Warning: Brief language
Disclaimer: Glee is not mine. Title taken from KT Tunstall's 'Universe & U'.
Prologue
"Brittany, you have to wake up." Her mind was racing faster than she could process her thoughts, her rationality gone along with the part of her that she felt she was losing as she watched the motionless girl that lay before her—leaving behind a jumbled mess of confusion and chaotic emotions.
"Brittany, please wake up! B, please..." She couldn't help but gently shake the body in the hospital bed.
"You can't do this to me. You have no idea how much I need you." Her voice began to waver as she leaned over Brittany's still body. She placed a hand to the blonde's forehead and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. Using the inside of her thumb, Santana ran her finger along the profile of the girl in front of her. She traced along the edge of her forehead, down her cheek bone and jaw, and eventually stopped on the point of her chin. Her skin was so soft and warm, even now.
"I need you to be strong—be strong for me." A lone tear escaped her eye and slid down her cheek. She didn't even bother to hide it or wipe it away. There was no reason to; she was alone with her best friend. What did it matter if her best friend saw her cry? That's what best friends are there for, anyway. And what did it matter, especially if her best friend was unconscious.
Santana Lopez did not cry often. She was a rock. Hard as stone and thick as a brick wall. Not much got through, but when it did, she could often control herself. But none of that seemed relevant that day.
Another tear slowly slid down her cheek, this time, from a different eye. Being careful not to put too much weight overtop the girl, she bent over and rested herself atop the blonde's side. Then, she brought the blonde's hand to her own and intertwined their fingers. First, she linked their pinkies. Stopping to observe the gesture, she couldn't help but stare at their symbol of friendship. It was such a simple gesture, almost juvenile, yet it meant so much. She brought the two fingers to her lips and kissed the adjoining appendages tenderly. Then she began to lace more fingers together, slowing moving one at a time so each finger hooked its opposite until their hands were an uncomfortable mess of interlocking fingers. She brought the hands up to her lips and kissed the back of Brittany's palm. Lowering the hands again, she softly removed her hand and laced it normally with the thin hand of her best friend and rested them atop the girl's chest.
"Santana?"
The Latina slowly turned her head to face the door of the hospital room to find her mom standing in the doorway.
"It's getting late and you have school in the morning, honey," she whispered as she took in the emotions dripping down her daughter's cheeks. "Maybe you should be heading home now." She began to take a step into the room in hopes of comforting her distressed daughter, but was quickly halted.
"No, Mom. Stop. I'm fine, okay? I just need some time." She struggled to maintain control of her words as she glanced between the blank expression of her friend and that of the worried look on her mother's face. "And no, I'm not leaving her."
"Santana—"
"Mom, I really don't give a shit. She's my best friend, I can't leave her. Listen, my car's already here. Just go home and I'll drove myself home when I'm ready."
"When will that be?"
"I don't know. I could care less about school right now, okay? I promise I'll be fine and I'll come straight home after I'm done here. No stupid shit, promise." She fixed her gaze onto her mother, her eyes dark but pleading and her expression unmoving.
The older woman let out a sigh. "Fine, but text me if you decide to stay overnight." And with that she walked away and closed the door behind her.
Santana turned back to Brittany. Her lips quivered as more tears began to escape her eyes. One ran the length of her face before dripping down to their intertwined hands, pooling across their fingers. More began to quickly follow and join it.
"I'm sorry I let this happen to you, B," she whispered. "I promise I won't let anything or anyone hurt you ever again. I know that's a stupid promise to make, but I'm going to try to do everything in my power to make it happen. And I'm so sorry that this had to happen to you. You of all people don't deserve it. I'm sure you'd say that none of this is my fault, but I need to blame someone for this. So I have to blame myself, because there's no else I can think of to blame." She sniffled and wiped away the overwhelming amount of tears in her eyes with her free arm's forearm. "Brittany, you're my best friend. You know me better than anyone, and you've always been there for me. So I promise that as long as your heart is still beating, I will be here for you. You know, sometimes, I don't know if you realize how much you really mean to me. But you're my everything. Without you, I'd be lost. You're more than just a best friend to me, B. I love you. I hope you realize that."
A/N: So obviously this was like foreshadowed prologue. If you're interested in finding out more, be sure to let me know. If enough people want more, then I'll write more. If not, I don't want to waste my time. I don't plan on this being too long, but I'd like to take advantage of the week I have before school starts again. Also, title was made up at four in the morning. So it may change.