and tugged Quinn's hand as they moved to the floor. Santana sat down carefully on the pillow and took a sip of her coffee. She looked down when she heard a soft meow, "Toast, what are you doing down here?" she asked as she put him on her lap.
"Rebecca is breaking the rules today and letting Toast and Blackie join the party."
"I'm helping!" Quinn protested, sitting down and catching Blackie before he could jump on the table and get into the food, "It's not my fault I'm not very creative with names. Now what's going in? It's got to be pretty big if you're letting San's kittens come out of my room, Aunt Becca."
Rebecca did her best to look too dignified to respond to the prodding from her niece. "It's Santana's sixteenth birthday today. That's a sufficiently big deal, don't you think? Now eat your breakfast before it gets cold and Cindy and I have a birthday gift for Santana afterwards."
"You didn't need to get me anything, living here is more than enough," she stated before she ate a bit of her eggs. "This is freaking good." Santana smiled as she looked up, before slipping one of her pieces of bacon onto Quinn's plate.
Quinn shook her head with a smile noticing the furtive attempt and dropping a couple of strawberries on Santana’s plate in exchange. “Aunt Becca really is a good cook,” she grinned at her aunt, taking a bite of her own eggs, “Thank you for making breakfast.”
“You’re welcome, Quinn and Santana, that is utter nonsense,” Rebecca smiled at the younger girl, “You turned sixteen today. All sorts of doors have opened up for you now and, well,” she smiled shyly at her wife, “Cindy and I feel you deserve this.”
Santana raised her eyebrow and ate a strawberry, "Um. Okay, cool. Thanks, I guess." She said softly as she ate and reached for Quinn's hand out of nerves. She didn't like attention being on her, she didn't want that but she was trying to overcome it. "I've never really celebrated my birthday, so thanks." she smiled.
Quinn took her hand, squeezing it gently with a reassuring smile as they finished eating. Once everyone was done and the plates were cleared away, Cindy brought in the package with a tiny smile and set it in Santana’s lap. “I know it doesn’t look like much, but we hope you’ll like it.” She sat beside her wife, wrapping an arm around the other woman’s shoulders as they watched Santana for a reaction.
Nervously Santana opened the box and pushed aside the purple paper around the item. She looked down at the document inside the box. Petition for adoption. She looked at it confused for a few minutes before flipping through it. Her breath caught when she saw her dad's signature on a line and she fought back tears. "I... i don't understand." She whispered like her breath had been knocked out of her. "I don’t get it."
Cindy looked at Rebecca, nodding at Santana to let her explain. Rebecca nodded, taking a breath and smiling hopefully at the girl, “We... would like to adopt you, Santana.” She paused for a moment, letting that sink in. “I mean, if you want, we would like you to be our daughter. Legally.”
Quinn looked stunned, unable to stop glancing between Santana and her aunts. “You want to adopt San? Like, make it so this is her home for real? For real, right? Forever?”
Cindy nodded, “That’s right. Forever. We’ve always wanted children of our own, but with your father willing to cut off our contact with you, we couldn’t risk it. Then you came and brought Santana with you and well,” she smiled wistfully at Santana, “she just seems to fit with us. We’d really like to be your parents or your family or whatever you want to call us, Santana.”
Santana was overwhelmed to say the least. "My dad gave me up?" she whispered knowing that she shouldn't have hoped that someday she could have kept her family, or at least a part of her biological family. She sniffled and looked at the paper, seeing the unfit parenting certificate that Sue had filed against her mother and the legal reports of her mother’s death and HIV status. She read through the papers silently finding more out about her parents then she ever knew. "And... you wanna keep me? Even though..." she looked up with red eyes. "I'm sick. Why do you want a sick kid?"
“You’re not a sick kid, Santana,” Cindy explained patiently, “You’re you and we love you and want you to be part of our family.”
“Your dad gave you up because he doesn’t think he can offer you what we can while he’s still in prison.” Rebecca sighed softly, knowing losing her family had to hurt, “But he made us promise to let him see you if you wanted to as a contingency of surrendering his legal rights to you. He’s still your dad, Santana. No matter what the law says, he’ll always be your father. No one can take that away. All he’s given up is custody of you so that we can adopt you. If you want him in your life, that’s entirely up to you.”
