Chapter VII: Damage control

Ashley practically kicked the door to get in once they arrived to her house. Santana was right behind her, caution in her features. Something in the blonde's expression was worrying her; she could already sense a dread coming.

While Santana walked at a slow pace, her arms folded around her, Ahsley was stomping her way up the stairs. It was like she wanted to announce her presence to anyone who could possibly think about daring her.

Finally they went inside her room, and Ashley slammed the door so hard that Santana heard a crash outside, like a frame falling or something.

The blonde stood there, right in the middle of the room. She sighed sonorously and slumped her shoulders. She turned around quickly and Santana could now see her face.

"So?"

"S-so what?" Santana asked, avoiding her gaze and folding her arms protectively around herself.

"I'm waiting for an explanation!"

"Explanation of…"

"You know what I'm talking about!" Ashley raised her voice. Santana was suddenly snapped out of her state of trance.

"Ah, about the…"

"Yes, about the whole 'my girlfriend is giving some puppy eyes to a moronic copycat of Britney Spears who happens to be my enemy' damn thing!"

"You know, it really sounds worst than it really is when you say it that way…" Santana said trying to rest the subject's importance.

"Oh, really! So, explain me, why were you two that close in a dark room and…?"

"Oh please!" Santana said, huffing and rolling her eyes. "Do you think I'm that stupid and would do something like that on purpose? You were there!"

"Santana…" Ashley looked so angry while she talked, but also she looked very sure. She had a look that meant she was saying something so obvious that a child would see. "I know you didn't do it on purpose and that's what enrages me the most."

"I…" Santana automatically opened her mouth to retort… but she found out that she had nothing to say. Nothing clever at least. Whatever she would say probably could get her into more trouble if possible.

"See? You don't even know what to say! So, you better start talking!"

"Excuse me?" Oh, hell to the no! The Latina may have been a little scared of how would Ashley react but no way she was going to yell at her like that! "Why do I even have to listen to you right now?"

"Excuse me? Because, duh, you are my fiancée!"

"Are you playing the "f" card?"

"I don't think this is the proper time to fu…"

"I meant 'fiancée'" Santana interrupted before the girl could finish the sentence.

"Oh," Ashley nodded. "right. Well, it is true, you are mine."

"I'm not yours. I'm your girlfriend. That's way different." The brunette said no doubt in her voice.

Ashley looked hurt and Santana almost regretted saying that.

"You know? It would be easier if you just say it… Now I'm thinking the worst."

"The worst? Like what?"

"I don't know, that she might, like… Like you." Ashley said avoiding Santana's gaze but paying attention with the corner of her eyes. "But… that's ridiculous, isn't it?"

That she might like you. Yes. It was plain ridiculous.

Because Santana was the one who liked Brittany, the one who was madly in love with her, the one who felt miserable every time she saw the naïve blonde with her boyfriend.

Yes. It was ridiculous to think that Brittany would like her in a different way other than friendship. Ashley was right.

So… If Ashley was right, she shouldn't correct her. After all, she suggested Brittany liking Santana and not the other way around.

"Yes." She said finally, her voice unexpressive. "Of course it is ridiculous… There's no way she would like me." She shrugged. "I guess she just… got scared." Said waving her hand in a dismissive motion.

"That doesn't explain why you two were looking in each other's eyes." The blond frowned.

"I wasn't." Maybe if she denied it, Ashley would buy it…

"Of course you were. Do you think I would go through all this drama just because I imagined something?"

"Yes. Because that's exactly what you're doing. Imagining things."

"I'M NOT! You two had that… that… that Bambi look!"

"What the hell is that?" Santana arched a brow.

"That look someone puts on when is about to kiss someone."

"Oh, I thought that was the look someone puts on when a hunter kills your mother…" Santana said thoughtfully, "But really, I wasn't staring into her eyes… Well, maybe I did. Maybe… something got into my eye?" She said tentatively.

"Really?"

"Yeah… I really don't remember but maybe my eyes were hurting, or hers, I don't know. It wasn't a relevant thing so I can't really tell."

"Okay…" Ashley relaxed a little. "But… I wanna know. I mean it's just… Well, you two seemed to be very… familiar, you know?" Discomfort filled her voice. "Like you two knew."

"Ah, well, about that… I think you should know that before you came to town," At least, Santana would say something real, she decided. "Brittany and I were close."

"How close?"

"Really close. Like," Lovers, fuck buddies. "best friends." With benefits.

The valley girl had her best "Eww!" face and Santana could see that she was really disgusted and possibly could not believe her ears.

"My… You were friends with that? Oh my God, if you weren't incredibly hot and awesome I would totally break up with you or at least beg you to disinfect or something."

"And if you weren't incredibly hot and awesome I would totally go all Lima Heights on you for saying that."

"It's Brittany S. Pierce we're talking about."

"Yes. My best friend."

