Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, etc through 35th cycle. Now cycle 36!

Had the idea for this cycle back in July or August where I thought it'd be interesting to do a set inspired by tarot cards. My initial research then directed me to the cards of the Major Arcana, of which there were 22, so I combined two, which got me to 21, making this a cycle-long set of stories. Then I did more research, to find out about each of those cards, and what they can represent. Now I need to point out that it's a more or less basic approach. I don't go into the reverse meaning or other things, just this part. ** If you would like the document of info I've collected and based myself on, let me know and I'll send it, since it covers the next three weeks' worth of stories. ** Lastly, in connection to the first card, 'The Fool', and the journey through those other cards, this entire cycle will feature, in lead or supporting form, one Brittany S. Pierce...

"Making of a Trinity"
or 'Justice'
Quinn, Brittany, Santana, Brittana
Trinity Series - flashback (ties to 'Words to live by')

The streets still shined with the aftermath of the downpour from the night before, which had been coming and going all morning. Brittany had ducked out of the apartment to head off to work. She made sure the still sleeping Santana would be kept warm, pulling the blanket snug over her shoulders and leaving a note with the coffee to say she'd see her at the bar that night. She'd been assisting Dr. Campbell at the animal hospital for nearly a year now, and she couldn't be happier, at least where it came to work… Being with Santana, that would always be the best part of her day.

She was coming out of the coffee shop – she always got coffee and a couple of the cookies for herself and Dr. Campbell – balancing the cups and the bag with one hand while she slipped her wallet back in her bag, when she looked up. She didn't understand what she saw, not right away, but it was like her eyes knew to stop, and then her brain caught up with her. There across the street, coming out of a car, there was a familiar face. She hadn't seen her in a few years now, but there was no mistaking it… and she felt overwhelmed with giddiness, looking left and right before dashing across the street.

"Quinn!" she called after her. It was definitely her, seeing how she reacted, looked around for the source of the call. "Over here," she called again, and now the blonde spotted her.

"Are you serious?" Quinn burst out laughing, moving up to hug the girl, so tight Brittany barely missed dropping the coffee and cookies.

"Hi!" her voice couldn't help going up. When they pulled back, they were both smiling. "I didn't know you were living here now, or are you just visiting?"

"Oh, well I'm here on, uh, on business," she nodded carefully, pushing a fringe of hair behind her ear. "What about you? I heard you'd moved out here, you and…" Her eyes flashed like she'd just remembered or realized that if she was nearby then so would… "How's Santana?" she smiled. "You two are still…"

"She's good," Brittany nodded. "She's back at our place, sleeping. She works late," she explained, and then she had an idea. "How long are you going to be here?"

"Couple of days," she nodded. "I have a meeting tomorrow night."

"So you're free tonight then?" Brittany asked, and she got confirmation. "Not anymore," she grinned.

Santana had woken up, dragged her feet into the kitchen, and she brightened when she saw the note, poured herself a cup of coffee. She loved working at the bar, but it was doing a number on her schedule. At least the nights she worked Brittany would show up, and the nights she didn't they spent at home… Until they would meet there though, she had to get through the day. So she showered, dressed, went to do groceries – her turn – and before long it was time to head down to work. She changed and she was on her way. The night began and the place was packed. She was wondering why things weren't progressing and she moved toward her fellow bartender. Hattie Hiroda had been the first new friend she made after she and Brittany moved to New York. She helped her get the job.

"Sara's running late," she groaned, reaching for a glass.

"She was supposed to be here like an hour ago," Santana quickly looked to her watch.

"Yeah that's why what she's late for is picking up her things," Hattie looked over her shoulder.

"Fine, but that's not solving our problem tonight. Did you call anyone in?"

"Justine's on her way," she confirmed.

"June!" Santana called out over the bar. Hattie turned back.

"What are you doing?" her eyes flicked back to find the waitress making her way back toward the bar.

"What, we need help," she shrugged, then got something of an evil smirk. "You more than anyone."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hattie frowned, placing the glass she'd just filled in front of the girl who'd ordered it, taking the money that was placed next to it.

"It means you've been staring at her ass since she started working here. The shy thing, it's sweet and kind of weird coming from you, but it's not getting you anywhere. So why don't you do yourselves a favor, take the chance, and ask the girl out. Hell I'll run this whole bar here all by myself if you two need a 'moment,'" she air-quoted, getting a darting frown from Hattie.

"You are, you're…" she shook her head, then clammed up. Santana looked back as June Wiley came up to them. She had started working at the bar about a month before, with a perpetual smile on her face and bounce in her step, and as Santana had been telling Brittany – as well as re-enacting – it had gone and caught up the at times surly Hattie with no mercy at all. The tall girl had been drawn to her, whether she realized or admitted it or not, and Santana was more than willing to let her work through it on her own, but the longer she drew it out, the more frustrating it got, until she decided it was high time she intervened. Besides it was fun to watch the usually cool Hattie absolutely lose herself.

"Hey, what's up?" June asked.

"We're one down, can you back us up until Justine gets here?" Santana asked, since Hattie couldn't speak.

"Yeah, no problem," she moved off, getting to work right away. Santana turned back to Hattie, triumphant.

"When did you turn into all lov… Never mind I just answered my own question," she'd paused then pointed up the bar. Santana turned and saw Brittany waving back. She hurried over.

"Hey, shame you didn't get here two minutes ago. You'd have been proud…" she leaned across the bar so she'd hear her. Brittany put her hand on hers, stopped her talking.

"I would have been, but I had to wait for someone," Brittany explained, and before Santana could ask who, the blonde had snatched her hand, the better to pull her along to come around the bar, much to the disruption of those who'd been in the way.

