He woke to blinding pain and considerable confusion. Squeezing his already closed eyes even tighter, the memories of what happened flooded his mind. With some deep even breaths he managed to get some control of himself again and attempted to push away his pain to figure out where he was. He was lying down, which meant someone had found him in that bin because he certainly wouldn't dump him in there and then pull him out.
This brought on some panic and fear at the realization that someone now knew. His hands clenched, and he noted the material under him was soft but thin, he could distinctly feel the hard material beneath what he could tell was a blanket or sheet of some sort. His head was elevated slightly as was his right foot by some sort of soft squishy material that he could also tell were not pillows. Forcing his eyes open he stared up and found sky. Blue, sky with some clouds. He blinked now finding himself completely bewildered.
The sound of footsteps had his mind screaming at him in warning and he jerked his sore, bruised body upwards. He managed to sit up enough to lean back on his hands. Bad idea. His entire front and back was now in searing pain and it took all his will power to not drop down- as that would only hurt him more. Biting his lower lip a whimper escaped him despite his efforts to stay quiet.
"You're awake."
He opened his eyes hearing that voice. No. No it couldn't be could it? He looked and found himself staring at the face of Satan. Or perhaps Satan's human daughter? Santana Lopez stood before him, he realized vaguely that he was laying in the back of a truck. His foot was elevated on a folded hoodie. Wordlessly the cheerleader climbed up into the back of the truck. He stared at her with wide eyes, she rolled hers in response. He sat there completely tense watching her with narrowed eyes and a set jaw. Instead she knelt down next to him and opened what appeared to be a first aid kit. He glanced at it in disbelief and tried to meet her eyes. But her dark eyes had dropped to his elevated right foot which he stared at blankly. His dazed state came to a slow conclusion that his foot was not nearly that fat when he woke up in the morning. Her hands reached for it, one supporting the heel the other grasped the top of his foot. He cried out as she moved it just slightly.
"What the hell Santana?" he shouted at her. She rolled her eyes at him again and turned back to the first aid kit.
"It's probably sprained." she told him and pulled out some wrappings. "You'll need to ice it for fifteen minutes then wait 20 minutes before icing it again." she stated. She began wrapping his foot, he bit his lip to prevent himself from crying out loud again as pain spiked up his foot. "You'll need an x-ray to make sure it isn't a fracture or somethin'" she muttered lowly, eyes fixed on her wrapping.
"What...?" he said vaguely the pain had knocked him into a dizzying haze. Leaving him staring dumbly at the Latina who had finished wrapping his foot expertly.
She let out an exasperated sigh. "You. Hurt. Your. Foot." she told him like he was a toddler. She pulled out a small packet of Advil from the kit and passed him a water bottle from behind her. Shoving the small red pills into his hands she glared at him. He held them not quite sure if he was dreaming this all up or if he was simply hallucinating due to a concussion given to him from his earlier beating.
"Swallow the damn pills Hummel!" she snarled causing him to quickly follow the command. Once the cool water passed down his throat he managed to get some semblance of his thought process back.
"What happened?" he asked her taking another couple sips of water finding himself suddenly very thirsty. His question came out smaller and quieter than he wanted causing him to frown. The olive skinned girl gave him a blank pointed look in return.
"Unless you suffered brain trauma I'm pretty sure you know what the fuck happened." she said harshly. "And I checked, your pretty little head is probably the only unbruised part on you." Santana scowled. She shut the first aid kit with overdone, exaggerated angry movements causing the boy to tilt his head in confusion at her current state.
"So you...found me then." he said instead of asking since it was obviously what had happened. "Why didn't you bring me to the nurses office?"
"Would you rather I did?" she shot back, he shook his head. "Thought so." she said with a hard but triumphant nod. "If you wanted someone to know you would have said something sooner instead of letting yourself get the crap beaten out of you."
He capped the water bottle and rested his hands on his lap, his panic fading as the idea of Santana helping him settled. He stared at her carefully, examining the girl's hard expression and her dark eyes. Her lips were pressed into a tight line, her arms were crossed over her chest as she knelt down next to his legs. Finally he looked around noting they were in the back corner of the school's parking lot.