"Former."

"Not anymore."

"What do you mean?" Seriously, Ashley's face was going to pain like hell next day thanks to all that frowning.

"We're talking again. We… got over our differences, I think."

"Why did you girls fought in first place?"

"Doesn't matter. Silly things."

Technically it wasn't such a lie… Confessing her love to Brittany was possibly one of the dumbest things she may have done.

"Oh, I can't imagine how is that Brittany and 'silly things' can be placed in the same sentence." The other girl said with sarcasm. Ok, this wasn't a good sign because Ashley was never sarcastic.

"You have to stop doing that."

"Doing what?"

"Calling her names. Only I can call names, and you, of course because you are my stunningly sexy girlfriend, but Brittany is out of the subject, okay?"

Ashley rolled her eyes. "Still, I don't like her."

"You don't have to." And I'm glad because that would be awkward. "Just try and don't catch me between the devil and the deep blue sea."

"'kay." The other girl sighed, with resignation. "Just because you asked… But I can't promise."

"Just try."

Like she would try to forget Brittany and start thinking more and more about Ashley.

"Don't worry about her." Santana said caressing Ashley's hair, seeing her without really looking at her. "It's not what you think. She doesn't like me."

Despite the fact I love her.

"That girl… She really seemed to be pissed off." Artie said. Brittany was rolling his chair back to his house, they were about to say their goodbyes. After the shutdown incident the couple didn't talk much, mostly because Brittany, who usually won't shut up about anything, didn't say a word since they left. Artie sensed that and tried to pick a conversation without having success. Finally, he gave up and gave her some space but made that last comment.

"Ashley? Yeah, I hope she doesn't give trouble to Santana."

"Well, maybe she had it coming…" Artie said calmly.

"What do you mean?"

"To tell the truth, it's hard to believe Santana didn't do anything to get her angry. You know her."

"She's not bad… Ashley is unbearable, that's all." Brittany defended her friend. She knew the good side of Santana. Besides, it was all her fault that Ashley got angry in the first place.

"If you say so… But really, Santana is not precisely a saint, so…"

"I have to go." Brittany interrupted him. She wasn't in the mood for hearing her boyfriend bash on her best friend.

"Uh… well, okay, see you tomorrow then."

Brittany leaned in to kiss him goodbye. She liked to kiss him, but even that couldn't cheer her a little.

She began walking but stopped, turned around and asked him:

"Artie… people may fall in love with their friends… But could someone be a friend of the person that he or she loves?"

"I… don't think so. It would be too painful, don't you think? When Tina broke up with me, I didn't want to be her friend. All I wanted was my girlfriend back." He said thoughtfully. "Now we're friends again because I don't love her anymore."

I don't love her anymore. But that couldn't possibly be the same with Santana.

"And… what if that person is still in love but wanna be her friend?"

"Maybe that person really loves her and wants to be with her no matter what, even if only being friends. Or maybe is just plain stupid or hoping for a change." Artie sighed.

"And, if the girl in question accepts to be friends with that person again?"

"That's… a little bit selfish. It would make the poor guy suffer."

"But she loves he... him"

"Loves him?" Artie arched a brow. "Like a brother, maybe?"

"I dunno." She mumbled, staring at her feet. "She doesn't know. She really loves him, though. A lot… And can't imagine life without her friend. Her friend is one of the most beautiful things in her life."

"Well… sometimes we can't always get what we want." He said with resolution.

"Oh… I see. Well, see you tomorrow."

Brittany walked at a slow pace, thinking about what Artie said.

She didn't even know what to think in the first place.

First: was it really too painful for Santana talking with her again? Then, why did she agree?

Second: Did that mean that maybe she stopped loving her? Because of Ashley, could it be?

Third: (and a very interesting one) She loved Artie… but also loved Santana… But, what kind of love did she harbor for the brunette? Why did she need her so badly?

Maybe she was afraid of losing her… But no, because they were still friends. Did Brittany want more? She already had Artie, but was that what she truly wanted?

Was her relationship with him, more important that the relationship with her best friend?

Brittany truly loved the boy. She did. And still, why when he touched her, it didn't feel nearly close to what Santana made her feel with one stare into each other's eyes tonight?

So distracted was she, that the blonde didn't notice when she stepped into a certain brunette who was clearly as distracted as she was, until they melted their gazes together, for the second time on that night.

A/N: I'M. REALLY. SORRY. FOR THE LONG WAIT. LIKE, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY! But I spent most of the time working (I'm done with that) then I broke up with my girlfriend, got sick, missed two decisive test so I didn't pass two friggin' subjects, kept fighting with my (now) former girlfriend and now I'm really busy with college. But please, if you still are interested, review! I receive lots and lots of Subscription Alerts, that's good but if you review is even better :D

Oh, and send me all those good waves of you so I survive to the summer lessons in college LOL