Santana Lopez once believed that feelings had no rightful place in this world or in her heart, and that they were good for nothing but trouble. Without feelings, there would be no problems at all. But the moment you catch feelings for somebody, it's hard for them to stop. And she's learned that the hard way a few times already.
It's only been a few weeks in reality but guilt can make it feel like a lifetime. Santana found it very difficult to take her mind off of what happened back in Lima that ultimately killed what she had with Dani. She was honest with herself and didn't expect to fall for Dani so quickly or even at all in just a short time of knowing her. That's the thing about love; it works in the strangest of ways.
"Santana, order up!"
Springing from her daze and confused mindset, Santana snatched herself from her thoughts and proceeded to the other side of the diner where the window filled with plates of food for her customers. The restaurant crew just finished up doing one of their many daily numbers as entertainment. Sometimes it calmed Santana down to sing, to help ease the pain that she has to see Dani at work.
Neither took the breakup well but Dani completely shut Santana out of her life ever since. They stole occasional eye glances at each other and Dani only found it fit to speak to Santana when a table needed to be wiped down or an order was up, if she even thought she owed her anything.
"Two cheeseburgers and large fries, how original." Santana mumbled while grabbing them, treading carefully in the frenzy of everyone else moving around her. She managed to weave her way through the crowd and find her table, also finding it a miracle that she held onto the plates. "Here you are, enjoy your meal gentlemen!" They both offered her warm smiles which she only reciprocated her own genuine fake one in return. She's used to giving them away anyway, but anyone within a mile radius could tell Santana just wanted to get the hell away from this place. But to where? You can't escape somebody in your head nobody how many dark corners you're forced hide in.
After the rush finally died down, Santana joined over with Kurt and Rachel while they restocked and refilled condiment bottles and napkins. She didn't dare offer to refill the salt shakers.
Rachel nudged Kurt trying to be discreet about it but failed as soon as she started to whisper. Santana shot her eyes up angrily because she knows it has to do with Dani. "Rachel, just...you don't have to whisper."
"I just thought it would help not to bring her up in front of you." She responded while trying to screw the cap onto the ketchup bottle tight but couldn't quite get it.
Santana waited a few moments for another answer and threw her hands up at her sides. "Well?" Her head whipped around to find Dani talking to an older man in a dress shirt and pants, very formal. She seemed really excited noted from the fact that folded her hands over most of her face to hide a huge smile that played across it. That smile was one of the most beautiful things Santana Lopez has ever seen, and it was the first time anyone has seen it in a long time.
"Do you think she's talking to a music producer right now?" Rachel wondered.
"No, definitely not. He looks a little old to even understand what young talent is out there. Look at the three of us and where we are right now." Kurt chimed in. Irritated, Santana couldn't take being caught in this conversation any longer with everything cluttering her mind about Dani as it is. She thought she could handle it and that didn't last a few mere minutes.
"That doesn't make any sense, Kurt. Look at Broadway and how many older people are still living the dream there."
Kurt glared over to his best friend since high school, his facial expression dumbfounded by Rachel Berry today. "And you think Dani would be interested in performing on Broadway when she clearly has her sights set on being an actual singer? You hear her voice like I do every day, it's perfect."
Rachel began to fill up the salt and peppers shakers giving Santana her own personal cue to leave the bickering wife and husband duo to themselves. "You two are ridiculous, okay? My shift is over I'm getting the hell out of here and I'm probably going to a bar afterwards to get hammered drunk and then pass out on the couch in the loft tonight." Santana hated feeling like this, acting like this, pretending that things can be okay. Because she knew she put this on herself and that her and Dani should still be together, not avoiding each other.
Her emotions began to become flustered and it was the last thing she needed right now. There was nothing wrong with breaking down in a bar but not at work with her friends. It wasn't like she needed her dignity anyway in a diner.
Santana started to to grab the condiment bottles off the tables and clutched them between her arms to finish her final duty to leave. Rachel and Kurt looked on at each other trying to signal who should be the one to say something.
"Santana, wait." Kurt finally gave in expecting to get an instant lashing from Santana's bad side, or some would call her Snix. "We both understand that you're upset about everything that happened with you and Dani. And Brittany." That earned Kurt a famous Santana Lopez death glare warning him that he was treading on some thin ice with her. He followed her anyway and was met with her face to face. Santana's face burned angry but her eyes told a very different story. A much sadder story. "Okay listen for a second before your alter ego lashes out at me. We understand that you're going through a rough time right now and we're sorry. I'm even doing my best to keep Rachel from smothering you in sorrow. If you want, we'll talk to Dani for you. But she's probably going through the same stress and emotion, probably worse. But if you still feel like you love this girl, we'll help you and you have to fix this yourself afterwards. Okay, I'm done."