"Whose car is this?" he asked quietly wanting to delay the forthcoming questions he knew were about to be thrown at him.
"Mine." she stated, he turned his head back and raised his eyebrows in surprise at that answer.
"Yours?" he echoed in disbelief. He was seated in a dark red Chevi truck that was probably decades old. This looked more like a car his father would drive, or Finn. Finn's own truck was blue however, and from what he could see as he peered around from the back of the red Chevi- Finn's car was in worst condition than the one he was currently occupying.
"No fuck. I'm not stupid enough to put you in someone else's car." Santana sighed, her tone clearly indicating her irritation at his current stupid level of conversation.
"It's just." he paused and stared at her. "You drive a truck?" he asked hesitantly.
Her jaw suddenly tensed and her pupils narrowed. "Is that a fucking problem?" she practically spat.
Kurt stared at her, the situation was edging on surreal for him. He wakes up after getting beaten up to find himself in the back of a red truck, owned by none other than Santana Lopez- who if his memory was serving him correctly had never held on conversation with him. Here she was helping him of all things, she had yet to call him any names, or bitch at him for being a weak homo or something. Instead she had carried him all the way here herself, given him first aid and seemed to have no goal of giving him a lecture about telling a teacher.
"Who are you?" he blurted out and instantly flinched in regret. He shut his eyes expecting to be slapped or punched or even a barbed retort. Instead he got silence. Puzzled he peeked one eyes open and found her staring at him with a small smile on her red thick lips. Then she raised a single eyebrow as he opened his second eye and finally the strangest thing happened.
She laughed.
Like really laughed, it wasn't maniacal, but it certainly wasn't happy sounding. It was borderlining amusement and bitterness. Before he could analyze the anomaly of Santana Lopez laughing, it stopped abruptly and her expression was set serious again.
"Look Hummel," she started coldly. "Either you pissed someone off bad enough go get you the beating of your life time- or" she leaned so close he had to lean back. "Someone in this school needs a beating of their own." the last part was said so quietly it passed off as a whisper, but the threat in it made the injured teenage boy cringe. "So. Which is it?"
He stared at her, he played with the idea of telling her, but said nothing. Her left eyebrow twitched after thirty seconds of the tense silence. "Why do you care?" he asked the itching question before she snapped from impatience.
This was getting more confusing by the minute, she ignored his question just like how he ignored hers. Just as he was about to give a dramatic sigh and lay down again, she opened her mouth and said something he wasn't quite sure he heard correctly. Of course, with how unreal the entire situation was maybe he should start expecting the unexpected out of this strange carbon copy of Satan herself?
"Is it so strange that I do?"
This conversation was turning into nothing but questions, it was like that drama game that their teacher made them play back in junior high. But there was nothing to win in this, but he could already tell that this was going to be a tug of war of wills. Whoever lost was going to lose what walls they had up. And he wasn't quite sure if he wanted to win or lose.
"Quite frankly yes." he answered.
Her eyes flashed with some sort of emotion but he didn't catch it. Rather she slid out, picked up her duffel bag and shot him a cold glare. The idea of her leaving him out there didn't sit well with him.
"Wait, Santana." he called as she turned around. "...I know we've never got along, but-" he paused. "thank you."
Had someone told him this morning he would be thanking Santana Lopez for helping him he would have rolled his eyes and turned his nose up at them. Hell he was pretty sure if anyone told Santana she would be helping him that day she would have smacked them around. But there they were, him sitting in the back of her truck with a sprained ankle and multiple bruises and her conflicted with Santana Lopez the cheerleader and Santana Lopez who no one realized existed.
"You tell anyone and I will cut you." she said turning her head to look back at him over her shoulder.
"No one will believe me." he told her with a small smile. She smirked and turned back to face him, it faded as she eyed his bandaged foot. "I can't go to class like this." he said quietly and winced as he leaned forward too much. His entire abdominal area must be bruised.
"Do you need me to drive you home?" she asked him, he shook his head. She frowned and did her signature eye roll. "Well you can't just stay out here in my truck until you get better Hummel." she said with , an impressive dramatic sigh that he didn't expect from her. Though really he supposed Santana did have some diva in her- though more bitchy than dramatic most of the time.
