I'm folding a towel when I hear Rachel's nagging voice from down the hall.

"Santana! I hope you're not going to volunteer for bed pan patrol, coincidentally at the same time I'm scheduled to give my performance, because we both know no one likes bed pan patrol and frankly, it's a bit rude to think that you would rather check someone's p-"

"Okay!" I shouted, tossing the towel onto the pile. "If I come watch your stupid show will you promise to leave me alone for the rest of the week?"

Instantly, Rachel smiles. "Yes! Yes. You won't regret it. This week I'm performing…"

That was my cue to pick up the towels and leave the room. Naturally, Rachel followed me as I did my routine of delivering fresh towels to each hospital bed, flapping her mouth about her show for the hospital patrons and staff. She mentioned something about being accompanied by an amateur harpist this week, but I was trying desperately to finish delivering towels as fast as I could to pay attention. If I walked fast enough, maybe Rachel wouldn't be able to keep up with me.

By the time I reached the end of the hall, it seemed Rachel had reached the end of her long winded explanation.

"I suspect you'll be helping the other nurses gather the audience to the entertainment room, so I expect you all in there by 3:30 sharp!"

I rolled my eyes, "I don't decide when other people start doing their job. When the room fills up and everyone's there you can start singing whatever it is you're singing."

Rachel huffed. "I'm singing Ave Maria, Santana. Weren't you listening to my explanation of why I, a Jewish teenager, would be singing a Catholic prayer to the Virgin Mary?"

"I don't care why you're singing it, that gay guy on Modern Family sang it at a wedding and there was hardly a disclaimer for that."

She sighed and shook her head, "I won't recap the details, but to summarize, the accompanist thought that this song would be the perfect challenge for me and it'd be soothing to the patients and staff if I sing it well."

I could only shrug in reply.

"Just make sure everyone is in the entertainment room by 4!" She turned to leave the room, but stopped in the doorway. "Oh, and make sure none of the old folks fall asleep. I know my voice can be soothing and all, but it's really rude for the performer if-"

I stomped my foot in annoyance, "Would you just go already?!" She didn't bother to finish her sentence and disappeared from the doorway.

I looked at my watch. It was already 3 o' clock. Weighing out my options I decided to gather the patients early. The earlier Rachel would sing, the earlier I could go on with my day.

As soon as the clock struck 4, Rachel walked into the room with her accompanist trailing behind her. The audience of patients and staff applauded as she took her spot at the podium and made her introductory speech about her performance. I chanced a glance over the heads of the elderly, at the accompanist. She had silky blonde hair tied into a graceful braid that rested at the side of her shoulder and was dressed in a simple, flowing white dress and ballet flats. Next to her was a matching, ivory, pedal harp, standing elegantly next to her chair. It made her look much smaller in comparison.

The harpist's eyes scanned the audience and met mine. They were strikingly blue as she held my gaze from across the room. She blushed and gave me a timid wave. Embarrassed, I cleared my throat and looked down at the ground. I only looked up again when the sound of applause erupted. It was time for Rachel to sing.

She counted herself in and the harpist began plucking the opening notes to the song, Rachel following soon after. The room was filled with a beautiful tune of serenity as Rachel's melodic voice was delicately in harmony with the gently plucked notes by the harpist. As I glanced around the room, the children on the floor stared at Rachel with their big and curious eyes as she sang. The others had their eyes closed, enjoying the music to their heart's content.

I peered over the heads of the patients again to look at the harpist. Her eyes were closed as her lithe fingers plucked at the strings of the harp, her body swaying gently with the melody and changing with the tempo and dynamics. The harp's voice slowed as Rachel held the final note and together they slowly faded into silence. All eyes were opened and a gracious applause was awarded to them. Rachel offered her hand to the harpist, who took it and stood up next to her. Each of them took their skirts into their hands and curtsied for the crowd. I couldn't help but laugh, surely Rachel had planned this performance completely, even down to their bows.

When the harpist lifted her head again her eyes found mine and she gave me a warm smile. I returned it, but before I could approach her, the movement of wheelchairs and children caught my attention. As I looked around, the nurses were already moving people back to their rooms. When I looked back to the podium, the harpist had already disappeared, her harp also gone.

I searched everywhere, desperately trying to find her before she had gone for good. How far can someone go with an instrument that large? Thankfully, in a distant hallway, I spotted the harp being carried by a taller man and the harpist right beside him. I raced down the hall and called out to her. They both turned around and waited for me to catch up.

I took a moment to catch my breath. "That was a really good show back there," I offered with what I hoped was a friendly smile.

She nodded and smiled at me before the man spoke, "I'll just put this in your room, honey." She watched him wander down the hall, lugging the ivory instrument with little struggle.

When she turned around she looked up at me through her eyelashes, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth with her hands clasped behind her back. She swayed her torso back and forth as she dug the tip of her shoe into the ground.

It was clear that she was being bashful, "Are you being modest?" I asked.

She grinned, but continued to worry her lip and returned her attention to the ground.

Her shyness was getting to me and I couldn't help but find it endearing, "What's your name?"

