"Shit," Santana mumbled under her breath as her motorcycle came to a sputtering halt on the deserted highway.
"You piece of junk," she yelled, sliding off the bike, kicking it.
She screamed and yelled unintelligible Spanish into the clear, starry sky.
"What the hell am I supposed to do now?"
Santana sank to the ground and brought her knees up to her stomach. She cradled her head in her hands, holding back tears.
A few minutes passed before the eerie silence of the road was broken. Santana picked her head up and looked towards the horizon and saw a set of headlights in the distance. As the lights grew larger and brighter, she could hear the roar of the broken muffler. She rose to her feet in hopes to get the driver's attention. As the pickup truck neared, Santana waved her arms in the air and shouted, desperate to get somewhere safer. The truck sped right by Santana and her arms dropped, losing hope of ever getting out of there.
Suddenly, there was the squeal of brakes and the red glow of lights. The white reverse lights flickered on and the truck began to retrace its path. The black pick-up came to a stop in front of Santana and the window slowly rolled down.
Santana peered in, expecting to see a creepy, scruffy old man, especially in the middle of nowhere like this. She was shocked to find a woman behind the wheel, at least what she thought was a women. The driver had short hair and a large build, like a football player.
"Need a lift?" a husky voice asked from inside the truck.
Feeling slightly intimidated, Santana sheepishly replied, "Yes."
"Where are ya headed?"
Santana stood for a moment, silent in thought, before she answered. "I...I'm not really sure."
"Hmm," the woman hummed to herself, also lost in thought, "there's a little town down the road about ten miles, Illyria. There's a tiny motel there and a few shops. You can at least get a bed and some food there."
Great, Santana thought to herself. It wasn't the most ideal solution, but she didn't really have many options at this moment. "Yeah, I guess that'll do."
The driver hopped out of her side and opened the bed of the truck. She casually strolled over to Santana's bike and rolled it over to the truck.
"Here, let me help you," Santana said, strolling over.
"I've got this," the driver grunted as she began to life the bike into the flatbed, "you can go get settled in the cab if you want."
Santana didn't reply as she stood in amazement watching this woman single handedly place her motorcycle into the truck. "Holy shit," she mumbled under her breath.
Once the bike was secured in the truck, both women climbed into the cab. Santana took off the backpack she had been wearing a placed it between her feet as the driver extended her hand to Santana.
"Beiste."
Santana stared at her hand for a moment, confused. "What?"
"The name's Beiste. Shannon Beiste. And you are?"
"Oh," Santana said, pausing. "I'm Santana." She finally reached out and shook the woman's hand.
"I don't think she likes you very much," Brittany matter-of-factly stated.
"I would have to actually agree with Brittany on this one, Finn," Tina said while wiping down the countertop in the restaurant. "This is just a losing battle."
"Don't be ridiculous. How could she possibly resist this?" Finn said, flexing his right bicep.
Tina rolled her eyes. "The poor girl is depressed. Her father left and she had to give up her baby...the last thing she needs is another guy trying to ruin her life."
"I heard that she dyed her hair pink," Brittany whispered. "And that she's now a halibut."
Finn looked at Brittany with a puzzled expression.
"Celibate," Tina clarified. "Even if she had any interest in you, which she doesn't, she vowed to be celibate. She doesn't want to be with anyone, no less you."
"She just needs the right man," Finn continued.
Tina let out a loud sigh. "She doesn't need to be rescued. She just needs some time to figure things out."
"Well -" Finn began.
"Just drop it already!" Tina interrupted, throwing the wet rag at him.
"Finn's Truck Stop?" Santana said, reading the neon sign atop an old style looking diner. Next to it was a small decrepit repair shop with two bays and a single gas pump in front of it. "This is it?"
"Yeah, this is Illyria. Not much to it. There's a little General Store next to the truck stop, and just beyond that you'll find the motel. And of course, there's the bar we just passed. You might be needing that, too," Shannon chuckled.
"You've got to be shitting me. Are you sure we didn't travel back in time?"
Shannon laughed again. "C'mon, it's not that bad. You can get your bike repaired, get some food, and get some sleep. You'll be out of here in no time."
