A/N: Another late night writing. Thanks to everybody who read and reviewed the first couple chapters. I'm glad you guys are enjoying enough to do so, and to favorite and add my story to your alerts. I hope you guys enjoy this one. Constructive criticism is always welcome, it only improves the story for you. And I'm sorry if this goes kind of slow at first, but it's picking up.
Warnings: I don't own Glee or any of the characters or any of the songs I may use. This will include lesbian sex, maybe some hetero but it's not likely. Possibly Finn bashing.
The next day was the same really, although during lunch we came prepared with thermoses and a plan. Puck was in front, he was a good defense for us and had a good arm, Brittney and I flanked him with our backs together, and in between us all was Rachel. She hadn't gotten into the whole swing yet but it was fine. She obviously didn't take it as seriously but she humored us.
"Puck, you see anybody?" I asked, keeping my eyes roaming.
"Jewfro in the trashcan," he grumbled, "no one else."
"Britt, keep your eyes open for a base," I ordered.
I heard a small "Uh, huh."
"Is all this really necessary?" Rachel asked, I could hear the smile in her voice.
"Very, we have a rep here, snowball fight champs doesn't come lightly," I caught Mike Chang as he tried ducking under a table.
"I see a trashcan blockade," Brittney announced.
"Puck can you take one out?" I wondered suspiciously, taking a quick glance where the blonde was looking.
I was answered by the sound of a slight crash and a thud as the boy who'd been hiding there scrambled out, slipping on his way. I ordered the way over there, uncomfortable with the move from the wall we were by to the open area but we made it to the trashcans almost entirely untouched by the grace of Kurt Hummel's horrible throwing.
"Wow, this is so, organized," Rachel chimed, starting to make more snowballs and piling them for us.
"That's how San does it." Brittney sing-songed and let loose her ammunition on a fleeing cheerio.
"Always been that way," Puck grinned over his shoulder while he wiped off a successful attack from his shirt.
I shrugged it off when the girl smiled at me but couldn't help but return the gesture.
"Alright, I think we're good," I announced, still keeping several snow balls within reach and looked around.
"So, are you guys going to glee club after school?" Rachel tossed it out excitedly.
"No cheerios," Brittney reminded me as soon as I opened my mouth.
Puck seemed as hesitant as I was but he looked to me for an answer, "I don't know,"
"Me either," I looked between all three of them, but the two girls grabbed a hand each,
"Please San," they pleaded in unison. They'd double teamed me.
I groaned slightly and rolled my eyes, not taking my hands back, "Fine."
I caught Puck's eye and he muffled a small grin, he'd wanted to go too. The moment didn't last long as a couple of the football players rounded the corner on our small base and pounded the compacted snow into us, it only took a minute for us to get back up and started with our own blows.
"Puck, up front," I ordered.
"Got it,"
We continued the onslaught until the bell finally rang and we went inside, soaked. The rest of the day went on as it usually would. But for once I wasn't looking forward to the end of the day as much I usually would. When the final bell rang Puck and I found ourselves up the hall, staring at the door. It was any other door but it wasn't our element. Yeah we were known bad-asses but still, it was unfamiliar territory.
"Go ahead, oh fearless leader," Puck shoved me forward slightly.
"As the leader I value my reputation over yours," I stepped back, crossing my arms.
"Ladies first?" He knew it wouldn't work but tossed it out anyway, waiting a second before groaning and walking ahead of me. I was considering backing out when A small head popped out from the door just after Puck walked in. The tiny brunette looked the opposite direction away from me before turning to see me and smiling, and waving me over. With a bit of irritation I uncrossed my arms and followed her inside, the room, aside from Britt and Puck, silenced a bit when I entered.
"It's cool, happened to me too," Puck whispered as he leaned down from the chair he'd gotten pretty comfy in pretty quickly.
"Welcome guys, it looks like we've gotten a lot of new members thanks to our newest student, Rachel, thank you." the curly haired Spanish teacher announced. He never seemed to speak this much in class.
"So, today we should probably introduce ourselves with all the new people," the teacher grinned, "For starters, I'm Mr. Shuester, I teach Spanish, some of you probably know me." He sat down.
"I'm Mercedes, you probably all know me,"
"Yo, I'm Puck, I play football,"
"Hi, everybody," Brittney jumped up for her own introduction and everyone responded to her greeting, it almost sounded like we were going to start talking about our problems, "I'm a cheerio and my best friend is Santana." She pointed to me and I rolled my eyes slightly.
"Hi, I'm Santana, I'm her best friend," I pointed to Brittney who clapped cheerily.
It continued with us re-learning the names of every club member, nobody really paid much attention until the last person, Rachel, went.
