Need You Now

By Erin Griffin

Fandom: Glee

Pairing: Faberry/Brittana, vague mention of Bartie and Klaine

Word Count: About 3,200

Summary: Santana and Quinn sing a duet together to try to win their girls back.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Ryan Murphy and Fox do. "Need You Now" Is owned by Lady Antebellum and other people who aren't me.

A/N: This spoils up to Original (2x16). I tweaked it so that Need You Now wasn't the song Rachel and Puck sang in 2x6 because I forgot about that when I was writing this.

*Quinn's look was supposed to be a shout out to Charlie, Diana Argon's alter ego.

Santana checked her make up once more. Nothing had gone out of place since the last time she checked twenty seconds ago. Quinn, who stood beside the Latina at the sink, would have told her this if she wasn't fixing her tie and tan colored fedora hat for the umpteenth time. They were nervous and both girls knew it, which was why the girls' North-side bathroom was otherwise quiet until a knock came in the form of their lookout, Mercedes. "It's time," was all the plump diva said to them through the door.

"I still hate this song," Santana muttered, "but-" The darker girl cut herself off as she met Quinn's eyes in the mirror.

"I know, but it's the only song we could think of that both Rachel and Brittany love that also compliments our voices AND speaks how we both feel," Quinn said for the fourth or fifth time that day alone. Santana nodded curtly to this.

"Guys, let's go!"

"We're coming, Mercedes, God!" Santana hollered back. There was a pound on the door and a huff before the girls heard retreating footsteps. There was no more time to think about it. Glee club had started.

Both girls left the bathroom side by side, and as they got closer to the music room, Mercedes slipped inside. Another moment later, she came back out and said, "It's all set. Break a leg, you guys."

"Thanks, Mercedes," Quinn said when it looked like Santana wasn't going to. Mercedes nodded and went back into the music room.

"Uh- Apparently, Santana and Quinn had a duet they wanted to sing to warm us up for today's practice," Mr. Schuster said loudly. There was applause, and Santana and Quinn entered the room. The ex-Cheerios' getup earned a couple of gasps, and they hoped they'd come from the ones they were doing this for. Quinn had a white shirt, covered by a grey vest and blue speckled tie loosely down the middle. Her white pants were a little more casual, and a new pair of sneakers completed the look. Quinn adjusted her fedora hat once more and looked at Santana, who would give the starting cue to the band when she was ready. Santana was gorgeous in a black tank top, a red over shirt, jeans and white tennis shoes that Quinn knew were from her Cheerios uniform. The Latina wore ruby red lipstick and a cowboy hat. They didn't compliment each other's look, but they certainly didn't clash, either, and that was important.

Santana looked at the band and then at Brad the piano man and nodded to him. He began the first four piano keys to the song, and that was when the butterflies in Quinn's stomach took flight. As the band followed Brad's lead, Santana began to sway, much like choirs in churches do. Quinn followed suit, doing her best to keep her eyes off of Rachel. She knew that if she saw the brunette's face, she'd completely fall apart.

Quinn wasn't sure how she and Rachel had gotten to where they were now (with Quinn in front of all who mattered, next to her on again, off again friend as they were about to sing a god-awful country song by Lady Antebellum), but she was there. She remembered Rachel's party with the wine coolers, and the game of spin the bottle. It was that kiss that had started everything. Well, it was that kiss and Finn giving Rachel the cold shoulder. Too bad for him, really, but the short girl had since then become her… something. It was always kind of fuzzy just what they were doing and what they were to each other. All she knew was that she made it under those Christmas present reject sweaters many times in the following weeks and that she loved every minute of it. Then Quinn remembered just who she was rounding second base into third with. This was Rachel Berry, future Broadway star. Quinn knew that she would never be any good for someone destined for greatness, and ti wasn't as if they were official or out or anything like that, so she did the only thing she knew how to do: Quinn had pushed Rachel away while pulling Finn in, leaving Rachel without a reason (other than her fathers) to stay in Lima. It left Quinn a wreck, but she knew she'd been doing the right thing, even if she had gone about it the wrong way.

Santana's voice cut through Quinn's thoughts of Rachel, and though she wanted Rachel to know that she still felt- uh- something, she also needed to do this for Santana. She knew for a fact that there was no Santana without Brittany, and though Landslide was true, Quinn felt that they could be together without making their lives solely about the other. "A life without Brittana," as Kurt put it, "just isn't right." Quinn had to agree. She could see how these past days have been on Santana.

"Picture perfect memories
Scattered all around the floor
Reaching for the phone 'cause
I can't fight it anymore"

Quinn smiled at Santana before she brought her voice in for the harmony.

"And I wonder if I ever cross your mind…"

And Santana continued alone with, "For me it happens all the time."

Santana side-stepped closer to Quinn, almost as if to draw some strength from her, even though the blonde was as bad off as the Latina was at the time. The two harmonized again for the chorus to the song.

