Chapter Eight - Lost

"We're lost." Brittany stated, watching trees fly by the passenger window as Santana continued to drive. The headlights of Santana's car provided little light on the back road.

"We're not lost." Santana argued, even though her knuckles turned white as she gripped the steering wheel tighter. Her eyes flickered to the right and left as she turned around the bend in the road.

"We've been driving for over two hours now." Brittany knew they were lost. Brittany knew Santana knew they were lost. Brittany also knew Santana wasn't going to admit they were lost. Mostly because Santana was the one who insisted she knew where they were going.

"I told you. We're taking the back way home." Santana breathed between clenched teeth. So what if it had been her idea to take Brittany to the Indiana border because she knew Brittany wanted to see every state before she died. So what if the border was almost two hours from Lima, and they couldn't actually stay in the new state very long since it was a school night. And so what if they had gotten off the highway to stop so Santana could pee, and now they were trying to navigate back roads because Santana's GPS had died and she forgot the charger.

This totally wasn't her fault.

And they totally weren't lost.

"We should stop and ask for directions." Brittany mumbled, bringing her thumb to her mouth so she could chew at the skin around her nail. She didn't really like the idea of being lost. Santana had made her watch some horror movie last Halloween about some couple that got lost, and they ended up dying. She wasn't sure how, because she spent most of the time hiding in Santana's armpit, but it definitely made her scared to get lost.

"I'm not stopping and asking for directions." Santana looked to her right, her face stern and lips pressed tight.

But Brittany saw the flicker of hesitation in those dark eyes. They told her that yeah maybe they were lost, but she wasn't going to lose her dignity by asking for directions. Brittany smiled softly, her head lying back against the seat. "Would it really be so bad to ask for directions?" She asked timidly, her hand brushing blonde hair off her shoulders.

"Yes it would. We don't know what kind of people live around here. It's Western Ohio Britt. I'd rather take my chances with the dark road than ask some toothless hobo where the highway is." Santana ranted, her attention going back to the road ahead as they flew around another bend.

"But San. Our parents are going to get worried. And what if the hobo is really nice? Besides. I really, really have to pee." Brittany pleaded, her eyes growing wide like a begging kitten.

"Hold it." Was all Santana said on the matter before turning the volume up on the radio. They had already been through every song on Santana's iPod, so she hit scan to search for a quality radio station. She wasn't going to hold her breath though. They were pretty much in the middle of bumfuck nowhere.

They drove in silence, Brittany's legs bobbing up and down as she tried to distract herself from having to go to the bathroom. She watched things pass by the window, hoping that they would eventually run into a sign or something to point them on their way. It really was getting late. And if she didn't get home soon, she wouldn't be able to turn on her Scooby Doo night light for Lord Tubbington.

The car rolled to a stop at a stop sign. Santana turned to look down the road to her right, and then turned to look down her left. Nothing. Just more trees and more nothing. She sighed heavily. Maybe they did need to stop and ask someone for directions.

But the problem was, there wasn't even a single house to stop and ask.

"Are we lost yet?" Brittany asked shyly, watching as Santana's face contorted into a mix of fear and mock confidence.

Santana looked over at her, and slowly nodded. "Yeah baby. We're lost." She breathed, her eyes closing. "I'm sorry."

"Hey." Brittany's hand shot over to cup the side of Santana's face, her thumb stroking her cheek gently. "It's fine. We just need to ask someone for help." She reassured. The minimal moonlight peaking through the windshield made Brittany's blue eyes twinkle, like the hundred plus stars visible in the clear sky.

Santana wished it were comforting. Any other day it would have been. Brittany's touch, the way she was looking at her. Hell, even her simple presence would be calming to Santana.

But not now. They were freaking lost. Santana wasn't even sure they were even still in Ohio anymore. It was almost nine, which meant she was pretty sure her mom would be calling any minute to find out where she was. And she was pretty sure she didn't even get service right now. She was starting to panic as she thought about the different scenarios. She really did not want to die in her car at the age of seventeen. It just didn't seem fair to the rest of the world.

"Britt, this is anything but fine. I have no clue where we are. We can't stop and ask for directions because we seem to be in an area of the country where not a single soul lives. You have to pee. And you could pee outside, but what if some crazy bear attacks you. And I'm stuck in the car, and I can't get out to help you. And…" She rambled in a frenzied panic. Her brow was scrunched and her eyes were wide. She felt hot all of a sudden. Like the air in the car was thick and nonexistent.

