Disclaimer: I own neither Glee nor any part thereof. No money is being made off of this story and is intended only for entertainment purposes; therefore it falls within the parameters of "Fair Use"

A/N: So I took some time off writing because I'd been going non-stop for the better part of five months, but I got out of my groove and I was having trouble writing. This was a writing exercise to get myself going again. It's probably going to be a two or three chapter thing.

Chapter One

Fallout

It was the first day of school after New Directions' win at Sectionals and Rachel Berry still had her head in the clouds. It was their first victory as a group and she had been instrumental in that victory. Her performance of "Don't Rain on My Parade" was one of her best performances she'd ever given and it was done on the fly, no less. Rachel was certain that on the slim chance that Barbara herself ever saw that performance that she would be impressed. To top that off the boy of her dreams, Finn Hudson was newly single, largely through her hurtful machinations Rachel remembered, so she figured it best to wait a week or so before going after him.

Having thirty minutes before homeroom, Rachel made her way into the school auditorium her mind set on mastering at least two more songs that she could have ready at a moment's notice should a similar situation arise at Regionals. Once inside, Rachel was surprised and more than a little puzzled to see, of all people Santana Lopez standing on the stage. The Latina Cheerio wasn't doing anything, she wasn't singing or practicing any dance steps, she was just standing there with her arms wrapped around herself. She was waiting… presumably on Rachel since most everyone knew this was the best place to find her at this time of day. Her hair was down, Rachel noticed. Outside of Glee performances, it was the first time in years that Rachel had seen it like that, definitely the first time she'd seen her long, beautiful raven hair paired with her Cheerios uniform.

Rachel made her way towards the stage without speaking. Santana spotted her about halfway down the aisle. The girls' eyes met and yet still neither of them spoke until Rachel reached the top step and stepped onto the stage when she simply said, "Santana."

"Berry," Santana replied.

Her response was shocking to Rachel, firstly because Santana had actually used one of her names instead of the horrible nicknames that the Cheerios flung at her routinely and also because there was no anger in her voice, no sarcasm, no spite. Rachel had heard that voice before but not in years. "What can I do for you today, Santana?"

"Tell me why," Santana said.

"You'll have to be a lot more specific than that, Santana, if you wish for me to understand what it is you're talking about."

Santana sighed loudly and then said, "Saturday, at Sectionals, you stuck up for me. Why?"

Rachel stared hard at Santana for a long moment her expression not giving anything away. "Keeping a promise to a friend," Rachel said dismissively as she moved past the girl to go sit at the piano.

"So you didn't mean it, then? It was just stupid, misguided loyalty?" asked Santana with obvious pain in her voice. It was the first hint that Rachel had that this Santana was just a front, that an emotional person still existed within this suit of armor.

"Of course, I meant it!" Rachel yelled back over her shoulder before swiveling around and standing back up. "I said it, didn't I? That means I meant it. I can understand where you could forget this since all of your so-called friends on the Cheerios, with the exception of Brittany, are lying, two-faced, deceitful, horrible human beings, but I am not them and I'd thank you to remember that, if nothing else. While you may be content to forget that we used to be friends, Santana, I have not, and you seem content to have broken the promise that we made to always have each other's back no matter what, I have not and will not. I promised you that I would always help in whatever way I could, and I am a woman of my word. I stuck up for you because I know how loyal you are… usually, and I know if you truly desired to sabotage Glee Club all you had to do was simply not show up to Sectionals, but you did."

The air was silent and heavy between them for a very, very long moment. "Thank you," Santana said softly, staring intently at the floor before looking into the shorter girl's big brown eyes, "Thank you for being a better friend than I deserve." Santana dropped her gaze once more. "If it makes you feel any better, I miss hanging with you."

"Really?" Rachel sounded on the verge of excitement at the confession though she was trying her best to cover it with skepticism.

"Yeah," Santana confirmed. She smiled slightly, "I miss dancing like idiots in our bedrooms listening to Avril and JLo. I miss movie nights and… fucking all of it. You…" Her smile grew bigger. "Do you remember when we were going to go see Little Miss Sunshine?"

