So earlier today when I update Stay With Me. I say I wouldn't kill Santana in that fanfic but I would in another one. Most of you assumed it would be in the new story. But I won't. It would be in this one.
I know most of you will be upset but this idea came up in my head and I couldn't shake it. I just couldn't.
It will be a sad chapter. So if you guy don't want to read it I understand. You guy can ignore this chapter and the last chapter could be the ending for you.
Thank you all for your support
And I hope you like it.
Alternate Ending
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Breathe, just breathe.
Quinn repeated that in her head several times.
Don't cry.
She told herself as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were red and tired; it was like she had been crying for months not just a couple weeks. She continued to examine her reflection, she was thinner, paler, and her hair was quiet long.
The black dress she wore was beautiful. She looked stunning even though she wasn't in the best shape.
Quinn felt her throat clench and her eyes quickly began to water. She continued to stare at her reflection and she let out a sob.
Don't cry.
Those words rang in her head but in reality they didn't matter. Quinn tried to take a deep breath to control herself, and it worked for a second, but only for a second. So she closed her eyes, she shut them so no more tears would spill.
And she couldn't help but playback the last couple of months in her head.
She was heartbroken.
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"You got to be fucking kidding me!" Quinn yelled into the phone, "Santana you promised you were gonna come home! You said you weren't going to re-enlist."
"I am so sorry baby," Santana said softly, "It's just one last mission, Finn will be there you know. He'll get to be my Alpha team leader."
"Santana," Quinn sighed
"I'm not re-enlisting."
"Yes you are!"
Santana let out a low sigh, "So what if I am? This is what I love to do, this is my career. You don't see me stopping you from teaching."
"That's different!" Quinn exclaimed.
"How the hell is it different!?" The anger in Santana's voice was evident now.
"Because I get to come home to Beth! I get to come home!" Quinn said, "You come home every 6 to 8 months."
"It's my job!" Santana explained, "I have a duty to my country!"
"No!" Quinn yelled, "You have a duty to your family!"
"Why can't you understand this? Why can't you just support me like I support you!?" Santana explained.
"Santana you told me you would be back in two weeks a month ago!" Quinn began, "You know I tried to understand and be patient because you were going to come back…but that was never your plan was it?"
"Babe…"
"Well now I know what's more important," Quinn's eyes began to water.
"Are you fucking kidding me!" Now Santana was furious, "How can you even say that!? I took this fucking job for you and for Beth. I did this for you!"
"I never asked you to!"
"You're so fucking ungrateful!" Santana's voice cracked, "How can you even throw that at me."
"Santana our daughter has grown up more than half of her life without you, she needs you here, I need you here! And yet you chose to be in another country!"
"To provide for both of you!" Santana exclaimed, "To be able to have all the nice this we are able to have."
"I don't want them if you're not here! Don't you understand that!?"
There was a moment a silence.
Santana let out a sigh.
"Santana," Quinn began.
"I want to re-enlist," Santana said in a low voice.
"Then don't bother coming home."
And with that Quinn hung up.
It was only a matter of seconds before she immediately regretted her words. She wanted to desperately call Santana back but with the whole situation she didn't have Santana's number, Santana always called from an unknown number. Quinn began to sob hysterically and she took a seat at the bottom of the staircase. She dropped the phone carelessly and buried her face in her hands.
"Mommy?"
Quinn looked up to see Beth standing next to her.
"Were you fighting with mami?" Beth pouted.
And for the first time ever she didn't give her daughter an answer, instead she just cried.
…..
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"It's been three weeks," Quinn said sadly, "She hasn't called."
"She's giving you space," Rachel said, "Maybe she needs some too."
Rachel and Quinn were having a cup of coffee at Quinn's, they usually always did this every Saturday morning. Beth was over at a friend's so Quinn figured she could talk about the situation she and Santana were going through out loud without the fear that Beth might over hear. It was hard on Beth, she had no idea on why her mami wasn't calling or skyping her anymore. Quinn tried her best lying to her, she made the excuse of the deployment the reason behind it.
"Has Finn mentioned her?" Quinn asked, "How she's doing or anything?"
"Well no," Rachel began, "But since I knew you wanted to know I asked him about her."
"How is she?"
Rachel pursed her lips, "He said she was heartbroken, that it's getting to her."
