I've decided to write another story because I've had this idea in my head for ages and it's not going away so I thought the only way to get it out of my system is to write about it. I'm not planning on making it a long story because I still my other two stories that I haven't finished yet, but we'll see how it goes. If my readers like it, I might make it longer depending on the feedback I get.
Basically it's going to be set after the end of season 3 but completely AU. Rachel and Santana are best friends and moved to New York at the same time. Rachel has been through a massive break up with her ex (it won't be Finn), so when Rachel and Santana meet someone new, Rachel pushes him away so she doesn't get hurt again. Main friendship (other than Pezberry) is going to be Finchel. Finn is like a brother to Rachel. The first chapter is going to be a bit of a backstory and I won't introduce the love interest till a little further in….I need to keep you all guessing.
Sorry for the long arse A.N. I will now get on with the story. I don't own Glee and all mistakes are mine.
Rachel was fidgeting nervously on the train and it was bugging Santana. She gently put her hand over her best friend's. "Don't tell me the great Rachel Berry is scared?" Santana asked deviously, a smirk playing on her lips.
"Oh shush Tana, I'm a perfect mixture of nervous and scared. It's perfectly acceptable since I'm moving the city of my dreams and about to make the first step into a future that I've wanted ever since I could walk, talk and sing. Not to mention, not only have I left my nasty ex behind but Finn is still back in Lima." She looked sad for a moment but quickly regained her composure. "If you're whole future was riding on this move, you'd be scared too." Rachel quipped.
"I know Rach, I'm just teasing." Santana said affectionately. The only person who truly got to see her like that was Rachel. "I was there in high school too. I know what you went through and I know how badly you want this. And guess what?" Rachel looked up at Santana expectantly, her brown eyes shining with tears that hadn't fallen yet; they'd been there since they'd left Lima train station. "They are going to love you at NYADA! You have the most amazing voice I have ever heard and it's going to take you far." Santana told her best friend confidently. She was rubbing her back, trying to soothe her. "As for Finn, he's a big boy, he wanted to stay in Lima but I know how you feel because I miss him too. We might not have had the same relationship that you two did but I still love him and I do miss him." Rachel smiled at this and hugged her best friend. Santana wasn't going to mention anything about Rachel's ex – ever if she could help it – because to her, he doesn't exist anymore and she hoped that one day Rachel would feel the same way and he'd be nothing but I mistake to them when they thought back on their lives in years to come.
"Thank you Santana, you always know how to make me feel better." Rachel said, there was a mix of happiness and sadness in her voice and Santana spotted it instantly.
"I'm your best friend, it's my job." Santana said in response. She then looked down at Rachel. "But's there's something else. You still don't sound happy."
Rachel sighed in defeat. Sometimes the Latina just knew her too well. "It's just hard to feel good about myself when everyone in Lima said the opposite." Rachel said dejectedly.
Santana and Rachel grew up in a small town in Ohio; Lima. When both girls were sent to elementary school, the girls bonded instantly and they would spend their years growing up outside playing, building treehouses, playing dress up with Mrs Lopez's "adult" clothes and make up and telling each other secrets that would ultimately bond them for life. Santana and Rachel grew closer and closer as the years went on so by the time they hit high school, they were inseparable. Unfortunately for Rachel, this is when everything changed. The small fact of Rachel having two daddies instead of a mummy and a daddy suddenly became a huge issue for everyone she went to high school with and the other teenagers would use this fact as a way to pick on her. With this came other insults directed to her appearance and jocks and cheerleaders would throw slushiees at her so by the time she hit sophomore year, Rachel hated going to school. Unlike Rachel, Santana was instantly liked by everyone and she became very popular. She also joined the cheerleading squad and met Quinn Fabray and Brittney Pierce. Rachel was terrified that she was going to lose her best friend – her sister. Despite the odds, Santana and Rachel kept their bond. Santana would always defend Rachel when she cheerleading friends would sneer at her or make a horrible remark as they passed her in the hallways and she never threw a slushiee at Rachel, always refusing, no matter how much she was pushed into it. On more than one occasion, she even stepped in front of it so Rachel wouldn't have to feel the ice cold drink drip all the way down her body. Eventually Rachel also made friends with Quinn and Brittney but even that didn't make a difference. The fact that Rachel was the lead and captain of Glee club outweighed the popular friends she had. It was only when she made friends with star quarterback, Finn Hudson, in her sophomore year that any progress was made. Rachel was still disliked by most, but Finn was able to put a ban on the slushiee's. At least, as far as Rachel was concerned at least. After that, Santana deemed him good enough to be Rachel's friend and since then, Finn would constantly look out for her, keep her out of danger and generally behave in a way an older brother would, despite the fact that he was actually 2 and a half months younger than her. Rachel was ecstatic when she got her acceptance letter from NYADA, she was born for Broadway, and she couldn't wait to find out if Santana had made it too. When Santana gave Rachel the good news, Rachel had talked for over two hours about what there next steps where going to be. They'd both made plans as children to go to New York when they finally graduated and now that it was finally going to happen, Rachel couldn't contain herself. Santana didn't mind though, her incessant talking, even at the age of 5, is after all, the main reason Santana fell in love with the petite brunette.
Slushiee's were an awful custom to the school and they carried on until Santana and Rachel graduated and Rachel had an awful feeling that they'd continue until someone with proper authority; since the teacher's never seemed to be able to do anything; put a stop to them.
"I know you had a tough time, and I'm sorry I didn't so more to protect you." Rachel frowned and instantly shook her head, indicating that she didn't blame Santana in the slightest. "But that is one of the reasons we left. Those pigs in Lima wouldn't know talent if it was shoved under their noses, and with you around it quite often was." Santana remarked bitterly.
Rachel couldn't help but laugh at her friend's analysis of life in Lima, and she nodded in understanding and agreement. "I'm going to miss Q and Britt too."
"Yep, me too but Britt and Finn wanted Lima and Quinn has business on her mind. Yale was the right choice for her. New Haven isn't really that far away if you think about it, we can still see her."
"Do you think Finn and Britt will finally get it together now that they're in Lima together? I've seen the way they look at each other." Rachel prided herself on being very in tune with other people and she usually sense something before most other people did. It was one of her skills and she loved being the matchmaker amongst her friends.
"I'm not sure Rach." Santana muttered. "Brittney does like Finn but you know what she's like, she likes someone different every week and she's not too picky when it comes to gender."
"I just hope Finn doesn't get hurt." Rachel said, her voice laced with concern.
"Brittney would never hurt him. If she decides that he's not for her, she'll tell him to his face and she'll do it honestly in a way that you could never hate her." Santana told her reassuringly.
"I don't think hate is even an emotion you can have around Brittney." Rachel said in agreement.
The spent a little while in comfortable silence, just watching their train pass through all the different places on the way to New York. Santana looked at her watch, they still had hours left till the train would finally be at its destination. Rachel yawned.
"Go to sleep Rach, we've still hours left. We have time for a little rest before we get there." Santana told her, her voice sounding quiet as sleep begin to overtake her too. Rachel merely nodded before she closed her eyes and rested her head on the table that separated the two of them. Within minutes, both of them were snoring softly, dreaming about their new adventures in New York.
How was that for a first chapter? I've stuck another odd pairing in there if you notice with Finn and Brittney….I just live off them. And when it says that Santana fell in love with Rachel, I meant in a purely platonic sense. Just clearing that up.
I hope you all enjoyed it and the next chapter will be their first few days of NYADA and their new New York life. Comment and review?