I highly, highly recommend listening to PAPA, CAN YOU HEAR ME? The Glee Version while you read certain parts.

Drip, splish.

Drip, splish.

Drip, splish.

This was the soundtrack of Rachel Berry's night in a cold, damp jail cell. Her shaky legs were curled against her chest, her arms wrapping around her calves. Dull, preoccupied brown eyes watched the leak that had sprung from somewhere in the floor boards above her. She saw each individual drop, yet she somehow wasn't watching them. Her mind was elsewhere, in a time unlike her own.

Lip ensnared between her teeth, she debated taking action. Was it truly worth it? Opening up to someone in such a way? She knew she needed to let it go, deep in the pit of her being she knew it. They say talking can solve your problems, but the brunette highly doubted it. Regardless of what her brain made sense of, she decided to with what her heart wanted. Which, as a born drama queen, she thought was theatric enough.

The Damsel made sure the sky was dark, judging the time of day based on what little light crept into the room, before leaving. The Harpy did, in more or less terms, say she could go to her, right? She frowned, pausing mid-step as she thought back on their earlier encounter.

She shouldn't go to her. That woman would only cause her pain. She clenched her fists tightly at her sides and stared hard at the creaky floor, nearly burning holes into it with the power of her concentration.

But she seemed so sincere and dare she say… apologetic? She would go. She would go now before she changes her mind and sees reason. Racing up the steps, she gave the ceiling door a rough shove, sending it swinging open.

Scrambling out of the cellar, she nearly sprinted across the deck, almost slipping across the newly polished wood. Emma was impeccable. After surviving the trip, Rachel made her way down the sleeping quarters, trying not to make a sound in fear of being caught by a rogue Harpy and being thrown back into the jail cell, this time with the door locked.

In minutes, she was standing before the large, slightly intimidating door. Moonlight painted its edges in a misty blue and she stared captivated for a few seconds. It was the same color that reflected on a stand and a swinging form ten years earlier. A whimper escaped her lips and she shut her eyes tight before grasping the knob and turning it.

"Ondine?" She whispered to the form lying among dark sheets. She watched the steady rise and fall of the blonde as she slept and Rachel let out a relieved sigh. So it was pointless coming to her. She looked on as the venerable woman shifted lightly to the side, leaving just enough room for someone to join her. Glancing back at the door, then to the pirate, she slowly closed the entrance and made her way to the bed.

The mattress dipped down as she sat on the foot of it, staring at the palms of her hands. "I'll tell you now, even though you're asleep." She whispered to the shadows. "In a way, it's better like this."

Now Rachel could get some of the closure she needed and no one had to know. It was like telling your secrets to an empty room, except she had the comfort of at least knowing someone was there to hear, even if they didn't know it.

How could she ever hope to sum up the majority of her life in one night? God, where would she begin? She looked down at the scuffed boots, taking in the dirt caked on the laces, and knew exactly where she would start.

"My dad made it a tradition of ours to go to the park every Sunday morning. It started when I was five." She smiled slightly at the flood of weekly memories that hit her. "I would, I would race down the steps in my Sunday best and round the corner of the old house, looking for him at exactly 9 'o clock."

"He would set down his newspaper and pick me up. He would carry me over to my mom and kiss her on the cheek before taking me outside. We only lived a block or so from the park, so we would always enjoy the walk. When we'd get there, I would take his hand and chase the birds with him. Then he would push me on the swings and tell me stories he came up on a whim. Things like what ice cream talk about while in the ice cream truck- things like that."

She laughed a light, airy giggle as she recalled one story, a delighted smile gracing her face. "Even as I got older, we would always go to the park. It was our thing and I absolutely loved it." However, her expression turned into a somber one as she looked down at her hands.

"When I was eight, we started spending less time together. In fact, I hardly saw him at home. He was always so busy. 'I have to work to make your dreams come true, Rachel', he'd tell me. And I would smile and shoulder the loneliness, telling him I was proud of him- and I was."

Rachel bit her lip and gave a shaky breath as she clenched her fists. "One day, I came home from school and my mom and dad were having a fight. His friend, Leroy, was sitting on the stairs, his head in his hands. When I opened the door, he looked up at me with a smile and waved. I waved back and tried to move past him to see my parents, but he wouldn't let me."

"Instead, he had me go to my room with him, where I sang a few songs. He always made a good audience. That same year, when I was nine, I started seeing more of Leroy and more arguments. Whenever I caught them fighting, either Leroy would show up to play with me or my mom would leave the house and Dad would hug me and tell me what a good girl I was."

The brunette sniffled and roughly wiped away her tears before continuing. "The next year, my mom had gone to the press with a story. I remember picking up the newspaper from our driveway and reading the headline. Hiram Berry, Town Homosexual. I didn't know what that meant and had to ask him. His face turned white and his hands shook as he held the paper. I knew whatever it was had to be bad, so I sat on his lap and hugged him as he cried. It was the only time I had ever seen him cry."

Her shoulders were shaking and she heaved a small sob as tears clouded her vision. "T-the police charged in and pushed me off of him. Two men grabbed each of my dad's arms and dragged him out of the house. I got up to chase after them but one of the men told me to keep in the house like a woman should and pushed me back down."

