Hey yall I'm back with a new Brittana fic. I hope you enjoy it. A bit of it has been written for a while now, but I wasn't sure if I was going to publish or not. This is a GANG Fic, its dealing with more of a 'new age' gang than a traditional. No this is not based off of any gangs and I tried to avoid that as much as possible, everything is fiction.

Disclaimer: All television shows, books, movies, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. This is for entertainment purposes only, no profit is being made.

Reviews are welcome. : )

Santana didn't even know how it happened. She didn't know how all the things that went wrong in her life led her to this. The only thing she did know was this was the beginning of her new life, a life she would be taken care of, a life where she would never be left alone, a life with all the promises to be better.

Santana laid still as blow after blow went to her face and ribs. Arms, legs, she was lost in the midst. All she knew is she wouldn't let it get the better of her. She could not let it get the better of her. She would not scream. They would not know the pain they were inflicting on her.

Her back burned as the chain linked fence she was up against pushed harder and harder into her. As the cut part of the fence pierced her skin and collected her blood. Her body grew weaker and weaker and the punches and kicks kept coming. Soon the blows began to sound like a drum at the constant rhythm.

One of the attackers was wearing steel-toed boots and those boots were going straight into her ribs. The two people hitting her face were persistent to say the least as each hit contacted a new area. When one fist contacted her eyebrow she could feel the skin tearing and ripping apart, but she wouldn't scream. She would not make a sound.

She laid stoic as a person grabbed her arm and thrust up with their knee breaking her forearm, but did she say a word in protest? No. Did she even make a whimper? No. She felt as a girl grabbed the lapel of her shirt, pulled her up, and slammed her down. Once, twice, three times before everything started to go black. She would not back down she would not make a sound. She would have what she wanted and she would work to get there. She would have a family.

*Flashback*

1 Year and 6 months earlier

"We're sorry to have to tell you this, but your mother has stage four liver cancer. With the way the cancer is progressing, I would say no more than four months…"

Anything the doctor said after that was a blurr. Santana slid into the floor wrapping her arms around her legs and sobbing violently. She knew her mother was sick, they all did, but no one was prepared for this. Santana's mom told her she had cancer, but she didn't know how badly. They were hoping the radiation and chemo would be enough.

"Santanita, come here mi Amor." Santana got up and walked wobbly to her mother's bed.

"You know I love you right?" Santana couldn't answer she just shook violently. "I may leave this world, but I will never leave you. I will always be in your heart. Do you understand me?"

"I don't want you to leave me." Santana sobbed curling into her mother's side in her hospital bed.

"Shh baby" Her mother cooed running her fingers through her head. "It will all work out the way God intended it. You will never be alone."

6 months later

Santana sat in her kitchen drinking coffee while her mother lay on her hospital bed in the day room, the faint sound of the oxygen machine puffing soothing her to sleep. Her mother had had a few mini strokes since being brought home. Her mother had begged she didn't want to die in a hospital room; she wanted to be home with her daughter. Santana's cousin, Elise, the only family she had left, had just recently turned 18 and moved in to help Santana. Santana's dad and Elise's dad had died in a car accident when both girls were very young.

"Santana" Elise's voice rang through to her, she had gotten lost in thought stirring her coffee. "Santana come here now!"

Santana popped out of her chair as fast as she could and flew past the living room and into the day room. Santana saw her mother struggling to breathe and it just hit her like a sack of rocks. It was time. For the past few days her mom had been forgetting who was who. Her friends would come to visit and she wouldn't recognize them. She would watch as time and time again her friends would come out crying. One friend had even had to have Santana come in to tell her mom it was ok and who they were. She had also quit eating and drinking. The most that she had gotten her mom to do was let her put some chap stick on her lips and ice chips in her mouth. The oxygen mask was brutal on her mother's fragile skin. About three days ago her mother had quit talking, the last words she said were a choked 'I love you' to her daughter before closing up completely.

Santana sat on one side of the bed as her cousin held one of her mom's hands on the other side. Her mother's eyes locked hers as she gasped for breath and Santana did all she could not to look away. Her tears swelled up in her eyes and soon the tears began to flow. She knew her mom was holding on. She was holding on for her girls.

"Mom, if you need to, let go. I'll understand." Santana held her hand, thumb on her pulse point, and watched as her mom took her last breath. She felt as her mom's pulse throbbed one last time 8:00 pm exactly. Her cousin screamed and yelled for her Aunt to come back, but Santana knew it was of no use. Her mother was going to a better place. After an hour she curled into the bed with her mother just as she had done in the hospital. Her cousin finally rose and called the hospice nurse for someone to come and pronounce it.

Within hours her mother's friends were pouring in and passing her as she sat in her mother's old room on the bed. She curled up into herself as her Godfather Estefan come into the room.

"Santana, they are about to take her body. Would you like to go say goodbye?"

"I said my goodbyes before everyone got here."

"Santana, baby, I know this is rough, but just know Tracy and I will be here with you every step of the way. Elise said you can move to New York with her if you want, but as your Godfather, Tracy and I would be more than happy to let you stay with us. You won't have to change schools or anything?"