Quinn let out sad sigh, she wanted to cry.
"But she's eating fine and she's healthy," Rachel tried.
"Could you maybe…next time you speak with Finn tell him to tell Santana to call me?" Quinn asked, "I need to apologize…She didn't deserve what I said to her. And she was right you know, I should support her."
Rachel nodded and gave her a small smile, "Of course. You know actually he should call me tonight, they went on a mission last Friday and they should have gotten back by now."
"Thank you Rach."
"You don't have to thank me," Rachel shrugged, "I'm happy to do it besides you guys always make up no matter how big the fight is. You guys are meant to be."
Quinn smiled, Rachel was right. This time next Saturday she would probably be telling Rachel all about how they made up.
DING DONG
DING DONG
"Let me get that," Quinn said.
Rachel nodded and Quinn made her way to the front door. She wondered who could it be? It was only noon and Beth usually came back around dinner time. Quinn opened the door and before she could get a word out shock came over her.
In front of her stood Finn along with another man.
Both of them were in their Class A's, the man standing next him was Captain, she could tell by the rank. She recognized his name too, Captain Casey.
"What are you doing here Finn?" Quinn finally found her words, "Does Rachel know you're here? She's actually here."
But Finn couldn't even look at Quinn.
"Ma'am...Are you Mrs. Lopez? Wife of Sergeant First Class Santana Lopez?" Captain Casey asked.
And that's when it hit her.
Quinn looked down at his hands and saw the folded up flag, she looked up at Finn.
"Finn?" Quinn's eyes began to water quick.
"Ma'am...on behalf of the Secretary of the Army I regret to inform you that your wife Santana Lopez was killed in action in Philippines Wednesday night as a result of wounds received from hostile action," Captain Casey said.
"Oh god," Quinn cried, "NO! SANTANA! NO!"
"I am so sorry for your loss ma'am," He said softly and slowly offered the flag.
Quinn pushed the flag back at him, "NO! She can't be…No!"
"Quinn," Finn finally spoke.
"Tell it's not true!" Quinn begged, "Please Finn! I beg you, please tell me it's not true!"
Tears fell out of Finn's eyes, "I am so sorry."
"No! Santana wouldn't leave me!" Quinn sobbed, "She would never leave me!"
"Quinn what's going…" Rachel trailed off as she reached Quinn.
For a second she felt tremendous joy when she saw Finn but that only last a second. She immediately noticed the tears in Finn's eyes and the flag that the Captain was holding.
"Oh my god," She whispered.
Rachel immediately wrapped her arms around Quinn and held her tightly.
"She wouldn't leave me," Quinn cried.
..
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Tears ran down Quinn's cheek as she reminisced.
But the hardest part of all was telling Beth.
That was the worst thing has ever had to do.
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"Uncle Finn!" Beth smiled as she entered the living room.
Rachel had been kind enough to go pick up Beth. Both Finn and Quinn were waiting for them in the living room.
"Hey kiddo," Finn picked her up and gave her a tight hug.
"What are you doing here?" Beth asked, "Did you come see aunty Rachie? Does that mean mami's here too!?"
The room was silent, for a second anyway before Quinn let out a sob. This caught Beth's attention immediately. Finn set her down and she immediately went over to her mom.
"Mommy what's wrong?" Beth frowned.
Quinn tried to compose herself and she crouched down to Beth's eye level.
"Where's mami?" Beth asked.
Quinn took a deep breath, and prepared herself for the hardest thing she has ever done.
"Mommy?" Beth pressed.
"Your mami…she isn't coming home," Quinn said softly.
Beth frowned, "But Uncle Finn is here…when is she coming home then?"
Quinn cringed trying her best not to burst out into tears, "She's not."
"What do you mean?" Beth asked.
"Santana had an accident," Quinn cried, "Mami's up in heaven now baby girl…"
Beth shook her head frantically as tears rushed down her face, "Mami wouldn't leave us!"
"Baby," Quinn said as she reached out for her.
"She promised she would come back!" Beth cried, "She promised!"
"I know," Quinn sobbed, "But God had other plan for her."
"No!" Beth shook her head, "I want my mami!"
"Beth…she's gone," Quinn cried.
"She promised!" Beth sobbed, "She promised mommy!"
Tears were rushing down both of their faces.
