Head bouncing against a window, dark roads...can't see anything...blinding light...blackness

Rachel woke with a start, chest heaving. She looked around the foreign room trying to make sense of what she had just seen, dreamed? Remembered? The sun streamed into the bedroom between the heavy dark curtains. It took a moment for Rachel to remember where she was, she was with Santana, the beautiful kind woman who had taken her in last night. She was safe and oh wow, something smelt wonderful. Pulling back the quilts, Rachel made her way toward the door and into the living room.

Santana had been awake for a while now, she had work to do this morning and she had gotten a late start. That's what happens when someone shows up on your doorstep in the middle of the night, Santana mumbled to herself. Choosing to skip breakfast this morning in favor of just some coffee and a cereal bar, Santana decided to cook brunch and get an early start on dinner since she was starving and she was sure Rachel would be up soon. Squatting down in front of the fireplace, Santana moved the bacon around the pan that was sitting on the hearth, the egg scramble was cooking away in a dutch oven about a foot away. Hopefully the smell would wake a sleeping Rachel, Santana really needed to fill her in on where exactly she was and how long she should expect to stay. It's not that Santana didn't want Rachel there, she was willing to help anyone that came along it was just in her blood. But, she was sure there were people looking for Rachel, worried and scared about her well-being. Then there was Rachel herself, how do you act so calm and collected about being dumped in the woods and left there to die. If Rachel hadn't of found Santana; no one would have found Rachel. It was just all so crazy to think about.

Focused on her cooking and not letting her pancakes burn, Santana didn't hear Rachel come out of the bedroom until she spoke. "Hi, good morning."

Santana jumped slinging her spatula backwards in surprise, sending a pancake flying across the room where it landed right in front of Dax with a splat. Dax studied the food, sniffed it and then proceeded to chow down, yapping and panting when it burnt his mouth. "Serves you right dog, you should have at least waited a minute. Go get some water." Santana ordered, rolling her eyes as Dax had the nerve to pout at her, like it was really her fault. It was all Rachel's anyway! Speaking of Rachel. Santana looked at the woman standing behind her, she was looking down dragging her sock covered foot in a circle, she at least looked a little sorry.

"You shouldn't sneak up on people like that."

"I'm sorry, but I didn't intentionally sneak up on you. It was pretty funny though, besides that terrifying second I thought you might fall forward into the fire place. What else are you cooking besides flying pancakes and bacon?" Rachel asked, pointing to the hanging dutch oven.

Santana rolled her eyes and moved closer to the fire, putting on her gloves and lifting the lid. "Egg scramble and this, is going to be my famous chili by this evening, it's an all day process." Santana placed the lid back and moved to stand up, handing the plate of pancakes to Rachel to take into the kitchen. "The bacon is already in there, I've got the egg scramble and there is fresh coffee in the press. Grab a plate and help yourself. Oh and there's juice and milk and stuff in the ice box right here if you prefer."

Santana grabbed herself a glass of juice and turned to the pantry doors behind her to grab the syrup. The two women ate in silence. Santana sitting across from Rachel at the table instead of the island this time. Santana had been thinking all morning, Rachel said she was from the city, which was about six or so hours away. Who in the world would bring Rachel all this way and just leave her under a rock overhang, but the most important question was why.

"Rachel, you said you were from the city?" Rachel nods and continues to eat. "Okay, you're in St. Lawrence County, which is about six or so hours away from the city. So who ever took you out there must have used some powerful stuff because that's a long car ride."

Rachel takes a deep breath and lays her fork down. "Santana...I had a dream, memory or something this morning and I was in a car, it was dark so I couldn't see anything and then there was this light and everything went black again."

"Maybe it was a dream or maybe bits and pieces of your memory will start to come back. I don't know, but I do know that there are friends and family looking for you and that they're probably really worried too."

Rachel shakes her head sadly and looks down at her plate, she really doesn't want to cry in front of Santana but she can't help it. "I doubt there are many people looking for me. I don't have many true friends, mostly work acquaintances, that when the job is done they don't bother to stick around."

