The Unholy Trinity live in a rundown apartment in New York City. They are struggling to find success. They meet a little girl in their building, Rachel Corcoran. Her mother is a failed actress, and alcoholic junkie. At best she's neglectful, at worse she's abusive. The girlfriends try to help the little girl and her mom as much as they can. A few years later, Shelby runs off with a man leaving Rachel to the care of the three girlfriends. They take her in to raise as their own child. Three different women, three different styles of parenting and one stubborn, willful, intelligent, charming little girl used to doing everything by herself.

A/N - I don't own Glee or profit from these stories I write about the characters. Will have nonconsensual spanking of a minor, child neglect and abuse, alcohol and drug use, F/F/F love scenes, and other mature subject matter.

A HUGE thanks to CaseyRN12 for providing the spark that became the basis for this story. I couldn't have done it without your brilliant idea! Thanks!

xoxoxoxo

Step 1 – Find the Girl

Quinn Fabray stood in front of the ancient elevator in her rundown apartment building. She was tired, and irritated. Once again, the elevator in the older building was out. It was certainly out more often that it was working. Thinking of her girlfriends' reactions when they got home actually forced a small smile from her tired body. Brittany would run up the stairs, not bothered in the least. Her tall blonde girlfriend was always happy and carefree. Her Latina girlfriend would rant and rave for an hour. It was the same every time something didn't work, but this apartment was all they could afford for the time being.

Quinn Fabray was a struggling writer. She lived on the few meager articles she sold, as she searched for jobs in the Big Apple. Quinn thought a Yale education would certainly open more doors than it had so far. Her face had opened more doors than her education. A fact she was bitter about. She was whip smart, and an intellectual. She wanted to be recognized for her brains, not her beauty. More of an introvert than her girlfriends, Quinn was the thinker.

Brittany Pierce was a struggling dancer. She was amazing, and was currently working on an Off-Broadway show. The tall, lithe, beauty was always auditioning for Broadway shows. To help pay the bills, she taught dance part-time at a local dance studio. Everyone loved Brittany. She was a lovely young woman, inside and out. Children especially loved the tall girl. She had a way of understanding and relating to everyone she met. Her girlfriends worried about her in the city though, she was very innocent and trusting. Bad people liked to take advantage of her naivety, but she always saw the best in everyone. Brittany was the dreamer.

Santana Lopez was a struggling singer. She was beautiful, tough, fierce, and loyal. Only her girlfriends saw her sensitivity, and insecurities. The brunette was passionate about music, and very talented. Her voice was strong and bluesy. It was often compared to the Jazz greats, but she was a unique talent. The two blondes loved when she sang to them and for them. It literally made Quinn weak in the knees. The Latina had a red hot temper. Everyone around her had been burned by it at least once. As with everything about her, she acted first and thought later. Santana was the doer.

Sighing heavily, Quinn adjusted her laptop bag and packages, and prepared to trudge to the top floor, wearing heels, and carrying groceries.

She very nearly missed it, the event that would change all their lives forever. In fact she would have walked right past, if she hadn't heard the teeniest, tiniest, quietest little sneeze. It sounded like a kitten.

Turning back, Quinn looked into the cubby tucked under the stairwell, and came face to face with a beautiful, little brunette. The girl was small and delicate for her age. She had luxuriant, curly, chestnut hair that curled delicately around her face and shoulders. Her big doe eyes, the color of caramel, looked out at Quinn intelligently from under long eyelashes.

"God Bless You," Quinn said as she peered in at the girl. She had never seen her before.

"Thank you," the tiny girl whispered politely.

Sitting down on the stoop, the blonde woman put her packages down heavily, "The elevators out again. I'm exhausted, and this stuff is heavy. Do you mind if I sit here for a moment?"

The dark hair cascaded around the tiny head, as she shook her head no.

Quinn noticed she was wearing a short skirt, red sweater, and argyle knee socks. The girl looked adorable. She was playing jacks by herself in the alcove.

"I used to play jacks when I was your age. I was pretty good at it. Are you any good?" She tried to engage the little girl in conversation.

The tiny shoulders shrugged up and down quickly, indifferently.

"Do you live here in the building? I live upstairs in unit 6. I haven't seen you in the hall before."

A tiny hand shot out and pointed to the unit 3 door, across the hall. There was music coming from the door, it was loud enough to be heard in the hallway. Quinn turned her head, and heard the faint sound of a woman laughing as well.

"My name is Quinn Fabray, what's your name?" She tried again.

In a sweet dulcet tone the girl finally spoke again, "Rachel. Rachel Corcoran."

The blonde smiled sweetly, "I'm pleased to make your acquaintance, Rachel Corcoran. I was beginning to think you didn't like me."

The cute little girl tilted her head curiously to one side, it made Quinn laugh out loud. Her favorite dog, the one she had as a little girl, used to do that whenever she talked to him.