"And you and Brittany dragged me, literally, into the theater for Jackass, instead? Yes, I have vivid recollections of that horrible excuse for a film," Rachel rolled her eyes but smiled in spite of herself.

"I miss that. I want that back," Santana said softly, almost afraid to voice it for fear of Rachel's reaction because she knew she didn't deserve it back.

"The only thing that's stopping us is you," Rachel replied.

Rachel's words nearly knocked her down. She had absolutely no idea what to think. "You just forgive me for being horrible? Just like that?"

"Assuming you actually get around to apologizing for it, why wouldn't I? Santana you're my oldest friend. I may be hurt by the way that you've treated me for the last two years but I love you dearly. Of course, I'm going to jump at the chance to have you back in my life."

"I'm... I'm sorry, B... Rachel," Santana tripped over her words, "I... I should have been a better friend to you. I should have had your back… like we promised. Forgive me? Please."

"Gladly," Rachel said without a second thought, "Would you like to come to my house for dinner this evening? My fathers would absolutely love to see you again. They ask about you frequently."

"That sounds great," Santana said, "but just so I know, how much groveling am I going to have to do?"

"None."

"Really? After the slushies and the name calling and all that, they aren't royally pissed at me?"

"They don't know," Rachel said, "or rather they do know but don't know that you were a part of it." Santana looked at her in surprise. "I told you, I have your back. I'll spend my life protecting you however I can, even if that means protecting you from yourself."

"But you tell them everything," Santana said.

"I relate to them the day's events certainly, but I don't describe every moment of my life in minute detail with laundry lists of every single person that has done me wrong. So I left out your involvement in some rather unpleasant events to spare them the heartache of being disappointed in someone they love like family and if I'm being completely honest, I'd always hoped that this day would come and I wanted there to be no awkwardness between you and them which might disrupt the restoration of our friendship."

Santana smiled as she shook her head, "You're way too good to me, Rachel Berry." Rather than respond, Rachel just moved in to hug the taller girl who accepted the embrace. She buried her face in the crook of Santana's neck. It had been far too long since she had hugged anyone whose body fit hers so well. Finn and both of her fathers were too tall, but being wrapped up in Santana's strong arms she felt good. She was reminded of a thousand other firm hugs from age six up until just a couple years ago. Rachel always felt safe with Santana.

"I like your hair better down," Rachel mumbled softly.

"Me, too," Santana replied, "but crazy ass Sylvester doesn't leave me any choice."

"Thank you, Santana," Rachel said.

Santana pulled back slightly to look at Rachel thoroughly confused, "For what?"

"For apologizing, for still wanting to be my friend, I've missed you as well," Rachel said. She leaned back in to give Santana a small friendly peck on the cheek like a thousand others they had shared. Santana always smiled whenever Rachel did that, every single time. Santana returned the peck to Rachel while laughing. Rachel gave Santana one more, and then Santana kissed her back, only this time it wasn't a peck and it wasn't on the cheek.

Santana knew that she should stop, that she had just gotten her friendship with Rachel back. She shouldn't be risking it by doing what they were doing but Rachel's lips were really soft against hers and Rachel was making no move to stop her. Quite the opposite, in fact, Rachel trailed a hand up Santana's back, through her thick hair until it gripped the back of Santana's neck and pulled the Latina harder against her. Santana opted to chance it and slid her tongue along Rachel's lips in silent request for entry.

Before Rachel could accept, the first bell of the day rang and broke the spell over the two. They broke apart suddenly and Santana looked at Rachel in fear that the smaller girl was going to be upset with her. "Rachel, I…" For once in her life, Santana didn't know what to say.

Rachel smiled and said, "It's okay, Tana. Don't stress about it. However, you are now most certainly coming to dinner tonight." Santana agreed with a silent nod. "Walk with me to homeroom?"

"Lead the way, Rae," she replied.

