A/N: Hope you enjoy. Feel free to leave a review : )
Santana flipped through the channels with her right hand. She was trying to find anything to take away the boredom she had been feeling for the past couple of days. Estefan and Tracy had been in and out of her hospital room to check on her and bring her real food. The hospital slop was just not cutting it. After flipping the channel one more time she threw her head back against the pillow in frustration. The hospital was too much for her. She heard a gentle knocking on the door and whipped her head around to see Alaska standing in the door with a teddy bear.
"May I come in?"
"Of course"
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm good" Santana said wincing as she tried to move to face Alaska.
"Liar" The other girl chuckled. "Have they give you your pain medicine?"
"Who needs pain medicine?" As soon as the words left Santana's mouth Alaska had grabbed the remote and pressed the call button for the nurse.
"Yes Ms. Lopez?"
"Hey, my friend is in pain and needs some medicine."
"I'll send in a nurse."
Ten minutes later a young woman in scrubs came into the room with supplies.
"Well Ms. Lopez did you finally give in on the medicine?"
"No, she didn't, but she's hurting so she's going to take them for me." The nurse winked at the other girl before pushing the medicine into Santana's iv and changing her fluids bag.
"You can call me Santana you know Sarah."
"I know, but I figured I should at least be professional in front of guests." With that Sarah walked out of the room.
"So when are you blowing this place? I'm tired of teachers sending me with your work."
"You act like you've actually had to bring it to me."
"True. By the way they loved the fact they got to initiate you, but they hate the fact they are having to do your homework. Orders by me of course."
"They aren't fucking with my grades are they? I better still have straight A's."
"I've been checking your work you are doing fine."
"Thanks A."
When Friday arrived Santana was happier than she had been in a week. She was finally getting out of this hell hole.
"You ready to go Mija? I just signed your discharge papers."
"Definitely."
"Ok Santana" Sarah came in the room "You take care of yourself and follow up with your primary care physician in 5 weeks to get that cast off. Your prescriptions are on this paper, a pain pill, cream for your cuts and an anti-inflammatory being the most important. If you ever need anything here is my number. Remember to take it easy." Sarah walked up to the girl and handed her a paper with the number on it.
"Thanks Sarah, I really appreciate it."
The next day Santana went to the drug store to get her prescription filled, Alaska had of course been the one to drive her.
"So are you finally going to start taking your meds?" Alaska asked watching the other girl take her new bag of meds. The pharmacist spend ten minutes explaining the side effects and how he suggested Santana taking them with the girl rolling her eyes with every few sentences.
"Haha me taking these? I figure I could make a lil change." Santana took out her oxycontin and started shaking them.
"Well we know plenty people that want them, that's for sure. You ready for school tomorrow?"
"Do you mean am I ready for the rumor mill?"
"That too."
"Not really, I'm sure it will be anything from the cheerleaders beat me up to one of the band nerds tripped me down the step."
"Well, it's not like we could tell the real reason. So for a while you have to look like a puss."
"Great, thanks" Santana pushed Alaska causing the girl to swerve in the car.
"I get that the hospital was a fun trip for you, but I don't want to end up there!" Alaska laughed. "So how are you going to handle writing? I mean they did break your left arm."
"Since every one of them has a class with me I should make them write for me, but I think I can handle it."
"Well, if you need someone to write for you we can make it happen."
"Thanks."
The sound of Santana's alarm invaded her dream startled her to wake. Santana rolled over slapping the offending object effectively silencing it. Santana rolled to the left forgetting about the cast on her arm momentarily causing a long list of obscenities to fall from her mouth.
"You ok honey?" Tracy asked peeking into the young Latina's room.
"Yeah, just still getting used to this damn thing." Santana lifted her cast up for Tracy's view.
"Do you need me to drop you off at school?"
"No thank you. I think Alaska is coming to pick me up."
"Ok."
"Tracy" Santana stopped the woman from closing the door. When she looked back into the room Santana began talking. "Are you mad at me about anything?"
"Why would you ask that?"
"You've just been a little different since my little hospital stint."