"I'm Rachel Barbara Berry, I just moved here but I don't plan on staying. I hope to go to New York and start a career on Broadway," she sounded so happy and so sure. It was a bit exciting to hear her say that, I mean, everyone talked about getting out of Lima but when she'd said it I really believed it.
"That's wonderful, this is definitely the place for you then. Maybe we should start with a song?" he looked pretty hopeful, I wasn't the only one who wondered what she could do.
The girl only grinned in a situation where I might have scowled, she moved to the piano, testing out a few keys before playing. The song filled the room slowly and a few people obviously recognized it,
"The night we met I knew I needed you so
And if I had the chance I'd never let you go
So won't you say you love me
I'll make you so proud of me
We'll make 'em turn their heads
Every place we go
So won't you please
The girls voice was amazing, I hadn't really thought to much of it when Britt said she could sing but she wasn't lying. I listened so intently, as if the girl was singing to me, and for a moment I even let myself believe she was. When her eyes caught mine it felt like it could have been true, but then her eyes moved and I knew she wasn't. It didn't hurt when Kurt and Mercedes, who obviously knew the song, joined in.
(Be my be my baby) Be my little baby
(I want it only say) Say you'll be my darling
(Be my be my baby) Be my baby now
(I want it only say) Ooh, ohh, ohh, oh
She finished the song and a cheer sprung from our small collective. A "whoop" came from the few guys in the choir room, as well as a "go girl," from Kurt. Brittney bumped my shoulder gently and smiled knowingly when I looked at her, I wanted to know what had her smiling like that when Shue clapped and dismissed us, letting us know when the next meeting was. I was going to ride home with Britt and Puck when she told me she had to go somewhere and to meet us at the truck, but she neglected to explain why Puck had to go too.
"Uh," I looked around the quickly emptying room and caught sight of Rachel, still at the piano.
"What did you think?" She sounded a bit more hesitant now, the confidence from before wasn't entirely there.
"It was, just, wow." It wasn't exactly coherent but I couldn't think of anything else to say.
"Thank you," she giggled, "I think."
"I heard you could sing but that was amazing," I gave her a small smile leaned against the piano.
"I don't know, I need to practice more," she blushed lightly.
"No way, if anybody's going to be on Broadway it's going to be you."
"If you say so," the girl stood up.
"How're you getting home?"
"I was going to call my dad," she pulled a phone out of her pocket.
"Nah, catch a ride with us again."
"Alright," she shot off a text and grabbed my hand, leading me outside as I had done her yesterday. I didn't usually do that with anybody but Brittney but I wasn't complaining. Her hand was cold in my overly warm one but I liked it.
"When did I become a taxi service?" Puck questioned as he stood up from the gate of the truck.
"When you sat through the Saturday class to get a license and Britt and I had lives," I offered, hopping up onto the bed of the truck and closing the gate.
"Yeah, it was no fun, but then you got the truck and it was fun again,"
"Damn straight,"
We followed what would quickly become a pattern for us, Brittney first and then me and Rachel. Once again, Puck rode off while I walked Rachel up to the door. It was hardly dark this time but I didn't mind. When we got to the door, Rachel barely had time to pull out her key when an thin man, barely taller than Rachel, answered the door.
"Sweetie, who was that boy?" He asked looking past her.
"My friend, Noah, he goes to our temple, we might see him." She offered then turned the man's attention to me, "This is my friend Santana."
He kept his gaze on the street a second longer before looking up to me, "Oh, hello there, Rachel talks about you so much. I really didn't expect anybody at that school to make such an impression on her so quickly."
"Yeah, I know what you mean. I, uh, didn't know I'd made much of an impression," I looked to the girl quirking an eyebrow as a small smirk crossed my face.
She blushed, "Daddy! Um, Santana would you like to come in?" She offered and took my hand once more.
"Nice place," I offered, hardly able to tell they'd just moved in.
"Thanks," they said in unison.
"Let's go to my room," she pulled me up a flight of stairs and lead me to a room at the end of a long hall.
The pink decorations were almost to be expected, "Cool," I looked around to all the playbills hung on the walls.
"Thanks," she let got of my hand and went to sit on the bed, looking almost shy.
This girl confused me a bit, when she performed before the entire glee club she did it without a second thought, but when I complimented it she made it seem like she actually cared about my opinion, and in the room, it was like she didn't want me here.
"What's your deal?" I decided I wanted an answer.
She looked up at me, "What do you mean?"
"At that club meeting you looked like you'd been performing forever," I ignored her note that she had, "but once everyone left you seemed like I was the one you had to impress."
She looked away blushing, "I, uh," she stopped.
"Look, you're alright, Britt and Puck like you, so I'm cool with you, but if I'm cramping your style or something then let me know."
"What? No, that's not it at all," she jumped up and grabbed my hand again. I was a little bit annoyed but otherwise I really didn't want to pull away.