Kurt hurried on back where he had left Rachel by herself at one of the diner tables, leaving Santana frozen where she stood, unable to come up with anything after a slap of truth to her face. Her eyes narrowed to left and then to the right aimlessly until her eyes landed straight on Dani. She glowed in her eyes with her beautiful blonde hair, those dark brown eyes she lost count how many times she's been lost in them, and her shining smile that was still on her face.
It hurt Santana too much to stay at work any longer or any place where Dani was in sight. She headed straight into the back to the diner and wasted no time in clocking out and grabbing her jacket. "Son of a bitch..." Santana froze again and her eyes began welling with tears.
She buttoned her coat up and inhaled a deep breath inside her body to hold back her tears and exhaled to calm her nerves. It was enough to get her by to the front door, she hoped. But she made her move and pushed through the back doors to the diner area. Her eyes wandered to her friends and her ex, noticing how all of them were smiling and cheerful with one another. Santana diverted back to the front door and tucked strands of her hair behind her ear.
Just as she was about to push through the doors and get smacked in the face with fresh air without the smell of fast food, Santana remembered something she forgot this morning; her loft key. There was no way she wanted to go to the bar straight out of work in her bright red diner uniform. But that only meant one thing since Rachel and Kurt weren't going to be home until at least seven o'clock later that night.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." Santana muttered under her breath while she sideswiped herself away from the front door. If she was going to do this, she wanted this to be quick before anything starts to happen. Kurt, Rachel, and Dani were all still smiling at one another, still rather cheerful, and Santana felt like she would make that go away.
"I need one of your guys' keys. I left mine in my room."
"Oh! Santana, Dani just told us some amazing news!" Rachel interrupted her, only to be met with a glare. It was one of the two people she could look at, but she could just sense that Dani was eying her. But luckily Kurt was there to keep the peace between the two and snatched his key out of his back pocket.
"Don't lose it. I don't want any bar stragglers lurking around and breaking in to the damn place."
"I thought bars creeped you out." Santana's eyes shot straight up to meet Dani's. Dani crossed her arms and looked over Santana's face over and over again. Their five second staredown seemed like an eternity between the two of them. She didn't even know how to respond at first, seeing how this was the first time Dani even paid attention to her.
"They do creep me out, but..."
"You're just looking for a way to drown out your problems in life? Maybe...wondering where you went wrong? Trust me, I've tried. It doesn't work."
Santana, Rachel, and Kurt all looked at Dani, she herself was shocked that came out of her mouth. She didn't say it much in an angry tone, more of one where she was battling something similar to Santana to move on. Dani was still beyond angry with her about what happened. They still had some things in common.
"Um, so what's this amazing news again?" Santana broke off the silence while still trying to shrug off Dani's words.
"Oh...it's nothing, really. Just...some stuff." Dani avoided the question and touched her face, feeling embarrassed. "I gotta talk with Gunther so I'll see you all later."
Santana was met with a small, generous smile by her ex-girlfriend before she walked off before her without a chance given to respond. It was some progress, she thought. It went much better than to be met by silence or even an apartment door being slammed in her face.
Her eyes never left Dani while she walked away from them. It was until she wasn't in sight through the small circular window of the swinging door as she turned the corner into Gunther's office.
"Santana? Hey, are you okay?" Kurt waved his hand from below pretending to do it in front of her face.
"I have to get her back." Santana sniffled out and grabbed for the loft key on the table. She clutched it into her hand and wiped her eyes with her wrist. "I have to. And I think I'll stay home tonight." Santana finally got herself to leave the diner and head home on foot. She needed a good walk to help clear her head.
"Oh boy. You do realize we have to tell her the news later, right? I did tell her we would help."
Rachel agreed wholeheartedly and nodded her head. "It's really difficult to see those two broken up about each other when clearly they're still in love. Plus...when have you ever seen Santana this serious about someone after Brittany?"
Kurt's eyebrows rose in quick thought and sighed as he saw a flock of customers heading through the front door. "I haven't. That's why they have to get back together."
Santana found out very quickly that staying home for the night may not have been the best decision for herself. Then again, drinking herself to a drunken mess would not have been any better. Instead, she thought that mentally torturing herself sober was the better of the two.
"Hey! Babe, really? You're so lucky I even have clothes on right now. What are you even doing?"
"You look better without them anyway. And I'm recording, duh." Dani held her phone up with the camera facing her and smiling when she caught Santana laying in her bed. "And what do we have here? A bed intruder?"
"Turn that thing off." Santana waited a few moments to throw her middle finger up and making Dani giggle.
