AN: This is going to be a slightly AU story as I want to have the freedom to drift with my ideas. I will be following some of the storylines though and there will definitely be Glee members in the story. It will eventually be Quinntana, but I'm building up to that. I hope you enjoy the story and I would love to hear what you think or any ideas/suggestions you have. Thanks!
Ch. 1
The sun was just peaking over the horizon, its yellow rays reflecting across the water. There was no wind, the only disturbance of the glass was the bow as it sliced through the water. All in all a peaceful picture, until a voice called out across the early morning.
"Power 10 in 2! 1, 2!" Each of the four women in the boat pulled with all they had. This was where they dumped it all out, gained that edge over everyone else. The coxswain counted down the strokes, "1, 2, 3…" Heavy breathing, the occasional grunt was all that could be heard as the girls pulled as hard as they could.
Another voice called out from the stern of the boat, "Let's go guys! Almost there, give it all you've got!" Santana Lopez encouraged her team. In a sport like rowing you couldn't do it for yourself, you had to row for your team, for the people in your boat. The count reached 10 and the girls slowed their pace and fell back to full pressure. Tired as they were they weren't done yet and there was no slacking off.
The cox called out again, "This is it ladies. Push to the finish! Increase rate in 2. 1, 2!"
From her seat in bow Quinn Fabray yelled to the stroke. "You got this Lopez! Push!" Santana heard her friend as she increased her speed up the slide. They had 500 more meters to go, 2 minutes to push through the pain and the fatigue. Finally the four rowers heard the call, "Way enough, let it ride!"
They stopped their strokes and let their blades feather out over the water, each of them breathing hard and fast. After a few minutes rest the cox called her boat to attention. Wiping the sweat from her brow, Santana dried off her hands as best she could and gripped her oar again. The order was given to row back to the dock.
They docked the boat, ran in the oars, and removed them from the oar-locks. Starboards took them to be rinsed off and returned to get the boat. "Overhead in 2…1, 2," the coxswain called. The girls lifted the boat out of the water and overhead. "Split to the shoulders starting with bow." Quinn, at the bow, stepped to her left and slowly began lowering the boat to rest on her right shoulder. The girls behind her followed in an alternating pattern. Once set, the next order was given, "Walk it up." They began walking the boat up to the slings to be rinsed. When that was done it was moved inside the boathouse and put back in its place. The rowers made their way back outside for their boat meeting.
"Good job this morning ladies," the cox, Cara, told them. "You all showed a lot of power out there and kept a good pace. Tina and Alex, you guys were rushing the slide just a bit during that last power 10, but other than that, I have no complaints. Santana, Quinn, it was nice to hear you guys encouraging each other. Keep practicing like that and you guys will be the boat to beat this year. I'm going to be gone for the rest of the week so Kurt will be your cox. I think that's it here, you're free to go."
The circle broke and people headed their own ways. Quinn looked at Santana and smirked before raising a hand for a high five. As their hands connected, both girls grimaced. "Not your best idea Fabray, I think I just burst a blister," Santana said.
Quinn was shaking the sting out of her hand as well, "Yeah I realize that now. And I got one too. But you heard what she said, we are going to be the best."
Now it was Santana's turn to smirk, "You mean we weren't before? But Cara was right, it was a good practice. The boat felt set and aside from that last little bit everyone felt together. This is going to be a good boat."
"I agree," Quinn said. "Now let's get out of here. I need a serious shower before class and a whole buffet of food. I think I could eat a truck full of bacon right now."
Santana laughed at her friend. "Only you Quinn, only you. Let's go."
Santana dropped Quinn off at her house and rounded the block to her own. As she entered the door she heard the sounds of her parents in the kitchen and changed course to see them. "Morning Mom, Papi." Both adults greeted their daughter in return.
"How was practice this morning Santi?" The young woman groaned at the pet name, "Mami, you know I don't like that. But practice was good. Quinn and I like our boat and it feels good so far. Cara told us if we keep at it we'll be the boat to beat." Carlos Lopez smiled at his little girl, "That's excellent Santana. We are so proud of you and the hard work you do," he leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Like there is even a chance that someone could best a Lopez." Flashing the trademark Lopez smirk he turned and went upstairs to get ready for another day at the hospital.
Santana gently picked up her bag, avoiding blisters, and moved toward the stairs. "I'm going to shower and get ready for school," she told her mother. Maya called out to her daughter as she left the room, "Breakfast will be ready when you are finished." Santana acknowledged her mother and wearily walked up the stairs to her bathroom.
At her home, Quinn quietly moved to her room to dump things. She didn't want to wake her mother and deal with the yelling yet again. Things were better since her parents split up, but her mom still liked to drink sometimes in the evenings and was not at all pleasant if she got woken up before 9am the following day. Luckily, she had an in-room bathroom so her noise was minimal. Quinn stripped out of her sweat-soaked workout clothes and stepped into the shower.
Twenty minutes later she stood towel drying her newly cut hair. The shorter style made it easier to fix in the mornings and much cooler for rowing; not to mention it was "dead sexy" (as put by Santana) when she left it messy. Picking out her outfit while standing there, she threw the towel back into the bathroom and got dressed. Soon after she grabbed her school bag and went to the kitchen to find breakfast. Noticing the time, she mixed up a protein shake and stuck a banana and a bag of cereal in her backpack to eat when she got to school. The young blonde slid her sunglasses over her eyes as she approached her car and headed toward school.
Another day at McKinley High, she sighed to herself. At least Santana and the rest of my friends will be there to suffer the long day with me.
Sitting in first period, already bored out of her mind, Santana sat doodling in her notebook. It was hard to pay attention, even if it was History, which happens to be one of her favorite and best subjects. She had wanted to talk to Quinn again before school started, but the girl didn't meet her at their table in the courtyard like usual. Probably stupid Judy again nagging her about something, she thought. That woman has a couple screws loose, even if she was smart enough to leave her cheating dirt-bag ex-husband. I wish Q didn't have to put up with all that shit. She deserves better.
A comment about WWII brought her out of her thoughts and she placed her attention on the teacher. Not that anyone but her best friends would ever know it, but she really liked history and it was definitely better than starting the day out in math. The latina followed along, taking notes on the key points until the teacher was interrupted by the intercom. "Mr. Conner, can you please send Santana Lopez to the office please?" Santana looked up suddenly, surprised. Mr. Conner nodded to the girl who began to gather her things and started walking to the front office.
She had no clue why they had called her. She hadn't done anything to get in trouble, unless you count slightly threatening a few annoying underclassmen, which most people don't. And she wasn't tardy, her grades were excellent. She decided it must be something related to the crew team. She was a senior varsity member after all. But when she stepped through the doors, she knew she was wrong. Her mother was standing there eyes red with a worried look on her face.
"Mami," Santana asked in a small, quiet voice. Her mother walked toward her.
Mrs. Lopez took a deep breath and spoke to her daughter. "Mija, it's Quinn. She's been in an accident."