X X X X X

Second period Santana had Spanish with Brittany and she found herself hurrying to class to save Brittany and herself seats. She grabbed two in the back and waited although it wasn't long before the bubbly girl found her way into the room and up to her. "Hey, San!" said Brittany excitedly as she sat, "Mom's making pot roast tonight for dinner. You wanna come over? We can get our sweet lady kisses on until dinner?"

"Actually, Britt, I've already got other plans… with Rachel." Brittany's eyes went wide in surprise, and then smiled excitedly. "What?" asked Santana.

"You called her Rachel!"

"That's her name," Santana said.

"Yeah, but you totally haven't called her that for a long time, since we joined Cheerios, I think. Did..." Brittany paused almost afraid to ask the question for fear of ruining whatever peace there may be between the two girls, but she had to know. "Did you guys finally make up?"

Santana smiled slightly, "Yeah, we did."

"Thank God," Brittany said, "I was getting so tired of pretending like me and Rachey weren't friend anymore."

"Yeah, you can go back to being her friend, too. I'm sure she'd love to hang with you again."

"I can't go back to being her friend," Brittany said.

"What? Why not?" questioned Santana.

"Because I never stopped being her friend," Brittany said, "I mean, I know you told me you wanted me to but I also knew deep down you didn't want me to, because if you stopped being her friend and then I stopped being her friend, she like wouldn't have any friends left and that would be totally sad, so we were ninja friends."

Santana looked confused, "Ninja friends?"

"Yeah, you know how like ninjas are totally sneaky?" asked Brittany. Santana just nodded still confused, "Well me and Rachey have been sneaky friends. We have dance classes together and we always go out for pie and ice cream after, plus I go with her and Uncle Hiram to Temple on most Saturdays, and I'm totally sorry for lying to you but I just didn't want Rachey to be alone, y'know?"

"I do," Santana said, "and I'm glad you were there for her. I'm sorry for being a butthead and making you guys sneak around."

"It's totally okay," Brittany said, "so are you gonna tell her?"

"Tell her what?"

"About you and her and why you stopped talking to her."

Once again Santana looked at her best friend confused, "I… I don't know what you're talking about."

"C'mon, San, I remember how you use to look at her, how you still look at her sometimes when you think people aren't looking."

"What about us? Me and you?" asked Santana.

"Sex isn't dating, San. We had sexy times because it's fun and we're both good at it. We're besties, nothing's gonna change that."

"Won't you miss our sweet lady kisses?" asked Santana teasingly.

"Oh totally!" responded Brittany, "but I heard that Artie and Tina broke up, so…"

Santana hitched an eyebrow at her. "You're gonna go after Artie?"

"Um, maybe," Brittany said, "but only if Tina says no first."

Santana was surprised at first but seemed to contemplate it for a minute before shrugging her shoulders and saying, "Bitch does sort of rock the shit out her vampire look."

"And I've sorta always wondered what it would be like to kiss a vampire," Brittany said with a huge smile on her face.

Santana couldn't help but smile at her best friend's enthusiasm and earnestness. "Then I guess there's nothing left to do but for us to go get our girls."

X X X X X

The rest of the day passed without incident. Either Santana or Brittany or both were around Rachel in between every class, Santana wanted to make up for lost time, Brittany was just happy that she and Rachel didn't have to hide their friendship anymore. In Glee the Cheerios made a point of flanking Rachel when they sat together. Whispered conversations and stifled laughter came from their part of the room for the entire hour. Virtually everyone in the room was hugely confused at the sight. Though Artie, Mike, and Puck had known the girls in middle school when they were a giggly, inseparable trio, all three of them had changed so much since that time it seemed odd to see them back together as though no time had passed and nothing had changed between them.

After Glee Brittany and Santana had Cheerios practice but the risked the wrath of Sue Sylvester to walk with Rachel to the auditorium. Rachel invited Brittany to dinner with them because it would be rude to do otherwise, but Brittany said that she and Santana had lots of things to talk about tonight but she'd be happy to come some other night. The three girls made plans for a sleepover the following weekend.

