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Til Death Do Us Part
Chapter One
Santana knew he was going to run the moment he saw her, if that wasn't an indication of his guilt she doesn't know what is. She takes of after him; she knows that her partner won't be far behind. She also knows her strengths; she works out four times a week to keep her fitness up. There was no way in hell that this doped up kid is going to out run her.
Santana knows Lima like the back of her hand, so she knows how to easily navigate her way through these streets. The hardest part, was navigating her way through the crowds of people walking along the sidewalk. The only advantage is that it is also slowing down the perpetrator.
Santana manages to carefully dodge past a woman pushing a stroller, however, the dealer ahead isn't as graceful and crashes into an elderly woman, knocking her to the ground.
"Are you okay?" Santana asks as she reaches her.
She quickly helps the woman to her feet all the while keeping an eye on the fleeing criminal.
"Yes dear, now go and catch that scumbag."
"Yes ma'am" Santana smiles at the elderly woman before taking off after the dealer again.
She's manages to catch up quickly and is back on the dealers tail. She counts herself lucky when he runs down an alley she knows is a dead end.
As she rounds the corner she see's the dealer halfway up the chain link fence that blocks the alleyway from the connecting street. She runs over to the fence and gets a tight grip on the back of the dealer's jacket and pulls him as hard as she can.
He hits the floor and groans with the impact. Santana takes this as her chance to roll him on his front and connects each side of the hand cuffs to his each of his wrists.
"Kyle Walker you are under arrest for the suspicion of possession and the intent to supply. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney present during questioning. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand these rights?" Santana asks.
"Fuck you."
"I can also add in an assault charge for the woman you knocked over too if you want. Now, do you understand these rights?"
"Fine. Yes, I understand."
"Good" Santana says as she grabs her radio to call her partner.
"Dobbs, we're in the alleyway next to the old Italian deli on Twelfth Avenue."
"I'll be there in two minutes Lopez" her partner's voice says through the radio.
"How long are you going to leave me on the floor for?" Kyle asks.
"Until my partner gets here with the car."
As if on cue, the police car pulls up outside of the entrance to the alleyway and out steps Santana's partner; Neil Dobbs.
"Damn you're fast. Where you on the track team in high school?" Dobbs asks as he approaches Santana.
"No but I was a cheerleader."
"A cheerleader? I was on the football team and even I didn't run that fast."
"That's because you didn't have Sue Sylvester as a coach."
"Aright Walker let's get you up" Dobbs says as he grabs Kyle by the arm and pulls him to his feet. He walks him over to the police car and stops him outside of the passenger seat.
"You have to be searched before you go in the car" Dobbs explains as he opens the driver's door to retrieve his disposable gloves.
"Do you have anything on you that can harm me?" Dobbs asks as he pulls on his gloves.
"I much rather you search me sexy" Kyle says to Santana.
"Well fortunately for me, you have to be searched by a male officer. Now can you please answer my partner's question? Do you have anything on you? It'll be easier for you if you don't lie."
"I have a switch in my pocket."
"Which one?"
"In my jeans, on the left."
Dobbs searches the pocket and pulls out a red switch blade. He places it in a small evidence bag and hands it to Santana.
"Do you have anything else on you?"
"No, that's it."
Dobbs carries on his search and pulls out four small packets of white powder from a hidden pocket in the inside of Kyle's jacket.
"Things aren't looking good for you, are they Kyle?" Dobbs says as he places the small packets into another evidence bag.
"What's in the bags?" Santana asks.
"I don't know, it's not my jacket."
"Whose jacket is it?"
"A friend."
"What friend?"
"John."
"John who?"
"I don't know his last name."
"He's your friend and he lends you his jacket yet you don't know his last name. You're seriously going to try and pull that one?" Santana asks with a raised eyebrow.
Kyle doesn't respond and Santana doesn't expect him to, he's already dug himself into a deep hole. If he keeps talking she might as well hand him a shovel.
Dobbs finishes his thorough body search of the suspect and finds no more evidence on him. Dobbs helps Kyle into the back of the police car whilst Santana labels the evidence. She places both evidence bags into a larger brown bag and labels that too before placing it into the trunk of the police car.
She shuts the trunk and makes her way round to the front passenger side door. She finds her partner already at the wheel whilst she takes her own seat. She puts on her seatbelt as Dobbs starts the engine and pulls away from the alley and heads towards the station.
Santana finishes her pile of paperwork with a sigh. She loves being a detective, but she doesn't love the amount of paperwork that is involved.