"I know." he pursed his lips in thought. There was no way he was going home like this. She stood there impatiently with her foot tapping against the pavement.
"Look." she said, he was surprised she lasted so long, a full forty seconds this time. "Right now, I'm missing class because of you Hummel-"
"I wasn't aware you cared about your class attendance." he murmured under his breath, she must have supersonic hearing because she scowled at him again.
"I don't. But I do care if I fail."
"Oh please, you could miss a month of school at this place and still be fine." he said with a light shrug. "The material isn't exactly that hard-" he paused noting her darkening expression. "Don't tell me you find it hard?"
"Don't talk Hummel, not everyone is in remedial special ed classes- and stop fucking moving!" she shouted as he groaned out in pain after laying down again. There was a thump of something hitting metal and Santana was beside him again, this time though sitting beside his head.
"I'm in a great deal of pain and all you can do is yell?" he complained shutting his eyes. He could practically feel the burn holes in his head from her narrowed eyes.
"Just go the damn nurse and tell her you fell down the stairs or whatever, the woman is so retarded she'll take anything."
"And you know this how?" he sighed opening his eyes. The dark expression he expected on that Latina's face was different, it was cold and withdrawn. Her eyes met his, she simply kept her lips in a tight straight line.
"I just do." she stated simply.
"What you get in a fight once and told the nurse the victim tripped down the stairs too?" he sighed rolling his eyes.
"Unless I did more than push Fabray into lockers and pull her hair, no." she said shortly in an offended tone. "Maybe it's hard for you to understand princess, but you don't know me. At all, so don't go assuming things that you know crap about."
A wave of guilt hit him at those words, but he refused to feel guilty about this. "Oh please Santana, what do you expect me to do? With the way you act, people can only assume you're nothing but a full on bitch." he said glancing at her. She glanced away, was that hurt he saw?
"Just." she stopped and sighed, and before him flashed a strangely tender side of her he didn't expect but it was gone in a split moment. "Let's get you to the nurse."
"How did you get me out here anyways?" he grumbled as he slowly slid himself out the back of the truck, hissing all the while as his sore body screamed at him to stop moving. He did his best not to jostle his foot, and he watched in silent amazement and surprise as the cheerleader grabbed their bags. She slung them over her shoulder and then stepped to his side. With Santana supporting most of his weight they began the slow and arduous trek towards the school.
"I carried you." she said keeping her eyes forward, though they occasionally flickered over at him to make sure he wasn't hitting anything.
"You have abnormal upper body strength." he commented for the first time noticing her toned arms. Puck certainly had guns but Santana was no slouch either in that department. He supposed it was all attributed to Sue Sylvester's training regiment- though. He didn't remember Quinn ever having such strong arms, he certainly never really experienced much of the Cheerio's relentless training.
He vaguely noted that his cellphone was vibrating in his pocket, but they were already at the school doors. The bell would ring signalling the lunch break in about fifteen minutes he noted as he glanced at his watch.
"Think we can make it there before lunch?" he asked while leaning against the wall as Santana opened the door.
"We better." she grumbled as she rejoined his side. Seven minutes later, Kurt was now laying down in the nurse's office while Santana bullshitted a story about finding him in the school basement and wrapping his foot. When the nurse gave him a questioning look he nodded in agreement, damn that girl could lie.
"Alright well, I'll give a call to your father Kurt." the nurse said while carefully putting an icepack to his foot. "I'll write up a note for you Santana for the classes you missed." she said turning to the Latina who nodded her head once. While the woman walked to her desk, their eyes met.
"Thanks again." he sighed, she stepped over and put his bag down in a chair next to the bed.
"Don't mention it princess, really. Don't." she shook her head. "I'll tell the others in Glee you won't be there today." He nodded in thanks, she turned to leave but paused and glanced at him. A strange expression of, was that concern? "I know you see me as a complete bitch, but I'll make sure this doesn't happen again." she told him.