An hour and forty five minutes later The Cheerios were dismissed early because Sue was still chasing down every last bag of Hot Cheetos and she'd received an anonymous tip, a tip that may or may not have come from one Rachel Berry. They found Rachel exactly where they left her, in the auditorium practicing. They loaded into Santana's car and they dropped Brittany off at her house first. She departed the group with her typical bone breaking hug.

Only a few minutes later they arrived at the Berry house, and despite Rachel's assurances that the men inside weren't aware of her poor treatment of their daughter, Santana was apprehensive about going inside. She had no chance to express it though as before she really knew what was happening, Rachel was dragging by the hand towards the front door. Santana remembered that Rachel sporadically had super strength when the situation demanded it. Before she knew it, they were through the front door and Rachel said, "Daddies, we're home!"

"In the kitchen, sweetie," the booming voice of Leroy Berry called back.

Rachel looked back to Santana and said, "I thought I'd surprise them with your presence at dinner, so let me do all the talking and see how long it takes for him to look up from making dinner to notice you're here." Santana gave a short nod and the pair walked wordlessly into the kitchen. Santana walked to the far wall and leaned against it silently. Rachel stood between her daddy and Santana.

"How was school?" asked Leroy.

"Refreshingly wonderful for a change," Rachel replied, "All of my homework is done already. We had a quiz in AP US History for which I was more than prepared."

"So I take it you passed, then?"

"I am reasonably sure that not only did I pass but that I scored 100% on it. Oh, Daddy, how thoughtless of me. I invited a friend to join us for dinner, I hope that's okay."

"That's fine, hon. Do I know this friend?"

"Very well," Rachel said using everything in her acting repertoire to keep from laughing.

"It's not that big dopey kid, is it… what was his name, Flipper?"

Now it was Santana's turn to try desperately to suppress laughter, going so far as to clap her hand over her mouth to muffle the sounds coming from her involuntarily. Rachel eyed her as she said, "His name is Finn, Daddy, and as you don't even know him well enough to recall his first name properly then he would not qualify as someone that you know very well, now would he?"

"Well, honey, under that qualifier the answer could only be Brittany, and since I wasn't attack hugged the moment you girls walked in the door, I can only ask what time she's going to her here. This is generally what time she gets here after Cheerios practice."

"Although I invited her as well, our guest this evening is not Brittany," Rachel said.

"Well then, who…" Leroy finally turned from the food he was preparing and was stunned silent to see the young Latina woman standing in his kitchen.

"Hey, Mr. Berry," Santana said.

Leroy shook of the surprise and said, "You knock that 'Mr. Berry' crap off, young lady. You may not have been around in a while but I'm still your Uncle Leroy. Now get over here and give me a hug." Santana complied with the large man's demands and he hugged her tighter than she'd ever been hugged and considering her best friend's propensity for tight hugs that was truly saying something. "It's really good to see you again, Tana."

The door from the garage opened and closed and Hiram Berry called out, "Dad's home!" He turned the corner into the kitchen to see his husband hugging someone with extremely beautiful long black hair. That was all he could see around Leroy's rather large arms. "Who's this?" She raised her head from Leroy's chest and looked in the other man's direction. "Santana?" he asked almost as if he didn't believe that it was really her, and admittedly she had changed a lot since the days when Rachel and her two best friends use to run all over the house together, but it was still pretty obviously still her. "Santana Christina Maria Lopez, where have you been for the last two years?" He asked with a smile.

"Hi, Uncle Hiram," she said.

Hiram looked at his husband and said, "Maybe she can help you dispose of that mountain of dead animal flesh in our refrigerator."

"Yes," he responded releasing Santana and turning to the fridge throwing the doors open. He grabbed a white paper package and turned back. "Santana, tell me you didn't go vegan like these two. Please tell me that I'm not the only meat eater in the house anymore."

"Call me a carnivore," she said.

"Outstanding, then you and I will be having some delicious porterhouse steaks while Rachel and Hiram nibble on vegetables. What do you say?"

"I say hell yeah!" exclaimed Santana.