Next Week

Santana had stuck like glue to Brittany the entire next week, they spent every minute together. On Thursday morning Brittany woke up early and was dancing around the room with delight. "Too Early Britt." Santana mumbled

"I know, sorry to wake you! I'll be back a little after noon." she said tossing on a pair of thin yoga pants, a sports bra and a thin tee shirt over in.

Santana was instantly on alert. "Wait, where are you going?" she asked sitting up, this might be what she had been waiting for all week.

"I'm going to practice." she said with a frown.

"Can't I come with you?"

"No, it isn't a good idea. Rachel will be upset." Brittany shook her head. "I promised her."

"Promised her what?" Santana hedged and pulled a pair of sweat pants on.

"That I would keep our stuff between the two of us. She was really upset about the coffee shop thing."

"But I'm not Quinn, I can be cool with you and Berry being secret friends." Santana promised. This was it this was , where she would find all the answers to Rachel and Brittany's friends ship.

"I don't know San," Brittany bit her lip.

"Come on Britt-Britt, I'll be nice." Santana smiled at the blonde and kissed her cheer, "I just want to hang out with my best friend."

"Okay." Brittany smiled and they headed off, after Santana had some coffee.

They ended up in a rougher part of town then Santana had ever been around. There were guys hanging out on the streets leering in their direction, and then they abruptly turned and began looking in the other direction.

Brittany pulled her car to the side of a building and parallel parked. She didn't even bother locking the door, and Santana muttered a curse and clipped the locks herself. She quickly came to stand beside Brittany to protect her incase anyone tried to mess with the sweet girl.

The minute they walked into the building Santana relaxed a little the building was clearly well taken care of, but still held the rustic feeling of a old rundown building. It was charming, warm and eclectic. There were trophies all over the place built-in shelves cut into the wall to display them. There were lots of trophies, more then even coach Sylvester. That really says something, as coach had an extensive collection.

They climbed the stairs to the third floor, and Santana grumbled about all three flights, seeing as there was a perfectly working elevator. Brittany she smiled and shook her head and pulled her along.

They made their way to the door the furthest from the stairs, of course and walked in. The room clearly took up the entire floor, there were floor to ceiling windows all around the room except for the internal wall with was covered in floor to ceiling mirrors. It was Impressive. There was something that looked like a piano tucked into a corner under a protective cover.

Brittany lead her to seating area in the far corner of the room, and motioned for her to sit on the long bench. "The bathroom is in the hallway, try to be quiet okay?"

"Sure." Santana smiled, clearly having her here was making Brittany nervous. She leaned back on the bench and watched the street below. That was how she missed Rachel and Tory enter the room. Tory was dressed like Brittany, even had the same shoes which was weird.

Santana caught Rachel in the mirror, the girl was clad in the shortest form fitting black shorts she had ever seen, they reminded her of her cheer spanks. Matched with a loose cowl neck off the shoulder thin dark purple shirt. It bared her shoulders just right, leaving a hint of the straps of her bra.

Her hair was loose, flowing freely, down past her waist.. How had Santana never notices how long it was. She was currently kicking off 4 inch heels into the corner, when she looked up in the mirror and caught Santana looking at her. The little brunette frowned at seeing her, then she glanced at Brittany who shrugged her shoulders in her answer.

Santana crossed her arms, not liking the idea that she had treaded into a place that she was unwanted. She wasn't leaving, so it didn't matter. Santana smirked when the room was filled with other teenage girls their age, she noticed the way Tory had maneuvered herself to stand behind Rachel with her arms around her when the other people came over to talk and fawn over Rachel. Interesting she thought to herself with a chuckle. Her attention was pulled away when another tall shapely woman came into the room.

The room came to attention, there was a rigidness in Rachel's posture that Tory seemed to sooth with her touch. Santana watched as Brittany quickly came to stand next to Rachel and the tall freak. The class became focused and silent as the woman set her things down and turned to the music system.

"Relax, guys!" she laughed, with a large smile on her face that reminded her of the ones that Rachel use to have everyday. "You guys did amazing at the last competition, we placed second. We could have done better, but that is behind us now." she smiled and stepped to pat Rachel on the shoulder. "You led the team to another victory, it was a fluke that Naomi got hurt."

Rachel let out a breath and nodded. "I just, I feel responsible." she admitted. She was pulled into the older woman's arms,

"You've the weight of the world on you're shoulders, just let go sweetheart." the woman smiled and kissed the top of the girls head. She pulled away and squeezed her arm. "Alright so today will be a celebration, more of a practice and we can through out ideas for the next routine, we'll be using."

That said everyone sat on the floor and began stretching. Their stretching was much more in-depth, and profound then she had even done in Cheerios. She got caught up in the bendable stretchy form that was Rachel Berry. Where other members of what Santana now assumed was a dance team used one another to stretch out. Rachel was off on her own moving her body, and good lord those legs in a way that Santana would have though impossible.