“San,” Quinn whispered, squeezing her hand, a bit overwhelmed, but hopeful for her friend, “you’d never have to leave... this would be your home. Forever.”
“Quinn,” Cindy called out softly, stopping her. “Santana, if... if you don’t want us to adopt you, you can still stay here. We won’t kick you out. This is your home for as long as you want it, whether you want to be our daughter or not.”
"I don't really know what to say." She whispered, "I never... I never was wanted." She wiped her running nose with her sleeve and looked at them. "You really wanna keep me?"
“You’re wanted, Santana,” Rebecca smiled at her, “You’re wanted by everyone in this room. And we would like very much to be able to keep you forever and call you ours.”
"Okay." She whispered as a few tears fell out of her eyes and onto Toast. "I'd like that." Santana whispered as she put the papers back into the box. "I'd like that."
Cindy scooted over to hug the tiny girl, “Would you like to go into the city with us this afternoon and file the papers? We didn’t want to file until we were sure you wanted it. We can make an evening of it and get some cake somewhere. What do you think?”
Santana hugged her back then moved to hug Rebecca before shyly moving to sit in Quinn's lap. "Yeah. I... think that would be... yeah." She smiled and nuzzled into Quinn's neck shyly.
Quinn just wrapped her arms around Santana, quietly rocking her with a little smile. “I’m glad you’re going to be part of my family in this way too, San. You’re still my best friend,” her voice dropped until only she and Santana could hear it as she breathed across her ear, her cheeks heating slightly, “and my girlfriend, right?”
"Always." Santana exhaled softly as she rested into Quinn's arms.
The two women watched the girls. One with trepidation, not wanting her niece to be hurt by falling for someone who was sick or risk getting sick herself. The other with the quiet amusement of an older person watching the hesitant beginnings of love in the younger generation.
After the court and the papers were filed Santana tugged Quinn's hand as she moved out to the court yard. "I can't believe this is happening." She whispered as she looked into her new girlfriends eyes. "I never thought anyone would want me."
Quinn shrugged, "I've always wanted you, San. You just didn't always want me." She offered a lopsided smile, "And now you're on your way to having a real family too. And my aunts want you a lot more than my mom and dad want me. At least your dad gave you up because he couldn't take care of you."
"I've never wanted anything." She shrugged as she squeezed Quinn's hand. "Now, I want you. I just want you and now your aunts want to give me a family and that makes me feel wanted." she frowned when Quinn started talking about her dad. "Your aunts wanted you and you're here with them. And me." She smiled and kissed the girl's hand.
"I'm glad you're here," Quinn admitted with a tiny smile, squeezing Santana's hand and using it to pull her into a hug. Resting her face in the crook of Santana's neck, she hugged her tight, "You're the closest I have to a real family since mine doesn't want me. I know my aunts love me and stuff, but Aunt Becca's my guardian. That's it. I'm so glad they love you enough to adopt you. I don't know what I'd do without you, San."
"You'll never have to find that out, Q." Santana whispered as she hugged Quinn. "I promise I'm not going anywhere." Her arms tightened around the girl. "And it's a good thing that Cindy adopted me so legally I can still be with you without it getting awkward."
"Who says it won't get awkward?" Quinn pulled back to look at Santana with a watery smile, reaching up to wipe at her eyes with the heel of her palm, "I mean, it's us, right?"
"This is true." She whispered, "Where do you wanna go to dinner? Rebecca said we could pick and I don't really know what's around here." she said as she pulled away and ran her fingers through Quinn's hair.
"I don't really know either to be honest," Quinn sniffed, getting control of herself again. "What kind of food would you like? I bet they could find something if they knew that."
She was mildly embarrassed, "I've only ever been to Breadstix in the last few years. I can’t remember anytime I had food out besides the time you and I went to Breadstix a few months ago..." She said softly.
"Well, that means you have lots of room to experiment then," Quinn grinned, perking up, "and," she added with a shy blush, "I have lots of places to take you on like dates and stuff."
"So, girlfriend," Santana said as she saw the older women come out of the courthouse, "you better come through on these dates, since I've never been on one before." She smiled as pulled away, as they came closer. "But you'll be there so I know I'll love it."
"You ladies ready?" Cindy beamed coming towards the teenagers, "I'm starving, that took way longer then I thought it would."
"Is everything okay?" Santana asked as she looked at Rebecca, "Are you gonna be able to keep me?"
