Chapter 9: Time Stops
"Santana? Santana…. are you okay?"
Brittany looked over at the empty passenger seat beside her and started to panic. She looked all around but she was in such a daze that she couldn't quite make out her blurry surroundings. Her body hurt, she knew that something wasn't right but it didn't matter, she was going to find Santana. She slowly unbuckled her seatbelt. The blond could feel blood running down the side of her face and a horrible pain shot up her right arm. She twisted her body and tried to open the door but as soon as she turned she let out a yell because the pain started taking over her whole body. Somehow she managed to get the door open and stumble out of the car onto the ground. Brittany took a second to look around again before she started moving again. The brunette was no where to be found so Brittany started crawling as best she could towards the side of the road. Shattered glass lined the road and the headlights rushed by reflecting off every piece leaving her disoriented.
In the distance she could see a small figure laying in the road. "Oh no… no…. SANTANA!" Brittany yelled. She had mustered up enough strength to pull herself up to her feet and slowly run to Santana. Every step she took the figure started to become more clear. It was definitely Santana.
Once she reached Santana she dropped to her knees. "Santana… Santana…. wake up! Oh my god. Please baby please just hold on okay. Im sure help will be here soon." Brittany said as she was sobbing.
The brunette was covered in blood and dirt. Her body laid lifeless on the road and Brittany knew this was going to be bad. Santana had been thrown from the SUV when it rolled.
"Are you guys okay?" A man said as he jumped out of his car but as he started approaching the girls he could tell he needed to get help.
"Please call for help, I don't think she's breathing. Please help me!" Brittany shouted as she started to go in to shock. The whole accident was a blur and she couldn't recall anything but sitting there on the road with her lifeless best friend. No, not best friend, the girl she was in love with.
Time stops. In that moment when tragedy strikes, nothing can prepare you for how you will react. Will you go in to shock and not be able to speak? Will you lose control and break in to screams and tears? Will you not be able to breathe and will your heart stop? You never know until you're in that moment. That moment had arrived all too soon for Brittany.
She took a second to take in her surroundings. About 100 feet away from where the girls were, laid the car. It was mangled and left a trail of broken glass and pieces of metal on the road. Another car was battered about a block behind them. The front end was severely damaged and it also was stuck in the middle of the road. Everything seemed to be glowing and moving in slow motion. It was hard for Brittany to accept that this was reality. There was no way that Santana was laying bloody and lifeless on the road, this couldn't be happening.
She looked down at her girlfriend and said " Santana, come on! Please!" The blond attempted to start CPR but as soon as she pushed she cried out in pain. Something was severely wrong with her right arm and she started to panic, not about her arm, but Santana. Before Brittany could think about it anymore she head sirens and let out a sigh of relief.
A few seconds later a man ran to her and said, "Mam, calm down. We will take care of her okay. Can you come over to the ambulance with me? We need to check you out. Are you okay to walk?" the paramedic said as he walked up to Brittany.
"I can't leave her." Brittany said as she began to go numb. Her mind was starting to separate itself from reality at that point. She could see and hear everything around her, but she couldn't feel anything.
"I promise, they'll take care of her okay? You're bleeding badly, we need to make sure you're okay too." the man said. He was genuinely concerned but he knew that he had to keep the girl from interfering.
Brittany had tears rolling down her face as she watched her girlfriend with the 5 men around her. Santana was still not breathing and they were performing CPR, and trying to transfer her to a stretcher. Brittany didn't realize she was crying, she was still in a daze. She tried so hard to focus on Santana but she couldn't seem to shake the odd feeling running through her body. The blond was seriously injured but somehow, she was strong enough to get to Santana. Still on her knees, Brittany's body started to feel weak and before she could say another word, everything went black.
One day later…
Santana's eyes couldn't adjust to the light. Her eyes fluttered open and shut but she couldn't focus on the world around her. When she finally could make out that she was in a hospital she started to panic intensely.
"Honey, calm down. Its okay, you're in the hospital. You were in a car accident." the nurse said to her.
"W-what? OWWW!" Santana yelled out in pain as she started to feel the extent of trauma to her body. She was trying to sit up but had no luck as the pain was too much.
"Ohhh-kay, hold on let me up your pain meds," the nurse said as she injected the medicine into the IV. " Is that a little better?"
"Ya, what happened? What wrong with me?" Santana asked as she laid as still as she could. The urge to sit up was strong but she knew that if she moved in the slightest she would be in severe pain again. She was starting to worry about the extent of her injuries. Everything was still cloudy but she could feel it improve as she talked.
"You are going to be very sore for a few weeks. Your left ankle is broken, and two vertebrae in your lower back are fractured. Don't worry though, your back, your back will heal and you'll be able to walk just fine. You're going to find little cuts and bruises all over your body but the most severe is on your right hip. There is 18 stitches in that one, so be very careful when you can start moving. Your a very lucky girl for being thrown from an SUV, considering you stopped breathing for almost 20 minutes." the nurse explained.
"Wait a car accident?" Santana said with a confused look.
"Yes a drunk driver ran a red light and you and your friend were-"
Santana cut her off, " Oh my god, BRITTANY! Is she okay? God, please tell me she's okay." Santana said. She was starting to remember right before the accident.
"She is in critical condition. She isn't awake yet. Don't worry okay, were taking great care of her. Listen, your friend Quinn is here, do you want me to get her for you? She hasn't left since you've been in here."
Santana started crying. She couldn't remember exactly what happened but she could have swore she could hear Brittany talking to her. The girl had to be okay, she had to. "Where are my parents? Can you bring them in too?"
"Im sorry Santana, they're not here right now. I'll go get Quinn real fast." the nurse said as she left the room.
I need my Britt Britt! There is no way this is happening. She has to be okay, I love her so much. Why aren't Mom and Dad aren't here? Do they really hate me that much? Oh god… I just want them to be here. Santana thought to herself. She was crying uncontrollably at this point.
A few minutes later the nurse returned with Quinn and Mr. Shue. " I hope you don't mind. This gentleman said he was your teacher." Santana just nodded her head in approval.
"Oh Santana. Thank god you're okay!" Quinn said as she slowly brushed Santana's hair back. She slid her hand down and gripped the darker girls hand tightly.
Mr. Shue had tears rolling down his cheeks when he saw her. He slowly walked to her bedside and said "Quinn's right. Thank god you're okay Santana. We are so thankful. We just need you to know that everyone is here for you. All of glee club is downstairs and we are all here for you and Britt. YOU ARE NOT ALONE."
Santana knew he was talking about her parents being absent. "Thank you guys. Do you know whats going on with Brittany? I need to see her now. I don't care if I have to crawl I'm going to go see her."
"Santana, she's very hurt. She's not awake yet. Brittany sustained a very bad head injury which has caused her brain to swell. Her arm is also broken and I'm sorry but they wont let anyone see her." Mr. Shue said as he cried a little harder. It was hard for him to speak the words. " But, you should know that she got out of that car when it rolled. She crawled all the way to you and she tried to give you CPR. She's a fighter, she'll get through this."
Quinn was also crying and she made sure to stroke Santana's hair and squeeze her hand a little tighter, trying to comfort her a little.
"This isn't right. I should be the one in her place! Why am I awake and Britt isn't!" Santana yelled as the tears turned into sobs.
