She knew Santana would most likely not pick her up Wednesday morning but it had still irked her to have to text Puck for a ride.
Quinn glared at the boy as she made her way around the vehicle, he was looking at her expectantly.
"Don't even start." She warned as she stormed passed him and toward the school.
Quinn was on her way to her locker when she saw Santana talking to Brittany. The taller blonde waved excitedly and tried to make her way over but Santana stopped her.
Brittany frowned for a moment until Santana said something to her with a wide grin, the taller blonde returned the expression before the two made their way down the hall together.
Quinn felt her stomach twist with jealousy, she wasn't sure if it was her or her body or even who she was feeling it for.
Santana avoided her for the rest of the day unless it was absolutely necessary to do otherwise.
Quinn decided she had had enough by the time Glee club rolled around. Mr. Schue and Rachel were bickering about something when she spoke up suddenly, startling everyone around her.
"I want to sing. I heard this song the other day and I just feel like its me." She said, pressing her hand over her chest dramatically.
She grinned when she heard Santana shift uncomfortably behind her and it only widened when Mr. Schue nodded his approval.
Rachel crossed her arms over her chest with a huff and Quinn rolled her eyes. "Chill, Dwarf. I actually mean it represents me and am not insulting how frequently you serenade yourself."
Quinn smirked as she turned just in time to see Rachel's shocked expression, it felt good to be Santana's brand of bitchy sometimes.
"What's the song?" Mr. Schue asked, hoping to diffuse the tension as he looked warily between the two girls.
"Its... Newish, and a surprise." Quinn said, her eyes meeting Santana's pointedly over the heads of their classmates.
Quinn cleared her throat and began tapping her hand against her thigh, hoping that she could adjust quickly to her foreign vocal chords in order to do the song justice.
She started off a little quiet, her confidence growing as she went.
x
I've got a way of making everything a confrontation
And you've got a way of bringing out the worst in me
You see, it's just if I'm bored
I'll find a way to make an accusation
I've got a problem with more
So give me, give me everything
STOP!
x
She cracked her eyes open, grinning at the way that most of the people watching seemed to be caught up in the beat she had set.
Santana was scowling, her jaw set firmly. Her eyes flicked between Quinn and the dancing Brittany in the row of seats below her own.
x
Not my fault, not at all
I can't help you, what you want
Get in line take a number
Get you when my song is over
If you leave it up to me I'll make a lie out of truth (it's true)
x
Quinn watched the tendon in Santana's neck stand out from the corner of her eye as she made a come hither motion to Brittany, the blonde was up in seconds and joining her to dance.
x
And then I'll break it up, make it bleed
Tell you that it's you not me
Make a scene, at a show just because the wind blows
Shoot myself in the foot to make a point I can't prove
To get it back to you
That's just my signature move
x
Quinn laughed, complimenting Brittany's moves with her own and casting quick glances toward the chairs to make sure Santana was still watching. It was obvious the other girl was angry, her jaw was still set and her cheeks and neck were flushed red.
x
You call me crazy and I think it's mean, I just don't like it
I'm just a sensitive baby and you need to please me right
You know I said I would change
I did, I went and tried a different outfit
And if that's not enough you won't be riding dirty tonight
STOP!
x
Quinn rolled her eyes as she saw Puck perk up at the last line, he was grinning smugly now. Thinking that the song was some twisted performance for him, Santana's brow had also quirked at the line.
Quinn was also mildly amused to find that Santana's foot was tapping in time with the beat that she and Brittany had set with their dancing and singing.
x
I start fights in my dreams I think I kick off the sheets
I don't apologize, they wouldn't see it in my eyes
I'm not a good best friend
If there's a rule I will bend
That makes it trouble for you
It's all I know how to do
I'm not responsib...STOP!
Ha-ha...yup!
x
Quinn spun Brittany as she made her way into the final round of the chorus, the blonde giggled and allowed the brunette to dip her. Mr. Schue shook his head, amusement coloring his features.
Quinn smiled as the Glee kids clapped at the end of her performance. They seemed to have enjoyed it but also seemed a little confused by the impromptu solo.
The rest of the period was spent listening to Mr Schue blathering on about brainstorming what performances they would like to do for the end of the week.