"It's a quarter after one
I'm all alone
And I need you now
Said I wouldn't call
But I've lost all control
And I need you now

And I don't know how
I can do without
I just need you now"

Quinn took a step forward as Santana began to sway again. A deep breath was taken in, and then:

"Another shot of whiskey
Can't stop looking at the door
Wishing you'd come sweeping
In the way you did before"

Quinn's voice wasn't as deep as the song required, but she put a smoky spin into the part, and risking a look at the audience, she saw that it worked in her favor. Her eyes landed on a certain brunette, locking with Rachel's before she let them flicker to Brittany, who'd stopped leaning into Artie and was now attentive to the song. Santana's voice then blended into Quinn's perfectly.

"And I wonder if I ever cross your mind…"

Quinn made sure she was looking at Rachel as her voice became louder and stronger.

"For me it happens all the time!"

As Santana and Quinn went into the chorus again, the blonde saw that Rachel looked away. Quinn hoped there was a blush on her face. It would have meant- Well, Quinn wasn't entirely sure what all it would mean, but she knew it would have been a good thing.

"It's a quarter after one
I'm a little drunk
And I need you now
Said I wouldn't call
But I've lost all control
And I need you now

And I don't know how
I can do without
I just need you now"

Quinn and Santana looked over to the band as the lead guitarist did his solo for the song, and Quinn added in her "Whoa-oh!" as the male lead does it. She jumped when she felt Santana's arm wrap around her waist, but she turned her body so that they stood and sang together.

"Guess I'd rather hurt than feel nothing at all…"

Santana jumped away and practically galloped to the side as she did the beginning lines to the chorus on her own, twirling around the piano man and placing an hand on his shoulder.

"It's a quarter after one
I'm all alone
And I need you now…"

She then completed her lap around the piano and stood again with Quinn as the blonde brought her hand up, slowly letting it fall again as she sang the following lines with her eyes tightly shut.

"And I said I wouldn't call
But I'm a little drunk
And I need you now…"

Santana and Quinn's voices blended again, the hours of talking the plan up and then practicing the song together showing in their performance. It was almost perfect. It would be more than perfect if it got the desired response out of Brittany. Quinn, however, meant all that she'd said about Rachel not belonging in Lima, and she didn't want t be the reason the brunette stayed, only to resent her later. Still, Quinn wanted her to somehow know that she said those things because she cared.

"And I don't know how
I can do without
I just need you now"

Santana took a couple of steps back towards Quinn, but they didn't touch this time as they repeated the last line together, holding the word in a changing note. This had been the hardest part of the song for them, and Santana used her finger to indicate where her voice was going so that Quinn did her harmony correctly, just as they had to do this in practices. As the guitar went on, Santana put both hands on her heart and faced the Glee club, mostly to look at Brittany as she sang the final part.

"Oh baby, I need you now…"

The music died down until the last four piano notes echoed the song's first four, ending the song with wild applause. Quinn took off her fedora hat, held it to her chest, and took a bow before she took a seat in the back with Puck and Lauren. Santana joined her, and took in a deep breath as she sank into her chair.

"Amazing job, ladies," Mr. Schuster said, "though, this school just got out of trouble for promoting alcohol, so let's keep the song selection- eh, whiskey free from now on, huh?" Quinn and Santana both nodded.

"You, Fabray, look and sound hella hot as a dude."

"Going gay, Puckerman?" Quinn asked disinterested. Her eyes flickered to the back of Rachel's head, willing the other girl to turn and look at her.

"Not with all this woman right here," Puck answered easily as he wrapped his arm across the back of Lauren's chair and stretched out his legs in front of him.

"Good answer, Meatsack," Lauren said, tapping him with the back of her on his hard stomach, "but seriously, I'd almost go gay for that if it weren't for the fact that you're lustin' after Shorty over there." Lauren jutted her chin at the girl in question. "And- you know- if the thought of muff diving didn't make me wanna yak." Quinn paled, and Lauren gave her an 'I'm big, not dumb' sort of look in return.

"Hot," Puck said in a low voice. Quinn, Lauren and Santana all rolled their eyes in unison before letting their attention fall to the Glee club director.

"Artie," Brittany said softly just outside of the music room. The young man in the wheelchair turned, and he nodded.

"I… I know. It's… Well, it's not exactly okay, but I get it."

"Really?"

"Yeah." After the two remained motionless for a moment longer, Artie said, "I know you need her too. What you have with Santana – be it friendship or… more, I know I've been kind of a wedge between you two and I don't want that."

"Can I…" Brittany hesitated as she took in her lip and bounced on the heels of her shoes.

"What is it, Britt?"

"Can I still push you around sometimes?" Brittany asked softly.

"Yeah, of course you can. Go. I'll see you tomorrow."

Brittany watched as Artie wheeled away, and walked back into the music room to find it empty. Brittany then hurried to Santana's locker and waited.

"I don't understand you," Quinn heard from behind her as she gathered her things from her locker.

"Excuse me?" The words dripping in attitude escaped her without warning, her mind telling her to put the walls up and keep them up and to stay alert and ready for battle.

"I said I don't understand you."