Santana sighed as she got out of the truck, slinging her backpack over her shoulder. Shannon retrieved the bike from the back of the truck and wheeled it over to Santana who stood there, staring at the sign. Shannon gave Santana a pat on the back.
"Good luck, kid."
Santana sighed. "Thanks for the lift."
"No problem."
Santana stood frozen in place as the kind stranger in the pickup drove off into the night.
"I think we have a customer," Tina observed, peering out the window.
"That it does," Finn said. He strolled over to the door and hollered outside. "Hey, what can we do for you?"
"Huh?" Santana broke out of her trance. "Oh, uhm, my bike won't run."
Finn trotted outside and over to Santana. "Mind if I take a look?"
"No."
Finn looked over the woman standing before him, inspecting her. "You new around here?"
"I guess you could say that."
Silence lingered between them as Finn was hoping to strike up conversation, but Santana offered little to Finn's inquiry.
Finally, Finn spoke again, "Let me figure out what's wrong here. You can head inside for something to eat or drink if you want."
"Great," Santana sarcastically remarked. She walked across the dirt lot, kicking a rock, until she reached the glass and metal door on the diner. She slowly pushed the door open and entered the old diner.
"Welcome!" the blonde girl excitedly greeted Santana from her seat at the counter. "I'm Brittany!"
Santana smiled for the first time all day at the other girl's bubbly demeanor. "Hi, Brittany."
"You're really pretty." Brittany added.
The waitress looked up from the glass she was cleaning.
"What can I get for you?" she growled.
Santana looked at her name tag, "Well, Tina, I'll take a coffee. Black."
Tina went to the coffee maker and poured a cup from the pot, aggressively setting it in front of Santana, splashing a bit on the clean counter.
Just as Brittany turned to Santana to ask her a question, Finn returned inside, wiping his hands with the rag Tina had thrown at him earlier.
"Well, do you want the good news or bad news first?"
"Ugh," Santana muttered, "I don't even care. Just tell me what's wrong."
Finn was taken aback by her snappiness. "Okay, well, good news is, I can fix it. Bad news is, it needs a new engine."
"Ay dios mio! What the hell is that going to cost me?"
"Well, what do you have?"
Santana grumbled. She reached into her backpack and pulled out a wallet. She pulled out and few bills and slapped them onto the counter. "Two hundred and forty."
Finn looked displeased.
"Okay, okay. Hold on," Santana said while reaching into her pocket. "Two hundred," she paused, placing a few more bills on the counter, "and forty SIX."
She dug into her pocket one last time, a bit deeper. She counted some change in her hand before she dropped the loose change into the pile of bills. "And sixty two cents."
Tina reached into the pile and pulled out three dollars bills. "For the coffee...and tip."
"Okay. So two hundred and forty three dollars...and sixty two cents."
Finn crossed his arms. "You do realize that won't even cover the cost of the part, right?"
"Well, what do you want me to do," Santana said, raising her voice, "magically pull some more cash out of my ass?"
"Oh my God, you can do that? That's so cool! I can fit my-" Brittany interjected.
Finn interrupted Brittany, "Perhaps we can make some sort of...arrangement?" Finn looked Santana up and down, examining her more closely in the light.
"Gross," Tina mumbled under her breath.
"I didn't come in here to fulfill some twisted fantasy of yours. I came here to get my damn bike running again."
"Well, looks like you're just going to have to get a job then."
Tina's eyes lit up. "Maybe she could help with the restaurant, we could-"
Finn cut her off. "The last thing we need is another woman in here. Especially with an attitude. I don't need more nagging and drama in here. One is more than enough."
Tina threw another rag at Finn.
"Case and point."
"Fine. I'll find a job. And I'll get you the damn money. In the meantime, order the engine."
"If I order it, how do I know you'll pay?"
"Well, first of all, you have my bike. Secondly, I can't even leave this God forsaken town." Santana reached down into the pile of cash on the counter and thrust a few crinkled bills into Finn's face. "And here's fifty dollars. Consider it a down payment."
Santana grabbed the rest of the money and dumped it into her bag, hoping the fifty dollars would satisfy Finn for now.
"Fine. We have a deal. It'll take at least a week to find the engine and get it shipped here anyway, so you have time to figure out a way to get cash." Finn took the fifty dollars and shoved it into his pocket. "Maybe if you stand in front of the bar, you can find some customers," Finn remarked.