Quinn slid out of the room, pinky-linked with Brittany at the end of the period. She fought down a grin when Santana approached, the shorter blond flashing Brittany a fake smile. "I need to borrow Santana for a moment."
Brittany looked between the two before slowly retracting her hand from Quinn's. "Okay! I'll see you guys at practice!"
Santana wasted no time pulling the brunette into the closest bathroom, the door had barely closed when the taller girl turned on her. "What the hell was that?" She asked, her voice bordering shrill.
"The truth." Quinn offered with a shrug, Santana narrowed her eyes. "Actually, I think the song fits both of us."
Santana relaxed slightly at this, her eyes curious but still guarded.
Quinn worried her lip, "We do have a knack for bringing out the worst in each other... And I haven't been a good best friend to you... If you," She paused, taking a deep, steadying breath. "If you don't want to continue our talk from yesterday then we won't."
The brunette raised her eyes to meet the ones watching her closely, the blonde's expression gave her no hints to what she was thinking.
Santana's lips tugged into a smile suddenly, "That was a pretty good song choice, I didn't know you were a Pink fan."
"There's a lot you don't know about me." The brunette replied with a wink.
Santana shook her head with a chuckle as she followed Quinn back into the hallway, "Oh, you are coming over tonight." The shorter girl blurted out suddenly.
"Say what?" Santana said, slowing to a stop.
"Momma Lopez's orders, she wants us to stop fighting."
The blonde's eyes widened, "My mom is home and you didn't tell me?" She gasped, pushing Quinn playfully.
"She got in late last night and you've been avoiding me all day."
"Fair enough." Santana said with a sigh.
"Is that a yes?" The brunette asked, the taller girl nodded. "Good."
xxx
The rest of the day passed quickly for the two girls, practice was tiring but went smoothly.
Quinn sighed, rubbing at her neck as she stepped out onto the Lopez's driveway. "Where's your mom?"
Santana shrugged, "Knowing her she probably went to the store... Why didn't she give you a ride this morning?" The blonde asked as they grabbed their bags.
"I didn't want to bug her..."
Santana rolled her eyes and slammed the door shut, she stopped toward the front of the car. "What are you doing?"
Quinn ignored her and knelt down, "Hello, who are you?"
Santana quirked a brow at the gentle tone in her voice before making the rest of the way around the car. "Oh."
The blonde stopped when she saw Quinn kneeling down in front of her neighbor's toddler, Sarah.
The tiny blonde had her nose scrunched up adorably, confused by the greeting. (She was used to a gruff, "Hey kid.")
Santana had meant to correct the brunette but the words had dried up in her throat. A bizarre emptiness had seeped into her abdomen and a weight settled on her chest. Her hand came up instinctively to catch at the front of her hoodie.
"Who's that?" The little girl asked suddenly, pointing at Santana.
"That's my friend, Quinn." The brunette replied, her brow furrowing slightly when she noticed the other girl's expression.
"Sarah? Where are you?!" The two girls looked up as Sarah's frantic mother peeked over toward the Lopez's yard. "Oh, thank goodness! Hello, Santana."
"Hello." Quinn said, standing to greet the older woman.
"If we ever need a babysitter, you're the girl I'm going to call. I still can't get over how much she likes you." The mother said with a smile as she scooped up the little girl.
Quinn's smile widened and she glanced over toward Santana, "Yeah, I just have a way with kids I guess."
Sarah's mother chuckled and waved to Mrs. Lopez as she pulled into the driveway and parked beside Quinn's Beetle.
"Oh mija, that little girl just can't get enough of you, can she?" Maribel tutted playfully as she grabbed her grocery bags from the back seat. She paused when she noticed Santana staring wide eyed at the back of the retreating mother and her child. Nodding her head toward the blonde, Maribel shot Quinn a questioning look.
Quinn moved closer to the older woman, she adjusted the strap of her duffel before taking some of the groceries. "Her baby." She whispered, eyes lowering to the new position Santana's arms had taken. They were wrapped protectively over her stomach, resting just below where the baby bump used to be.
Maribel gave a nod and shot the blonde a small, sympathetic smile. "After you drop those off in the kitchen, you make sure she's okay, mija. What Quinn did took a lot of courage, she may need to be reminded. She may need a friend." The older brunette whispered softly, giving her daughter a pointed look.
