"Pilot Test"

2. Class of 2012

They had spent the whole flight trying to calm the butterflies in their stomachs. This weekend was just aiming to be very taxing on them emotionally. It wasn't like they never went to Lima, but they didn't make a habit of it, for how much it would cost. This time in particular though it would latch on to so many issues. For starters, they were going to a reunion for a graduating class which wasn't their own, not after Brittany had ended up in Boston and Santana had followed her. This just lead right into their individual family situations. For Santana it would mean a trip home to see her mother and father and little sister. As far as Catalina went, this was a good thing… Her parents were another story.

In Brittany's case, beyond visits, one component would be more than present in this visit: her mother, as coach, would be right there at the reunion. Things in the Pierce clan may not have been as tense as in the Lopez one, but it remained that there was… a stain, a bruise, and it had not gone away yet, even a handful of years later.

Now they were going back into all of this, knowing there was something on the line. They were going per Quinn's request and no other reason. If it hadn't been for her demand they probably wouldn't have gone at all, no second thought to it. They had no clue what she intended to tell them or why it had to be there of all places, but they had started this, and now they had to finish it.

They had gotten a hotel room, and after checking in and settling in, they had started getting ready. They wanted to get through the reunion before having to deal with their families; that would be, with the exception of Brittany's mother, the next day.

If one thing could give them shivers to see again, it was William McKinley High School. As their cab had pulled up, they felt a jolt. This was where it all began for them. Santana had paid the driver, coming from the car to find Brittany just standing there, looking up at the building.

"Good to go?" she asked, slipping her hand around the blonde's arm. Brittany smiled, nervously, but she smiled, giving a nod. So they had walked up, merging into the incoming pool of McKinley graduates.

"You're here, I can't believe it!" they heard a voice and looked up to find a smiling Tina coming their way. If there was one good thing about coming to this thing, it would be getting to see their old friends. Brittany had been quick to go and hug the girl. Santana had been smiling as well, startled when a hand rested on her shoulder, and she turned to find…

"Mike!" she hugged him.

"What are you two doing here? I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm so glad you're here, but you didn't…" Mike asked, curious.

"No, we know," Santana nodded. "Someone apparently had another idea in mind. You haven't seen Schuester, have you?"

"No, but he'll probably be in the gym."

"What about Quinn? Seen her?" Santana asked, and she could feel Brittany looking at her as she asked.

"She got here same time as us, so she should be inside," Tina reported.

Once they had been able to move on, not wanting to come off like they were in too much of a hurry to get away, they had gone seeking Quinn. They'd been interrupted several times on the way, running into more familiar faces, and Brittany would squeeze Santana's arm whenever she could sense her growing impatient.

"I'm going to have a bruise now, you know that, right?" Santana rubbed at her arm as they moved past their latest encounter.

"San…" Brittany had stopped her, making her look up, and then there she was, talking and smiling with Sam and Mercedes. Looking at her now, she looked… normal, which wouldn't be a big deal to most, but Brittany and Santana, they had seen what Quinn Fabray had become. Seeing her pretend for the others now, it was almost frightening.

When Quinn had spotted them, she had excused herself and left Sam and Mercedes to cross the gym and get to the two girls. She would smile and say hello to people on the way, excusing herself, promising to talk to them shortly. When she got to Brittany and Santana, she hugged them like she hadn't seen them in much longer than she actually had.

"Why don't we move this somewhere else," she kept on smiling.

"Yes, let's," Santana smiled right back; she could pretend, too. Finding a quiet and isolated spot, pretence had fallen quickly.

"So you came," Quinn stated.

"You told us to, now here we are… Care to tell us why?"

"If you're serious about this, then I need to see what you can do."

"What does that mean?" Brittany asked, but Santana was ahead of her, just seeing the look on Quinn's face.

"You can't be serious… Here?" Now Brittany understood: Quinn wanted them to steal something, right here.

"Normally I'd have more time to prepare, scope out the place, but this is different, so familiar territory had to do. We all know this place better than most people. It's been over five years since you've been here, but you remember, don't you?" They couldn't deny this. "And the closest thing here to challenge is…"

"No," Brittany spoke up, and Santana knew as well as her what Quinn meant.

"You want us to break into Sylvester's office?" she asked, to be sure.

"There, and somewhere else, simultaneously. From the office, we'll get the coach's championship ring, we know where it is. At the same time, we'll boost the trophy from the case in the hall, you know the one," Quinn stated.

"Wait, but…" Brittany shook her head.

"Don't worry, in this case, we'll put everything back when we're done."

"There are… all those people in the gym," Santana pointed out.

"I once pulled a job in a packed theater," Quinn shrugged.

"What if we get caught?"

"If you want to work with me, then you won't get caught. So, in or not?" Brittany and Santana looked to each other, uncertain, but finally…

"Fine. Lead the way," Santana nodded.

"Easy, not so fast. First, we get out there, you know… mingle. Can't look too suspicious."

TO BE CONTINUED (TOMORROW)