"I heard that," Quinn said sarcastically.

"Oh, well… Y-You said excuse me, so I thought you hadn't," Rachel explained. Quinn sighed in annoyance, and the brunette continued on. "I don't understand why you're doing this. First you've spent your entire high school career hating me, then we're somewhat friends, and then a few weeks ago we're-" Rachel didn't finish the sentence. "You said some really mean things and I can't bring myself to hate you for it because all I wanted these past weeks was for you to kiss me to make it right or sing to me to show me how sorry you were. And then you DO sing a duet, a song we all know both Brittany and I love. What are you trying to do Quinn? What do you want from me?"

The blonde hugged her backpack to her chest as she listened to Rachel yammer on. She tried her best to show that she wasn't affected by it, and yet her chest ached to hear that Rachel wanted her kiss. "I meant everything I said, Rachel," the blonde finally said. The brunette bit her lip and looked down. "You deserve nothing less than the dreams you've been reaching for all this time, and I…" Quinn's eyes also went to the floor. I didn't want Finn or me or anybody to keep you here when it's so obvious that you belong on Broadway."

"So… You decided for me that we shouldn't be together," Rachel said slowly, her eyebrow raised.

"Well, put that way…"

"How dare you-"

"Rachel-"

"This is my life, Quinn. If I end up choosing to stay in Lima, that is MY decision." Before Quinn could say anything to this, Rachel hurried on. "And anyway, I'm disappointed in you. You're so sure that you're going to be stuck here that you're not even trying to get the hell out! Do you know how many schools would drool to have a student with your 4.0 GPA and list of extracurricular activities, how many scholarships you are eligible for? You're just as likely to get out of here as I am. Whether to New York with me and Kurt or LA with Santana and Brittany is yet to be determined, but you can do this." Rachel stood in silence as her words were soaked in Quinn's mind.

Quinn was surprised by Rachel's determination and anger towards her. If she were honest with herself, she was disappointed too, but she was also realistic, unlike Rachel, who just KNEW she would get what she wanted. Quinn knew that it didn't always work out that way. Finally, she turned to the side so that Rachel couldn't see her face. "I only sang with Santana because she needed a duet partner," Quinn said.

"You're the only one who believes you right now," Rachel responded, her tone slightly clipped, "but you know what? Fine. You wanna run away with your tail between your legs because you're scared to admit there's always been a spark between us, that's just… fine."

Quinn watched as Rachel walked away from her and sighed.

Santana, now lipstick less and her hair up in a ponytail, stopped in the middle of the hallway when she saw Brittany at her locker. When Brittany saw her, she took the steps necessary to get to the Latina, grabbing her hands before looking her in the eye. There were no words between them. They'd been friends long enough that they could have a full conversation with just one look. Santana knew that Artie and Brittany broken up, and as promised, Brittany was now all hers. "Wanna go make out in the janitor's closet?" Brittany asked.

"I've had enough with closets, Britt. How about I take you home and we can make out in my room," Santana suggested. Brittany bounced on the balls of her feet and placed a kiss on Santana's cheek.

"I don't care. I just miss your lady kisses."

Santana leaned in and their lips met. "I missed this too. Come on." Hand in hand, the ex-Cheerios left the halls of McKinley High.

Quinn had just closed her locker door when she heard quickened footsteps coming towards her. Still thinking of what Rachel had said like that damn TATU song, she was caught off guard when she felt a hand on her shoulder, her back suddenly against the lockers and lips upon hers. Realizing that they were Rachel's, she felt her body becoming less tense. Too soon, Rachel broke away from the kiss. Quinn moved to recapture the brunette's lips, but Rachel took a step back. "You may have decided that we shouldn't be together, but I have decided that you aren't going to run away from me this time. I don't know what this is between us, Quinn, I really don't, but I'll be damned if I let you run away from it before we could even explore it."

Quinn only nodded. Rachel was kind of hot when she took charge. The blonde smiled in the kiss that followed, and wrapped her arms around the brunette's waist to pull her in closer.

"Oh God, get a room!"

"Mercedes!" Kurt instantly chided, and the other girl laughed. "Well," the boy said, looking Rachel up and down and then to Quinn, "maybe having you for a girlfriend will… encourage better fashion." Quinn let out a small laugh, and Rachel didn't look amused at all. Kurt winked at the other brunette and turned to Mercedes. "Come on girl, Blaine's waiting in the car."

"You ain't gonna sing Judy Garland again, are you?" Mercedes asked, and Rachel looked as though she wanted to joined the car ride for that very reason.

"Maybe. Blaine's in that kind of mood."

"Oh God," Mercedes said again, this time in a moan.

"You're the one who needed a ride home. If you're not going to pay for gas, then the least you could do is tolerate the music selection."

Rachel laughed as she watched Kurt and Mercedes walk away arm in arm, their bickering still echoing in the now empty hallways. She then looked to Quinn. The blonde smiled softly back at her, and she knew that they were okay. Rachel held out her hand and Quinn took it. Together, they followed Mercedes and Kurt out of the high school.