They seemed to have moved past the stretching, Santana had lost herself into her own fantasies. Only to come out of it when Rachel began speaking again

"Well Tory and I have been working on a few different things, we might be able to use some of it in our new routine." Everyone in the room got excited, and sat down looking at them expectantly. Santana herself couldn't help being intrigued.

The music started out heart wrenchingly soft. Rachel spun into the center of the room clearly doing some complicated ballet move that Santana had ever seen. Alone her solo was mesmerizing, she finished with all her weight on one leg, her head almost dropped down towards to the floor, no space in-between her head and leg her other leg perfectly aligned with the rest of her body above her head. She then lifter her head and torso to do the same moment with her face looking skyward, it was elegant, perfectly aligned and breathtaking. Tory swept in and pulled her into her arms lifting her high in the air, pulling her back down into her embrace, they moved fluently together. Their bodies intimately knowing the others movement.

Santana was so overwhelmed by the beauty of the ballet that was being preformed in front of, there was a shift in the music and the girls moved into another stance, which had Rachel long legs wrapped around Tory's torso, Rachel arched her upper body to the floor which she cleared a perfect back walk over.

They both completed a series of aerials layouts, round offs, some front pike somersaults, in perfect unison. The music changed and they moved into another form of dance that Santana wasn't familiar with, but it was sensual and reminded her of the tango.

When they finished everyone was clapping and demanding to be taught some of the moves The teacher was beaming with pride and the rest of the class was spent tossing out idea and then freestyle dancing, which her Britt excelled at.

When the class was over Santana had gone though all the emotions possible for a human to go through. Jealously, rage, enlightenment, fear, joy, peacefulness, happiness, and finally sadness. Because proof of how amazing Rachel was, just proofed how much further Santana wasn't worthy of her.

Three Weeks Later

Santana followed Brittany to every Thursday class she sat on the bench and quietly watched the torture that was Rachel and Tory show. It surly was a show, Tory never left her side, she sat with her, danced with her, laughed with her, loved her.

That is what freaked Santana out the most, her continuously growing feeling for the little diva who didn't even know she was alive, correction she knew that she alive, she just didn't care.

This week they'd taken her car, Brittany's was in the shop. The men on the streets approached her car, with criminal intent clear on their faces.

"Hey baby girl! What can I gets you!" one of them called out.

"Hey sweet thang, let me holla at you." another tall thin white guy with a gold grill called out.

Brittany opened the passenger door. "Boys you know better." she called out to them. Brittany rolled her eyes and pulled Santana into her embrace

"Oh Shyt!"

"Hey Britts, damn didn't know it was you." they shook their heads and headed off in the other direction.

"What the hell?"

"Long story, Todd and Tommy know better." she laughed and headed into the building. Santana took her seat on the bench again, and sat back to watch them practice. She had brought her tablet to pretend that she wasn't being a stalker and watching everything that Rachel was doing.

It wasn't until the end of class that Santana realized what all the tension was in the room. Tory was clearly crying, Rachel was speaking to her calmly, holding her in her arms. Britt was holding back tears and hugging herself as she headed over to Santana.
"What's going on?"

"Rachel's breaking up with Tory." Brittany said sadly. "Tory is going to school in California and Rachel is here for two more years and then she's going to New York, she thinks it's for the best."

"Wow harsh!" she mutters, feeling bad for the tall girl.

"She's doing the right thing, it 's a better break this way. They still have their friendship and love this way."

"But I love you, Rachel. Why isn't that enough!" the tall girl demanded.

"It is enough, but we're too young to base our entire future on one person. Tory you're an amazing person, you're going to make someone very happy one day. But that person isn't me. You have to spread your wings and grow. What we had was amazing, but were aren't one another's happily ever after." she said kissing her softly. "Come on honey don't make this harder then it needs to be, you know I'm right."

"I love you, I love you more then I'll ever love anyone. I know that, and I you know that too. I'm only going to the other coast, not another planet. We're meant to be. I'll prove that to you. " she smiled and kissed Rachel. "You go you're way, I'll go my way…but I'll see you in the middle." she promised through her tears, pulled out of Rachel's arms, marched over grabbed her bags then left the building.

Junior Year

Santana stood back as Quinn took her walk down the hallway, she wasn't showing yet , but her days on top where dwindling. She figured she should have this while she could. From her hidden spot she saw Rachel coming down the hallway on the arm of none other then Noah Puckerman. What the fuck?

Puck clearly was in his element as he listened as Rachel spoke to him, smiling at him. A smile that Puckerman clearly didn't deserve. Santana marched up to them both glaring at them, Quinn right next to her, their cheer skirt flaps tangling together.

"What the hell is this, Puck?"

"Quinn..I…huh?" he said confused.

"What are you doing with Man Hands?" she demanded her hands on her hips.

"Hello Quinn, Hello Santana." Rachel smiled up at them. "Noah and I were talking about the excitement of this new school year."

"Whatever are you two together? Because I thought you were with Santana." Quinn demanded.

