This is an idea I got after watch Face Off. Kevin Smith said Orphan makes a great superheros...This is also inspired slightly by a fic entitled "Part time Superhero, Full Time Nerd" by Nayahasmyheart. The Prologue is merely that, the really action starts in the first chapter. I hope you enjoy the chapter.
I do not own Glee.
Like a Burning Flame
Prologue: Embraced by a Flame
Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning, a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals, deep-burning and unquenchable. –Bruce Lee
She took shelter in the small cardboard box from the rain. She hated the rain. The box wasn't helping with her stay dry. Her small body was freezing from the wet cold air. She wrapped herself with her large, adult sized trench coat. She was a beautiful child; no more than four, with jet black hair that seemed to be taken care of despite the look of the rest of her. Her caramel colored skin was bruised; her small face was dirtied as was the rest of her. It appeared that she hadn't bathed in a while.
A loud pound of thunder sounded. She curled up in her coat and began tearing up. Thunder was horrifying to her as it was to most children her age. However, most children had the luxury of parent to protect them and a home to shelter them from the elements. She had once cried for her mother every night she found herself alone but the nights had become too many and there was no sign of the warm maternal embrace she longed for.
The small midnight haired girl heard the whine of a small animal. She looked up from the box and starred a cute Akita puppy in eye. The animal looked into the girls brown eyes. "Are you lost?" She spoke aloud to the small wet puppy. She opened up her coat to the animal. "I'm lost too." She said as the dog crawled in beside her. "My name is Santana," She said to the animal. She examined the dog and saw no tags. "Someone must miss you." The animal whined and cuddled into her. She noticed his reddish fur. "I'm going to call you Fuego." She smiled before letting out a string of coughs. "Let's try and get some sleep Fuego." Another coughing fit followed. She shut her eyes feeling slightly protect by her little ball of fire warming her a bit to the touch.
Fuego awoke before the sleeping Santana. The small animal got out of the box and stretched before peeing on the nearby trash can. Little fuego found himself hungry. He went to the box and barked at Santana. The small child did not awake. He barked again still no movement from Santana. He nudged her with his head. He pulled at her shirt trying to wake her. Fuego could sense something was wrong with his new companion. He trotted out of the ally that they had taken shelter in that night. He looked up at the people barking up at them trying to gain their attention. He shook his fur trying to get rid of water. Not many people acknowledge his existence. Some did but didn't do anything to indulge him.
"Mommy, mommy," The dog heard as her strutted up to a small blonde girl. She bent down to him offer him a potato chip. "It's a puppy." Fuego took the chip and licked the girl's hand. "He doesn't have a collar. A taller woman knelt beside the child and picked the dog up. Fuego struggled in the woman's arms whining. "Can we keep him?" The woman looked at the animal.
"He might have an owner Brittany." The woman said seeing the girl's eyes become sad. "I'll tell you what," the woman said. "We'll take him home and if he doesn't have an owner within two weeks we can keep him." The girl cheered. "But only if you promise to take care of him."
"I will mommy!" The girl said watching the animal struggle. He wiggled out of the woman's arms and began to lightly jog. He watched as the little girl followed him. He made sure she was always a few steps behind. He led them back to the ally where Santana remain motionless in her box. He walked up to Santana nudging her again before licking her sleeping face. "Mommy," The blonde said. "Look," She said pointing at the dog. The blonde's mother seemed a bit winded from following behind the child and puppy. She took a breath before looking towards what her daughter was looking at. When she saw the motionless girl in the box she was in horror.
She rushed towards the motionless girl. She pulled the girl out of the wet box realizing that the girl was soaked from head to toe. She was burning up but nonetheless, she was still breathing and very much alive. She felt for the girls pulse. "Brittany," The older woman said. "Remember how mommy taught you to call mommy's job." The woman said. "I need you to dial the number and give mommy the phone." The woman said calmly. Brittany went through her mother's bag and found her phone. The small blonde dialed the number.
"Is she going to be okay mommy?" the woman didn't answer and just tended to the weak Santana.
Santana's eyes shot open as she took in her surroundings. She saw walls with bears on it and a television playing cartoons. She looked around for something familiar. She knew where she was. She was in a hospital. She noticed she was hooked up to many machines. A needle was in her arm and a mask on her face. She wondered how she had gotten there. She wondered if Fuego was alright. Whoever, brought her to the hospital might have taken him to the pound if they had found him.
"I will not let this little girl get thrown in some group home where she'll probably end up on her own again." She heard the voice of a woman outside her door. "Did you think for one second I would let this child go into some uncaring family. I want them all screened."
