-She arched her back and gasped not expecting cold water to drip down the back of her neck and down her back. Turning around she was surprised she to see a look of seriousness and concentration rarely seen on the blonde.-
First, a HUGE thank you to bobbieyoung for helping me. Without you, this chapter wouldn't have turned out half as well as it did.
Second, another thank you to everyone who read/reviewed/favorited Innocent Sacrifice and the previous two chapters for this story. Your support means a lot.
Disclaimer: If its Glee, I don't own it. Damn :P
Title for the story is from David Guetta and Ushers "Without You"
Title for this chapter is from Red Jumpsuit Apparatus's "Reap" (Radio Edition).
Chapter One: Reap
August 2010
Students jumped out of Santana's path as she walked away from where Mr. Shue was holding Quinn back. She probably would have found it amusing if she weren't so angry. Mr. Shue probably thought he was doing her a favor in holding Quinn back. But in all honesty she wanted nothing more than for him to let go so she could rip that little blonde head right off those self-righteous shoulders.
"-tighten up your pony before you get to class!"
Santana's arms moved to carry out the command before she even had time to tell them to flip off her captain instead. The word left a bitter taste in her mouth and her eyes burned. She clenched her jaw as she glared at her hands as she brought them back to her sides.
Traitors.
Behind her she thought she could hear somebody calling her name but she didn't stop and see who it was. All she wanted to do was get as far away from that bitch as she possibly could.
Shoving a freshman that hadn't seen her coming out of the way Santana made her way to the weight room. Thankful the football players didn't practice until the afternoon, she got onto the closest treadmill and set off at a sprint.
In all honesty she should have seen this coming. Of course the first thing Quinn was going to do once she had the demon spawn out of her was try and get back on top. It's exactly what Santana would have done if the positions had been reversed. Of course, if the positions had been reversed, the only way Santana would have gotten anywhere near the squad again was if the former Virgin Mary was feeling generous and let the football players use her as a tackling dummy.
Quinn was vicious, just like Santana. It was the reason the had worked so well together for so long, the reason that by the middle of their freshman year they had already had the entire school eating out of the palms of their hands. But where as Santana was upfront and embraced her inner bitch with open arms, Quinn was quieter. Stealthier. Playing her role as Lima's own America's perfect sweetheart, she could manipulate almost anybody to do anything done for her and even have them believe they had come up with the idea themselves. And those she couldn't manipulate into doing her dirty work, she cut down with a cold stare and a few vicious words. She had been the perfect captain, so good that Santana had embraced her role as the ruthless second in command with open arms.
But then Quinn went and fucked it all up by getting knocked up by Santana's man. Getting herself kicked off the squad and leaving Santana as the one to endure Coach Sylvester's wrath for losing on of her best cheerios. Santana taking over harebrained schemes of sabotage for a bat shit crazy she-devil. Santana enduring the extra two-hour captain practices, alone. Santana leading the cheerios to their sixth consecutive national title.
"Stupid bitch!" Santana hissed, pushing herself harder. She had done and endured it all, put in all of the hard work while Quinn had never did anything of the sort. And then she just waltzes back in as if nothing had even happened and stole the spot Santana had rightfully earned.
As if getting a fucking boob job is worse than becoming teen mom.
"Santana?"
Santana stumbled as she was pulled from her thoughts. Grabbing the handles before she had the chance to fall off she turned to machine off before turning around.
"Jesus Britt! A little warning next time would ya!" Santana gasped, her hand grabbing her chest as she tried to catch her breath.
Brittany stood in front of her with her hands behind her back. Pouting her blue eyes shining in apology. "I'm sorry, I tried getting your attention in the hall but you didn't stop. I would have been here sooner, but I had to go to the nurse and get ice for my knee after you pushed that one kid in the hall and I tripped when he knocked into me."
"Are you ok?" Santana felt guilt creeping into her as she allowed her face to soften and checked her friend for any other injuries.
"Totally, just a bruise. The new lady is so much nicer than Mr. Shue's wife was. She gave me a sucker, see!"
She stuck her tongue out and sure enough, a small blue piece of candy with a bitten off stick was resting in the center of an equally blue tongue. Santana gave a small chuckled, feeling her bad mood start to diminish in the company of her best friend.
"And a blue tongue to go with it."
"Awesome! I got an extra one for you, we can match!" Brittany's eyes sparkled as she reached in her cheerios top and pulled out another blue sucker. Santana smiled.
"Thanks B."
She took the sucker as the exhaustion from her impromptu workout caught up to her. She sank down on the now still treadmill and leaned her head against the bar of the handrail. The metal was cool against her heated skin. She felt a poke in her side, indicating for her to scoot over. She did so and felt Brittany sit down next to her. The narrowness of the machine had them flush against each other but if either girl was uncomfortable about it neither said anything.