"Baby, calm down." Brittany pleaded, turning in her seat to face Santana. When Santana's eyes locked on hers, she let out a small giggle.

"This isn't funny Britt." Santana's eyes dropped to her lap, watching as Brittany's other hand came to rest on top of her own.

"No it's not. But freaking out isn't going to get us any less lost." Brittany reasoned. Her mother always told her to keep calm in stressful situations because panicking only led to stress zits and acid reflux. "Let's pick a direction and the first house we see, we'll stop and ask for directions." Brittany's head nodded, her eyes boring into Santana's.

Santana sighed, Brittany's steady hands and peaceful eyes calming her. Her heart slowed back to normal, the flush in her cheeks lessening. Her lips curled into a slight smile, shaking her head at herself. "Since when did you become the calm and rational one?" She chuckled, her free hand coming up to press against Brittany's hand that still lingered on her cheek.

"When you became the one freaking out about everything." Brittany smiled, leaning in to kiss the tip of Santana's nose.

Santana wiggled it, her face scrunching in faux disgust. She exhaled deeply, turning back to the road. "Right or left?" She asked, her hands coming back up to grip the steering wheel.

"Um…" Brittany began, turning her head from side to side. "Remember when we were learning that new routine in Cheerios last week?"

"Britt, what does that have to do…"

"Just listen. Remember when Sue told us to do that kick before I was supposed to turn and do my no-handed cartwheel? Remember how I kept getting confused about which way to turn?" Brittany smiled as Santana nodded. "Do you remember what you told me?"

Santana blushed as the memory coursed through her. She nodded again. "I told you to always turn to your left."

Brittany nodded proudly. "That's right. Because you said you were always on my right, and if I turned to my right, I'd run into you." Brittany grinned widely.

Santana matched her smile, her lashes pressing against defined cheekbones as she switched on her turn signal. It didn't really matter though. It's not like there was another freaking car on the road or anything.

She veered to the left, heat still pouring from the vents. That she was thankful for. If they had been stranded in the middle of nowhere with no heat right now, she was pretty sure she'd be crying by now.

When no radio station was found, Santana pressed the power button. She really just wanted to be curled up in her bed. Watching a rerun of Jersey Shore while eating a Nutella and Marshmallow Fluff sandwich. This is why Santana never planned anything. Because it never turned out the way it was supposed to.

Brittany began humming, the soft tune quiet and tranquil as they continued to drive. Santana wasn't sure how long they had been driving on the new road, and she was pretty sure Brittany had fallen asleep after she had finished her rendition of TLC's Waterfall. But a sharp squeak came from the seat next to her, and she almost drove off the road trying to see what was going on.

"What?" Santana breathed, her chest heaving in a new panic.

"Look." Brittany called, pointing out the windshield up ahead.

Santana turned back around, her eyes narrowing to try and focus. Her eyes noticed a slimmer of light up ahead. Her lips curled, her foot pressing against the accelerator unconsciously.

Brittany bounced in the seat next to her. Did she mention she really had to pee?

The car slowed as they approached the house, a front porch light illuminating a tiny area of land. Santana pulled up to the mailbox, putting it in park in front of their dirt driveway. The yard was overgrown, and vines crawled up the sides of the brick rancher. And Santana was pretty sure this was how all scary movies started. Two girls stopping at a random house in the middle of the woods to ask for directions.

But she didn't care. She needed to get them the fuck home. And besides, she kind of had to pee too.

"Do you think they're home?" Brittany wondered, peering out the passenger window at the lifeless house.

"I hope so." Santana answered, afraid that if they sat in the car any longer to wonder about the inhabitants, she would drive off in sheer fear.

Brittany opened her car door first, waiting patiently for Santana to join her so they could walk to the front door. They walked up the dirt driveway, climbing the steps of the porch. Brittany pressed the doorbell, then knocked softly.

They could hear movement inside. Brittany turned to her and smiled, her hand coming to squeeze Santana's gently. "I hope we didn't wake them."

Before Santana could respond, the front door opened, revealing an old man in a wife beater and blue boxer shorts.

Yup. Definitely how every scary movie began.

"Can I help you?" He whistled between the gap of his missing front teeth.

"We're lost sir. We were hoping you could help us out. Plus, we really need to use the bathroom." Brittany blurted, beyond excited at the possibility of relieving her bladder.

The old man eyed them through the screen door. Santana cringed. There was no way in hell she was entering that man's house. He could kindly tell them how to get back on the highway through the screen door, and they could be on their merry way.