"Coffee?" Dobbs asks holding out a small polystyrene cup filled with hot coffee.
"Thanks Dobbs."
"No worries, you can have a five minute break and then we need go if you want to stop by that store before our break ends."
"Have you heard any news on Walker?" Santana asks.
"They've only just started interviewing him, he didn't have an attorney so they've had to provide one for him and he's only just arrived."
"I hope he talks, we need to find out who his supplier is. I'm certain there is a connection between him and Estevez."
"I heard the Captain say that they're trying to get him on a supplying charge so maybe they'll try to cut him a deal if he talks" Dobbs explains.
"Well any information is better than none."
"Alright, are you ready to make a move?"
"Yeah I'm ready."
They head down to where their car was parked, Dobbs automatically heads for the drivers seat whilst Santana takes the passenger side. They're on the road for about ten minutes when Santana see's the store she's been waiting for up ahead and tells Dobbs to pull over.
"I'll only be a few minutes" Santana says as she exits the car.
She opens the door to the jewelry store and is instantly greeted by a middle aged man in a grey suit.
"Good morning detective, is there anything I can assist you with?"
"Don't worry sir, this is more of a social call" Santana explains.
"Well my name is Daniel, what can I help you with today?"
"I'm looking for a ring."
"What kind of ring?"
"An engagement ring. I'm going to ask my girlfriend to marry me" Santana says with a smile.
"That's wonderful news. Do you know what kind of ring you are looking for?"
"Not really. I just thought that I would know the right one when I saw it."
"What price range are you looking at?" Daniel asks.
"I don't care what it costs. Rachel deserves the best; I'll work longer and harder if I have to just to pay it off."
"Okay, we can have a look at a selection from different price ranges and we'll see if any catch your eye. If we move over to this side of the counter we can look at the rings at the lower end of the scale" Daniel says as he moves over to the right hand side of the counter.
Santana inspects all of the rings inside of the glass case, but none of them called to her.
"I'm sorry but I haven't seen the right one yet.
There is no need to apologize; buying an engagement ring is a big deal. If we move over here you can see another range of rings. These are a little more expensive, but they're a higher carat diamond."
The new batch of rings look more like what Santana is looking for, but still not a single one catches her eye. She wanted this ring to be perfect for Rachel.
"What about these rings?" Santana asks pointing towards a small section of rings.
"Those are three stone rings, they signify the past, the present and the future of your relationship" Daniel explains.
"I like that the ring symbolizes something other than just marriage."
"Would you like me to get them out so you can have a better look at them?"
"That'd be great."
Daniel uses his keys to open the compartment in the glass case. He carefully picks up the tray of rings and places them on the counter.
Santana looks at each of the rings intently. They are all beautiful but there is one in particular that catches her eye.
"I like this one" she tells Daniel pointing at the ring.
Daniel nods his head and picks up the ring to examine it himself.
"This ring is set with three princess cut diamonds each held in twist claw settings, as you can see the centre diamond is slightly larger than the two side stones. The setting and band of the ring are crafted in platinum. It really is a beautiful ring" he explains.
"It's perfect, Rachel will love it."
"The added beauty about these rings is that each is custom made. You can pick the carat of the diamonds, the clarity, the cut and the polish so it gives each ring its own uniqueness."
"You don't have to say any more; I'm completely sold" Santana laughs.
"Okay then, let's us move over to the computer and enter a few details and then we can get a price estimation."
Daniel places the ring back in its protective tray before locking it back in the glass counter. He then moves over to the computer at the right of the counter.
"The price of your ring will depend firstly on the carat of the diamond and then the quality of the diamond, for example a good quality one carat diamond will cost around nine thousand dollars. However, with your ring you have to keep in mind that your ring takes three diamonds. They all don't have to be the same; it's recommend that you have a larger carat in the middle with the two smaller at the sides. For example, a ring with one carat diamond in the middle of two half carat diamonds would cost just over thirteen thousand" Daniel explains.
"I know I said money was no object and I would love nothing more that to buy Rachel a one carat diamond ring, but unfortunately that really is out of my price range, especially since I have to pay for the actual wedding itself" Santana says.
"We can reduce that by over half is you select the middle diamond at just over half a carat with the two smaller diamonds at a quarter of a carat. The half carat diamonds are a very popular choice for engagement rings. We can get you the best quality diamonds and that would cost just over five thousand dollars."
"That sounds more like what I can afford. I'll take the half carat plus the two quarter carats. At least the whole ring will be a full carat together" Santana jokes.
"Okay, that's perfect. I'll just put that through the system and I need a few details from you too."