Brittany and Tina gasped as Santana slapped Finn across the face as she marched out of the diner.
She went over to her motorcycle and removed the duffle bag she had attached to the back. She threw it over her free shoulder and began walking down the street to the motel.
When she walked into the office of the motel, she was surprised to see how clean it was. She expected any place in this town to be a dump. But the walls were pure white and everything seemed so pristine and sterile. She walked up to the counter and rang a little silver bell. Out from the back came a small red-haired woman.
"What can I do for you this evening?" she sweetly asked.
"Do you have any vacancies?" Santana immediately felt stupid asking such a question as she noticed the keys hanging on the wall. Only one was missing.
The woman smiled. "Of course! How long will you be staying with us?"
"Uhm," Santana hesitated, "I'm not sure. At least a week, I guess."
"Wonderful!" she smiled. "We have a special weekly rate of one hundred dollars. If you need to stay longer you can let me know at anytime."
"Great," Santana said, a bit a relief coming over her. She dropped the duffle to the floor and reached into her bag, trying to dig out the money. She eventually placed the sum on the counter.
The motel owner took the cash. "I'll be right back with your paperwork." She headed to the backroom again.
Santana stood there, examining all the decorations in the room and the nicknacks on the counter. She took a sniff of the flowers that were in a vase sitting on the counter before she picked up a little figure that stood next to it. As the owner reentered, Santana quickly replaced the figure on the countertop.
"I'll just need you to fill out this top section and sign at these two X's."
As Santana filled out the paperwork, she noticed the woman adjusted the figurine that she had touched, moving it slightly, back into the exact spot it had been in before. When Santana had completed the paperwork, she handed it to the woman behind the counter.
The red-head turned and grabbed a key from the rack, handing it to Santana. "You're in room 12. Make a left out of this door and it's the very last room." She smiled again. "If you need anything at all, don't hesitate to stop by. My name is Emma. Enjoy your stay, Ms. Lopez!"
"Well, look what the cat dragged in."
"Hey to you, too, Mercedes."
"What up, bro," Puck greeted Sam, the two exchanging a fist bump.
Sam pulled up a bar stool next to his friend.
"The usual?" Mercedes asked.
Sam nodded as Mercedes opened a bottle of beer and placed it in front of him. The two boys clanked their bottles together and took a swig.
Though it was Friday night, the bar was only about a quarter full. A few guys in the back playing pool, some guys and girls standing by the jukebox, and a few people seated along the bar, along with Puck and Sam.
"So, still trying to win over Quinn?" Mercedes asked Sam.
"Yeah, but nothing seems to be working."
Mercedes laughed to herself.
"Man, I don't know why she isn't into you. You should just sing to her," Puck sincerely stated.
"And then woo her with your dance moves. And those big, beautiful lips," Mercedes continued, laughing still.
"Totally!" Puck agreed, catching on to Mercedes' sarcasm.
"And those amazing impressions," Mercedes continued to tease.
"They are amazing," Sam added, segueing into one of his Sean Connery impressions.
"You should show us some of those stripper moves you have now." Puck was now mercilessly teasing Sam along with Mercedes.
Sam got up from his stool and started dancing to the music, a few of the girls in the bar cheering him on. Mercedes was no longer able to contain her laughter.
Puck shook his head. "See, the girls just swoon over you."
"I know! I don't get why Quinn isn't into me."
"I have no clue," Mercedes added, trying to stifle the laughter.
Puck chuckled and finished off his beer. "Hey, Mercedes, can I get another?"
"You know, Puck, you're going to have to pay for your drinks sometime. Just because you're Quinn's baby daddy doesn't mean you get free drinks," Mercedes said.
"Yeah, you should probably be paying double because you knocked her up," Sam said.
"Both of you shut up and get me a beer."
Sam reached into his pocket and pulled out a fifty dollar bill and slapped it down on the bar. "Drinks are on me tonight, buddy. I had a good week at the club."
Puck cheered, but was immediately distracted by the woman entering the bar. Sam seem entranced as well. They let out a few cat calls which were met with a disgusted expression from the woman.
"And, uh, get her a drink. From me." Puck slid the fifty closer to Mercedes and pointed his thumb at Sam. "Courtesy of him."