"This is Dani's Candid Camera and we're about to go in for a close up on one badass Santana Lopez. Standby." Dani steadied her phone in her hand and carefully planted herself next to Santana who still didn't looked too impressed, at least that's what she was making Dani think."Aw, come on. At least smile for me."
"You're such a dork." Santana muttered to herself, holding up her phone while she curled up into a ball on the sofa watching as the video played.
"You're such a dork." The video repeated through the speakers. The Latina gave herself a quick chuckle at how many times she has watched this video and losing count in the process. She remembers every word said in it, but more importantly she remembers the night this was taken. She even remembers Dani's band shirt and maroon colored sweatpants that she loved wearing to bed almost every night.
Santana narrowed her eyes over to Dani's, the couple both staring each other down until one of them eventually caved and smiled. It was, of course, Santana, who couldn't hold back.
"There she is." Dani snuggled up close to her girlfriend and looked back to the camera with a smile on her face. "Do you love me?" She asked and turned her head back to Santana's, unknowingly creating a small gap between their faces.
"That's not even up for debate. Yes, I love you." Despite being on camera, Santana had no fear or any sort of hesitation whatsoever when she answered. Their gap began closing, her way of teasing Dani that she wanted a kiss. "And do you love me?"
Dani's eyes wandered from one side to the other, her lips throwing completing the act as if she was actually in deep thought about it. When their eyes reconnected again, she leaned in and gave Santana her well-awaited kiss.
"More than anyone in the world."
The video ended shortly after with Dani and Santana staring off into each other like two people who just fell in love at first sight. Santana put her hand inside of her shirt and pulled out a necklace hanging around her neck like the one she saw herself wearing in the video. It's Dani's favorite guitar pick that Dani herself made into a necklace and gave to Santana after their third date. It was a red and white mixture pick with the word Warrior printed across it.
She stared down at it and rubbed her thumb over the word, wondering what it meant to Dani and how much it means to her. Just as Santana went to replay the video again, she could hear footsteps walking towards the loft.
Just as the loft door began to open, Santana tucked her necklace back into her shirt and searched around for their TV remote. It was her attempt to make Rachel and Kurt seem like she was doing okay on her own. But no luck, and she blames Kurt for probably losing it again.
Rachel was the first to poke her head in the doorway to make sure everything was okay. She saw Santana laying on the couch and caught her head whipping around to see her, exchanging an awkward glance with one another.
The diva girl offered her a small smile, where as Santana only returned it in a fake manner.
"Is everything okay?"
"What do you think, Berry?"
Rachel turned her head and said something that Santana couldn't make out. The door opened and emerged Kurt and Rachel together just coming home from work. Kurt went straight into his room to get a change of clothes, meanwhile Rachel stuck around and took a seat next to where Santana was.
Santana sighed and moved her feet closed to herself so Rachel wouldn't crush them. She really wasn't in the mood for talking right now to anyone. Knowing Rachel, she wouldn't go away unless she did. But inside, Santana was grateful that she had Rachel as her friend.
Santana sat up and grabbed her phone off of the table to shut it off. Before she could even readjust her position, she felt Rachel pull her into a hug.
"What the hell?" Santana exclaimed.
"I'm sorry if I startled you. But I just thought you needed a hug to help cheer you up."
Whether she wanted to or not, Santana humored Rachel and push her body closer to return her hug. Strangely, it did make her feel better than she thought it would. She closed her eyes and rested her chin upon her shoulder thinking about what she could do to make anything in her life better.
"Rachel, did you tell her yet?" Kurt called out from his room.
"Not yet. Just give me a second." Her response sounded a bit disappointed.
"Tell me what? What the hell is going on exactly?" Santana pulled away from Rachel's arms. "You two are keeping secrets from me now?"
"It's not a secret if we planned on telling you. Which is happening now!" Kurt explained to her finally emerging from his room in different clothes than his uniform. "It involves Dani."
Her name was enough to keep Santana from arguing any further, extinguishing any signs of anger along with it. Crossing her arms, she laid back into the couch attempting to relax while her eyes looked back and forth between her friends.
"Okay, yeah. I'm listening."
Kurt took a seat across from the two girls and glanced over to Rachel. The two exchanged looks again about who should tell her until Rachel finally gave him a firm nod.
"At the diner, do you remember that older man that was talking to Dani? He wasn't a music producer but he does own that cafe by day, bar and club by night place downtown. What was it called again, Kurt?"
"Sky's The Limit." He said bluntly picking up a magazine.
"Right. Anyway, sometimes he likes to give his customers live performances and his act tomorrow just cancelled today. So after that big number we pulled off today, he asked Dani if she could fill in. She has a gig there tomorrow night! We're so going and we think you should too."