"Well you wouldn't talk to me. I thought you just didn't like me." She answered the inquisitive look.

She watched as the peaceful look on the child's face instantly switched to fear, and then switched back off again, "I'm not allowed to talk to strangers. I'll get a whupping if I talk to strangers."

The blonde tried to push back the flash of memory that forced a surge of adrenaline and fear through her body. She was not much older than this little girl, when she was forced to bend over the arm of the couch. She could still hear the rustling sound as the leather belt, whooshed through her father's dress slacks. Forcibly pulling herself from the painful memory, she sadly smiled at the little girl. If her whupping's were anything like Quinn's, the blonde certainly could sympathize. It made her angry, but she pushed it away. She didn't really know this girl's family; it wasn't fair to compare them to Russell and Judy Fabray.

"I'm so sorry, Rachel. I certainly didn't mean to get you into trouble. I just figured since we were going to be neighbors, I would say hello," Sharp green, gold eyes didn't miss the look of excitement that crossed the child's face, "Why don't I just go and introduce myself to your parents? That way we won't be strangers anymore."

Rachel frantically grabbed her wrist, as she pushed herself off the stairs, "Don't! Mama's tentertaining, and I'm not 'llowed to bother her when she's tentertaining."

"I see, your mama has company over?"

Rachel relaxed when Quinn sat back down, "Yes, she does."

"Is that why you're out here, in the hallway?" The blonde asked softly.

The brunette nodded again, "I don't like him very much," She answered softly, her head down.

"Where's your daddy?"

"I never had a daddy. Do you have a daddy?" Intelligent dark eyes bore into Quinn's. She felt like the little girl was searching her soul.

Warning bells went off in Quinn's mind again. Pushing them aside, she answered honestly, "I don't have a daddy or a mommy anymore. I have my girlfriends though, they are my family now."

"I seen them. They are very pretty, like you. The one with yellow hair gave me this," Her tiny hand shot out, palm facing up. It held a tiny ducky key chain. Quinn recognized it as Brittany's. The child smiled like she'd been presented with the Hope diamond, "She said her name was Bittny, she was nice. Look, it lights up, and quacks," She said excitedly.

Quinn laughed softly, along with Rachel as the duck bathed the tiny cubby under the stairwell in a soft golden light, and quacked obnoxiously. Just like that, Quinn Fabray fell in love with this forlorn little girl with the old soul.

She was not comfortable leaving the little girl alone in the alcove, but knew until she met the girl's mother, she had very little chance of coaxing the girl out. Quinn wondered if the child had eaten dinner. It was getting late. The blonde was starving. She was just about to ask Rachel if she was hungry, when a loud voice started cursing in Spanish.

"Jesucristo, mierda madre, hijo de puta, cabrón propietario; fucking elevator!"

Quinn looked down over the railing in amusement, missing how Rachel cringed back into the cubby in fear. She turned back and was stunned to see the little girl all the way back against the wall. She was shaking.

"Hey, Rachel, sweetie, it's ok. It's just my girlfriend, Santana. She's loud, but she won't hurt you," She tried to comfort the little girl. It didn't help that the Latina was physically attacking the elevator door with her shoe, as she continued yelling and swearing.

The blonde tried a new tack, "Have you ever seen Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?" Rachel nodded. "Remember the dwarfs' names? Let's see there was Sneezy, Sleepy, Dopey, Doc, Happy, Bashful, and what was the other one called?"

"Grumpy?" Came the tiny voice.

"Well, that's my girlfriend, Grumpy the dwarf. Just don't tell her I told you that, ok?" Quinn was happy to see Rachel smile and nod, agreeing to keep her secret.

Santana had quit beating the elevator door to death, and was limping up the stairs, one shoe on and one off. She held her broken shoe in her left hand, and was grumbling. She didn't notice Quinn until she nearly tripped over her.

"Baby, I didn't see you. You gave me a heart attack. Are you alright? Are you hurt?" She spat out quickly. She always spoke in a rapid-fire staccato when she was angry or anxious.

The blonde laughed melodiously, "I'm just fine and dandy. I was sitting here talking to my new friend, Rachel."

She saw a look of doubt cross the older brunette's face. It was clear she thought her girlfriend had gone off the deep end, and was talking to herself. Bending over and peering into the dark cubby, she was astounded to see a little girl. A beautiful, little girl with huge, brown, inquisitive eyes.

Quinn leaned over and whispered into San's ear, "You scared her with all your yelling and banging," She gently scolded.

The Latina immediately looked guilty, "Hola, pequeña. I'm sorry I was so loud. I guess I just got grumpy when I found the elevator wasn't working, AGAIN!" She stressed for Quinn's benefit. She hadn't wanted to move here in the first place, but her blondes insisted it was all they could afford.

Quinn raised an eyebrow imperiously towards her girlfriend, and threw a mischievous, "I told you so" wink at Rachel, "So did beating the elevator door with your shoe accomplish anything?"

