Bottle it Up25: thank you for the review, but you'll have to keep reading to find out what happened to Santana

Smudje: I'm glad you're hooked, I'll try and keep this interesting.

Rachel's POV

I didn't see her again until Monday morning. That was two full days of waiting, wanting to call her, and more waiting. No matter how many times I kept replaying those events in my mind, I could never look past that moment when her shirt lifted up ever so slightly. I felt chills every time those images came up. Her lower abdomen plagued with bruises, and…burns? I didn't know what they were exactly. Had she been in an accident?

Oh god, an accident? Really? Am I that naïve? This was no accident, and I knew that. Those scars come from abuse, and only abuse. And when I saw her that Monday morning, she didn't even look at me, she walked down the hallway with a completely blank stare on her face.

She was so indifferent lately, and it was really starting to worry me. Ever since she quit the Cheerios unexpectedly, she's been so blank. She might have had those moments of pure anger, or simple joy, but those were just two extremes, she was never just normal. Was she just going to pretend it didn't happen? I'd tried that, but it always came down to the fact that I just cared about her.

Walking up to Quinn Fabray meant desperation in my book, but I wasn't being picky now. "Quinn, can we talk?" I asked once all over her Cheerio friends left her standing at her locker as she picked up her history book.

"What do you want Treasure Trail? Looking for a razor blade to trim that little mustache of yours?" Didn't this ever get old for her, I questioned to myself.

"Look, this isn't about you or me…this is about Santana." I said quietly, carefully gauging her reaction. She tensed up slightly and made sure she didn't turn to face me even though she had closed her locker at this point. "You guys may not be as close as you used to be, but you're still friends. So if you cared about her you'd tell me if there was something going on." Quinn sighed rather loudly and turned to me with her back pressed against the locker.

"It's none of your business Berry, and even if it was I couldn't tell you anything. She opens up to me about almost everything, but this she's keeping to herself. So you can keep digging if you want, but I doubt she's gonna tell you anything." Why was everyone so snippy and rude? Santana could tell me if she wanted to, didn't she know I could be trusted. With the exception of when I told Finn that Quinn's baby was actually Puck's, I'm a pretty trustworthy person when it comes to secrets.

I rushed to science class just as Puck came speeding in behind me. My next move was risky, but I had to do it if I was going to get Santana to talk to me. I slid past Kurt and took the seat next to Santana, while Puck looked at me awkwardly before sitting down next to Kurt. Santana eyed me suspiciously before closing her notebook and waiting for Mr. Wilson to begin his lecture. I paid little attention to the lecture, instead I reached out and took Santana's notebook. I pulled out a piece of paper and used my pen to write her a note.

We need to talk.

Santana looked at the note for a second before writing her own response.

No, we're not talking about anything, because there's nothing to talk about.

I rolled my eyes at her response. There was plenty to talk about, she just didn't know how to handle me. Maybe I was the only person that would push the issue like this, but it needed to be done.

At lunch we're talking. Meet me in the chorus room, and if you don't I'll never leave you alone.

The bell rang before Santana could respond, but the way she glanced back at me before she exited the room, made me think that she was considering it. So it was settled, it'd all be discussed in the chorus room. Now all I have to do is figure out what I'm going to say.

Santana's POV

I can't believe I let Rachel practically bribe me into coming to the chorus room. Didn't she know that I had to eat? Screw it, this was only going to take five minutes. I was going to tell her about my car crash, and then it'd all be over. Of course, I'd be completely lying, but sometimes lying helps more than it hurts.

I took one step into the room and I was met my the slow gentle sound of the piano, and the little diva sitting there playing the chords to a familiar tune.

Set me free, leave me be. I don't want to fall another moment into your gravity.
Here I am and I stand so tall, just the way I'm supposed to be.
But you're on to me and all over me.

I live here on my knees as I
Try to make you see that you're
Everything I think I need here on the ground.
But you're neither friend nor foe though I
Can't seem to let you go.
The one thing that I still know is that you're keeping me down
You're keeping me down, yeah, yeah, yeah
You're onto me, onto me and all over

Something always brings me back to you
It never takes too long

I didn't want to interrupt her, until she finished. I hate how breathless she made me every single time she preformed. She just put everything into the music and conveying the lyrics in a way that just made me feel. I hated that Rachel made me feel something, sometimes I wish I could just go numb.

I walked over and sat on the piano bench next to Rachel. We didn't say anything to each other for awhile. I could see that she had her hands at her side and she was looking right at the piano. "Sometimes I hate that you're perfect." I told her honestly, but she still didn't move or say anything.

"I'm far from perfect…you had scars on your stomach." She said bringing up the incident without any hesitation or warning. I was slightly caught off guard, but I regained my composure.

"They were from a car crash." I lied. I could tell she didn't believe me, by the furrow of her eyebrows. "Your voice blows me away every single time you sing." I was now looking her right in those chocolate eyes of hers. "You've got something, it's more than talent Rachel…it's magic." Rachel blushed ferociously and I perked up a little bit. "Oh and do yourself a favor, stop caring about me, it's not worth it." It sounded harsh, but it was true. Rachel didn't need to be wasting her time on me, no one did.

"It's worth it, you're worth it." I shook my head 'no' and stop up from the piano seat, and began walking away but I stop abruptly. "If you keep pushing away, I'm not afraid to follow you."

"It's a tough chase." I warned her.

"I could use a challenge." She replied.

Song: Gravity by Sara Bareilles