This story starts in season two. I don't own Glee.


Moments before their performance at sectionals...

Santana was in the dressing room back stage combing her hair. She admired herself in the mirror as she fixed her make up.

"Santana, it's almost time to perform." Rachel said, standing in the doorway of the dressing room. "Are you ok?"
The Latina had recently been crying was trying to remove any evidence.

"I'm fantastic." Santana deadpanned.

"At Least let me show you how I cover up the fact that I've cried recently?"

"What?"

"Santana... I can tell you've been crying. After my years of torment and bullying, I've come up with the perfect way of fixing my face so that no one notices how much I'd been upset."

"Stop talking and make it happen." The Latina handed Rachel her make up kit.

"Ok let's see what we have here..." Rachel dug through the make up and found what she was looking for. In a matter of minutes Santana didn't recognize herself in the mirror. She was flawless.

"Damn Berry, I'm gonna hafta have you teach me some of those make up secrets sometime. But you never heard me say that."

"Only if you tell me why you were crying in the first place." Rachel smirked.

Santana stared at herself in the mirror. She couldn't bring her eyes to meet Rachel's. She knew that'd only start her crying again. At the lack of response, Rachel spoke.

"Is it nerves?" She asked, "Singing a solo your first time in front of a large crowd can be nerve wracking."

"It's not my first time, and it's got nothing to do with singing." The Latina answered flatly.

"It's Brittany, isn't it?"

Santana stood and turned to face Rachel. The smug look on her face made Santana get mad. She felt the blood boiling in her face. She knew she would ruin the make-up if she cried.

"Listen Berry." She said as she took a few steps closer to the now frightened diva. "I don't need to answer any of your questions. Don't pretend you know me just because we're teammates."

"I'm just trying to be here for you."

"Why? We're not friends. I hate you. I make fun of you all the time. I call you names. In front of everyone, I say the nastiest things to you. I slept with your boyfriend. Why would you be nice to me?"

"He's not my boyfriend any more."

"Good for you. I still don't care."

"I'm still here if you wanna talk."

Santana was now hovering over Rachel who was pushed up against the dressing room wall holding on to it like it would save her from whatever Santana could dish out.

"I know you don't mean it, all the things you say. All the insults you throw- It's just a defense mechanism. I know you're hurting inside. I can see it in your eyes. You think no one notices... I do. I look at you sometimes when I sing in glee club and you're tearing up, pretending that you're laughing at something, but you're just hurting. And I see that. Everyone needs someone to lean on. I'm offering you a shoulder."

"Thanks, but no thanks Hobbit." Santana turned away and started pacing.

"You don't have to open up to me right now, but just know that I'm here, if you need a friend. And that I don't take it personally."

"What?" Santana stopped in her tracks, now facing the doe-eyed brunette in front of her.

"I don't take it personally... the insults, the nicknames, the slushies, even sleeping with Finn. Chalk it up to insecurity or fear, or loneliness... you eyes give you away. You may think you're a great actress, but you can't hide those kinds of feelings from someone like me."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means..." Rachel didn't know how to explain To her it was self explanatory. Applause could be heard from the auditorium.
"Sounds like Vocal Adrenaline rocked the house. We're up Lopez. See ya out there." Rachel said as she started to slide along the wall away from the Latina.

Santana grabbed her arm causing the Diva to stop short in her tracks. Rachel turned to face the Santana and found she had a truly intense look on her face. Her brow was furrowed, eyes partially squinted and lips pursed tight,.

"What?!" The diva demanded. "We're done here, it's time to perform." She said mockingly.

Santana pushed Rachel up against the nearest wall and slammed her hand on the cold cement inches from Rachel's head causing the girl to flinch and lose her breath. Rachel put her hand on her chest to help calm her breathing. Her heart was pounding in her chest. The Latina didn't know what came over her. She just went with her instincts. She used her other hand to push Rachel's shoulder back into the wall, stared intently into the diva's eyes and placed a rough kiss on her lips. The kiss lingered longer than Santana intended, mainly because she kind of surprised herself. When she pulled back, Rachel's eyes were closed and her breathing was heavy.

She whispered, "See. I told you the insults were a cover."

Rachel finally slid by Santana and made her way onto the stage. The music for their set had already began. Santana snapped herself out of her daze and quickly followed Rachel to the stage. They made it just in time.