A/N: I swear my writing style changes every time I open Word. Anyways, here's the beginning of what a lot of you have been waiting for. *smiles*


Santana was acting oddly, Rachel thought, studying her ex-classmate over the straw of her drink. It was some kind of mixed alcohol, but truthfully she hadn't really been paying attention when Santana had shoved it into her hands, declining her request for something non-alcoholic. It was a little strong, but tasty, and Rachel knew if she sipped it slowly, she shouldn't experience anything more than a pleasant buzz.

But anyway, Santana was acting oddly. Though Rachel had never been able to pin the other girl down well enough to predict what she was going to do (aside from when Breadstix was even hinted about in her presence), Santana seemed to be almost on the edge of her seat. She tried to hide it, keeping in place the cool exterior Rachel had come to know well throughout high school and junior high, but some sort of energy seemed to be… Roiling around under her skin. Rachel very much hoped that wasn't a symptom of withdrawal of some kind; though honestly she couldn't imagine the proud girl ever succumbing to an addiction.

"Well," she cleared her throat, deciding that the silence left by Brittany leaving to take a shower had gone on long enough, and smiled hesitantly at her host, "When Brittany mentioned that you two shared an apartment, I hadn't expected something so…"

"Big?" Santana arched an eyebrow. She sat back into the plush cushion of a couch Brittany had to have picked out (Rachel highly doubted Santana liked red and green plaid), crossing her legs neatly, looking around the spacious living room. "Yeah, well, my dad's a doctor, and this was his graduation present."

"Ahh. That must have been… Nice?" Rachel asked.

"Sure."

Silence stretched again. Taking a big sip of her drink to occupy herself, Rachel found herself studying a rather impressive black and white photograph of New York that hung on the wall. It was taken from somewhere high, but Rachel couldn't see anything that would give her a hint as to the exact location. "That's really nice," she gestured at the photograph, turning back to Santana, "Do you know where it was taken?"

Santana brushed hair away from her face as she turned to look. "Oh, that." Taking a sip of her drink, she shrugged, "I knew it once, but I've forgotten."

For some reason Rachel got the feeling that wasn't the complete truth, but what would be accomplished if she pressed for more information?

"So. Rachel." Santana set down her own glass on the coffee table, ice clinking. She looked at Rachel directly for the first time since she had arrived, and for a second her piercing brown eyes made a hot flash flow through Rachel's body (though she couldn't fathom why). Leaning forward, Santana smiled, and Rachel had to blink because she could barely believe it was aimed at her, "How has New York been treating you?"

"Ohh, oh, well! I would say that, yes. I've settled into my classes at Julliard, and I am confident I have started making waves in the Broadway community. I fully expect to be cast in some sort of role within the next two years, which, as you know, would only jumpstart the career I was born to have."

As she wound down, smiling proudly, she was aware of the amused smirk stretching across Santana's face. Feeling a little put-off, she raised her eyebrows at the other girl, not exactly sounding condescending, "And what about you, Santana?"

Santana shrugged, picking up her glass again. "I can't complain. Life around here isn't boring." A smile flirted with the corners of her mouth, "I'm kept busy enough."

"What is it you do?" Ever since Brittany had alluded to whatever it was that Santana did, she'd been trying to figure it out, but had been in vain.

Santana pursed her lips, studying Rachel deeply, making her shift a little under the intense gaze. Suddenly, she fluidly stood up, walking over to offer Rachel her hand. "C'mon, I'll show you."

"Wha – I mean, yes?" Accepting Santana's help, another spark of something buzzed in the back of her mind as long fingers wrapped around hers, the skin of the other girl's hand surprisingly calloused. But, as soon as she was standing, Santana let her go, and the feeling disappeared.

"That chair's always been a bitch to get out of," Santana explained, turning away and leading Rachel towards the hallway that started at the back of the room, "But you can blame Britts for that. She likes sinking down into things – says it's like marshmallow heaven."

Rachel smiled, cradling her glass close to her chest; Santana hadn't put hers down, either, so she assumed it was alright to take the drink wherever it was they were going, "That does sound like Brittany." Remembering the couch Santana had been sitting in, she asked, "Did you let her pick out all the furniture?"

Santana glanced back at her. "The couch, right?" At Rachel's nod, she rolled her eyes, smiling affectionately, "Yeah, pretty much. I'm not here that often, so I figured she'd get the most out of it. Though, my bedroom and where I'm going to show you, I didn't let her decorate."

My bedroom. Rachel frowned mentally. "You don't share a bedroom?" she asked before she could stop herself, hastily adding, "I mean, everyone knew you were dating by the end of high school, so I just assumed…"

Santana stopped in front of a nondescript door at the end of the hallway. She narrowed her eyes at Rachel. "Is that really any of your business, Berry?"