Santana sunk herself into the corner of the sofa, hugging her knees directly up to her chest. She was conflicted on what to do and whether or not it would be the right thing if she did go. But it wasn't like she didn't want to go and see Dani perform because it was a big deal for her, and she had to be there.
"How do you know Dani won't figure out that you told me and she'll be expecting to see me there?"
"You'd be going either way, wouldn't you?"
Santana rolled her eyes and massaged her the bridge of her nose hating the fact that Kurt had to be right. No, it boiled her blood sometimes to even admit that he had to be right. You can only get one 'first live performance', right? Even if it is a fill in, she needs all the support right now despite their situation.
"Please stop staring at me like something is growing out of my face. Of course I'm going." Rachel gave an excited squeal that caused both Kurt and Santana to wince slightly.
"Oh I'm so sorry. I just love it how love can work in mysterious ways." Rachel explained her excitement to them. "And to see Santana so smitten by somebody and not try to hide it from us. It's adorable." Kurt began snickering and dropped his magazine into his lap, prompting Santana to get up from her seat.
Rachel and Kurt stood up to follow her but were met with something else from Santana than what they expected; a hug. Santana pulled her friends into her arms together as one and squeezed them closely to her body. "Thank you, really." Her nerves became unsettling in her body but blatantly she chose to ignore them. "I'm still getting used to this whole, like, nicer me."
The three broke apart, until Rachel pulled Santana back in for another hug. "We're always here for you, San. That's what best friends are for." There was another roll in Santana's eyes, this time it was playful that Rachel still hasn't dropped been able to drop their official status out loud. It was nice to have people there for you once in a while.
"Alright, Berry, off. I think since you two were so willing to help me, I owe you pizza. New York City style pizza." Santana broke away and walked over to the television set, looking through the stack of DVDs next to it. "And if you two don't have any other plans tonight, maybe you two can decide on something to watch. Musicals included."
Kurt looked at Rachel in disbelief as if this was a totally different person right before his eyes. "Maybe we should help you out with your relationships more often."
The first thing that popped into Santana's mind was to drop the 'S' out of that word and just make it relationship, not plural. She didn't want plural anymore. She wanted Dani, nothing and nobody else.
"Just pick something, Hummel." Santana deadpanned. "Oh, and I'm totally getting extra cheese so speak up if you want anything else." Santana called out while walking to her bedroom to make the call, hearing nothing but small banter between the two over what they should watch.
Sliding her phone to unlock, her thumb pressed the dial square and hovered over the keypad option. Instead, Santana opened up her contacts list and slid her thumb down to the D's until she saw Dani's name with a heart next to it. Her mind argued back and forth with itself, whether or not if she should make an attempt to reach out to her before tomorrow night.
"No." Santana spoke quietly to herself and clicking her phone to her keypad. "I'm getting you back tomorrow, whatever it takes."
"How come we haven't been to this place before let alone even heard about it?"
"Better question. Why the hell aren't we working here?"
"Because, Rachel, we wouldn't have met Dani if we worked. I mean there would be a slight possibility of that happening but the diner is where we belong right now."
"God, I liked it better when you two were actually doing a sing-a-long last night than you constantly going back and forth with each other like an old married couple." Santana interrupted as they rounded yet another street corner wondering why they didn't call a cab ride to the place.
Kurt shook his head. "In her dreams, maybe."
"Kurt!" Rachel whacked at his arm but all in good faith. "I'd be a lovely wife for you and you know it."
"Whatever you say."
Santana aimlessly drifted her eyes to the cars passing by, how her and Dani would walk all over the city together and live in the moment that they were actually in New York City. Walking calmed her mind down a bit, even if her two best friends always had to butt heads with something.
"I wonder how she's going to do tonight." Santana came out with something rather than repeating the comment in her head about Rachel being Kurt's wife. "This is her first real performance in front of a crowd. Her first step to hopefully something amazing, you know?"
"This already looks amazing. Check this out!" Kurt rushed past the two girls to a lamp post ahead with a flyer on it. It read 'Come see Dani Harper live tonight at 9!" followed by a sketch drawing of the building below. "Guess the word got out a bit? This is amazing! And look, the place is just up ahead."
The neon sign pretty much gave it away once they were close enough. The words "Sky's The Limit" were lit up in the order of red, blue, and green surrounded by teal colored clouds. Once they stepped inside, the three couldn't believe their eyes.
It was a lounge like no other it seemed, each still questioning why they have never been here or let alone heard of it before. This place had about everything right down to the actual lounge chairs, a bar set off to the side, and decent club music. There was almost no way anyone could tell this place was an up and running cafe during the day time.