"Sit baby girl" Tracy walked into the room sitting on the bed beside her. "I'm just worried about you."
"Why?"
"I never wanted you in this, as I know Estefan didn't. I've seen this 'business' stress and age him. I know you really wanted this, but even though I know your reasons… It just didn't seem like the right thing for you. You still have so much more ahead of you."
"I still do. What does it hurt to have respect? What does it hurt to have people protecting you and a larger family supporting you?"
Tracy sighed knowing that this wasn't the time to try to argue with the girl. She was worried about her and she would remain in that state of mind for the rest of her life. Santana is hard headed to say the least and she knew it. "I love you baby girl." Tracy kissed the top of her head.
"I love you too, Trace."
"Get ready for school. You need to keep them grades up."
"Yes ma'am."
Santana struggled to get her shirt on over her cast. She looked at her jeans and opted for a larger pair. She really didn't want to have to struggle putting on skin tight jeans. When she finally looked in the mirror she was pleased with what was in front of her. She was wearing her New York City shirt with black jeans that fit perfectly around her waist and baggy everywhere else. She wore a hustler belt with a belt buckle that accentuated the inch of skin left visible by her shirt. She slipped on her purple and black dunks to match her shirt. Luckily Tracy had straightened her hair for her the night before and she only had to run a brush through it before it fell perfectly framing her face. A car horn was heard outside and Santana grabbed her book bag throwing it over her right shoulder to walk down the stairs and out the door.
"Hey Q" Santana said sitting in the back seat of the car.
"Show my girl all the love and can't say anything to me?" Alaska joked.
"Well hello to you too, iceberg."
"Good morning Santana." Quinn breathed out a laugh.
The three pulled up to the school and exited the car. They were immediately surrounded by fellow members and some associates. Santana was immediately bombarded with a flow of questions, ranging anywhere from how she was to when the ugly ass cast was coming off.
Moments later the girl that had called her a 'wanna-be' approached her walking up and getting in her face.
"What do you want Isabel?" Santana snarled.
"I just wanted to say… I was wrong. Welcome Protégé." Isabel stepped back and held out her hand. Santana felt her emotions swell at the pride she felt. She had her name from Estefan and she had her own respect. Santana met the girls hand with her own pulling her in for a loose hug to keep from hurting her arm. She didn't really forgive the girl, but she knew no matter what snarkiness came between them they were family and when it came down to necessity they had each other's backs.
Everyone walked in together, a couple of the guys offering to carry Santana's bag for her. They all formed a crowd around Santana as they walked through the hall and checked anyone that came to close to Santana.
"Santana!" A voice rang through the hall way causing everyone to stop and stare. A blonde boy with rather large lips ran toward the girl, ignoring the scoffs and weird looks he got while pushing through the gang.
"Hey Sam." The Latina smiled softly.
"How are you? I wanted to visit you in the hospital, but I had to babysit my siblings while my parents were out on business."
"It's ok. I'm good, but I missed you. How is math class going without me?"
"Hell to be honest. Let me walk you to class?" The group around Santana dispersed as she gave them all her infamous Lopez glare.
"Of course." Santana smiled at the boy. He had always done everything to try to be with her. When her mom died he was her rock in school. The boy was beyond in love with the girl before him, but when they tried to date Santana just didn't feel right about it. The reason, lately, was becoming clearer, but she wasn't ready to voice it just yet.
"So what happened to you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Umm the reason you were in the hospital. Come on San, I've been your best friend for years."
"I got jumped."
"What why?"
"It's nothing Sam."
"People don't just jump a person for no reason." Santana was far from ashamed from her participation in the gang, but she knew Sam would just give her hell about it and if anyone caught on to him doing just that… she was afraid of what would happen to him. She would tell him on her own time.
"Wrong place, wrong time."
"I guess it has nothing to do with your new choice of friends?" She knew Sam was too smart for his own good sometimes.
"Come on let's just get to class. I'm going to need you to write the notes for me." The blonde boy dropped his head and ditched the interrogation brewing inside his head. He knew what was going on, but he wasn't going to push his friend.