Quinn's chest and throat tightened and she fought off the burning sensation that prickled at her eyes. "Yes mami." She whispered, her gaze shifting back toward Santana. She missed the lingering look Maribel gave her and the slight crease to the woman's brow as she looked between the two of them before disappearing inside.
Quinn waited until Maribel made her way inside before moving closer to Santana, "You okay?"
Santana blinked, her eyes moving slowly to meet the brown ones watching her closely. She shook her head, her bottom lip trembling as her arms tightened over her torso.
Quinn placed a gentle hand on the taller girl's bicep, "Come on, we can talk about it inside."
Santana gave a weak nod and allowed the brunette to lead her into the house. "I'll be up in a second." Quinn promised, leaving Santana to make her way up to her room on her own.
The blonde moved slowly, unshed tears blurring her vision as she pushed the door to her room open. She never realized before just how dark her room really was. At the moment, it was too dark. She dropped her bags to the floor before throwing herself down on the bed with a sob.
Quinn paused in the doorway, her heart clenched a the sound of Santana crying.
"Hey, come here." She said softly as she took a seat on the bed next to the blonde.
"It hurts..." Santana croaked, moving closer but keeping her face hidden from view.
"Shh. It's okay." Quinn said, pulling out the other girl's hair-tie so that she could run her fingers through her hair gently.
"I feel so empty and alone..." The blonde mumbled, nuzzling closer to the brunette with a whimper.
"You're not alone, you're never alone okay? I'm here. It will pass..."
"How do you deal with this, Q?" Santana asked, raising her head with a sniffle.
"It took a while..." Quinn said, playing absently with a lock of Santana's hair.
The blonde stared at her silently, watching as sadness crept across her features. "I'm sorry."
Quinn blinked and raised her eyes to meet Santana's. "Why? For once I am getting a break from feeling like that..."
"No, for not being there when you needed me." Santana corrected gently, seeking out Quinn's hand before squeezing it.
Quinn squeezed back, remaining silent for a moment before giving a small chuckle.
"What?" Santana asked, the brunette shook her head.
"Its just... I think I've heard you apologize more this week than the entire time we've known each other."
Santana rolled her eyes, "Way to ruin the moment, Q. No more apologies for you." Santana tutted as she rose slowly from the bed, Quinn gasped in mock horror.
"How ever will I survive?" She said, moving to follow with a playful roll of her eyes.
xxx
"Dinner girls!" Maribel cried from the base of the stairs, she smiled warmly as they began their descent. She could tell that the blonde had been crying but she was smiling as she came down the steps behind her daughter.
"Smells amazing." Santana said as she made her way into the dining room. Quinn nodded her head in agreement as they took their seats. Maribel thanked them before quickly dishing out their food.
"Your father would normally insist that we say a prayer but I am starved. What he doesn't know won't hurt him." The older brunette said with a wink, the girls exchanged smiles and chuckled in response.
Santana cut a large portion of her enchilada with the side of her fork, making sure to get plenty of her mother's spicy red sauce with the first bite.
Quinn and Maribel looked up startled when the blonde sputtered and coughed, reaching for her drink.
"Careful, that one is spicy." Maribel said, amusement coloring her voice as she watched the girl's pale neck flush.
Santana narrowed her eyes in Quinn's direction, "Yeah, it definitely is. It is good though." She added quickly, her eyes flicking back toward her mother.
"Thank you, I'm sorry there was no warning. We all sort of have a tolerance for it... And it has been a while since we've had you over for dinner, I couldn't remember if you liked spicy or not."
Quinn watched them and ate in silence, grateful for the tolerance her own body had for the food. She had always liked Maribel's cooking but it didn't agree as much with her body. She frowned and shot Santana a sympathetic smile. 'If she thinks it is bad now I can't wait to see how she's feeling later...'
Maribel arched a brow when she noticed the way her daughter was looking at the blonde. She watched them quietly for the rest of the meal, only adding to the conversation occasionally to ask Quinn about herself.
When dinner was finished, Quinn and Santana helped gather the dishes.
Quinn paused when the blonde caught her arm, "Hey, you need to be careful." Santana whispered, glancing toward the sink where her mother was.
"Why?" Quinn asked as they made their way back into the dining room.
"Mom was watching you for most of dinner, you need to adjust your attitude."
"Oh, okay." Quinn said, following Santana back into the kitchen with the rest of the dishes.