"Cafe by day, club by night." Santana repeated from the night earlier. "Okay, this is actually really cool, you guys." In a way, it reminded Santana of the Sugar Shack back in Lima except way more scenery.
"Hello there!" A waitress greeted them entered the place and were busy checking it out. She gave them a complimentary rubber bracelet with the name imprinted on it and a pamphlet with a menu inside, along with another lamination of alcoholic beverages. "My name is Paige and I'll be taking care of you this evening. You three here for the show?"
"Yes we are." Rachel spoke up before Kurt and Santana could. "Dani Harper is actually a friend of ours. We work with her at the diner uptown from here."
The trio were led by Paige a table, each of them looking towards the stage and then back to each other. "This is a great spot, thank you."
"Will any of you be drinking tonight? I'll need your ID just in case." Rachel and Kurt both dug out their fake ID's from their pockets while Santana idled by beside them. Her eyes were set on stage, imagining Dani performing on it and living out her dream as a star.
"Santana?"
"Hmm? Oh, just water is fine for me." Santana didn't want any sort of alcohol in her system when it came down to talking with Dani. The least she wanted was for her not to fall into the bottle because of what she did, and she always knew how to handle her liquor. While the other two ordered their drinks, Santana looked back to the stage where the curtains slightly moved. "Excuse me, Paige?"
"Yes ma'am?"
"Is there a way I can see her before she goes on stage? I, uh, I have something for her."
"Yeah, no problem." The waitress secretly slid her phone up out of her pocket so she could get the time. "She's not going on for maybe another half hour. Here, you follow me and I'll be right back with your drink orders."
Santana stood up and straightened out her dress, checking with Rachel and Kurt to see if she looked alright.
"Oh Santana, you look amazing. Tell her we said hello and good luck." Kurt told her.
Taking a deep breath, Santana flashed a smile and a small thumbs up before she got up from her seat to follow the waitress back towards the stage area. She was nervous, like really nervous. Working with her after everything was one thing but being with her one on one felt like a swarm of bees coursing through her body.
On the other hand, Sky's The Limit felt like it was going to be the new hangout spot for the time being rather than sitting home alone or heading to the bar a few blocks from the diner. And she didn't even want to think about going back to the place where she cage danced for a few weeks. Santana definitely put that in the past.
"So, Santana. That's a cute name. Latina, right?" Paige asked a now confused Santana wondering if this waitress just really hit on her or not.
"Um, yeah it is."
The waitress led her to a door a few feet from the stage and opened it for her. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make anything weird here. But you look really beautiful. If you're not doing anything later, I'd love to maybe have a drink with you."
"I, uh.." Santana began feeling flustered and shook her head slightly to bring herself back into the situation. Of course, it's always when you're with someone or when you want someone that other opportunities come along. I'm flattered, actually. But...there's someone else in my life right now and I kind of don't want to lose them."
The waitress gave her a shy smile and nodded towards the opening. "Straight down and it's the second door to your left. I hope this person is super special to you. They sound like it anyways." Paige tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and gave Santana one last smile. "Well, you can be on your way. I have to get your friends their drinks. I'll see you around, Santana."
Santana thought things got a little bit awkward to say anything more. She wasn't denying Paige's attractiveness but the timing was definitely not in favor with the fact that she couldn't get Dani off of her mind. No other woman existed to her.
Once Paige left her, the Latina walked through the door and down the hallway which she found intriguing considering the building seemed much smaller from the outside. She crossed her arms and passed a few people who gave her a weird look at first like she wasn't supposed to be there but waved it off.
She arrived at her destination. Second door on the left labeled 'Staff Only' just as the waitress told her. This is it, she thought. Her hand raised and balled up into a fist and knocked lightly on the door.
"Yeah come in!" An angelic voice shouted out, making Santana's heart beat ten times faster than it already was. Any quicker she thought she would have a heart attack.
The door opened and Santana immediately stepped inside watching as she saw Dani sitting in a chair in front of a mirror applying a bit of eyeliner to herself. Dani was absolutely breathtaking in her eyes from her blonde hair all the way down to her converse shoes.
Dani's eyes quickly shot up in the mirror the the reflection of the door, seeing a dressed up Santana directly in her vision. In a way, she wasn't surprised that she was here knowing that Rachel and Kurt would've spilled the news sooner or later to her. The support was really helping her though.
Santana took a few steps closer but felt super unsure of how close she should even get. Hell, she wasn't even sure if she was welcome in the room right now, yet wasn't asked to leave at all.
"You know, I played this scenario out in my head at least a hundred times because I knew there was some way you would hear about this and I kept trying to prepare myself for the inevitable. Yet here you are and I don't even know what to say or how I should exactly feel right now." Dani spoke first while she stood up to face Santana.