Santana spends the next few minutes answering questions from Rachel's ring size, which was easier to find out than she expected, to Santana's own personal details.
"That's perfect, the ring can take up to two weeks before it's ready and we do ask for a twenty percent deposit today. These diamonds are expensive and we can't afford to order them and then for the customer not to pay" Daniel explains.
"Oh crap, I don't have my wallet. Will you still have the diamonds if I come by tomorrow, I'm working the late shift so I can swing by in the morning."
"This is usually against protocol, but I'm willing to bend the rules this once for you detective. I'll still process your order, but I'll allow you to pay the deposit tomorrow morning instead, that way your ring is secure."
"Thank you so much Daniel. I promise I'll be back here in the morning as soon as you open."
"I trust you will detective Lopez."
"Thanks again Daniel. I'll see you tomorrow" Santana says before exiting the store.
She makes her way over to the police car and gets into the passenger side, closing the door behind her.
"So did you finally find one you like?" Dobbs asks as Santana fastens her seatbelt.
"Yes. I should be able to propose to Rachel in a couple of weeks" Santana says with a smile.
"I'm happy for you Santana."
"Thanks Dobbs."
"So we have another five minutes before we're back on duty. Want to get a doughnut?"
"You really like to live up to the stereotype don't you?"
"I can't help it, I just love doughnuts" Dobbs laughs.
"I know and that's why I chase the criminals whilst you sit on your fat ass and follow in the car."
"My ass is not fat."
"Whatever you say Tubbs. Sorry, I mean Dobbs."
"How you got Rachel to date you is beyond me."
"I know and now I have to convince her to marry me too" Santana jokes.
Dobbs laughs as he pulls the car away from the curb. He had been Santana's partner for the past two years. They had been assigned on a murder case together and had instantly clicked, their friendship helped them in their investigation and since then they always came as a pair.
"So how did you ask Maggie to marry you?" Santana asks.
"I asked her on Valentines day. She knows that I'm not the romantic type so she wasn't expecting anything. I told her that I was trying to make an effort this year so I bought her a card. It was your normal, generic Valentine's card but inside I wrote 'Will You Marry Me?" and stuck the ring underneath it. She looked at me as if I was crazy, but then a few seconds later she screamed yes and started crying." Dobbs says with a smile.
"That's actually a rather sweet story. I'm surprised it's coming from you."
"We've been married for nine years and I haven't bought her another Valentines Day card since" Dobbs laughs.
"Okay now that sounds more like you."
"We've been behind that car up ahead for a while now and his driving looks a little suspicious to me. It's driving a little erratic, it keeps speeding up and then slowing down plus he's weaved a few times too. Can you call in a license plate check?" Dobbs asks.
"Sure" Santana says as she grabs the receiver for the radio.
"Dispatch, this is detective Lopez I need a 10-14."
"10-4."
"License plate number David. Lincoln. Paul. Seven. Six. Eight. Zero."
Dobbs keeps a safe distance away from the suspicious vehicle as they wait for the answer from dispatch.
"That is a confirmed 10-16."
"10-4. We'll investigate."
"Looks like your doughnut will have to wait" Santana says as she flicks on the blue light and sirens.
If there was one thing that Santana was, it was that she was honest. So the day after she visited the jewelry store she showed up in the morning before the store had even opened and paid the deposit on the engagement ring. That was two weeks ago and she was now on her way home from work and on the way she had picked up the ring from the jewelry store.
"Honey, I'm home!" Santana calls as she enters the apartment.
"I'm in the bedroom."
Santana enters the bedroom to find Rachel sitting on their bed, towel drying her hair. She is only wearing a robe so a lot of her skin is on show.
"How was your day?" Rachel asks.
"Good. The one thing I love about being a cop is that every day is different" Santana replies as she pulls of her jacket.
She throws the jacket over the dressing table chair, much to the dismay of Rachel who rolls her eyes at her girlfriend's actions. Rachel has told Santana over and over again to hang up her jacket when she gets home but still Santana leaves the jacket on the chair.
"I'll hang it up later, I promise" Santana says, as if she can read her girlfriend's mind.
Santana moves the short distance over to Rachel and places a soft kiss on her lips. She then moves her lips over the large patch of exposed skin of Rachel's neck.
"You're in a good mood" Rachel smiles.
"Well it's not every day I get to finish early enough to take my beautiful girlfriend out for dinner" Santana grins as she continues her assault of Rachel's neck.
"You need to stop, we have reservations at eight" Rachel says, lightly pushing her girlfriend off her.