"Rachel there has to be someone in the city looking for you, what about the people you went out with?"

Rachel shakes her head, raising her arm to wipe her face on her sleeve. "Maybe my agent, but he knew I was taking a break and leaving for vacation for a while. The people I was with probably assumes I left early, like I said they aren't really real friends."

Santana looks down at her plate, she can't imagine someone like Rachel not having any friends. Then something clicks and Santana shoots up out of her chair almost knocking it backwards, her eyes big as saucers. "You said you have an agent? You're an actress!"

"Yeah...I work mostly on Broadway." Rachel doesn't know where Santana is going with this, but the bug eyed look she is getting is starting to freak her out a little. "Why?"

"I knew last night or this morning, whatever that I recognized you from somewhere. You're Rachel Berry. "

"You watch Broadway?"

Santana falters, maybe she shouldn't have mentioned that she recognized Rachel. Broadway musicals was a guilty pleasure of the sorts. "I mean.." Santana slowly starts to sit back down in her chair, really regretting mentioning that because now Rachel has this look in her eye like the sun just exploded out of Santana's ass or some other fascinating thing. "They're okay, I have seen one or two shows before I moved out here permanently."

Rachel can't help but to start laughing, the look on Santana's face is priceless. She looks like she just revealed the biggest secret on Earth. Santana huffs and stands up again moving across the kitchen to put her plate in the sink. Rachel still silently laughing does the same. Once she sits her plate in the sink Rachel looks out the window and notices that it is still snowing, she really is thankful that she made it to Santana's when she did because she would be buried if she was still out there.

"Do you think it's going to be letting up anytime soon?" Rachel asks looking at the side of Santana's face. She turns around and leans against the counter, still looking out the window over her shoulder. Santana follows her lead and does the same before answering. "I don't think so and even though I know all my land like the back of my hand, I wouldn't dare try to go out in this and venture far off. I even had to keep Dax on a leash this morning because I can't have him running off again. Plus, you don't need to be out there anyway, just because you dodged frost bite once doesn't mean you will dodge it again and even though you feel fine now, despite still moving slow you could very well come down with a fever from being out there."

Rachel sighs like being stuck there is a huge deal, she needs to come off as kind of ready to go home, even though staying here with Santana for a few days doesn't sound that bad. Sure she hardly knows this woman, but she's kind and funny and she has this mysterious way about her that Rachel really wants to know more about. Like why did she move out here permanently? What does she do? Who is Santana...well her last name is something else mysterious, Rachel will have to find out.

At the mention of his name Dax comes trotting over wagging his tail. He heard leash, so naturally that means he gets to go back outside again and come to think of it, that pancake really was about to start doing a number on his tummy. He barks once and runs towards the door, waiting on Santana to come take him out. Santana laughs and shakes her head. "I swear he understands more than I give him credit for, I'm surprised he hasn't brought his frisbee over yet, border collies love to play."

"He's a smart dog."

"He can be clueless sometimes, like yesterday and that damn chipmunk." Santana wipes her hands on her jeans, why are her palms sweating, it's starting to get really warm in here, maybe she should open a window or something. When did Rachel get so close. "I should take him out. I might be out there a few minutes, he's starting to look a little pale." How does a dog look pale? She doesn't know, she just knows that being a jerk and eating that pancake is about to come back and bite Dax full force on the ass. "I don't have television or anything, so feel free to explore, there's plenty of books in the room where you slept and if nothing in there is appealing, there's some in the loft too. I'll send Dax back in when he finishes his business so he can keep you company too. I promise I won't be long."

"I'll be fine and like you said, Dax can keep me company. You go do what you need to do and I will be here...waiting." Rachel smiles as Santana walks to the door and starts to pull on her tall boots. Damn she really has a nice ass.

"Thanks." Santana smirks as she fixes the collar on her jacket and heads out the door with Dax. Rachel blushes furiously, she can't believe she said that out loud.