Santana was too caught up in being a few steps away from the woman she loved to come up with anything else to say at first. Dani's eyes, her dimples, Dani herself was the best kind of distraction she could ever ask for.
"I don't want to keep you from rehearsing or anything." Santana finally found the words caught up in her throat. "Rachel and Kurt are here with me, I think you knew that. Umm..." There it was, the stuttering mess that only one girl had ever done to her. Dani found it completely adorable, even if it wasn't the best time to. "Well, we just wanted to wish you good luck and congratulations on getting this gig. This is incredible."
Dani's lips curled up into a little bit of a smile and crossed her arms making it obvious that her now ex's actions were making it a bit difficult to fully stay mad at her. "Well, thank you. Is that all?" She was betting it wasn't. Knowing Santana, she definitely knew there had to be more than just a quick hello.
Santana shook her head. "No." She whispered out, aware that if she went any higher that her emotions were going to start battling each other. Her chest went heavy, making her struggle to breath. "I just really, really miss you, Dani." The Latina sighed to herself, she was never too good at expressing her true feelings about someone out loud. It was completely unlike her to do so. "I miss you so much."
"Santana..."
"Look, wait. I'm sorry. I don't want this night to be about us." Santana half lied to her. "This is your night, D. And you're going to do amazing, better than just killing it." The smile that was still on Dani's face gave Santana some hope that things weren't totally over between them. She reached behind her neck and undid her necklace, bringing it out from her shirt to reveal Dani's favorite guitar pick. "I think this will help you give the performance you can tonight."
Dani was speechless to say the least, at a loss for words, maybe even shocked was a good way to describe it. It wasn't totally the fact that Santana kept her guitar pick and still wore it more than it was that the Latina put Dani first instead of trying to win her back before her possible big break. Maybe it was the jitters that were getting to her performing in front of a bunch of strangers that she's been used to doing at the diner, or Santana's secret charm was still working on her. Dani grabbed her guitar pick and clutched it in her hand, feeling its sharpness pinch her skin a bit.
"Anyways, um, I should back to the Wonder Twins before they send a search party." Santana licked her lips and opened her mouth to say something, but figured it was best to get going for Dani's sake.
Santana turned for the door and Dani looked with a sigh, debating on whether she wants to make the biggest mistake of her life or the biggest mistake of her life but living to tell that she didn't regret making it in the first place. Her trust and heart may have been broken, and she had every right to be angry, but getting big rewards meant you had to take big risks like she's been doing all her life.
"I might not be completely over being mad at you, Santana, but all my life I've learned to trust my heart with whatever it's telling me." Santana stopped in her tracks as soon as the door opened listening to Dani's words, her voice that could make a flock of birds sing in harmony together. "And right now, it's telling me that I should give my ex-girlfriend a chance to explain herself to me after my gig."
Santana turned her body around completely wanting to make sure that she heard that sentenced correctly. If she could do a double take without looking like a jackass, she would have. "You would do that for me?"
"One chance, Santana. That's all my heart can give right now." Dani said while grabbing her guitar off of its stand, mentally preparing herself for could be the best night she's had in her life. She turned her head to meet Santana's eyes and half return the smile the Latina was giving her.
"One chance is all I'll need." Santana said to herself while she left Dani to herself to get in what practice she could, like she even needed it. From ear to ear, a smile remained on her face from the moment she left to the moment she sat back down to her table with Rachel and Kurt.
"Ladies and gentleman, thank you all for coming here. Due to an unexpected cancellation yesterday as many of you know, Elliot Gilbert will not be performing tonight." The announcer, also owner of Sky's The Limit, told the audience. "But in luck, the show will go on. Please put your hands together and give a warm welcome to Dani Harper!"
From behind the curtains, Dani appeared on stage before the audience with a calm sea of clapping and a bright smile to give them in return. She shook hands with the owner before pulling up a stool seat to the microphone where she would perform.
"How's everybody doing tonight?" Dani asked out and was met with the same reaction she came out to, giggling a little into the microphone. "Good, that's good to hear. I was up late last night choosing what songs I should sing for you all tonight so I hope you're not too drunk right now. I'd love for you to hear them."
"Oh my gosh, look at her. She's a natural up there." Kurt told the girls who were expressing the same excitement of wanting to jump out of their seats and scream.
"This first song is called 'Anything and Everything'." Dani made direct contact to her friends sitting across from her at the table, and raised her eyebrows up to show how nervous yet pumped up she was. The last person she gazed at was Santana who was obviously making direct eye contact with her. They stayed like this for a few seconds before Dani pulled out her favorite pick and began strumming on her guitar. Santana's cheeks were blushing, and Kurt and Rachel were first to see this but didn't bother to ask anything on the matter.