"Can I stay with you and Tracy? I'm scared staying with Elise will just make this seem in my face every day."

"Of course. When we get everyone out of this house you can come home with me whenever you like."

6 Months later

"Santana are you almost done up there?" Estefan yelled from his office.

"Yeah, just finished cleaned up. Trey finished closing out the cash register."

"Ok great I'm just finishing up back here. Did you do your homework before shift?"

"Yes sir. Alaska helped me."

"I don't know if you need to hang out with everyone around here mija."

"Estefan I know what's going on. I know this isn't just a bar and grill. I hang out with the people that come around the house, and your little errand boys. I know."

"I know you know, but your mother would kill me if anything happened to you."

"I've been around this life for about a year now, I know the ins and outs. I want in."

"No, you do not. You are too smart for this. You will finish high school, graduate and go to college. I see your report cards Ms. Straight A student."

"I know this, but I want a family."

"Santana you are a part of mine and Tracy's family. Have we not made you feel welcome?"

"Yes, you have made me feel more than welcome, but I know the codes. I know it all. My mother told me I would never be alone and when I'm with everyone I don't feel alone. Every person you let come around feels like family. They look up to you, they respect you, and I don't want to feel like the cast out because I'm not in the family."

"It's not about that. Santana you have a life a head of you. A life your mother would be proud of!"

"My mother also knew I was stubborn. I want in this family. I want you to trust me."

"When have I not trusted you?"

"I want you to trust me like you do others. I want this and I will get it!"

"I do NOT approve, just so you know. If you do this I can't protect you."

"I don't expect you to protect me from this. I can handle it." With that Santana walked out into the night air. She walked toward her home where Tracy would be waiting for her and Estefan with a very late dinner. As she turned the curb she saw a group of young men standing and waiting. They nodded their heads to her in acknowledgement and she did the same back. Everyone knew she was like a daughter to Estefan which meant she had the respect and protection. Some didn't believe she deserved it, but that wouldn't last very long.

*Two days before present day*

Santana walked to Alaska's house, knowing well that the crew would be there. When she walked through the door many people were playing cards and drinking so Santana slid in the couch next to Alaska and took the girls beer.

"I don't think Estefan would be too happy with that." Alaska said throwing the girl a wink.

"I don't want to hear it; you are drinking all the time. How is it you still help me with my homework, or make it to school period?"

"I have my ways. Go get us another beer."

Santana removed herself from the couch and went into the kitchen passing some people making out.

"Oh look if it isn't wanna-be" One of the girl's threw in her direction.

"Excuse me?"

"You hang out with the gang, but ain't real enough to gang bang. Living off the leader's respect, I mean I guess I can't blame you if I had a free ride, I'd take it too." That was it for Santana. She threw the shit talking girl up against the wall and held her arm into her throat pushing hard. Everyone around stopped and stared at the young girl waiting for her to let go. Santana watched the girl begin to fade. Before she knew what was happening Alaska had her arms around her waist and was whispering for her to let go. Santana slowly released her grip on the girl as she slid to the ground gasping for air.

"Santana"

"NO ALASKA. I'm done. I want in. I can handle this. I'm not living on Estefan's respect, I want my own!"

"You will get it babe, but no one is going to push Estefan like that."

"ALASKA!" One of the guys yelled from the living room.

"What Deuce?"

"They shot Alonzo!"

"Let's ride!" Alaska yelled grabbing her glock 17 out of the back of her pants. Watching as three other members ran out to the car. "One day you'll have it baby girl."

"I want to go!" Santana yelled.

"This isn't for you. Go home this time." She placed a kiss on Santana's forehead and ran out the door.

*Present Day*

"Santana, Santana wake up baby girl." The voice of Estefan shot through her subconscious lulling her back to consciousness.

Santana blinked a few times in acknowledgement causing the older man to smile. He hurriedly grabbed a cup and some ice then poured her some water. Gently he raised it to her lips, nodding for her to take the straw and slurp a drink. When she did he smiled down at her and stroked her hair.

"That's my girl. You always were strong willed, just like your mother." Santana immediately smiled in remembrance of her mother. "Now what did I tell you about this?"

"You told me not to do it you couldn't protect me." The small Latina rolled her eyes. "Now how bad is the damage?"

"3 broken ribs, luckily they didn't puncture anything, 12 bruised ribs, a busted lip, a busted eye, two cuts on your head, one on your forehead, a break in both your radius and ulna which had to be surgically fixed and to top it all off a concussion. Needless to say I'm sure you have a headache from hell and you look like shit."

"Well that was sweet."

"Just calling it as I see it mija."

"Next time lay off the encouraging words jackass."

"Well I did hear that you didn't make a sound during initiation."

"I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction. They said the only reason I could be in was you. You were the only reason I had respect and loyalty. I wanted to earn it."

"That you did. The last person to manage that was me, my little protégé." Santana beamed at the affection she was receiving from her 'father figure', who was also gang leader. She had received blessing from the top, nothing could slow her down now.