Instead of answering, she took my wrist and led me down the hall in the same direction that the man went. I didn't ask any questions and let her lead me to a room at the end of the hall. She pointed to the clipboard hanging at the foot of the bed. I picked it up and read the name off the folder, aloud.

Brittany Pierce

She clapped and smiled after I read her name.

I took it as a good sign and continued. "Rachel didn't tell me you were a patient here."

She rolled her eyes and scrunched her nose. She didn't seem to like the mention of Rachel's name.

"You don't like Rachel either, do you?"

She shook her head and made a motion with her hand.

She talks too much.

I laughed, "Yeah she does talk a lot, but she's a good singer, which is why she volunteers to sing here once in a while."

She tapped my arm and pointed to the clipboard and then to me.

What's your name?

"Oh! I'm Santana Lopez. I'm a volunteer here when I'm not busy with school or cheerleading."

She nodded at me, happily.

Trying to keep the one-sided conversation going I told her more about myself. "My dad works upstairs. He's a doctor. He likes me helping out here, but not after he saw me wearing that candy striper outfit."

Her eyes widened and her eyebrows rose at that.

"Yeah, he thought it was too sexy to wear at a hospital, but it's really because he doesn't want any of the patients ogling his little girl. That's why I have to wear these ugly nurse uniforms now," I scoffed.

She seemed to laugh at that, only there wasn't any sound of laughter, only the appearance of laughter. Before I could say anything there was a knock at the door. It was the man from earlier.

"Hey, honey. Your mom and I just finished strapping the ol' girl into the van, so we're gonna head out now, okay?"

She nodded and skipped over to him to give him a hug.

"You be good, Brittany. Don't cause any trouble for this pretty nurse, here."

She broke away from their hug and slapped his shoulder.

"I'm just kidding, honey. We'll be back tomorrow afternoon with your sister to come visit."

He patted her on the head and they waved goodbye. She turned her attention back to me, expecting me to say something. There was something a little off about Brittany, but I didn't want to seem insensitive by asking. I'd have to find Rachel and ask her instead.

I stalled, watching Brittany's face grow more and more expectant as seconds passed.

"Well, I won't keep you. I'm sure you want to rest after giving that performance which, by the way, was beautiful."

She blushed and nodded at the ground. I told her I'd come by later if she was awake as I slipped out of her room to find Rachel.

After asking around, I find Rachel coaxing an elderly man to go back to his room. I waited for her to finish before I approached her.

"Thanks for helping. I totally saw you watching me from around the corner," she muttered.

"You were doing such a good job, I didn't want to waste your efforts," I joked. "I have to ask you something. It's about your performance."

Her face went from irritated to euphoric in no seconds, flat.

"Before you start yammering about yourself, I came to ask about the harpist, Brittany."

Rachel's shoulders slumped, deflated. "What do you want to know about her?"

I paused, trying to word this in the most delicate and indirect way I knew how. "What is she here for?"

She scanned my face for my hidden motives before answering, "She's here for a physical, because of her condition she needs to be admitted to the hospital to ensure all her needs are met."

I played with my fingers nervously before asking, "What is her…condition?"

Rachel sighed, "Gosh, Santana, why can't you ever be direct with what you want? You want to know what's wrong with her then just ask."

"Alright, don't start lecturing me. What's her condition?"

She gave me a look of disbelief as if I couldn't already tell what was different.

"She's mute, Santana. Always has been and, from what it looks like, always will be."

When I didn't say anything in reply, Rachel saw it as her cue to leave.

Later that night, I took one last stroll down the halls before heading home. I couldn't help but notice that Brittany's light was on, her door wide open.

I peered inside and found Brittany sitting upright on her bed, a book splayed open on her lap. I knocked on the door frame to get her attention and she practically jumped off the bed to greet me.

"Hey, I just came to check on you like I promised and it looked like you were still awake."

She smiled and took my hand into hers, running her thumb gently over my knuckles. When I didn't move from the doorway she looked at me. She seemed to sense that something was different.

You know now, don't you?

I let out a sigh and took a few steps into her room, closing the door behind me.

"Look, when I first met you, I had no idea about your condition. I didn't think anything was different until you laughed."

She nodded and gave a sad smile, engrossed with pressing her fingers into the grooves of my knuckles.

Are you going to leave me now?

"I'm not going to leave you. I want to get to know you better…if, you'd let me."

She looked up at me and smiled, squeezing my hand as she led me further into the room. She climbed up onto the bed and shifted over, patting the empty space next to her. Hesitantly, I climbed up after her and took my designated spot beside her.

She placed the book, from earlier, in my lap. I read the title aloud, "The Little Mermaid".

Brittany nodded enthusiastically and opened the book to the first page. I shook my head and laughed at her innocent request as I began reading the fairytale out loud to her. To her delight, I did the voices of all the characters, with Brittany clapping and silently laughing in response. As I read to her, she leaned closer and closer to me, eventually laying her head on my shoulder as she settled in. Without even thinking, I moved my arm to pull her in closer, her head resting more comfortably on my chest.