"Fine. I'll just go and have a quick shower so I can wash the streets of Lima off of me."
"Don't worry we can continue doing that, later this evening" Rachel says getting off the bed; the movement making her robe slip further down.
"I think I better have a cold shower" Santana mumbles as she makes her way over to the bathroom.
They make it to the restaurant just in time for their reservation. They are seated at the back of the restaurant in a quite little area which is something Santana is grateful for, because of her work hours she doesn't get to spend as much time with Rachel as she would like. So being in a quite spot meant she could concentrate on her girlfriend.
They have a great time over dinner; they hadn't had a date like this since they first started dating. Their dates nowadays consist of quick lunches or a take out and a movie in front of the television. Not that either of them minded, as long as they were spending time together they didn't care what they did.
Once they have settled the check, they exit the restaurant and walk arm in arm down the street.
"Are you okay? You seem a little quieter than usual" Rachel asks.
"I'm fine, maybe a little tired. It's been a long week."
To tell the truth Santana was terrified. Not a lot of things phased Santana; she was a cop after all. She had witnessed a lot of things patrolling the streets of Lima and she took everything in stride. She liked to think of herself as a brave person, however, there was one thing that scared her and that was the fear of rejection by the people she loved.
It started when she was younger, her father was a doctor so he was very rarely home. He would often make promises to her, but never saw them through since his work was more important.
In high school Santana thought that she and her best friend had mutual feelings for each other, but when she finally declared her love for the other girl, Brittany chose someone else and it broke Santana's heart.
The worst moment of Santana's life was when she felt that she was finally ready to be herself and to admit her sexuality to everyone. Her parents and friends took the news rather well but the thing that devastated Santana was the fact that she was rejected by the one person she loved the most; her Abuela.
Since her father worked long hours and so did her mother, Santana's Abuela practically raised her. She was always there for Santana whenever she needed her and it pained Santana that she wouldn't accept her for who she is.
She had cut Santana out of her life completely. Santana knows that her father tries to talk about his daughter to his mother. He had told her that Santana had enrolled in the police academy and then went on to become a cop, but she hadn't seemed interested.
One thing her Abulea would never know about though was Rachel. It upsets Santana to know that her grandmother would never approve of the most important thing in her life; her relationship with Rachel.
She loves Rachel, she really does and that's why she wanted to ask her to marry her. The only negative thing about the proposal is that there is a chance Rachel could say no and Santana isn't sure if her heart could take anymore rejection, especially not from Rachel.
"I thought maybe we could take a walk through the park" Santana says.
"You know before I met you, I would never walk through a park at night. You always make me feel safe."
"Good because I promise to always keep you safe."
They walk hand in hand down the path in the middle of the empty park. The air is cool, but other than that it was a nice night. The sky is cloudless, letting the light from the moon shine through the row of trees.
"Are you cold?" Santana asks.
"A little bit."
"Here take my jacket" Santana says as she shrugs off the item of clothing.
She helps Rachel into the jacket and zips it all the way up to the top. Santana sneaks a quick peck on Rachel's lips before she re-joins their hands and they continue their walk.
Rachel's left hand that isn't being held by Santana is starting to become cold too so she decides to keep it warm by slipping it in the pocket of the jacket she's wearing.
However, when she reaches into the pocket her hand is obstructed by a small object. Curious, she pulls out the object to find a small, white box.
"What's this?"
"Open it."
Rachel opens the box to find a beautiful diamond ring. She stares at it in shock for a few moments until Santana picks the ring out of the box and gets down on one knee.
"Rachel Berry, will you marry me?"
"Santana don't you think we're moving a little too fast."
"How is it too fast? We've been together for five years and we live together. I think that we are finally ready to take the next step in our relationship and get married."
"You've never given the impression that you wanted to get married before."
Santana starts to feel a little bit stupid on the ground now so she gets back up on her feet. She takes both of Rachel's hands in her own and looks straight into the other girl's eyes.
"I understand that I might have taken you by surprise, but I've been thinking about proposing for months. As cheesy as it sounds, I knew the moment I met you that you were the one. I love you. I want to marry you and spend the rest of my life with you. Do you not feel the same?"
"Of course I do. You know that I love you Santana and I would love nothing more in this world than to be your wife, but I can't marry you."
Santana's heart stops at those words. She isn't sure if she can speak, her worst fear is to be rejected by Rachel and by the looks of things she's about to be.
"What? Why not?" Santana asks, finally finding her voice.
"I can't marry you… because I'm already married."