"Hey! You can't do that!"
"I think I just did."
Mercedes made her way over to the new customer who sat down a few seats away from the two boys. She noticed the bags under eyes and the weary look on her face. "Girl, you look like you had a rough day."
"You have no friggin' idea," Santana said.
"Well, wait can I get ya?"
"Jack and coke." Santana paused. "Minus the coke."
"That'a girl."
Santana shot an evil glare down the bar to Puck and Sam who were still staring at her. She reached into her pocket to pull out some cash to pay for her drink.
Mercedes returned with her drink. "You can put that away, the one with the mohawk bought this for you."
"Great." Santana paused again. "Hey, can you buy him another one of whatever he's having?"
"Sure," Mercedes said, taking the money from Santana.
Santana got a sly look on her face and motioned for Mercedes to come closer. Mercedes leaned in and Santana whispered into her ear.
Mercedes pulled away with an equally sly grin on her face.
"One last thing," Santana stopped her, "are you guys hiring here?"
Mercedes frowned. "No, I'm sorry. Quinn isn't looking to hire anyone else." She could see the defeated look on Santana's face.
"Is anyone around here hiring?"
"No, not really. Well, Finn is looking for one more person to help him run his shop, but, he's kind of a jerk and doesn't think a girl can do it. But, you can still try."
"Already did."
"Sorry," Mercedes shrugged and went to get the drink for Puck.
Suddenly, a wild idea ran through Santana's mind. She smiled and quickly threw back her glass of whiskey.
Meanwhile, Puck was turned on by Santana's drinking and even more excited when Mercedes approached with a drink from her. The smile on his face quickly turned into a mouthful of obscenities as Mercedes dumped the bottle of beer over his head. Santana got up from her stool and let out a hearty chuckle as she dashed to the door and back to the motel to prepare for the morning.
Puck yelled to her just before she exited. "You'll pay for this!"
Santana smugly laughed.
"I think I already did."
Santana dumped the contents of the bag onto the motel bed. She had visited the general store next door first thing that morning to pick up some "supplies". A pair of scissors, a roll a bandages, a few t-shirts, a pair of jeans, a pair of work boots, and a small bottle of cologne. She then rummaged through her duffle bag and pulled out a container of hair gel and a hoodie. She hugged the hoodie for a moment before she laid it out on the bed; it had belonged to her brother before he had left home.
Santana sat down for a moment, overwhelmed with emotion. She remembered the day that he had come out to their parents. How badly they took it and how harshly they treated him. And she remembers later that week when he decided to up and leave, run away. She tried to stop him, tried to talk him out of it; but there was no changing his mind. He never left a number or an address. Nothing. For a year, she resented her brother for leaving. But when she decided that it was time for her, too, to come out, she knew what she had to do. She understood why he did what he did.
She packed up her stuff and put it in storage. She cut all ties to her parents. She loaded up her backpack and her duffle and hit the road on her motorcycle, following whatever leads she had to find her brother. Santana hadn't heard from him since he left, so she didn't even know if he was even still alive. But, she carried on none-the-less, hoping to find him or find someone who had seen him.
That is, until she made an unexpected stop in Illyria.
Santana pulled out a photo of her brother from her wallet. She stared at it for a moment before getting up and heading over to the full-length mirror. She tucked the picture into the corner of the mirror frame and stared at herself, and then her brother's picture.
"I can do this."
She grabbed a towel from the bathroom and the pair of scissors and went to work, the picture of her brother as inspiration.
Within two hours, Santana had completely transformed. Her hair was short and styled with product, exactly how her brother used to do it. She had binded her chest using the bandage while the loose fitting t-shirt and jeans also helped hide her feminine figure. She slipped on the boots and laced them up before she put on the hoodie. She stood in front of the mirror, staring not at herself, but a person she had sorely missed. Someone she longed to see. She let out a deep breath and slid her hands into her pockets as she left the motel room.
Three days later..
"You know, Tino, you are exactly what this place needed," Finn said, patting Santana, now as her male alter-ego Santino, on the back. "But now, I have a super important job for you."
"Oh, God, here we go," Tina mumbled from behind the counter.
"What can I do for you?" Tino asked in a soft and low voice.
