Author's Note: I know I haven't updated any of my other stories so you're probably wondering why I would start a new one. Unfortunately I don't have an answer, the mood just struck and I came up with this. Before I continue it though, I figured I'd see if anyone liked it first.
Prologue
Santana Lopez was known for being McKinley High School's top bitch. She was popular, co-captain of the Cheerios, intelligent, talented, and breathtakingly beautiful. When she graduated top of her class and set out into the real world, she never imagined it would eventually lead her back home to Lima, Ohio.
She was twenty-five when her old Glee Club coach contacted her through her Facebook account. She had kept in touch with most of her friends and met up with them for special occasions so it hadn't been a surprise when Mr. Schuster's name appeared in her inbox. She assumed he was checking in and possibly planning a Glee reunion. When she skimmed over the words "Vice Principal position open" her eyes jumped from the screen. She had just reached the requirements to be certified a few months ago and had desperately been searching for a job throughout New York City.
Her high school sweetheart and current girlfriend Brittany S. Pierce had secured the position of school counselor at McKinley two weeks prior when Mr. Schuster's wife Emma announced her resignation. They were on their third child and she wanted to be at home to raise them. Brittany had been teaching Kindergarten while working on her Master's degree. The moment she was certified she began looking for a job close to their childhood home. It was pure luck that Emma had decided enough was enough. When they had gone home for the interview, Mr. Schuster said he would keep an eye open for Santana. She had a feeling that the now Principal Schuster may have had something to do with the job since McKinley never had a Vice Principal before.
The news was a relief for the couple and when they packed up their small efficiency apartment in New York City, both knew going back home was going to complete their dreams. They found a two story townhouse ten minutes from school with a two car garage that would keep their nosy parents from knowing when they were home. With Emma resigning and more teachers from when they went to school retiring, McKinley High School was becoming rather familiar to Santana and Brittany.
With Mr. Schuster taking over for Principal Figgins, Finn Hudson took over the History department and Glee Club. Sue Sylvester wouldn't rest until Quinn Farbray, now Quinn Hudson took over her precious Cheerios. The school was filling with familiar faces and both Santana and Brittany couldn't have been happier to be home.
TWO YEARS LATER….
Chapter One
Scene One
It was a breath of fresh air when Santana walked through the schoolyard on her way into work that Monday morning. The sun was shining and it was finally warm enough to be outside without a winter coat. She smiled at the faces she recognized, and smirked to herself at the ones who avoided her glance as her heels clicked against the pavement while making her way up the front steps of the school's entrance. She still felt that childhood giddiness when someone was intimidated by her.
"Good morning Ms. Lopez," she heard behind her. She smiled to herself as she felt her cheeks heat up, the thought that her girlfriend's voice still made her weak in the knees after all these years.
Brittany had left their house earlier than Santana like she did every morning to workout at the local gym. She smiled to her girlfriend, lightly jogging up the steps in her black pumps while balancing her briefcase in one hand and two coffees in the other.
Santana smiled, grabbing the cardboard coffee carrier from Brittany. "Good morning Ms. Pierce," she returned sweetly, and then proceeded to hold the door open for her girlfriend.
"I got us scones to go with coffee too," Brittany said secretively, stopping in the entrance before continuing with, "but I was really hungry after the gym," she admitted in a Brittany like fashion.
Santana chuckled. "It's alright babe, I had some oatmeal before I left this morning," she said and placed her hand on Brittany's lower back to guide her into the school.
Once inside, their loving morning bubble was burst by the sound of flesh hitting flesh. Santana rushed past Brittany and pushed her way through the circle forming around two bodies. She handed her coffees to the closest kid before leaning down and grabbing the shirt of the body on top.
"Break it up," she yelled, her voice startling the figures apart. The Lopez wrath as the students called it was something everyone feared at McKinley, even the teachers. The two boys got up from the ground while still staring one another down.
Brittany politely excused herself to the front of the circle, ushering students to get to their classrooms. "Homeroom starts in five minutes guys," she warned while taking the coffee back from the girl up front.
"My office now," Santana yelled while pointing her finger in the direction down the hall. She hated when her morning immediately started off with a fight. She needed at least two cups of coffee in her before she was ready to deal with adolescent nonsense.
"Jake started it Ms. Lopez," Ryder, the quarterback of the football team said in ragged breaths.
Santana rolled her eyes. Jake was in her office every other day. He reminded her of David Karofsky from when she was in high school. "In my office now. Both of you," was all she said, sending them off with a wave of her hand before turning to Brittany. "Why did I take this position again?" she asked.
Brittany laughed. "To enrich the lives of young individuals," she said, quoting the plague hung in Santana's office.
Santana shook her head, her lips pursed to the side and her eyes squinted towards her girlfriend. "Don't you have seniors to interrogate?" she joked, dodging the slap to her arm from Brittany.