Cindy squeezed her wife's hand and smiled, "Totally, Chica. It will take a couple week but yeah... you're stuck with us now."
"Actually," Quinn pointed out with a teasing grin, sliding an arm around her new girlfriend's waist a bit shyly, "she's always been stuck with us. Now there's just legal paperwork agreeing with that fact."
"You're exactly right, Quinn. Santana, I do realize it's your birthday, but as you're unfamiliar with the area still and Quinn has told me all about how much you loved your local Italian eatery, may I suggest Italian for dinner?" Rebecca smiled warmly at the birthday girl, "It may not be Breadsticks, but they do bake their bread fresh daily in the restaurant."
Santana looked excited and nodded enthusiastically, "Okay!" she smiled, already pondering how many breadsticks she could eat.
Once seated at the restaurant a basket of breadsticks were brought to the table and Santana's eye's went wide. "Sticks...." She moaned as she quickly picked one up and bit into it. "Mmmmm." She smiled as she continued eating as Cindy watched with her mouth open.
"Okay.. So Santana likes Sticks isn't a euphemism for anything. Child loves breadsticks."
Quinn laughed, resting on cheek on her fist as she watched Santana. "I tried to tell you, Cindy. And what is with you and euphemisms anyway?" She glanced at the blushing older woman curiously, "Both Santana and I tend to mean exactly what we say but you...keep thinking we're referring to something else? What are you thinking we mean?"
Rebecca leaned back in her seat looking at Cindy expectantly with a smirk, "Oh this should be good. Do tell the girls what sort of things go through your mind, dear."
"Uh." Cindy shrugged as she took a sip of her wine. "I mean like... um. I'm just teasing you guys..." She said trying to stifle a smile as she watched the girls.
Santana was munching on her breadsticks and slipped her hand under the table and rested her hand on Quinn's leg. She ran her finger tip over her the blonde's thigh with a smile. "I like breadsticks. I like took a wheelbarrow out full once." What she was not saying was that it was so she could feed herself and her mom for a long time, but she was still impressed by her 12 year old ability to get her way.
Quinn chuckled, catching Santana's hand and giving her a pointed, but fond look. "Santana doesn't quite know the meaning of giving up. She does know the meaning of intimidation and has applied it successfully from a young age."
"Just teasing, hmm, dear?" Rebecca murmured, taking a sip of her Coke.
"Yup." Santana smiled as she looked over at Quinn's menu with her because she was too lazy to open her own. "People be scared of the Lime Heights Adjacent." She shrugged and looked at the choices. "Quinn..." She wined, "What should I get?"
Cindy just shook her head and looked at her wife. "Seriously, they make me wanna puke they're so cute." She whispered as the girls entered their own world.
"Pick two things and you can get one and I'll get the other and we can split them," Quinn suggested reasonably, leaning over the menu with Santana.
"Leave them alone, Cindy," Rebecca murmured, "I don't want either of them getting hurt, but I can't stop this either so just don't push them someplace they can't come back from."
"Please," Cindy rolled her eyes, "They aren't even thinking about that... they're like flirting 11 year olds with how emotionally stunted they are." She whispered knowing they couldn't hear her. "They'll be fine babe."
Santana nodded and looked at the menu, "You like shrimp right? Why don't we get a shrimp Alfredo and a chicken Marsala?" She said as she rested her head on Quinn's shoulder.
"That sounds great, San," Quinn murmured with a smile, tracing her thumb over the palm of Santana's head as she rested against her.
Rebecca sighed softly watching them for a moment before ordering then turning to kiss Cindy's cheek, "They are quite affectionate together. As much as I wish Santana was healthier, I can't deny that I'm happy to see our little Quinn opening up to someone like that."
"We'll make sure Santana stays healthy. She'll be on our insurance so she can get the medications that she needs... I've known people who have never really been affected by having HIV so hopefully her body is strong and she can fight it." Cindy said softly, "I'm more worried about her legs right now and as soon as it thaws physical therapy starts again full force." She insisted, "Babe, I promise we can handle this and get them through it."
"I hope you're right," Rebecca whispered reaching for Cindy's hand, "I just don't want Quinn to face the sort of loss I did with my parents."
"I know you don't... so we'll take her to the doctor and get her everything she needs... Quinn too. It's what moms do, baby."
Chapter Nineteen