The first time Santana saw Quinn after the accident she broke down. It was just a few hours after the crash and she was still in her awful bridesmaids dress and Quinn still looked so goddamn beautiful and she just couldn't help it. She sat down next to Quinn, took her right hand in her left, and cried. Later, when a nurse tried to kick her out, Snix came out to play and she vented out her frustrations about the whole situation on her.
Needless to say, she was allowed to stay.
She made her mother bring her some normal clothes and didn't leave Quinn's side for the next few days. Judy brought her some of Quinn favorite books and she spent her time reading them out loud to her. Halfway through the third book she realized how much she needs Quinn to wake up.
How much she needs Quinn.
. . .
Quinn wakes up a week later when Santana is in school. She gets a call from Judy and the moment it hits she's out of the building and in her car. She doesn't care much that she's missing the last two periods or that she'll miss glee.
Quinn is awake and that's all that matters.
. . .
It was a Thursday when Quinn got told that she'ssuffering from a severely compressed spine and that she might not be able to walk again. Santana held Quinn as her shirt became damp with her tears and her body shook with sobs. Quinn cried herself to sleep and Santana climbed into the tiny hospital bed, comforting Quinn every time she woke up from a nightmare.
. . .
Quinn start physical therapy a few weeks later. She seems to skip the sadness and the anger and is left with only pure determination. Santana was next to her every step of the way and she couldn't help letting a few tears escaping when Quinn took her first step. She took in Quinn's overjoyed expression and huge grin; she was sweaty and exhausted and tired but Santana still though she's one of the most perfect human beings on earth.
. . .
The first time Quinn stands up in front of the whole school is when they're singing their last duet of the year. Santana wraps her arm securely around Quinn's waist and she can see that most of the New Direction's have tears in their eyes. She glances at Quinn and then turn back to the crowd, smiling proudly because Quinn did it. The song finishes and Santana turns towards Quinn, tugging her towards her body and hugging her tightly.
Quinn hasn't regained all feeling in her legs and the next few months will be painful but in this moment Santana can't help thinking that the puzzle pieces are starting to fall into place and this moment is kind of perfect.
. . .
They're lying on Santana's trampoline in her backyard, Quinn's head is on her stomach and Santana's hand is combing through Quinn's sunny hair. Quinn can walk and the obvious thing to do was to go to Santana's house and jump on the trampoline for two hours until they collapsed into an exhausted heap. Quinn was pointing out the various constellations and explaining the myths behind their names and Santana was just listening to Quinn voice; how it occasionally cracks when she's not paying attention and how she sometimes stumbles over her words because sometimes the language she had at her disposal wasn't enough to explain the world inside of her.
. . .
They won Nationals. Santana screamed in joy, jumping on Quinn and wrapping her arms and legs around her; trusting Quinn to catch her. That night they all got drunk - even Berry which was hilarious - and Santana spent most of the night glued to Quinn's side. She glared at anyone who got too near and even glowered at Puck when she saw him coming toward them with shot glasses. She fell into bed with Quinn and fell asleep with Quinn's body still so close.
The next morning they wake up on opposite sides of the bed.
. . .
They say goodbye to Rachel at the train station and Quinn leaves for New Haven a week later. Santana helps her move in and grins when Quinn tells her that her roommate dropped out at the last minute. They push the the two beds together and Quinn immediately sprawls out on top of them. Santana pokes Quinn in the side and when she refuses to move she just lies down on top of her. Quinn whines slightly and Santana smiles into her neck.
Things are starting to look up.
. . .
Santana and Brittany broke up. It wasn't dramatic or even particularly painful; just two people deciding they were better off as friends after all. Santana needed to be challenged and Brittany needed to be free. They hugged and promised to stay in contact and both of them could feel the weight on their shoulder disappear.. Quinn found out a week after that when she was visiting and Santana couldn't help but laugh at Quinn's shocked face.
'It's fine,' Santana told her, interlocking their fingers.
. . .
Santana decided to pay Quinn a surprise visit at Yale. They spend the weekend in their pajamas with every single form of junk food under the sun, watching reruns of Friends. She smiles when Quinn laughs at the corny jokes and can't help thinking that she wouldn't mind doing this for the rest of her life.
She also might be a little in love.
. . .
They kiss for the first time in July when Quinn finished her first year at Yale and came to spend her summer with Santana, Rachel and Kurt in New York. The sun is just coming up and Quinn looks blearily at Santana, running her hand through her choppy hair to make it look more presentable but only succeeding in making it even messier. Santana cocks her head to the side before seizing the front of Quinn's shirt and crashing their lips together.
'Took you long enough,' Quinn murmurs against her lips.