Rachel's eyes widened, and she had to stop herself from taking a step back. "I'm – I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…" She trailed off when Santana suddenly started laughing, expression relaxing completely.

"Oh, god, Rachel! Seriously? Just one glare and you're stumbling all over yourself to apologize? Jeez, get some confidence." Santana smirked at her, eyes dancing.

Rachel's mouth dropped open. Though the words coming out of Santana's mouth weren't very nice, something in the other girl's voice and body language made it hard for her to feel insulted. It was almost as if, away from McKinley High, Santana Lopez had turned into a different person. It was confounding, and honestly, a little worrying.

Santana chuckled once more then opened the door. Taking a second to flip on the light, she walked forward and gestured for Rachel to follow. "Well," she smiled, watching as Rachel started looking around, "Whadd'ya think?"

"You…" Rachel blinked, "You have your very own gym?"

And indeed Santana did. Easily the size of two normal rooms, a wall of mirrors made up the back wall, numerous exercise machines filling the room. A rack of free weights and various exercise balls and mats were neatly tucked away in the corner of a free space, a refrigerator and locked cabinet finishing off the arrangement. The walls were a soothing yellow, the floor a flat blue carpet, and Rachel could see what looked like a professional speaker system wired around the room.

"Mmhm," Santana hummed proudly, surveying the room critically. "You see that door?" she pointed out a door that Rachel hadn't actually noticed near the refrigerator, "That leads to the shower and sauna."

Rachel stared at Santana. "You have a sauna?" she breathed, "Next you're going to tell me you have a swimming pool."

Santana grinned. "I will not answer that on the ground that you'll prolly explode." Chuckling at Rachel's expression, she shook her head and ushered Rachel out of the room, "Okay, no, the pool's on the roof. The whole building can use it."

"I… See." Shaking her head, Rachel gulped her drink. She followed behind Santana again. "So you're…?"

Instead of stopping at the living room as they had done before, Santana led her into the kitchen. Pausing at the counter and looking down at her body, Santana quirked her eyebrow at Rachel, her expression obnoxiously sultry, "What? Like you can't guess? With this body?"

Rachel bit her lip, blushing as she took in Santana's fit and trim body, clothed in a tight shirt and jeans. The girl had always been in shape due to cheerleading and glee, but it was true that she seemed a lot more… Powerful. But Santana wore it well, still as feminine and devastatingly attractive as ever; just more.

Santana stalked over and took Rachel's empty (when did that happen?) glass from her, dark eyes laughing at her. "If you continue staring at me, I might have to start charging a viewing fee," she teased, setting both of their glasses down and grabbing a third. "Who knew Berry was into girls, huh?"

"Well, you called me male enough times," Rachel snapped back, crossing her arms as she glared at Santana, trying to gain back the pride Santana was all too good at stripping from her.

It wasn't until white teeth was put on total display that Rachel realized what she had just said. "I, that's not, I didn't mean…" She sucked in a deep breath, not appreciating Santana's laughter at all, "What is it with you and Brittany? I cannot have a simple conversation with either of you without delving into discussion about lesbianism and my sexuality! If I didn't know better, it was on purpose." She eyed Santana accusingly.

The other girl just smirked impishly and went back to mixing the drinks. "Think whatever you want to think," she drawled, eyes flashing up to catch Rachel's gaze momentarily, "But for the record, you make it way too easy. Somethin' you want to tell us, Berry?"

Before Rachel could answer, Brittany bounced into the room, dressed in a simple tank top and shorts, hair still wet and curling from her shower. Walking over and kissing Santana's cheek in greeting, she accepted the glass Santana handed her and jumped up onto the counter across from Rachel, long legs kicking back and forth. Taking in the remnants of Rachel's blush and Santana's wicked grin, she asked perkily, "What're you guys talking about?"

Rachel hmmphed, deciding it wasn't worth it to answer. Grudgingly taking the glass Santana walked over to give her, she could acutely feel when Santana leaned back against the counter next to her, too close to be casual. "Nothing important, Britt," she smiled, throwing a pointed glare at the girl next to her.

But Santana smiled lazily, ignoring her. "Rachel's fascination with lesbians, right, Berry?" she elbowed Rachel's side, making her squeak and stumble a little, almost spitting out the drink she had just taken.

"That's not – !"

"Ohh?" Brittany interrupted, hopping down and skipping forward to wrap her arms around Rachel, beaming happily, "You mean you agreed to the threesome?"

Rachel's mouth dropped open again.

Santana's rich laughter filled up the room.