"Thank you girls, why don't you go finish your homework?" Maribel said, smiling over her shoulder.
Santana smiled back, "Thank you for dinner, Mrs. Lopez."
"Oh, please Quinn. Call me Maribel!"
Quinn smirked, "Come on Barbie, let's go upstairs."
xxx
Santana groaned, clutching her stomach and squirming in discomfort. "God, I hope this medicine kicks in soon."
"Sorry, Daddy isn't fond of spicy." She said, peering over her notebook.
"Of course he isn't, bastard." The blonde muttered, earning herself a light smack from Quinn.
"What? He kicked you out, your mother almost divorced him. Clearly I'm not the only one who feels that way about him."
"He's my father." Quinn said, although her voice was small.
Santana stared at her for a moment before looking away, grumbling something in Spanish.
"I was supposed to go with Puck to see Beth this weekend." Quinn said suddenly, her voice still small and reserved.
Santana sat up slightly, "Supposed to? As in you aren't going to?" She asked, one eyebrow arched slightly above the other.
"We're both scared, he's more excited than I am... But he said he didn't want to go without me. He can be a good guy, sometimes."
Santana played with the comforter, a small crease worrying her brow. "You should go. When are you supposed to?" She asked softly, without looking up.
"Saturday afternoon, why?"
"Shit!" Santana exclaimed, sitting up completely. "Shit, shit, shit!"
"What?" Quinn asked, alarmed by the sudden out burst.
"I was going to offer to go with you..." She said, shaking her head. "But... I have- Er, had plans."
"What were they?" Quinn asked, worried by the other girl's expression.
"I had a date..." Santana mumbled, running a hand through her hair.
"With who?" Quinn asked, leaning in closer to the blonde.
"With Brittany." Santana said quietly, her arm falling back to her lap.
"Oh." Quinn said, lowering her eyes to the floor. She wanted to ask so many questions but after their conversation earlier, she knew that she couldn't.
The two sat in an awkward silence for a few minutes before Santana heaved a heavy sigh.
"I'll go with you, Quinn." She said, placing her hand on her friend's knee.
Quinn's heart fluttered at the offer and she covered the blonde's hand with her own. "Thank you, Santana."
"No problem, Q." Santana said, squeezing slightly before flashing the other girl a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
xxx
Quinn groaned and tried to roll over but the arm wrapped around her torso kept her firmly in place.
"San..." She husked, voice thick with sleep.
Santana cuddled closer, her nose brushing the sensitive flesh beneath Quinn's ear.
"Shut up, Q." The other girl said, her warm breath sending a shiver down Quinn's spine.
The blonde clenched her legs together, dimly recognizing that Santana was once again in her normal body.
Quinn's eyes widened and a small moan escaped her when the brunette's lips brushed against her neck.
She squirmed more as Santana continued, the girl cheekily smiled as she pressed her lips more firmly to the blonde's skin.
"Quinn." The girl rasped, right by her ear.
The blonde merely whimpered in response, her breath hitching as Santana slipped a leg between her own.
The brunette chuckled and ground her hips down onto Quinn's thigh, a small sigh escaping her at the contact.
"Quinn." The girl gasped, her eyes fluttered open. "Hey, you were having a bad dream." Santana said, the blonde was leaning over her.
"You're going to need to flip over your pillow too, you're covered in sweat." She said, her nose crinkled slightly as she swept some hair from Quinn's forehead.
The brunette blushed and turned away from the touch. "It wasn't a nightmare." She mumbled as she flipped her pillow over, Santana cocked her head to the side.
"Hmm?" She remained quiet for a moment before chuckling loudly, "Oh! Wanky."
"Shut up." Quinn said, kicking off her sweat pants and rolling over with a huff.
"Oh, man Quinn. You don't even know a good time when your own mind concocts it! Who was in it, huh?" She asked, cuddling closer cheekily.
"No one." She snapped, her body shivering involuntarily as Santana's arm wrapped around her torso.
Sorry this one is a little shorter than normal guys, its an important chapter though! Getting a little more serious as we get closer to the end.
Song is P!nk's My Signature Move, deluxe bonus track from her Truth About Love album. Not sure how I feel about this chapter, I may rework it a bit when I post to AO3. I hope you all like it though, thank you for the reviews and the continued support! :D