"How'd you know I'd be in here?" Santana asked after a few moments of silence. Beside her Brittany shrugged.
"You looked like you still wanted to kill Quinn when you walked off. But Mr. Shue wouldn't let you do that. And it's raining, so you wouldn't go to the track. That just left here."
At the mention of Quinn Santana felt the Brittany induced good mood vanish, being replaced a hollow ache instead. Her eyes burned again, but she clenched them shut. She was not about to cry, especially in front of Brittany. Once the annoying feeling went away she rubbed her eyes and sighed.
"All that work last year, and I get nothing to show for it. I may as well have done nothing at all."
"Did she kick you off the team?" Brittany asked confused.
"No, worse. I got demoted-"
"She's having you sent back to Mexico? That's so harsh, what are your parents going to say?"
Santana cracked a smile and looked at her friend whose eyes were wide in a mix of confusion and horror.
"Demoted, not deported B. I got moved to the bottom of the pyramid now." The look of horror faded from Brittany's face but the confusion remained.
"But, I still don't get how that's a bad thing." Santana frowned but Brittany continued. "You're like, the best person on the team. And, well, you're you. So aren't you just going find a way to get your old spot back next to me in like, a week anyway?"
Any lingering negative feelings from the day vanished. The way Brittany was looking at her like it was the most obvious thing in the world flooded Santana in a warmth she only ever seemed to feel around the taller blonde.
"You're right. I'm Santana fuckin Lopez. The day those bimbos stop me from getting what's mine is the day Berry develops an actual fashion sense." Brittany laughs and hugs her. Santana hugs her back briefly before they stand and Brittany links their pinkies. They start to walk out the door when Santana pulls on gently on their linked digits, getting Brittany's attention.
"Thanks Britt." Santana said, smiling her first genuine smile of the day. Brittany beamed back. "Lets go to the locker room, I needs me a shower and some major stress relief before I can even think of dealing with the losers of this school." Santana winks. Brittany's eyes widen before taking off running toward the locker room, dragging Santana with her.
-S-B-
If Berry got a fashion sense, I'll kill her.
Sweat dripped from Santana's brow as she touched the line and ran back to her starting line. She didn't even bother trying to guess what number she was on now. She had been going at it since the beginning of practice when her captain told her she'd be running suicides and laps. All. Practice. That had been over an hour and a half ago. And from the sadistic look of satisfaction Coach Sylvester had on her face, it wasn't going to end anytime soon.
"Sandbags you think this is hard? Try swimming across the Bering Straight with an army of sand crabs and zombie squid at your heels, THAT'S HARD!"
Fuck you, you crazy bitch.
Santana grunted as she pushed off from the line again. She went six feet before her knees gave out. Around her she could hear the other girls snickering, not bothering trying to stay quiet. Gritting her teeth, she picked herself up, only to collapse again after her first two steps.
She didn't try getting back up; content to just lie there until buzzards came for her body. Around her the laughter and snide comments faded into the background as the sun beat down on her. It was to hot and she was too tired to deal with their shit.
The world got darker as somebody stood above her, blocking the sun. She groaned.
Leave me the fuck alone.
Opening her eye a bit to tell the person to fuck off the retort died on her tongue as she saw a concerned Brittany standing above her, water bottle and cup in hand.
"Are you ok San?"
"Ya, I'm ok. I'd be better if it wasn't so fucking hot." Brittany didn't look convinced as she helped Santana sit up and sat behind her, looking to see if she would need to catch her. When she was convinced Santana wouldn't fall back over she passed her the cup and filled it with water. Santana took small slow sips, not anxious to throw it back up by chugging it to fast. She arched her back and gasped not expecting cold water to drip down the back of her neck and down her back. Turning around she was surprised she to see a look of seriousness and concentration rarely seen on the blonde. She gave another small shudder as Brittany poured more water slowly down each of her arms.
"What are you doing Britt?" Santana asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.
"I don't want you to overheat and get sick. I can't believe Quinn is making you do this, it's way to hot."
"Get moving Melon Chest, you've got laps to do. And no water!" Coach Sylvester's voice sounded across the field. Brittany shook her head and stood up before reaching down and helping Santana stand as well.
"Take another drink." She said handing Santana the water bottle. The serious look on Brittany's face had yet to disappear so Santana took another swift drink, not use to seeing this side of the normally bubbly blonde. Seeing the sour look on their coach's face she handed the blonde the bottle back.
"You're going to get in trouble B. Go back to the rest of the squad, I'm fine now."