Santana shut her eyes and listened to the sweet sound of Dani's voice fill the air throughout the club, indulging the lyrics into her head and hummed along once she found the melody. Her words were sweet, almost like she was actually listening to it on the radio. Instead, Santana imagined that her and Dani were sitting together on the singer's couch in her living, being serenaded by the girl she loved.
For the next couple of songs, Santana repeated this while occasionally forcing herself off course to think about what she was going to tell Dani after her show. She was going to tell the truth, she deserved that and more. But her fear came more from what was going to happen afterwards. It still wouldn't clear her record for kissing Brittany back in Lima.
"Oh my God, it is hot as balls up here." Dani laughed out into the microphone while grabbing a bottle of water handed to her by a worker and taking a few swigs out of it. "Then again, I have black jeans on and I see many of you ladies in dresses and skirts. Especially the cute ones." The audience chuckled at her jokes, a few people looking around to see exactly who. Kurt and Rachel immediately looked to Santana in her black dress. "Alright alright, calm down. I'm not scouting anyone out. I have time for about two more songs and this is I've only sung to one other person before." Dani's eyes flashed to Santana briefly before getting fingers right on her guitar strings. "This one's called 'A Part of Me'.
If the room went silent for ten seconds and nothing could be heard except for everyone's heartbeat, one could pinpoint where the fastest one was coming from. This song was specifically written for Santana by Dani as a special surprise for their two month anniversary together as a couple.
Santana's eyes began to full up with tears as the first notes were played on the guitar, her memories flashing back to the first time she heard this song. As Dani sang the words, Santana sang along with her quietly to herself and hitting each note with her voice along with Dani like they were singing a duet together. The last lyrics got to her the most because Dani always put the most passion into it when she sang "She'll always have a part of me."
On stage, even Dani herself started to get little emotional mostly expressing it through her facial expressions. It threw most people off, all except the three that were sitting together.
"Wow, yeah." Dani muttered into the mic and grabbed another sip of water. "Before I sing my last song, I just want to thank you all for coming here and a special thanks to Mr. Thomas for asking me to do this. It's been a great night for me and I hope it was the same for you." A small round of applause was given to her, the singer adjusting her hair behind her ears. "This last song I wasn't planning on singing tonight because I wrote it in like one night a few weeks ago during a bad event in my life. But tonight is a special night, and it deserves to be heard. I call this one 'Trainwreck'."
The song seemed to have an upbeat tone to it and looked like it brought out the best in Dani's voice tonight. It explained to the crowd how she's in love with somebody she never expected would come along in her life and how it changed her perspective on love in of itself.
It came to a much slower beat, Dani strumming her guitar in small sets. The last part of the song approaching and hitting her and Santana in their hearts the most. "One more thing I'd thought I'd share with someone special. I'm falling like I've never fell before. It's funny, you said we'd never make it but look how far we've come. You're a trainwreck but with you..." A tear fell from Dani's eye and streamed down her cheek as she looked deep into Santana's eyes from the stage, singing her final words of the night. "...I'm in love."
Claps and claps filled the room followed by cheers from the audience. "Thank you so much everyone! Have a great night! Thank you!" Dani stood up from her stool seat and took a little bow in front of everyone and waved, walking back behind the curtain.
Rachel and Kurt took their seats from cheering, Santana remained standing on her feet clapping while wiping her eyes at the same time. "I'll be right back, okay?" Her voice broke a little walking towards the direction to Dani's room.
"Go get her, San!" Rachel called out and giggled excitedly with Kurt about Dani's over the top performance.
Through the door next to the stage and down the hallway, Santana retraced her steps from before and wound up finding the room Dani rehearsed in. This time, she didn't knock. A deep breath later, she opened the door slowly and walked inside, finding Dani pacing around with a giant smile on her face. She stopped in her tracks after a few moments of Santana closing the door behind her.
Despite the last song being completely about her relationship with Santana and how hinted to everyone that it fell apart, the adrenaline through her veins lunged her body forward and engulfed Santana in her arms, hugging the taller girl and instantly was met with Santana following suit to hug her back.
"Holy shit, I can't believe I went out there and just...did that! Performance of a lifetime that felt like." Dani explained to Santana before realizing the somewhat awkward situation she might've put herself in. She was the first to pull away and cleared her throat. "Right. Sorry, I'm just so friggin' ecstatic at this point."
