𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐟𝐥𝐲 | q. fabray

Loss of Innocence

"Dad, some moron on the football team came to school with a rifle and shot the place up," said Bailey.

"Oh..."

"Look, we're gonna get straight to the point," said Burt. "Carole, Pierce, Whitney and I talked it over, and we want the twins to stay at home during the week while you kids are at school."

"No!" Ava whined, hugging Adalynn's arm and leaning into her. "No, me stay wit Ada. Me go wit Mommy to sool."

"Mommy, no go," Maya pouted, leaning into Bailey's chest.

"Uncle Burt, they need to be with their parents," said Julian. "That was the whole point of them going to school with us in the first place."

"Yes, and that was a mistake on our part," Carole said as the four teenagers frowned. "We've talked it over, and we're gonna switch off watching the twins during the day while you kids are at school."

"Whitney and Pierce will take care of them during the morning and then drop them off here when they leave for work," said Burt. "Carole will keep an eye on them while I take care of things at the tire shop, and then I'll bring them up to the school when I pick you guys up from Glee Club."

"No."

"Not gonna happen."

"Absolutely not."

"The adults are right."

The three turned to look at Adalynn, not at all expecting her to agree with their parents. She set Oreo down on the floor before standing up and facing her friends.

"What happened on Friday was the scariest moment of my life, and my worst fear was that Maya and Ava were gonna die," said Adalynn. "Bailey, it's your job as a mother to put your children's needs before your own. Julian, you're an idiot. You've always been an idiot, but for you to not realize that we've put their lives in danger by taking them to school with us is probably the most stupid thing you've ever done. I love them. I love the twins more than I love myself, and their safety is the most important thing."

"Adalynn's right," Julian sighed. "As soon as the first shot fired they were in tears. Keeping them calm was so hard, and everyone in that choir room was at risk of dying if the shooter got in. If we think our PTSD is bad, imagine how bad it is for them. They're so little, and they shouldn't have had to go through that."

"We're not doing it to be mean, but, as parents, your children's safety should be your number one concern," Burt said as he looked between Bailey and Julian, who exchanged a look.

"We know how much spending time with the twins means to you, and I know 7 and a half hours apart while you guys are at school seems like a long time, but it'll be over soon and you'll be reunited with them before you know it," said Whitney.

"But... but..." Bailey protectively held Maya close to her as she thought about everything bad that happened at McKinley that put her children in danger. There were jocks throwing slushies at people, physical fights breaking out every couple weeks, food fights, and now a shooting.

What kind of a mother am I?

"Bay, they're gonna be okay," Brittany said as Ava pouted.

"Bri, no," the younger twin whined.

"I found a place where they can start early preschool as soon as they turn two," said Burt. "They'll be around kids their own age and they'll be able to–"

"You're gonna force the babies to learn?!" Julian gasped. "They're babies. Don't force them to learn math, and science, and all that other dumb stuff."

"Julian, stop talking," Bailey silenced the young adult.

"It would be easier on everyone if they had some place they could go during the day so they wouldn't be passed around from place to place five days a week," said Carole.

"Just think about it," said Whitney. "You don't have to make a decision right away, but when you go back, the twins are gonna stay home. It's what's best for them."

****

Bailey laid curled up with Ava and Maya on her bed. She spent the evening reading children's books to them to distract herself from all the thoughts in her head.

Truth be told, she was scared.

She was scared to go to school. She was scared of being separated from the twins. She was scared of graduation. She was scared of growing up.

Something was taken from her – and everyone – that day. Their innocence had been taken, and their eyes were opened up to how cruel the world really is. With graduation just months away, she was going to be thrown into that cruel world without anyone to protect her.

She'd had nightmares almost every night, and each one included something bad happening to someone she cared about. She had no idea what the twins were going through, but she was often awoken in the night by whining or crying on the baby monitor.

What happened was traumatic, and she hated herself for putting her kids' lives in danger. They shouldn't have had their innocence taken away from them so young.

"Maybe early preschool wouldn't be such a bad idea," Bailey whispered to herself as she looked at the sleeping almost-two year olds curled up beside her. She gently brushed Ava's blonde hair out of her face before kissing her forehead. The younger twin murmured softly and hugged her teddy bear closer to her.

"Mommy?" Maya spoke up in a quiet whisper.

"Yeah, sweetie?" Bailey asked, sitting up and pulling her oldest child into her lap.

"Gamma say me an Awa no go sool. Why? Besus bad guy?"

"It's safer for you to stay at home, Maya," Bailey said, frowning when the baby pouted.

"Safe?" Maya asked. "Me an Awa safe?"

"You're safe, angel," the young mother said as she kissed her daughter's forehead. "Get some sleep, okay?"

"Okay, Mommy," the older twin said as she crawled off of Bailey's lap. She pulled her baby blanket over her and cuddled close to her sister, who was sleeping peacefully.

Bailey turned off the lamp that sat on her bedside table. She took a few deep breaths to calm her racing mind as she too tried to get some sleep.

She and Adalynn made a deal that they'd go back to school on Monday, which meant she had the weekend to rest and prepare herself.

The twins will be okay.

You worry too much.

Everything's going to be okay.