"Susan, you're being unreasonable." She heard a male voice.
"What would you want someone to do; if it were Rachel?" She heard the woman ask sternly. There was no response. "That's what I thought. There has to be someone that will take care of her."
"We don't even know her name. She hasn't even awoken yet. Her parent might be looking for her." The male voice said.
"You didn't see her when I first found her. This hadn't been bathed or feed well or seen good shelter in at least a few months. Probably longer because she obviously had enough time to get used to finding shelter." Santana knew they were talking about her she wondered who else they could possibly be talking about. "I'm going to go bring Brittany in because she's been begging to see this girl for days now. I expect that you'll tell the social workers I will take care of her until they find a family suitable by my standards and someone permanent."
"Alright Susan," The male said surrendering to the woman. "I hope you know what you're doing." She heard the sounds of footsteps disappearing and she was alone again. Santana sat up in the bed. She breathed in the air of the mask. She felt drowsy and weak but it wasn't a bad weak it felt like she was getting healthier. She looked up at the screen with the cartoons. The show captured her attention until she heard the door to the room open.
"Okay Brittany, remember be gentle. She isn't awake yet and she's not completely well okay." Santana watched as a small blonde girl raced into the room. She looked at Santana and Santana looked at her both girl blushed as they looked at each other. Santana knew the girl had to be her age. The small blonde girl began grinning brightly. "Brittany," The woman walked in and saw Santana looking up at her with a fearful unsure look.
"Mommy, she's awake." Brittany said. She rushed over to Santana taking her bag off her shoulders and opening it. "I brought your dog." Brittany said surprising her mother as Fuego jumped out and on to Santana.
"Brittany," Her mother said astonished that Brittany got the animal into the hospital without her know.
"I didn't know what his name was so I call him Taz, because he looks like Taz from the Looney Toons." Santana was unaware how the girl could talk so freely with her. "Mommy says you're going to come home with us when you get better. I'm glad you're okay and so is Taz." The small dog curled up by Santana. "He wants you to pet him." Brittany said as her mother stepped next to the bed.
"I'm going to take your mask off, okay?" The woman said. Santana shook her head. She took the oxygen mask off of the small girls face. "There you go sweetheart." Susan said. "My name is Susan and this is my daughter Brittany. Taz led us to you in the ally."
"His name is Fuego," Santana said protectively. "That's the name I gave him." Santana voice was faint but still fiery. The puppy's ears perked up. He jumped up into Santana's lap and curled up again.
Susan grabbed a chair and sat down in it put Brittany in her lap. "What's your name sweetheart?" Santana looked at the woman.
"Santana," She answered.
"Where are you from Santana?"
"Ohio," Santana kept her answers short.
"Where are you parents Santana?" Santana frowned and looked at the puppy.
"I don't know." She said. Susan's heart broke a little to hear that she didn't know. "I don't know anything about them I don't even know their names."
"How long have you been on the street?"
"I don't know." Santana said. "I've never been in a house I think." Santana said.
"Well, Santana, I'm going to go get your doctor and Brittany will stay here with you. Is that okay?" Santana gave a hesitant yes. Susan put Brittany down on the bed next to Santana and waved at the two girls as she left the room. Brittany turned excitedly to Santana.
"You're pretty." Brittany said bluntly make Santana turn bright red. "What does Fuego mean?" Brittany asked curiously.
"Fire," Santana said. "He looks like a fire ball so I named him Fuego." Brittany smiled.
"I like Fuego. It's better than Taz and he likes Fuego." Brittany looked at Santana. "We should be friends because I like you." Brittany smiled. Santana didn't know why but she had the urge to smile back. Brittany touched the small dog that had fallen asleep in Santana's lap. "Mommy says you're going to live with us for a while when you're all better." Brittany smiled. "You might even stay with us forever."
"You talk a lot," Santana said with a smile. "I like that because I don't talk a lot."
"Then I'll keep talking." Brittany said. Santana felt like crying from happiness. She finally felt like someone cared about her. She looked at Brittany. "I'm going to spend the night with you tonight." Brittany said smiling. "I don't think you should be alone and by yourself anymore." Santana let out a smile. "I brought my movies too so we can watch movies." Brittany smiled.
"Okay," Santana said. "I'm glad we're friends." She smiled brighter. "And I like you too."
Let me know if you want more chapters in a Review. I don't know about this one. it's the first time I've written something like this. So please Review. :)
