The first mistake Quinn made was not thinking too far ahead. She had left Finn's house against his half hearted protests. She just couldn't stay. Now however the young girl had no where to go. It was getting late and she couldn't keep driving without purpose. When she parked her car she was vaguely aware she was at the school. It was an option, the only option she knew she had at this point. After spending the last two years as a cheerleader Quinn knew for a fact that the back door in the gymnasium had a broken lock, with that thought in mind she grabbed her bag from the back seat of her car and with extreme hesitation made her way around to other side of the school. The enormity of the situation weighed down on her and everything felt heavier and each move she made took greater effort. As she stepped inside of the school she couldn't help but tremble slightly. The halls were dark, looking large and empty without the usual hustle and bustle of the student body. The only place she could even think of going was to the practice room, the familiarity offering her at least a fraction of comfort.

As the rest of the school, the practice room was dark with only the light of the moon shining through the side window. Quinn set her bag down on one of the chairs, contemplating her next move. Her eyes scanned the room and rested on the pile of mattresses still pushed up against the back wall. Mr. Schuester had admitted to sleeping on one of them. Her aching limbs begged for the relief that the mattresses seemed to offer and she caved in making her way slowly over to where they were stacked and pulling one down and arranging it to the left of the risers, a spot at least slightly hidden from the view of the door. Quinn arranged her backpack as a pillow and she lowered herself down, shifting until she was comfortable and her body relaxed slightly in relief. When she was settled and comfortable everything was quiet. The silence of the school was almost unbearable and the young girl felt fear grip at her chest. Quinn had never liked being alone and ehr last thought before drifting into an uneasy sleep was that she had never felt more alone in her life.

As a hand rested on her shoulder Quinn shot up with a help, her arms instinctively wrapping around herself, her previous fear not entirely faded.

"Quinn it's okay it's me" A voice said frantically.

Very slowly Quinn opened her eyes to Mr. Schuester's own hazel ones. he looked entirely too concerned and Quinn was seized by guilt. She did not deserve his sympathy. His hand still rested on her shoulders and he kept his eyes on her, waiting for her to speak. When she didnt' he let out a sigh.

"What's going on?"

With that the flood gates opened and tears rapidly fell down her cheeks and she choked out a gut wrenching sob. Within seconds Mr. Schuester had his arms around hernd she clung to him, crying into the crook of his neck. Quinn was aware of his hand running soothingly across her back as he whispered words of comfort int oher hair. When she fly calmed down she was so embarrassed by her outburst that she felt her eyes well up again in angry tears. When she pulled back however, her eyes were met by his kind and caring gaze once again.

"I couldn't stay there, he would have let me but I had to get out, I cant hurt him any more then I already have"

Understanding seemed to dawn on her teacher and she had to look down, away from the sympathy that crossed his features.

"Where are you going to stay?"

Quinn focused on playing with the strings of the mattress underneath her not wanting to have to look up at hm and answer a question she had no answers too. She took in a deep breath.

"I'll figure it out."

Mr. Scheu lifted her chin with his fingers so he could hold eye contact with her once again.

"You can stay with me until you figure things out, stay as long as you need too"

The young girls shook her head furiously. There was no way would make things even harder for him then she already had. When she opened her mouth to protest he raised his hands to interrupt her.

"If you are uncomfortable I understand, but I can't leave here today knowing your sleeping on a mattress inside of the school, or that your sleeping in your car. I am asking you to please either stay with me, or let you find somewhere else to stay.

Quinn just stared blankly at him for a minute, processing what he had just said. When she finally found her voice she spoke softly.

"I can't burden you Mr. Scheu, I have managed to destroy three relationships int he span of a few days, one of them being your marriage, I'm destructive and I can't destroy anymore then i already have"

For a moment her teacher looked incredibly sad and Quinn felt bad but then he took one of her hands into his and took a shaky breath, regarding her seriously and silently pleading for her to listen.

"Terri manipulated us both Quinn, I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am that she took advantage of you, not only did she hurt me, but she pulled you along for the ride and hurt you too. I am so sorry"

Quinn felt a fresh wave of tears pool in her eyes again and she squeezed his hand, trying to make him understand that her and Terri Schuesters problems were not his fault. Mr. Scheu offered her the same sad smile and the urge to accept his offer was pulling at her heart strings. Something about the way he was looking at her, she knew he wanted to make up to her the sins his wife had committed. Part of her wanted to do the same for him. In a way they were in this together.

"Mr. Schuester i want to stay with you, but I need to know that you will tell me to go when you want me gone, you have done enough for all of us"

He looked as if he were about to protest but she interrupted him.

"Please"

Quinn headed towards the locker room, Mr. Scheu's school keys in hand. She was in a daze, it was still fairly early in the morning and she had gone from having no options, to a gracious offer she had been hesitant to accept. The gesture was a big one on his part, he was offering his home to her with the sacrafice that someone would find out and he would be in trouble, and the thought that he cared enough to invite her in even with the possible consequences made her heart constrict painfully in her chest. Stepping into the locker room she stood up a little straighter and felt that a bit of the tension had eased from her body since last night, but still the warmth of the showers seemed to be beckoning her. The hot spray of the water seeming as more of a relief. She let it wash over her, carrying some of last nights sorrow down the drain, and easing the ache in her shoulders from her less then convential sleeping arrangements. Once she had showered, her teeth were brushed a she had a bit of makeup on to hide her exhaustion she felt much better, and in the back of her mind she thought that maybe, just maybe things would start to look up from here. When she returned he ys to Mr. Schuester before classes were about to start, he grabbed her arm before she could leave and when she turned to him his simple statement picked her up even higher.

"Have a good day Quinn"

When he let go her lips quirked up slightly and she nodded her head at him before hurrying out of the room.
The day passed slowly, for the most part she had kept her head down, avoiding eye contact as best as she could. No one tried to talk to her and for now she was okay with that. The anger she could handle, yelling, screaming all of that she could deal with. Seeing the disappointment they would all feel towards her was something Quinn knew she was not ready to handle. It wasn't until she was heading towards the practice room again that she felt an arm oops through hers. The girl's eyes shot up and she was met by Kurt's serious gaze.

"I request a shopping trip in the near future, without me at your side sweetie, you'll have a much harder time finding fashionable maternity clothes."

At first she didn't know what to say so she looked straight forward unsure of how to express her feelings that someone had taken the time to speak to her, let alone behave with her as they would have before.

I take your silence as acceptance"

"Thank you" was all she managed to whisper back. Kurt didn't release her arm until they were in the practice space and when he did let go, it was to pull up another chair next to him. Quinn took her seat and when people started filing in her eyes immediately were cast downwards. She studied her hands in her lap and that was how she spent the remainder of rehearsal. She sang a long with everyone but kept her head down. It wasn't until everyone was dismissed and Kurt whispered a quick goodbye before throwing his arm around her in a quick hug that she looked up. Everyone left without a glance back and only when the last person was out did Mr. Scheu speak.

"I'm going to give you the key to my apartment, I have to stay here for a while longer, I'll get dinner started when I get home and until then just make yourself comfortable."

Quinn watched him slide the key off of his key chain and place it into her open palm. His hand lingered for a moment and very quietly he whispered.

"You'll be okay until I get there?"

Quinn nodded and then she whispered more words of gratitude and the smile he shot back at her was warm and kind and she felt contentment settle for just a moment.