"I need you to deliver this message next door to Quinn."
Tino hesitated. "Why can't you deliver it?"
"Because," Tina chuckled, "Quinn won't even look at him or talk to him. And for good reason."
"Is...is that true?" Tino questioned Finn.
"I'm afraid it is. She won't see anyone," Finn replied.
"So then, why me?"
"Because he's desperate. He has a big ol' crush on her and he won't take 'no' as an answer," Tina explained.
Finn shot Tina an evil glare. "Let me put it this way, Tino. Have you ever loved someone so much that they were all that you could think about?"
Tina rolled her eyes.
Finn continued. "That you would do anything to get to them, no matter how impossible is seemed?"
Tino hung his head and slowly nodded, thinking of his missing brother.
"Still. What makes you think this Quinn girl would listen to me if she won't listen to anyone else?"
"You're new. You're youthful and handsome. She won't be able to resist you. She'll be too curious," Finn reasoned.
Tino looked at Finn, then to Tina who was nodding her head 'no', and then back to Finn. Part of him wanted to say no, but the other part understood Finn's plight. And in a mere three days, Tino had built up trust and a friendship with Finn. And he now had a secure job. Maybe this is what he needed to do to prove his loyalty to Finn. The sooner he could make the money he needed, the sooner he could finally leave town.
Tino sighed. "I'll do it."
"So, Brittany, where the hell have you been?" Mercedes asked.
"You know, 'Out-of-town'," she replied.
"But, where exactly?"
"I'm not sure," Brittany conceded, "wherever 'Out-of-town' is."
Mercedes shook her head. "You can't just keep disappearing like that. Quinn needs you and you know that upsets her. One of these days she's just going to kick you out."
Brittany smiled confidently. "She'd never do that."
The door to the bar opened.
"Well, speak of the devil. Welcome back Quinn," Mercedes greeted her boss.
The other girl that stood behind Quinn cleared her throat.
"Hi, Rachel," Mercedes dryly added.
Rachel was Quinn's personal assistant, one of the few people that Quinn still spoke to and confided in, along with Brittany and Mercedes.
"Lovely to see you joining us today, Brittany," Rachel said. "I know Quinn has been looking for you and she's been displeased that you haven't been around."
Brittany pouted. "I'm sorry, Quinn. You know how I get lost sometimes."
Quinn meekly smiled.
"I think you should stop being sad anyway. It's not good for you, you know," Brittany continued.
"Watch your mouth!" Rachel snapped. Rachel had taken on the role as Quinn's protector in the months following her baby's departure.
Brittany ignored Rachel. "I mean, isn't your mother much happier now?"
Quinn stood silent for a moment before answering. "I suppose so."
"And doesn't Beth have a loving mother? Isn't she better off, too?"
"I guess so."
"So, I think it's silly for you to be sad if everyone else is happy." Brittany paused. "I just don't like seeing you sad."
Quinn smiled at her friend and gave her a hug.
"I still don't see why you keep that fool around here," Rachel mumbled.
Quinn scowled at Rachel. "You need to stop being so uptight all the time, Rachel. Brittany doesn't mean any harm."
Brittany smiled and waved at Rachel. Rachel turned and stormed off to the backroom, Quinn following a good distance behind her.
The front door clicked open again, despite the bar being closed.
"Hey, there's some dude out here that wants to talk to Quinn," Puck slurred, peering in from the door.
Mercedes sighed. She knocked on the door to the backroom and called for her boss. "Quinn! Puck says there's someone here to see you."
Quinn stepped out from her office. "Do you know who it is?"
"I'm not sure. I don't think Puck recognized him."
Quinn crossed her arms and quirked her eyebrow. "I wonder what little plan Finn is up to now." She paused for a moment. "Rachel!"
Rachel stuck her head out from the office. "Yes, ma'am?"
"Can you go outside and see who it is? Tell him I'm asleep or sick or something."
"Yes, ma'am."
Rachel obeyed Quinn's orders and headed outside to meet with the unknown fellow outside. As Rachel exited, Puck entered the bar.
"Puck, that wasn't an invitation to come in," Quinn chastised him, as she caught a wiff of him, "How many have you already had today?!"
"Oh come on, just one for the road!" Puck insisted.
