The Fear Is Paralyzing

Kris couldn't understand why Quinn felt the need to go to her family dinner, but he didn't want to argue with her about it, so he kept his mouth shut as he watched her go through the closet, trying to figure out what to wear. "You're sure you don't want to come tonight?" Quinn asked him for the third time that evening. He knew she wanted him to go, but he just couldn't do it.

He shook his head. "No, Quinn, we both know that would cause even more problems than it did last time," he said, not adding that he didn't think she should go either.

He watched as she slipped a silky shirt on to go with the black skirt she was wearing. She turned around to look at him. "What do you think?" she asked, looking down at the outfit she had on.

Kris got out of bed and gave her a kiss on the lips. "Beautiful as always," he smiled at her.

"You don't want to come?"

Kris sighed as he moved his hands from her face to grab her hands. "Are you sure you want to go?" he asked her.

Quinn was quiet for a moment, and Kris wondered if he had upset her. But, she finally spoke. "I don't want to go, but I need to. You'll be here when I get back?" she asked, looking up into his eyes, a look of vulnerability in her own.

"Of course," he told her. "Have a good time," he said, kissing her once again. "Je t'aime."

Quinn couldn't help but smile. "I love you, too," she told him before putting some shoes on and grabbing her purse, walking out the door.

She got to her parents' house at the same time as Noah and Claire, who did not bring Riley with them this week. She slowly got out of her car, not wanting to go inside just yet. "No Kris this week?" Noah asked, and Quinn shook her head.

"No, he decided to pass."

"Can't say I blame him," Noah told her. "Though I have to say, I like it when he's here. He protects you," he said as they walked towards the front door.

"Tonight I'm on my own," Quinn mumbled, looking down at her feet as they walked inside. Corinne was the first one to welcome them inside, telling them that the food was already finished and they were just waiting on them to arrive so they could eat.

Quinn tried to stay as quiet as possible throughout dinner, wanting to stay in the background and go unnoticed. Dean had been awfully quiet as well, something that worried her. She knew he was waiting to make his move, and she just hoped she could get out of there before she was under attack.

Dessert had just been served, and Quinn tried to scarf hers down as quickly as possible so she could get out of there. She had just put the final piece of her slice of key lime pie in her mouth when Dean opened his mouth. "So, Quinn," he began, and Quinn wished she could hide in a hole.

"What?" she asked, her teeth clenched.

Everyone's attention had focused on Dean, waiting to hear what he had to say. "Where's your boyfriend? I was hoping we could bond, you know, exchange some stories on you."

"What are you talking about?" Quinn asked, putting her hands on her hips as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"You know, I could tell him about your dad abandoning you. And your one ex-boyfriend leaving you for another girl. You know, I think I see a trend. When is Kris going to leave you?"

Quinn bit her lip, not wanting to allow Dean's words to affect her, but she was failing. Noah looked at their parents, who just sat there, looking down at their plates, allowing Dean to treat Quinn like this. He opened his mouth to respond to Dean when Quinn put her arm out in front of him, stopping him. She put her hands on the table, looking across it at Dean. "You are a pitiful man who takes pleasure in taking others around you down," she spoke the harsh words slowly, letting them sink in. "You hate that for once in my life I have everything going for me. I have a boyfriend who loves me. I have the job that you want, that you will never have."

"Quinn!" Corinne spoke up, shocked to hear her daughter speaking like this. Quinn couldn't ever remember a time that she had ever spoken like this. She'd always been the good, quiet child. But, something had snapped in her right then. Maybe it was the fact that Dean was implying that Kris was going to leave her like everyone else in her life. But, she believed in Kris and hers relationship. She knew it was stronger than that, and he wasn't going to leave her.

Quinn ignored her mother as she continued talking to Dean. "For once in your life, you're jealous of the life I have, and there's nothing you can do about it. You'll never get my job, so stop even trying. You're pathetic, Dean," she finished, walking out of the dining room to the living room and grabbing her purse before walking out the door.

She had made it halfway to her car when she heard her mother call out, "Quinn Arabella!" Quinn stopped in her tracks, turning around to look at her. "What has gotten into you?" Corinne asked.

"What's gotten into me?" Quinn questioned. "Mom, do you not see the way Dean acts? Or do you not care? And you just sit there!" she said, tears springing to her eyes. "Kris was right," she said quietly.

"Right about what?" Corinne asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"I don't need this," she said, turning back around and walking to her car, ignoring her mother's yells. She started the car up and immediately drove away to Kris's place. Tears were streaming down her face. She was upset at everything that occurred that night and the fact that her mother still took Dean's face. She parked in the parking lot but stayed in the car for a few moments, trying to get her emotions under control.

She pulled out her cell phone, sending Noah a quick text, apologizing for the night and telling him she hoped he wasn't angry at her for walking out. She then checked herself in the mirror, seeing her eyes red and puffy, and she blew out a breath, knowing she couldn't stay in the car all night. She only hoped Kris had fallen asleep and that he wouldn't see her like this.

She walked in the front door, and she saw Kris on the couch. She thought he had fallen asleep at first but then she saw his head pop up. As soon as he saw her face, he was instantly off the couch and standing in front of her, his hand on her cheek. "Quinn, what happened?" he asked her, silently cursing himself for not going with her tonight.

"Dean," she sighed, new tears springing to her eyes, and she willed them away.

Kris grabbed her hand and led her to the couch, sitting down first and then pulling her down so she was cuddled into his side. "What happened?" he asked again.

"He was running his mouth off again," she said, moving her hand to blot away the tears, but Kris reached up and removed them with his thumb first. "He brought up how my dad left me and an ex-boyfriend did, too. And then he asked when you were going to leave me."

Anger was running through Kris. He wished he could have been there and punched Dean like he deserved. "I'm never going to leave you," he told Quinn.

She smiled up at him. "I know," she told him. "And, I told Dean that. And, then I went off on him and walked out," she said, knowing he'd be proud of her.

Kris's eyes widened. "You did?" he asked, a smile forming on his face. "Ma chére," he said, putting both hands on her face and kissing her deeply.

When he pulled away, Quinn was smiling at him. "I love you," she told him.

"I love you, too," he said, kissing her again. "Oh, I forgot," he said when they pulled apart. Quinn looked at him, waiting on him to continue. "I talked to ma mère today. She asked if I would come home this weekend," he told her.

"Oh," Quinn said. "How long will you be gone?"

"I don’t know," Kris told her. "But, I was hoping you would come with me," he said slowly, afraid of her reaction. This would be the first time Quinn would be meeting his family, and while they were in love, he wasn't sure if she was quite ready for it.

"You want me to go with you?" she asked him, and he nodded his head. "I'd love to. I just need to talk to Mario and make sure there's nothing I'd be missing at work, but as far as I know, I can go," she smiled at him.

"Good, I can't wait for you to meet my family," he said, giving her another kiss.