"It made me feel better," The older brunette pouted sullenly.

Both women were surprised when the child burst into a fit of giggles. It was absolutely contagious. Santana and Quinn were sucked into her laughter. Any time any of them would catch their breath, they only had to look at one of the other two to start giggling all over again.

Just like that, Santana Lopez's bruised heart opened a crack and the tiny, sad-looking, frail, brunette found her way in. It already held Quinn, and Brittany. Santana didn't think there was room for anyone else.

Rachel finally stopped giggling, and looked at Santana seriously, "I know hola means hello. I watch Dora and Diego, but what's pek, pek, that other word you said? What's that mean?"

"Pequeña?"

Rachel nodded, eager to understand what the strange word meant.

Santana looked into her intelligent, inquisitive face, and said gently, "Well, it means tiny, small. I meant it as a nickname for little girl."

The girl leaned forward and said eagerly, "A nickname, for me?"

"Just for you," the tough Latina said in a tight voice, "I will only call you pequeña," She got to her feet, suddenly feeling uncomfortably vulnerable around the young girl.

Quinn smiled up at her girlfriend, understanding her girlfriend's discomfort with emotions and feelings.

All three were quietly sharing a moment, when the door to apartment 3 was jerked open violently. A tall, stern brunette with fiery green eyes stood in the doorway, "Rachel Barbra! Where the hell are you?"

Rachel scrambled from her hiding spot, and stood next to her mother nervously. She was wringing her hands, and Quinn and Santana could see she was extremely nervous.

The blonde stood up quickly, and walked towards the brunette, "Hi, I'm Quinn Fabray. I'm your neighbor in unit 6. This is my girlfriend, Santana Lopez. Is this your daughter? I was worried she was lost. I couldn't get her to say one word to me."

Shelby looked confused, "Yeah, I'm Shelby Corcoran, and this is my daughter, Rachel. She's not allowed to talk to strangers. She knows better."

"Ah, well that explains it. What a well behaved little girl you have then. She never spoke a word," Quinn lied through her teeth, "Rachel, is it?"

Santana just stood by and watched the scene unfold before her. She figured her girlfriend had a good reason for lying, so she stayed quiet. Quinn Fabray was one of the most honest women she had ever known.

Shelby nudged Rachel forward, not so gently, "Say hello to our neighbors, Rachel."

The little girl gratefully put her hand into the blonde's, and perfected a sweet little curtsey, "Pleased to meet you, Miss Quinn."

She turned sweetly to the Latina, "Pleased to meet you, Miss Tantana." The older brunette fell even more in love with the little charmer. What an actress she was. Santana was a little confused by the ongoing charade. Then she caught the strong smell of alcohol coming from Shelby, and caught the sweet acrid whiff of pot coming from the apartment. She put two and two together, and decided Shelby Corcoran must be unpredictable when she drank. Rachel was afraid of her mother. The Latina gritted her teeth, but decided to play nice for now. Alienating the older woman was not going to help Rachel.

"It was nice meeting both of you," Santana said to Shelby. She turned to her girlfriend, "Ready, babe?"

Quinn smiled sweetly at her girlfriend, and linked arms with her, "It was wonderful to meet you Shelby, Rachel. I guess we're not strangers anymore, are we?"

The tiny brunette smiled widely at her neighbors and waved shyly. Maybe living in this apartment building wouldn't be so bad after all. Her smile faded quickly as her mama ripped her into the apartment by her arm, "What the hell have I told you about leaving the apartment?" She hissed under her breath. She brought her hand down sharply on the girl's tiny backside.

"I, I, I'm sorry, mama. I was hot." She cried hot tears; afraid of the belt she was sure she had escaped.

The tall woman pulled her child down the hallway, and into her room, "You are five years old, Rachel. You don't get to make the rules. I said don't leave your room. You are a very lucky little girl that Greg is sleeping, or I would whip you black and blue for disobeying me. Do you understand me?" She whispered harshly, as she delivered two more stinging swats to her bottom.

"Yes, mama," Big tears collected on her long eyelashes, "I'm sorry."

"Wake up Greg, or disobey me again, and you will be sorry, a very sorry little girl," Shelby left her upset, hungry five year old alone in the dark room.

Rachel quietly changed out of her clothes, and got into her pajamas. She grabbed some fig newton cookies from her secret hiding place, and crawled into bed. Grabbing her plush, stuffed animal, Lambchop she snuggled down into the covers. Eating her cookies slowly, she washed them down with warm water that had been on her nightstand since yesterday.

She kissed Lambchop, and softly sang him a lullaby; it eased the hunger pains in her belly, and the stinging in her bottom.

Rachel Corcoran fell asleep dreaming that Quinn, Santana, and Brittany were her moms.

xoxoxoxo

What'd you think? To be continued…..