"She broke up with because of my credit score." Puck blushed. "Rachel and I have been talking for the last few weeks."

"I have to get to class, you guys work this out." Rachel chuckled and headed in the opposite direction.

Santana watched her go, her blood boiling. Rachel was wearing a jean skintight one-piece and she was mouth watering, on her feet were stiletto black knee high boots.

She starred down Puck with Quinn. "You are not dating Man-hands, get that into your big rock brain." Quinn said with clenched teeth. Really Santana didn't see why this would upset Quinn, but she would benefit from Quinn raining down her HBIC on him.

"You can't tell me what to do." Puck denied. "I like Rachel, she's cool." he looked down the hall. "I've known her for a long time, we've been friends, and if I though she would give me the time of the day, I'd ask her."

"What the hell is so special about the freak?" Quinn demanded scowling at him.

"You'll never know." he smirked. "You're not on her radar, she could care less about you. And I feel bad for you, because that's just a bad place to be." he walked away without another word.

Santana frowned, looking at Quinn who was purple with rage. "Who does that freak bitch think she is?" she marched down the hall and pushed people out of her way. This wasn't going to end well.

"Lopez! My office now." Santana peered around the corner and there stood the track coach watching the hallway scene.

"Yes coach." she hurried to follow after the tall woman. She sat on the seat and waited for the woman to talk.

"I want you to call a cease fire on.." she pulled up a piece of paper. "Rachel Berry."

Santana frowned. "Coach she's on the bottom, she's had a target since freshman year."

"Doesn't matter. You take her off the list, and place her on top of the untouchable one." Sue demanded and she started to make herself her a protein shake. "I heard a rumor that Q is pregnant, is that true?"

"How would I know that coach?" she lied, trying to protect Quinn for a little longer. "She and I spent the summer apart."

"Is that so Lopez." Sue grinned. "Well there's a lot to be said for that kind of loyalty in ones friends. Now remember Berry is off limits. Dismissed, get out of my office."

Santana made it until cheerio practice without anyone harming Rachel, she just had Brittany walk with her to every class and they had lunch together in the library. So when they all headed out to the field. Quinn was livid, no one had followed her orders. Rachel had remained un-slushied and un-insulted all day.

"You all ignored a direct order!" she yelled at them before Coach Sue arrived.

"Brittany was with her all day, no one could get close to her." a baby cheerio cried pointing at Brittany with a scowl.

"Coach took Rachel off the list, she's under protection now." Brittany said with a s shrug, pretending that she wasn't elated by this.

"What!" Quinn was outraged, and she took it out on all of them. By the time practice was over, Santana could barely move, when she stumbled out to the car.

There was Rachel leaning against a black convertible, smiling up at Finn Hudson. He was clearly smitten by the gassy look on his face. Oh boy this wasn't going to help Quinn with her murderous rampage.

She sat in her car and watched them interact. She watched the way that Rachel smiled up at the green giant, how she placed her hand on his arm. How she called out to Puck who swaggered over to her smiling and placed a kiss on her cheek.

How Rachel laughed and whacked him on the butt, then how Puck slipped into the passenger seat of the convertible. Finn waved them off and then when to greet Quinn who was leaving the girls locker room.

Santana thought about the whole situation. It was so weird, who was Rachel after Finn or Puck, or was she stringing them both along? She put her car into reverse and followed Rachel's car. She noticed right away that she wasn't heading to Puck's house, and assumed they were heading to Rachel's but she soon realized they were leaving Lima. She looked at her gas tank and cursed. She didn't have enough gas to follow, she turned the car around and headed to a gas station.

Three Months Later

It had been three weeks since the cease fire on Rachel had been called. Santana had been watching her like a hawk. She hung out with Puck, she had Finn Hudson trailing after her. She was no closer to knowing what was going on then she had been three months ago. She tired to convince Brittany to give her more information on Rachel, but clearly Brittany was loyal to Rachel, and now Santana wasn't allowed to go to the practices any longer, but no one would tell her why.

It was the beginning of December the first time she heard Rachel sing. It was by accident, Santana had fallen asleep while studying in the library, she liked to study in the reference section. No one went in that area, and her reputation would stay intact.

She woke up with a start, and blushing she collected her things and headed to find the door that led to the auditorium it remained unlocked most of the time because the principle liked to rent out the place to local groups.

Who the hell sings Miley Cyrus songs? But the voice was pure and perfect. The way it was sung, you knew that the person truly felt that it was an uphill battle, and sometimes you had to lose.

Santana peeked around the corner and sat down heavily onto the floor. There stood Rachel signing her heart out. She was beautiful, she was honest with the lyrics, and by god was she talented. Santana felt her own heart start beating to another beat, She just couldn't be without her, she needed to have the soulful midget, if it was the last thing that she did.

Santana went home that night and started plotting Rachel Berry wasn't going to know what hit her. Come morning operation "Rachel Berry will be mine" was in full swing.