"Sure. Come on in." He smiled, opening the screen door with a squeak.

"Thanks." Brittany beamed, moving to enter the house. Santana's grip on her hand tightened. She remained frozen on the porch. Nope. No way. She was not entering.

"Who is it?" Came a soft voice behind the man. An overweight woman with curlers in her hair walked up behind him. "What's going on?"

"These ladies are lost and have to pee." The man barked back.

"Well then let them in. The poor girls are probably starving too. Look how thin they are." The woman addressed him before turning to face them on the porch. "Please ladies, come in. You can use the bathroom, while I get some cookies and tea before you leave." She smiled. The way her eyes were soft and warm. It was soothing. And Santana followed willingly as Brittany tugged her through the screen door.


"Come back anytime." Betty called, waving from the front porch as Santana and Brittany walked back to the car.

"We will. Next time I'll bring Lord Tubbington so he can meet Buttercup." Brittany grinned widely, biting into the cookie she held in her hand.

Santana chuckled, taking the keys from her pocket as she walked around the car to the driver's side. "And thank you for the directions." She smiled over the roof of the car.

"Anytime." George called next to Betty. "Make sure you follow them." He winked, causing Santana to roll her eyes. Old man could be really creepy sometimes.

"Merry Christmas darlings." Betty grinned, her chubby arm flapped as she waved. "Make sure you eat more. You girls look like walking skeletons." She playfully scolded. Santana almost wished she could adopt her as her own mother.

Once they were back in the car, bladders emptied and stomachs full, Santana put the car back into drive and pulled away. Brittany waved cheerfully out the window, watching as the light faded the further they drove.

"They were so nice." Brittany chirped, finishing the last of the cookies Betty had placed in her hand. "I wonder why they live in the middle of nowhere."

"Maybe the rest of the people in this town suck." Santana reasoned, turning right at the next road like the directions called for.

"Maybe." Brittany contemplated. She seemed lost in thought for a moment, her lips pursed and her eyes narrowed.

"What's wrong?" Santana asked, kind of concerned her girlfriend's face was going to get stuck like that if she didn't change it soon.

"Maybe it was a Christmas miracle."

That was definitely not what Santana expected to come out of Brittany's mouth.

"Britt…"

"Hear me out." She blurted, her legs coming up underneath her as she got comfortable. "They live in the middle of nowhere. We were lost. Like really lost. Like we hadn't seen another living person in a really long time lost. And then bam. There they were. Just when we needed them. And they fed us cookies. I think it was a Christmas miracle. Someone out there knows about our holiday adventures, and they made sure we weren't going to stay lost forever." Brittany concluded, very proud of herself for figuring it all out.

Santana chuckled. She couldn't really argue. She didn't really have the energy to try and argue with a logical explanation. Plus, was it really such a bad thing to live inside of Brittany's magical mind for a few hours?


Another left, and a sharp right, and they saw civilization. Green signs for the highway were dimly lit, and Santana blew out a heavy sigh. "Thank god."

Brittany giggled. "You thought we were going to be lost forever." She smiled, her hand coming to rest on Santana's thigh, stroking the fabric of black leggings.

"There was a brief moment where I thought we might need to send out the bat signal or something." Santana huffed, turning onto the ramp that would lead them home.

"I like when you get worked up over stuff." Brittany mumbled before yawning, her eyes blinking as she sank into her seat.

"And why is that?" Santana wondered, merging onto the highway. She breathed another sigh of relief when she noticed the other cars on the highway. It felt really good not to be in the middle of nowhere anymore.

This was exactly why her and Brittany were going to live in the city. There were always people around. No real-life horror stories for them.

Santana could tell Brittany was getting sleepy. Her eyes were having a hard time staying open, and she had curled herself into a tiny ball, her head coming to rest on Santana's shoulder across the middle console. "Because I like being the calm one." She mumbled, her lips barely parting to speak. "Makes me feel needed."

Santana smiled, tilting her head to lean against Brittany's. "I always need you Britt." She breathed into blonde hair as they drove. A passing sign announced they had forty-five miles to go till Lima. "Always." She added again just because.

She heard a faint laugh escape pale lips before she felt the unevenness of Brittany's breathing as she drifted off to sleep. Santana would be glad to spend December 9th curled up in bed watching movies after the adventure of today. Maybe their parents would let them stay home from school. Santana shook her head, kissing the top of Brittany's head before straightening herself to concentrate. She really just wanted to get back to Lima. Which really is saying something when you think about it.