Santana's lips were showing off a smile but her eyes told a different story. Nothing was going to stop her now though. "When I went back to Lima, I was scared. I knew I was going to see Brittany and I didn't know how things were going to take its course with us being together." The Latina began the explanation that Dani was generous enough to give her, another reason to keep loving her. "I saw the kiss coming but I didn't stop her, and I didn't pull away when she did kiss me." More tears started to form up and shine in Santana's eyes. "I failed you, Danielle. You didn't deserve this from me. I'm so sorry."
Dani's heart came to a halt hearing her full name spoken out loud, not many people ever called her by that in her life. It was unpleasant yet heartwarming to hear the truth laid out in front of her and judging by how broken Santana was before her, she couldn't bear to stay mad at her for too much longer.
"Santana..." The blonde haired girl rose her hand up to keep Santana from going on any further. "I understand how tough it must have been for you to be in that situation. Brittany was your first love and there is no way of changing that. We can't change the fact that what you did is already done either but at least you woman'd up and told me on person." Dani reached out to grab ahold of Santana's hands and gently pulled the Latina in close. "After tonight, I think it's clear to me now that you're still the person I'm in love with and I am willing to give you a second chance. On one condition, of course."
"Anything." Santana spoke up, clutching Dani's hands to the point where she never wanted to let go of them again.
"Tell me that you love me." Dani presented to her, possibly the most effortless task she could have ever asked her to do. Except Santana thought of an even easier task than that one which was to show her that she loved her and how much she did.
If Dani blinked, she would've missed it. The way Santana swiftly yet gently brought her hand behind Dani's neck and pulled her head up to capture her lips for an emotional kiss. Both their eyes shut for them to experience what it was like again to get lost in a moment, this was one to remember.
The kiss left them both breathless but lusting for more until they went no further when Santana spoke to her again. "I love you, Dani Harper."
The Latina's confession was irresistible to not grin at even if she already knew it was true. "I love you too, Santana Lopez. More than anyone in the world." Their lips met with another soft kiss, both of left smiling in each other's arms that were they whole again as a couple.
Shortly after reuniting in the back room, Santana waited for Dani to grab her things and to get organized again. She even walked with her to Mr. Thomas' office to grab an envelope of what she made for the night, it was enough to cover next month's rent and then some.
The two emerged out into the openness of Sky's The Limit, hand in hand like they were meant to be, Santana bringing them towards a smiling Rachel and Kurt who broke their hand holding up to each give Dani a hug of their own.
"You were so amazing up there, Dani! Your voice, your songs, just everything." Rachel exclaimed.
"Trust me when I say this because we have been to concerts and singing competitions with solos galore but nothing comparing to that. That was purely you." Kurt commented as Santana came forth to give him and Rachel hugs as well. When all was said and done, the four looked around each other, patiently waiting for someone to bring up what they thought everyone wanted to talk about other than Dani's performance.
Santana's eyes met with Rachel's, proceeding with Kurt's, looking to Dani's for some support until she realized they were both in their cupid crosshairs. "Can we talk about why the hell you two are staring at us?"
"I think we know why, babe."
Kurt gave them awe meanwhile Rachel nearly exploded with joy in front of them. "She called you babe, Santana!"
"And you actually gave us a bit of Snix." Kurt added on. "We haven't seen or heard of Snix almost since you two split up. We figured Dani might've kidnapped her and locked her up for good. Either way, it's been fun having a different Santana around for once."
Santana briefly brought her hand up to flip Kurt off, in a friendly way of course, but changed her mind last second and brushed her hair to the side. They were both right on that point, Santana was too saddened from losing Dani to even bring out her other side to the world. Hints and shades surfaced here and there, but she was a different person for a few weeks.
"I'm making sure to tag along on the next trip back to Lima, Ohio to keep an eye on this one." Dani joked and pulled Santana closer to her by her waist. "Thanks, you guys. For coming here to support me and for being the best friends I've had since I moved here. Next round of shots is on me to celebrate tonight. To my first performance live and to moving forward with the ones you love." Dani pecked Santana's lips and rested her head on the taller girl's shoulder.
"That reminds me, I might not be home tonight. There's some things I have to make up for." Santana told her roommates who saw that coming from a mile away.
"We figured."
Santana and Dani chuckled briefly before leaving the table and heading towards the bar to grab all of them the shots they were promised. Dani ended up stopping them half way in front of Santana into her pocket, pulling out her guitar pick restrung back into a necklace.
"I almost forgot, this belongs back on you." She smiled and reached around Santana's neck to attach it and giving a meaningful kiss to the Latina's lips once she got it. Santana tucked it down the front of her dress to make sure it was safe and cupped both of Dani's cheeks to add a few kisses of her own.
"Close to my heart where it's safe." Santana whispered to her before they pulled away to give each other heart eyes before they set off back to the bar to celebrate on a night neither of them could ever hope to forget because it was certainly a night to remember.