"Wait what?" he sat up ignoring the flare of pain, but she had walked right out after saying that. He stared at the open door in shock. A niggling mixed feeling stirred in his gut, a combination of fear, panic and disbelief welled up in him. Lying down again he stared up at the white stained ceiling. This entire day was just too much. Of all things to happen this was the last thing. But the fact that maybe, maybe Santana was actually worried about him had him burning with curiosity at the possibilities.
Perhaps she wouldn't be happy about it but, once something catches Kurt Hummel's attention he didn't let go without a serious battle. And the thing was Santana Lopez was more than just a HBIC, there was something under that hard exterior she put up- she cared. And more than anything he wanted to know why she cared, after all she never showed any hint of thinking of anyone other than herself and Brittany. And the last time he checked he didn't have blonde hair or girl parts.
Remembering his vibrating cell phone from before he pulled it out, unlocked it and opened the message.
Kurt where are you? Finn said you came to school with him this morning. -Cedes
With some hesitation he texted her back telling her the same story Santana had given the nurse. Though in this case he let her know someone had shoved him down the stairs, and in minutes of him sending the text he found his best friend at his bedside bringing a smile to his lips.
"Well?" she demanded eyes narrowed, expression dangerous.
"My dad is coming to pick me up" he told her, she shook her head wildly. He silently approved of her outfit for the day and about to voice this when she she went crazy in questions.
"Kurt." she hissed lowly glancing behind her to see the nurse step out to grab her lunch most likely. "Someone shoved you down those stairs and you're not even bothered? We have to tell someone! Who did it?"
"I didn't see." he lied swiftly, all those hours practising script lines really helped though he did feel bad not telling her. "Just let it go Mercedes." he sighed. "I'll text you about my x-ray scans and you make sure you don't miss any news that might come up today." he smiled at her brightly and used all his will power not to flinch when she lightly slapped his arm.
"x-ray! I thought you said it was a sprain?" she cried out with heightened concern. He took her hand and patted it while rolling his eyes.
"Just a precaution." he told her and almost blurted out how it was Santana Lopez who had aided him. However he kept his silence and let his best friend worry over him some more until his father appeared with the nurse. Hugging her awkwardly and air kissing her cheeks his father gave him a hand back to the car. On way to the clinic however, it only took a couple minutes for his phone to be flooded with texts by the other Glee members wishing him well and promises to visit him after he texted a thank you back and promise of shopping with Brittany, that girl was just too cute to resist even with her oddities, and the opened the last message without reading the sender.
His eyes brows shot up seeing it was from his own Hispanic saviour, it was a brief text reminding him now to say a word about her involvement. This only reminded him instead though that there was more to Santana Lopez than anyone really knew- except for perhaps Brittany. He could still remember those two playing in the sandbox together when they were small children. Carefully reassuring his father that he was fine, he texted her back and hoped he wouldn't be horribly rejected.
As a show of thank you, I would like to propose a coffee date this weekend at the Lima Bean. My treat. -Kurt
It was an hour later when he was home alone in his room checking over the damage on himself, when The Bitch is Back by Elton John started playing. He answered half way through the chorus.
"Kurt Hummel speaking." he said while spreading the balm over a particularly large bruise on his hip.
"What are you up to dolphin?"
"Dolphin?" he balked at the new nickname which made absolutely no sense to him. She huffed on the other end and offered no explanation. "Don't you have class right now?" he asked noting the time.
"I have a spare." she said absently. "Well?" her voice was stern and demanding.
"Exactly what I said, coffee at the Lima Bean my treat in thanks." he said and hissed as he pressed down too hard on his completely blackened abdomen.
"I thought I said not to mention it Hummel." she snarled.
"Just coffee, Saturday at two. That's it, I won't say anything ever again." he promised.
There was a silence on the other end, with each passing moment he great more anxious. "Fine." she said finally. He expected her to hang up just then. "Is it fractured?" she asked surprising him, yet again that day.
"No, it's just a sprain." he replied after a stunned moment. "I'll be at school again tomorrow."
"Whatever, like I care." she huffed and then she hung up. Looking at his cell curiously he placed it down and went back to his current task. Saturday would prove interesting, and he hoped he would be able to get the answers he was looking for. His phone went off with a ring tone of Funny Girl, with a sigh he contemplated answering it. After all it was Rachel Berry calling.