As I read the final words of the story I looked down at her. Her eyes were closed, like she was listening to something. Slowly, her eyelids fluttered open and her hand moved to my throat. She tapped lightly at the area where my trachea disappeared beneath my collarbone.

I like your voice.

"Do you like fairytales?" I asked, in a hushed whisper, suddenly self-conscious about my voice.

She removed her hand from my neck and tapped the picture at the end of the book.

I like them because they always have happy endings.

I traced the calligraphic words with my thumb, beneath the picture. "If only happy endings always happened in real life, huh?"

She took my hand into hers and intertwined our fingers together.

They can if you want them to.

I smiled and looked down at our interlocked fingers, my mind wandering to distant visions of white dresses and children running around a thick green lawn in the front yard of a big house.

Brittany shifted from her spot on the bed and sat upright, bringing her free hand up to my cheek and running her thumb across it. For a long moment, her eyes never left mine until she tapped the picture on the previous page with her index finger, tugging my hand with it. I broke our gaze to glance down at the picture. The picture showed the prince finally kissing the mermaid at their wedding.

Her thumb moved slowly from my cheek to my lips, running over them and tracing every dip and groove.

I want to kiss you.

I looked at her, hoping to confirm what I thought she was asking. She gave me one last nod before closing her eyes and waiting. I brought my hand up to hers and took it into mine before leaning in. I kissed her gently, not wanting to scare her with how badly I had wanted to kiss her, but also wanting to show her that I wanted this as much as she did. When her lips pushed back against mine, I held my breath.

After a few moments we broke apart, breathing slightly heavier than before. Her cheeks and the tips of her ears were tinted a light pink and I could only imagine my face being just as flushed. She smiled sheepishly and gave my hands a squeeze.

Wow.

"Yeah, I'm a good kisser. You're not so bad yourself," I joked.

She laughed and freed her hands to wrap me in a hug. I put my arms around her shoulders and squeezed her back.

Stay with me tonight?

I nodded wordlessly and settled back into the pillows, Brittany still clinging to me with her face buried in the crook of my neck. I stroked her hair, letting it run through my fingers and started singing a lullaby for her. She smiled into my neck and gave me a squeeze, urging me to continue.

It wasn't until I was sure she was asleep that I reluctantly pried myself from her embrace and let myself out of her room.

That night I dreamed of Brittany.

Everything was pitch dark, like the dead of night, but I kept walking towards something: a sound.

Slowly, the sound became clearer.

It was a voice.

It was Brittany's voice.

Santana, come find me.

I called out to the darkness, "Where are you, Brittany?"

I'm right here.

I felt blooming warmth in my chest.

I was so lonely without you.

I placed my hand over my heart, my fingers pressing against the skin and feeling my heart beat quicken.

"You're not alone anymore, Britt. I'm here with you."

I waited so long for someone to hear my voice. I'm glad it was you.

Tears formed at my eyes, for reasons I wasn't aware of.

A light pierced through the darkness above and enveloped me in its warmth. It was like being kissed by the sun rays and being hugged by familiar warmth all at once.

Santana, will you do something for me?

I closed my eyes, basking in Brittany's sunshine, "Anything."

Will you sing with me?

I opened my eyes to the blinding light.

Slowly the darkness molded into the shape of my bedroom, brightly lit with morning sunshine.

I bolted upright, remembering the contents of my dream and stumbled out of bed. I got dressed hastily, left the house and hopped into my car, not even caring that it was still early in the morning.

I drove mindlessly to the hospital and dashed passed the reception desk towards Brittany's room. Stopping to catch my breath, I knocked on her door and waited for an answer.

Surprisingly, she answered the door without a trace of sleep in her eyes.

I breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh good, you're awake!"

She smiled nervously and nodded.

"I know. You must be mad after I show up here so early, especially after I left you last night, but I was wond-"

She placed her finger on my lips and to silence me. She shook her head and gave me a quick peck on my nose.

I'm not mad, it's okay.

I flushed a little at my assumption of her feelings. Clearing my throat, I continued, "Anyways, I was wondering if you wanted to do me a favour next week?"

She waited for me to continue.

"Will you sing with me?"

I stood nervously, watching the patients, staff, and guests file into the room. My legs were frozen in place, but my hands were anxiously wringing my fingers in anticipation. I sensed Brittany behind me as she took my worried hands into her own and gave me an incredulous look.

Why are you so nervous?

"I have reason to be nervous, I-I've never sang for anyone before," I stammered. "You perform all the time, you obviously don't get stage fright."

She pouted and tugged at my pinky with her own.

Of course I do, but you shouldn't be nervous. I'm here with you.

I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Brittany gave me a triumphant nod before kissing me on the cheek and taking her seat next to her harp.

Silence settled into the room as I tapped the microphone to test it.

I took another deep breath and glanced around the room. Brittany's parents were there with her little sister. Her dad brought a camcorder and her mom gave me two thumbs up for reassurance. Rachel was at the edge of the audience, beaming with pride. She motioned for me to smile as I addressed the audience.

"Hi, everyone, this week Brittany and I will be performing for you," My eyes flitted to Brittany to find her smiling back at me.

"This song is called, 'A Whole New World'."