"That reminds me, don't forget I have SAT prep tonight. Looks like you're in charge of dinner darling," she smiled teasingly. They had a rule instated the minute they moved into together. First one home was in charge of dinner.
Santana scrunched her face up at the thought. She hated doing household chores, especially ones that required her full attention after a full's day work. "But baby I have to prepare for that meeting tomorrow," she tried, knowing Brittany couldn't resisted her stressed out pout.
Brittany lifted her eyes to the ceiling and let out an exaggerated sigh. "I'll bring home Chinese or something then," she said and looked around to make sure the halls were clear. "I love you, have a good day," she whispered towards Santana before bending her head slightly to peck the shorter girl's cheek.
Santana smiled at the sediment, running her hand down Brittany's arm. "I love you too," she said squeezing her hand. "I'll see you at lunch my dear," she said with a loving grin, grabbing a coffee from the holder before taking off towards her office.
Brittany headed in the opposite direction, humming the song she used for her morning workout.
Santana liked the fact that most of her high school friends occupied the staff at McKinley High School. It made her feel like she never left.
"Morning San," Sugar Motta, now secretary to the office said as Santana floated in. She certainly didn't need the money, but felt spending the day with her friends was better than shopping alone.
"Morning," she sang, "Did you direct the two goons into my torture chamber?" she joked, gesturing with her hand towards her office.
Sugar laughed before answering, "Mr. Schue took them, said he'd give you a break. He knows how unreasonable you can be so early in the morning," she said, her mouth just as unfiltered as an adult.
Santana narrowed her eyes. "I'm perfectly pleasant in the morning," she argued, crossing her arms across her chest.
"Brittany told me you threw her cell phone at her cat the other morning because it was meowing on your bed," she said pointedly.
Santana shrugged innocently. "Hey her cat, her phone," she argued. "Besides me and Lord Tubbington have a love hate relationship. He knows what to do just to piss me off and the other morning he was getting his revenge on me," she continued.
"Revenge for what?" Sugar asked with disbelief.
"I forgot to feed him the other day when Britt was out," she said as if it were no big deal.
Sugar's eyes widened. "You have issues," she said.
Santana laughed, making her way towards her office. "Let me know when George when gets in. I need to speak with him in my office," she said. With a final wave, she shut her office door behind her.
Brittany walked in what she liked to call her office of dreams. The once dull bleached room had been replaced with a rainbow of color from floor to ceiling. She smiled to the giant mural of a unicorn with a college degree hanging from its mouth and placed her coffee on her desk.
"I know I was supposed to do something this morning, but what was it," she asked herself aloud, looking around her office for some sort of clue.
She was great at her job; she always had a knack for helping people with their problems, whether it was a student who didn't know how to afford college, or didn't know how to tell their parents they were gay. She had a calm and friendly nature that the students responded well to and despite her cluster brain; she was a solid necessity to William McKinley High School.
"Ms. Pierce, can I talk to you?"
Her blonde hair whipped over her shoulder as she turned towards the doorway. She didn't recognize the face but kept a smile as she gestured the girl to come in.
"Good morning," she started, leaving a pause to let the girl indicate who she was.
"Marley, Marley Maddox," she said shyly, her eyes wandering around the room. It was like someone threw up color on the walls.
Brittany smiled and took a seat behind her desk. "Sounds like your stripper name. I think mine would be Lord …" she said with a far away glance, thinking about the name of her pet and street she grew up on.
Marley looked at her with confusion. "I'm not sure what you mean Ms. Pierce," she said.
Brittany shook her head from her thoughts. "Never mind," she laughed, "Maddox," she repeated. "Are you Maggie's daughter?" she asked recognizing the last name. Her mother worked in the school cafeteria and had recently been going through a brutal divorce. The woman was especially nice to Brittany, always sneaking her an extra scoop of rice pudding.
Marley nodded shyly.
"Well what can I do for you?" Brittany asked.
"I heard you do SAT prep on Monday nights. I could really use the extra help, but I don't think I can afford the class," she said quietly.
Brittany nodded with understanding. She knew Marley's family was going through a rough time. She never understood why the school charged for the class anyway but when Santana went into one of her long winded discussions of why the school does anything, Brittany blocked her out.
"Well that shouldn't be a problem. I could always help you out one on one on a different night. I get the master book so I can just make up my own lessons and tests for you. That way you won't have to buy the materials," she explained.
Marley shook her head. "I couldn't ask you to do that Ms. Pierce. You already have to do it on Mondays," she said, not wanting to be a burden.
Brittany held up her hand and smiled. "You didn't ask, I offered," she said, thinking in her head that the perfect response to this would be "touché."
Marley's face lit up. "Thank you," she said quietly.