"I know," Quinn sobbed and pulled Beth in for a hug, she embraced her child tightly as they both sobbed.
..
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"Quinn?"
Quinn immediately opened her eyes.
Knock Knock
"Quinn?"
Quinn carefully wiped her tears and quickly put on powder around her eyes, trying to cover up her bags. She put her make up away and walked over towards the door. She unlocked it to find Rachel standing before her.
"It's time," Rachel said softly.
Quinn nodded and handed Rachel her purse.
They both made their way back into the main lobby, they didn't say a word to each though. Quinn's breath quicken as she got closer and closer to the main door. When they finally reached the main door Quinn took a deep breath and watch Rachel open it.
"Go on," Quinn said, "I just need another second…"
Rachel nodded and went inside.
"You can do this," Quinn whispered to herself, "You can do this."
She grabbed onto the handle of the door and griped it tightly. It took her a few more seconds but she finally pulled the door open and entered the chapel.
Everyone was standing up, music was playing in the back ground. Quinn stared down the aisle, where a huge Portrait of Santana in her Class A's was…right next to the silver casket.
Quinn took a deep and began to walk down the aisle… but with every step she took her eyes began to water. She looked away from the portrait, she couldn't even look at it. She could hear Tina and Rachel sobbing in the front, she saw Puck picking up Beth and hugging her.
Finn covered his eyes as tears came out. Mercedes and Kurt were trying to comfort each other. All the glee club members were here, including Mr. Schue and Ms. Pillsbury. Everyone was in tears.
When she finally reached the casket she realized she was crying again and she began to sob.
She went over to the casket and hugged it and sobbed.
"I am so sorry," Quinn cried, "Please forgive me."
She cried into her arm even harder, and she fell to her knees but her hands remained on the casket.
"I am so sorry," She sobbed, "Please come back to me."
She shook her head and continued to cry.
"Please come back to me…"
She then felt a pair of arms pick her up and she realized that Finn had pulled her into an embrace.
"Why did she leave me?" Quinn sobbed into him.
Finn couldn't find his voice, this was heartbreaking.
"I am so sorry Santana," Quinn whispered, "I am so sorry."
..
..
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"Ready!"
The weapons could be heard being charged.
"Aim!"
The weapons were aimed.
"Fire!"
The blanks rang all around the cemetery as the soldiers did the Three-volley salute for their fallen soldier.
This was done two more times.
"Present Arms!"
The soldiers did a left face and saluted with their weapons.
The next thing that could be heard was the taps being played by the trumpet, giving their fallen soldier one final salute.
Seven soldiers including Finn surrounded Santana's casket. Finn was at the head of the casket while the rest were divided evenly three on each side holding onto the American Flag that was draped over the casket.
Finn saluted the casket as the rest of the soldiers bowed their heads.
"Order Arms!"
Finn along with the rest of the soldiers dropped the salute and stood in the position of attention.
"Parade Rest!"
And the band began to play America the beautiful. The six soldiers then began to fold up the flag as Finn stood at the position of attention.
Once they had finished carefully folding the American flag into a triangle, they carefully and in a military manner passed it down to Finn.
Finn took it in his hands as a tear ran down his face. The soldier that handed it to him saluted the flag then went back to his positon.
Then the six soldiers made a left turned and in a military manner began to walk away.
Finn slowly walked over to Quinn, who was sitting with tears in her eyes.
He bent down and offered her the flag.
"On behalf of the President of the United States and the people of a grateful nation, may I present to you this flag as a token of appreciation for the honorable and faithful service your loved one rendered her country," Finn said.
And unlike the first time, Quinn took the flag in her hands.
Finn stood up straight and saluted Quinn.
Quinn cried softly as she cradled the flag. She held on to all she had left of Santana.
She was counting on forever and now she'll never know.
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A Few Months Later.
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Quinn walked down the familiar path… she hated this path.
She passed each grave stone until she finally reached the one she was looking for. She came to a stop right in front of it.
Santana Lopez
SFC
Jan 7 1994
April 17 2019
Operation Iraqi Freedom
BSM PH
Tears ran down Quinn's cheeks. She took a picture out of her pocket and placed on the tombstone along with the flowers she had in her hand.
The picture was the last family photo they had taken.
"So…I…I still need you," Quinn whispered.
And she cried.
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I cried too.