"He didn't get a trial. He didn't even get jail time." She spat out in anger, her nails digging into her palms. "H-he was immediately put on a stand with Leroy in front of the Town Hall. When I finally arrived, I forced my way through the crowd and tried to climb up on the stage, but Daddy told me to… to go home."

Rachel was openly crying now, tears running down her face as her body trembled. "I refused and started to panic when I saw the rope. I screamed for them to stop and started fighting against the people around me. Hands held me down on the ground as a man came up to my dad and fastened the… the n-noose around his… his neck."

"H-he looked down at me and it… it was like time had frozen. It was just me and him, looking at each other. He gave me a small smile and said… 'Be a star, Rachel. I know you can, baby. I'll be watching'." Rachel's voice broke as she gripped the sheets.

"Then the trap-door fell and-" She couldn't continue. She just sat there and cried, long, harsh sobs. She felt like she was hyperventilating, the air closing in around her throat. Her heart beat rapidly as she saw her father swinging behind her eyelids. She remembered pulling away from the citizens and running to the park, falling on the rough sidewalk and scraping her knees. The swings called her name and she clung to their chains, sobbing against them until her hands bled from gripping the metal.

"I-I came back later that night and… And he was still there!" She shouted at the dresser, her eyes shut tight and burning. "They didn't even cut him down!" She recalled falling into the dirt, looking up at his body illuminated by the moonlight. She remembered the way the grass and dirt felt against her open wounds in her hands as she gripped the Earth for dear life, feeling like she would drop dead any second.

"D-Dad? Can you hear me?" she had whispered to the stand, her voice dying in the back of her throat. "You're okay, right?" She tried convincing herself, as she sniffled against the ground, not looking up at him. "W-we can go get Mom and… And she can help you get better."

The flutter of clothes against the wind hung in the air and she curled up into a ball on the ground and slept to its sound. "When I woke up, he was gone and so was my mom. She had fled town and left me with nothing. I couldn't even inherit the money Daddy was saving for me…" Rachel ground out as her shaking began to come to a stop.

"I had to live on the streets, but I always spent my nights at the park. In the daytime I fought for the chance to prove myself to nobles. I had to live out my dream for my Daddy. I have to even now. W-what would he do if he saw me now? What if he does see me right now?" She whispered before her bloodshot eyes widened slightly. "D-Dad? Can you hear me?" She repeated her words from so long ago into the dark room, never expecting an answer, but having to voice it anyway.

She shook her head and settled into the sheets next to the slumbering pirate. "You have to let me go, Ondine. I need to go for my Daddy..." Looking up at her reflection in the mirror, she hiccupped for a few seconds. "Please forgive me, Daddy. I'm try- trying." She rolled onto her side and cupped her face in her hands, shaking against them.

Rachel tensed when she felt an arm drape over her waist. "Rachel." The voice to her right spoke in a clear voice. She was awake the whole time and now she knew her name and her past. The brunette didn't say anything, but she placed her left hand over the one on her hip, giving it a light squeeze.

The Ondine lay on her side with the brunette's back pressed firmly against her front, the dozing girl shifting there in her sleep. With a small, resigned sigh, the blonde took hold of her shoulders and lightly shook her. She needed to wake Rachel up and tell her that she had to leave for the night. It was better to wake her up than to let her greet the morning alone in bed. Again.

"Rachel." She whispered against her ear, watching as the Damsel stirred before giving a soft hum in reply. "I need to leave. I'll see you in the morning, okay?"

When she was given no response, the Harpy shook her head before sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of the bed. As she tried to get up, however, a tiny hand encompassed her wrist, anchoring her to the bed.

"Wait."

"Yes?" The Ondine questioned, her eyes on Rachel's reflection from the ceiling. Her captive was curled into herself again, vulnerability personified in her posture. However, her voice was ever confident.

"You know my name, now I must know yours. It's common courtesy." She spoke in a matter-of-fact tone with a huff and all.

A small smile played on the pirate's lips as she looked back at the girl. "Quinn."

They were silent for several seconds before the Damsel released her grip. "It's nice to meet you, Quinn." Rachel whispered sincerely as she eyed the wall, her arms coming up to cover her barely-clad form.

"The pleasure is all mine." The first mate replied with a small laugh before she left her room, closing the door softly behind her. "Who says that to their kidnapper?"

Her knuckles rapped against door after door as she briskly walked past the sleeping corridors. Each knock was a quickly played out tune, the sound derived from the opening line of 'Mary had a little lamb'. It was Quinn's code, calling certain Harpies to meet her.

Once she had left the signal at certain doors, she made her way to the Hospital Wing, waiting for others to accompany her. The blonde made herself comfortable at Emma's usual chair, reveling in the small sense of power the physician's seat gave her. With power comes control and Quinn knew that more than any other.

Santana and Brittany were the first to arrive, clad in merely bras and panties. Despite their outfits, they both wore serious expressions as they took a seat. The Ondine nodded at them, the two returning it in kind, before others arrived.

"What's going on, Heidi?" A slur of a voice asked outside the door, along with a loud thump of a body hitting it.

"Again, it's Holly." Said blonde led April inside, followed by a clearly annoyed Terri, a still somewhat asleep Shannon, a huffy Shelby, a nervous Emma, a shuffling Tina, and a wide awake Sunshine.

Once everyone was quiet and seated around Quinn, she cleared her throat and began to speak. "You all know why we're here. It's time to put our plan into action. We're taking over the ManEater."