"Britt, what are you doing, we're gonna…" she was saying, but then she finally realized that the other blonde behind Brittany had been with her… and that she knew her as well. Much like before, both of them paused as their minds caught up with being presented with the face they hadn't seen in so long. "No freaking way…"

"That was my feeling, too," Quinn laughed as they hugged.

"When d…" Santana started, before hearing her name and remembering they were short on staff. "Okay, I have to go back, but you stick around here," she pointed to the bar.

The night consisted of Santana running left and right to serve her customers, slipping in for conversation when the opportunity presented itself. It was mostly about catching up, this and that, had they heard from such and such, this one was in college, that one was working, those two were getting married… At some point Quinn had to go, as she had business to attend to in the morning, and that was that. As far as they knew, they wouldn't see her again until some high school reunion or another.

Santana wasn't working at the bar the next night, so after she'd picked up Brittany from work, they'd decided to treat themselves to dinner and a movie. It was a good and cozy evening, and they had a pretty good idea where it was going to end, back at home… Only as they were coming up the hall to their door, Brittany's hands closed around her arm, stopping her. "Hey, at least wait until we're in there," she chuckled, staring back at her… and then she saw the freaked out look on her face. "What's wrong?" Brittany nodded forward, and then she saw it: their door was ajar. "Stay behind me," she straightened up, pushing Brittany behind herself.

"Shouldn't we call the cops?" she shook her head as Santana started to move toward the door and she followed. "They could have a gun…"

"I realize that," she frowned, still moving up, signalling for Brittany to stay quiet. She pushed the door very quietly, finally hearing noise from somewhere inside. They crept up quietly, while whoever was inside was apparently not too preoccupied with the noise they were making, which wasn't much, but enough. It was coming from the bathroom, which further confused the girls as to what was happening. Santana peered into the room, and she both relaxed and tensed at once. "Quinn?" The girl's head snapped around, startled, caught… wounded. As she turned Santana could see a long gash up her arm, bleeding through her dark shirt, some of the blood having gotten on the rest of her shirt where she'd cradled the arm, and some just on her neck near her cheek. "What the hell happened?" Santana moved up to her, Brittany as well. They had her sit on the edge of the tub, Santana at her side. Brittany went to get the bandages and disinfectant, which Quinn had been trying to work on her own when the two of them had arrived, earlier than she thought.

"I'm so sorry," Quinn shook her head. "I wasn't sure where else to go. I would have fixed everything up on my way out," she explained, wincing when Brittany tore off the cut sleeve.

"How did you even know where we lived?" Santana asked.

"Might have lifted your ID at the bar last night, just in case," Quinn looked to Brittany as she replied. Both her and Santana were startled by the concept of 'lifting an ID' being something in Quinn Fabray's skill set or habit.

"Okay but what happened? Do we need to call the police or…"

"No!" Quinn interrupted her, startled her. "N-no cops, please," she shook her head. Brittany and Santana shared a quiet look.

"Did someone do this to you?" Santana asked seriously.

"Wh… No, no, I promise, okay?" Quinn shook her head.

"Well then what is it? Finding our address, breaking in, and the blood…"

"Don't worry, it's all mine," Quinn cut in, while Brittany cleaned the cut. "This absolutely stays between us," she prefaced her words, waited until the other two had agreed. Even then they could see it wasn't easy for her to speak up. "I broke in to this place…"

"What?" Santana's voice had been louder than she intended, and the room froze for a second. "What?" she repeated in a whisper.

So then Quinn went on, laying out her story, about going in to retrieve this thing that had belonged to some woman, but that had been stolen, how it had belonged to her father… Quinn had flown in to town especially to retrieve that item and bring it to her, only there had been a few unplanned circumstances, which had led to her having to escape by any means necessary.

"Have you completely lost your mind?" Santana scolded. "You could have gotten yourself killed. What if they'd caught you? They could still catch you, once they find your blood on whatever you cut yourself on…" she went on, slightly alarmed at how much she sounded like her mother.

"It's alright, I took care of that," she nodded behind them and they saw the thing there, on the bathroom ground, with some blood on it as she'd assumed. Next to it was a black case… How had they not noticed it before. "Relax, okay, I've done this before."

"You've what? Quinn…"

"Look, it's not as bad as it sounds, I only do it in cases like these, to bring back what rightfully belongs to other people," she explained.

"That's nice," Brittany piped in with a smile, putting the bandage on Quinn's arm.

"Yeah until you end up in prison," Santana reminded them.

"Well they haven't caught me yet, have they?" her smile was so sly, it was scary but this was probably the first moment she'd remember as having been intrigued by the idea. Not that she'd let it show.

"That doesn't mean they won't. Going in there all by yourself, it's dangerous, look what happened."

"Well what do you want me to do, go and find myself a 'crew'? Yeah, you're right, I could get caught, which is exactly why I'm not going to go and align myself with people I don't know I can trust." There was silence for a moment, as Brittany finished her work and reached for something to clean the stain on Quinn's neck.

"You trusted us," Brittany pointed out, meaning as far as shelter, but instead it put the idea out in the open for something much bigger. It wouldn't be decided that night, it couldn't. Silently, the possibility had been presented between the two girls sitting on the edge of the tub, but one had been working on her own for some time, while the other couldn't help but worry over the third girl's safety. So they left it alone, never spoken, non-existent, and yet…

THE END

A/N: This is a one-shot ficlet, which means that signing up for story alert will not bring you any alerts.
In the event of a sequel, the story will be separate from this one. And as chapter stories go, they are
always clearly indicated as such [ex: "Days 204-210" in the summary] Thank you!