"Then what is it?"
"It's just," she looked away again and I felt her thumb brushing over the side of my hand and I felt my cheeks flush slightly at that, "a new school, and you're like, the most popular girl at school, and you actually like me."
I coughed at that, "What."
"Not like that," she clarified, but there was something in her voice akin to discontent, as she said it, "but you and your friends are so," she paused to think of a word, and I smiled a bit at that, "accepting."
When the girl said it I was still caught on her last statement, "What's not to accept." It was stupid, I'll admit that, but it was true.
I wasn't expecting that but in that moment the girl pushed herself to my chest and wrapped her arms around my waist. I tensed slightly but relaxed and patted her back awkwardly, "God, I don't get it." She mumbled into my shirt.
"Get what?"
"Why you're always so hot, I mean, it's so cold here, and you never where a jacket. It's like you have a constant fever. There's no way you run a normal temperature." The girl, pulled back slightly, her arms still around me and her dark eyes full of curiosity.
I smirked playfully, "I run 101. I might wear a jacket if you owned a decent one."
At that she blushed and stuttered furiously, "I know, I have to get one this weekend. But how can you run so high, it's unhealthy."
"I'm not exactly normal." I shrugged and went to sit on her bed, leading against the foot-board.
"How aren't you normal? You're like the ideal teenage girl, you're a cheer-leader, you're gorgeous, and you have an amazing boyfriend."
I almost choked to death when she said that, the girl kept springing things on me, "B-boyfriend?"
"You and Noah aren-" I held up a hand to stop her.
"No, not at all." I crossed my arms.
"What about Brittney?" I quirked an eyebrow at her.
"And what makes you think that's how I roll?" I smirked,
"I'm sor- that was presumptuous. I'm sorry. I really shouldn't have assumed anything, I just noticed how close you two are and,"
"Calm down. We tried it. It didn't work out." She was staring at me with some odd look, I couldn't exactly label it.
"Why not," she questioned. I could have answered that with so many ways. I could never be what she needed. I could never expect her to stay with me. I decided to give her the simplest answer possible.
"We're to different for each other" I shrugged.
"How? You guys seem so close?" She prodded, and I felt a bit annoyed.
"It's not something you should worry about, so, how about we go back to talking about how gorgeous I am." I teased, hoping to change the subject.
"Yeah, well, it's not like you and everybody else in the school can't see it." She tossed out.
"Heh, that school doesn't see me, now, if you're looking for perfection in that school, your best bet is Quinn Fabray."
Rachel shook her head, "No, she's different, she's just so-"
"Lima."
"Yes."
"And you're,"
"Not?" I was genuinely surprised at that nod. I'd worked so hard, trying to be less myself, and seem more like Quinn, as good as Quinn, even if I knew I was better than Quinn. I'd hoped to keep talking but somebody called from downstairs, "Rae, honey!"
Rachel sat up at that voice and a slight smile spread across her face, "That's my dad, would you like to meet him?" I shrugged and followed her as she took my hand once more. She lead me back down the stairs and left me at the bottom as she ran into the arms of a tall black man, obviously taller and more buff than Puck.
"San, this is my dad."
I looked the tall man up and down and immediately he set me on edge, I could smell him, and I didn't trust his scent. I shouldn't have been able to, "Hello, sir."
"Nice to meet you," that fake smile was perfect but I could see through it. As he held out his hand for me to shake, I could feel the tenseness as he tried not to squeeze tighter. I'd gotten myself into something here.
}{
"So, uh, Santana, you're a cheerleader right?" the taller man, Leroy, I'd learned, asked.
"Yes, sir." I stirred the vegetable soup before me, fighting everyone of my instincts. He knew it too.
"How's that. Is that old coach, um, what's her name? Sue! Is she still there," he knew his stuff. Hadn't Rachel mentioned one of her dad's being here before.
"Yes. She's pretty harsh on us but I can handle it." I brushed it off.
"I'm about done, how about you guys," he looked around to everybody else.
Rachel and Hiram, her other father, were watching the exchange, oblivious to the tension, and nodded smiling.
"I'll take the dishes if you're done," he offered, tilting his head toward the kitchen when he caught my eye.
"I'll help," I got up, taking mine and Rachel's plates and bowls.
"San, you don't have to," Rachel was going to stand up when I smiled.
"It's fine really, it's the least I could do," I followed the other man into the kitchen.
"Was there anything specific you wanted to talk about, sir?" I asked him, placing the dishes in the sink.
"Drop it, kid." his voice was a low growl now. He couldn't keep the charade up much longer.
"Oh so you know?" I leaned against the sink calmly, falling back into my bored facade, it was the best form of control, "Then you should know better than to just storm into my territory."