Taking the bottle back Santana gave a sigh of relief as the blonde started walking back to where the rest of the squad was. She was thankful for what the blonde had done, but she didn't want her friend to get in trouble on her behalf.
Taking a moment to stretch her legs, Santana took off around the track at a slow but steady pace. She tried to lose herself in the rhythm of her steps, hoping to zone out so time would go by faster, but soon got distracted by the sound of another pair of steps behind her. Confused, she turned her head in time to see Brittany fall into step with her. Behind her coach was yelling something in their direction but they were far enough away so that it couldn't be heard.
"Britt! What are you doing, you're going to get in trouble!" Santana hissed. She stumbled for a second as she tripped over a rock but Brittany grabbed her arm before she could go down.
"I don't want you to fall. Besides, I like running with you."
"Britt…"
Brittany stuck out her bottom lip a little and looked at her with sad blue eyes. Santana groaned, she hated when Brittany used her pout against her.
"Fine."
Immediately the blonde gave her a smile and turned her head forward again. Santana just shook her head; concentrating on the rhythm they had created as they continued their laps in silence.
-S-B-
Coach Sylvester dismissed them all an hour, calling them 'sloppy babies' before storming off the field. Santana gratefully stopped running and hunched over, hands on her knees as she tried to regain her breath. She had almost collapsed two more times, each time Brittany catching her before she had a chance to fall. Santana felt dizzy and weak, and wanted nothing more than go home and sleep for a week. She tried to make it over to the bench for some water but was only able to stagger forward a few steps. The world was tilting around her.
"Here San."
Brittany picked her up and began walking over to the bench. Nobody was left of the field so Santana didn't mind closing her eyes and resting her head on the blondes shoulder. She was so tired, and could have fallen asleep right then and there if they hadn't reached the bench.
"I'll be right back, I'm going to grab our stuff and then we can go ok?" She set her water bottle down next to Santana before hurrying to the locker room.
Santana was suddenly very grateful she had ridden to school with the blonde that day. There was no way she would have been able to drive home the way she was now. She rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on. Taking long, slow sips she concentrated on getting her breathing back to a normal level, willing it away so that she could help the blonde carry their things to her car.
Hearing footsteps come up beside her Santana turned her head, confused how Brittany had been able to get their stuff so quickly. Seeing a different blonde she turned her head back and tried sitting up a straighter, trying not to wince as she did so. She failed.
If someone wants to make her just walk away, I swear, no slushies' for a week. Not even on Berry.
"Lopez."
Well screw you too then. "Tubbers."
She opened her eyes and stared at the scowling blonde in front of her. Hands on her hips, scowling eyes, pursed lips; Quinn was pissed. But so was Santana. She gave the best sneer she could manage, willing her face not to betray how tired she really was. The smirk spreading across Quinn's face told her she had failed.
"Did you need something?"
"Actually, yes. You're putting the equipment away before you leave today."
"Like hell I am. That's the captains job."
"And as captain, I am telling you to do it. Unless you want to apologize."
Santana looked at her in disbelief. After the absolute hell she had just been put through? She doubted she could even stand if she wanted to, and she was the one who was supposed to apologize? She can't be serious. But the look on Quinn's face told her she was very serious. She gave a bitter laugh.
"Childbirth made you lose your fucking mind if you think I'm apologizing."
"At least I have self-respect! I least I have still have some deceny! You lost all of that when you got that boob job, which is why I'm captain now and NOT. YOU! Does it make you feel better? Does it make poor little Santana feel noticed? Well guess what, the only thing anybody sees is the whore-"
"Don't talk to her like that." A forceful voice came from behind Quinn. Brittany came up to the pair, scowling at the blonde. Santana tried to force the lump that had built in her throat away. She'd never been more thankful to see her best friend.
"You didn't hear what she said-"
"I heard. You deserve it after what you put her through today."
"After what I put her through! She deserved it after what she said in the hallway!"
"She deserved doing suicides until she couldn't stand it anymore? She deserved to only get one drink of water, despite the fact that it was over 103 degrees, and only after I ignored Coach Sylvester? She deserves to not being able to even stand right now, just because your feelings got hurt? What if she had had to go to the hospital, would she have deserved that to?" Brittany shook her head. "I knew you could be mean Quinn, but this is a new low. Even for you."
With that, Brittany picked up a stunned Santana and made her way to her car without stopping to look back.
So here's the first chapter. To those who put this on their alerts previously, its not a new chapter but I think this turned out a lot better than how it was previously.
The next chapter goes through the Brittany/Britney episode.
Leave me your thoughts, I'd love to hear what you have to say.