"No way, you're turning into an alcoholic. I think you should get out of here."
"But-"
"Out," Quinn stopped Puck. "Britt, can you go with him, make sure he doesn't get into any trouble?"
Brittany nodded and followed him out.
Rachel reentered the bar. "I told him everything that you told me to, but the boy refuses to leave. He said he would stay all day if he had to."
"Have you ever seen him around before?" Quinn inquired.
"No, indeed I haven't."
Quinn hummed to herself. "It's rare that there is ever anyone unfamiliar in this town. What does he look like?"
Rachel was caught off guard. "Well, he looks very young and handsome. Kind of delicate as well."
Quinn laughed and mumbled to herself, "I wonder where Finn found this one."
"What shall I tell him?"
"Tell him to come in."
Rachel went to exit and suddenly stopped when she realized what Quinn had just said. "Wait, you will agree to see him? Are...are you okay? I don't know if this is such a good idea. Are you sure about -"
"Yes," Quinn stopped her, "Just this once. I'm intrigued."
"As you wish," Rachel mumbled, stepping outside again.
This time, Rachel returned with the boy following her. Quinn, not knowing what to expect, was taken aback by his striking features.
"Will you join me in my office?" Quinn invited.
Tino nodded as Rachel and Mercedes looked at each other, shocked by Quinn's willingness to talk to the messenger.
"Here we go again," Rachel sighed.
"I give him 2 minutes before Quinn kicks him out," Mercedes laughed as they stepped into the office.
"I give him 30 seconds," Rachel added.
Inside the office, Quinn sat down behind a desk and motioned for Tino to sit across from her.
"So what brings you in here?"
"I have a message for Quinn."
"Well, go ahead with your message. I'll answer for her."
Tino looked at the blonde curiously. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of crumpled paper and began to read from it.
"Most radiant, exquisite and unmatchable beauty -" Tino stopped himself mid-sentence, "Are you Quinn? You know, it would be a shame to have to recite this speech again -"
Quinn interrupted, "Who sent you?"
"I can't tell you that. But, are you Quinn? If you are, I'll get this done and over with."
"Are you kidding me? This is a joke, right?"
"No, this isn't a joke. Are you Quinn?"
Quinn laughed at the audacity of this stranger. "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not."
"Well, if you are, you're even more beautiful than I had imagined," Tino continued, trying to charm her. Except, as the words came from his mouth, he felt himself losing control. The words he uttered were truth, and not just lies to win her over. "He said you were the most beautiful girl in the world; I don't think that even does you justice."
Quinn blushed and knew without a doubt that Finn has sent him, but she still continued to talk to him. "Where are you from?"
"I told you already, I can't tell you."
"No, I mean, where are you from. I have never seen you around here before."
"Yeah. Well, I'm definitely not from around here."
"That I can see," Quinn paused, "What brought you to this tiny little place?"
Tino looked away from Quinn and to the floor. "Well, I was searching for my brother. He's been gone for a year and I have no idea where he is or if he's even okay. And then, well, I kind of got stuck here."
Quinn gently nodded. "Yeah. I know what it's like to lose someone. To wonder everyday if they are doing all right."
The two exchanged a look, the sadness in their eyes mirrored each other's. A silence fell over the room.
"Look. Deliver this message to your boss. Tell him that I never have nor never will love him. And tell him to stop trying to contact me."
"Yes, ma'am." Tino felt slightly defeated, not even being able to deliver the message to Quinn. He slid the chair back and got up, moving towards the door, halting when Quinn began to speak again.
"Unless, of course, you return. To, you know, let me know how he takes it."
The corner of Tino's mouth moved upwards as he nodded to Quinn. As the door closed behind him, Quinn still remained lost in thought. She began to fiddle nervously with a ring on her finger, trying to figure out her feelings towards the stranger. A stranger for which she did not even know his name.
"Rachel!" Quinn yelled loud enough for her to hear the next room.
"Yes, Quinn?"
"Can you do me a favor? That messenger dropped his ring," she extended her arm towards Rachel and she took the ring from Quinn's hand. "Can you be sure he gets it?"
"I will." Rachel exited with the ring, trying to catch the messenger before he left the premises.
Quinn sat alone once again.
"What am I doing?"