"Of course I know, I can smell it all over you, you and every one of you little punks. Your territory? Last time I checked this was Carlos' territory." At this a smirk crossed his darkened features, "That must mean the old man retired. Gave it up to the pups."
"Gave it up to the next generation. Yes. And what does that make you?"
The man's smirk fell and he rubbed his temple, "That makes me none of your business. Not much of a leader, just letting me in like that. I saw you this weekend. I knew you smelled familiar but I couldn't place it. I saw all of your lackeys but you must be slipping if none of them saw me." He was serious now.
"You live with them, you smell like them," I pointed out to the dining room, "What are they, some sort of air freshener?"
Before I even blinked the man was in front of me, "They are my family, and of no concern to you."
"Fine, but remember, this is my territory." I started walking to the door, but he stopped me with a hand on my shoulder.
"You won't be as good a leader as your father." That made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I turned to look at the man as he continued, "And you damn sure can't be if you're stalking around my daughter." He moved out of the door before I could say anything else.
I followed the man out of the door and went to sit back down. Rachel asked if I wanted to stay to watch a movie with them, but a clearing of Leroy's throat, caught my attention. She looked as well, but when I gave an apologetic smile and promised I'd stay next time. She took my phone and gave me her number. It was cute in all honesty, but her fathers words echoed in my head. After one more awkward hug I left to walk back to my house, pulling out my phone to send a text message as I did.
}{
The lights were on so I was sure the message went across loud and clear. I opened the living room door slowly and looked around. I could hear the light snore of my mother upstairs. I inched into the house, brushing snow from my shoulders and hung my jacket up before following the light into the kitchen. I turned the corner and saw just the person I wanted to see.
"Is everything alright, mijita?" he looked up from a plate of food he pushed across the table.
I sat down and looked at the plate, "So far,"
His dark eyebrows knit together, "What's wrong."
"How many Leroy's do you know?" I decided it'd be best to get to the point.
A smile pulled to his lips and he looked as if he were reminiscing for a moment before he replied, "Just one. Why?"
"Would Leroy Berry mean anything to you, then?" he quirked an eyebrow at that.
He sat back in his seat, visibly more relaxed, "No, why?"
"Tall black guy, pretty aggressive, but in control."
"Dios mio, you can't mean Leroy Campbell?" he leaned forward surprised. "I haven't heard from him since I was in school. How do you know of him?"
"You might want to stop by that new family's place. The Berry's. Him and his family are there."
"What were you doing over there? Did something happen?" concern tainted his softened features.
"No, I was visiting. I met their daughter," I shrugged.
"Is she?" he didn't have to finish the question.
"Not as far as I know. I can't smell it on her." He nodded.
"Alright, well, thank you mijita. I'll have to stop by." He stood up and patted my shoulder, "If that's all you wanted to talk about."
"Papi," I tried to get his attention.
"Yes," he stopped.
I worried my lip for a second, keeping my eyes down, "Do you really believe I can be the leader you were?"
He stiffened and I refused to look up. We'd had this discussion before, but the more I thought about it, the more I exercised it, the less faith I had in myself. But he eased it, "Of course mijita. You have the potential to be even greater," at least for the moment.
As my father left I turned my head, his strong scent was there, his cologne of course, but that foresty musk that always eased my worries was there, but below that, on the periphery of my senses was the scent of the man ripped open the uncertainties in my abilities that I'd worked to stitch up.
}{
Rachel found me at my locker the next day. Puck was trying to copy my homework against the locker. I rested my head against the locker lazily, dark circles under my eyes as the girl greeted the three of us individually. She corrected my answers playfully over Noah's shoulder, although she had to stand on her toes and squint to see them. Insecurity wasn't the only idea planted in my head the night before, and so I was drawn to put in some overtime.
"Hey, guys can I ask you something?" Rachel asked, turning away from Puck's little situation.
"Shoot," I mumbled, closing my locker and turning to lean lazily against it.
"Do you get a lot of wild animals running around here?"
"Yeah, we have lots of little furry things, I found a bunny once, but I had to let it go, and in the spring when the ducks come back San always goes with me to the pond." She was so cheery.
Rachel smiled but it was tainted by uncertainty, "That's nice, but how about bigger things."
"Oh, we've got big things here." Puck smirked handing back my paper.
"Shut up, Puck," I mumbled, "Big like what Rache?"
"Do you guys get wolves?"
I felt Puck's eyes on me but pushed myself from the locker, stretching slightly and yawning. All three of their eyes were on me. I brushed my hair out of my face and unzipped my jacket, opening the locker once more and tossing the jacket in before closing it again and adding the lock. I turned to them once more, looked from Brittney's unsure expression, Puck's warning one, and finally meeting Rachel's curiosity.
"Yep. But you don't have to worry about them. They're harmless as long as you don't cross them," I shrugged.
