Authors Note: I know some people aren't too keen on Quitt, but don't worry, while they will pop up occasionally here and there, they aren't going to be a main part of the story. If you like you can just consider them roommates after this chapter though I could possibly be persuaded to do some related one or two-shots if there's enough interest. And yes, you will eventually find out why Santana and Britt split, but not yet.
I'll mention as I did with Undying Love that I might not be able to post a chapter next week, I'll confirm if that is the case on my tumblr (URL is talwynfanfic) as soon as I can.
Please let me know what you think of the following.
The argument was epic, Santana really had no other word for it, but that was to be expected given the participants were the two most dramatic people she had ever known in her life. It had ended up so loud that the people in the apartment immediately below them had called the front desk to complain, who had then apologetically called Santana's mobile after getting no response to the landline installed in the apartment.
That was the moment Santana had opened the music room's soundproof door to be greeted by what could only be described as a wall of noise. She found the source of the noise easily enough, walking down the corridor to stand in the door to what she now considered to be Rachel's room. Inside Quinn and Rachel was having as close to a knock-down drag-out fight as two people could have that weren't actually hitting each other.
Add whatever the pair were fighting about to the shoes as something else that Santana has seen Rachel passionate about.
And to be honest, Santana isn't exactly sure what the two are fighting about because all the scraps of words she can make out don't actually make that much sense. Obviously the subject of the argument had been decided and logical discourse had been exhausted well before the argument had gotten this far. Santana figures the only reason the argument is actually still happening is because Rachel wasn't about to storm out of her own room and Quinn was so damn stubborn that she had to get the last word in. Something Rachel was obviously not about to let happen.
The Latina takes advantage of a break in the argument that is apparently to allow both girls to catch their breath, to shut them up.
"What the fuck is going on here?!" she demands.
Rachel recovers first, "We were just having a discussion on a topic we are both rather passionate about and…"
"A discussion?" Santana interrupts, "You do realize I'll have to go downstairs in a few minutes to apologize to the people who live below us because the pair of you caused so much noise they actually complained to the front desk? These walls aren't made out of paper here people. I don't remember the last time I've heard any noise that wasn't generated inside this apartment. So what the hell were you two arguing so loudly about?"
Both woman stand eying each other with their arms crossed over their chests, Rachel's foot actually tapping on the floor, until Santana sighs, "Fine. Quinn, what are you arguing about?"
"Rachel seems to have a problem with the fact I'd dating Britt." Quinn offers in a flat tone.
"It's just…" Rachel begins only to be cut off by Santana.
"Stop Rach!"
Surprisingly Rachel does stop and Santana looks at Quinn, indicating with a jerk of her head towards the door that she should go anywhere but here. Once Quinn has gone, Santana takes Rachel's hand and guides her over until they can both sit on the edge of the bed.
"Why has Quinn dating Britt gotten you so wound up Rach?" she asks softly.
When Rachel doesn't reply but only stares at the floor near her feet, Santana slides a finger under her chin and encourages the diva to look her in the eye. "Talk to me Rach, please."
"Quinn's your friend and Britt's your ex. They shouldn't be dating each other, it's disrespectful."
Santana can't help but sigh, she knows Rachel's heart is in the right place but this really isn't a fight she should be having. "Rach, do you know what was most important to me when it comes to Britt?"
Rachel seems to think about it for a moment and then shrugs, "I don't know."
"That she's happy. And yeah, before you point it out I know there were plenty of times with me at high school that she wasn't happy and probably even more that you don't know about since then. But if she's honestly happy with Quinn then I'm happy for both of them. And despite what you may think, neither of them would do anything intentionally to hurt me because your right, first are foremost the three of us are friends."
"So you're okay with it?" Rachel asks uncertainly.
"I am" Santana confirms, "Who do you think suggested Britt ask if she could stay with Q when she moved to LA? Granted I never thought they'd get together but I think I can pull off taking the credit for it."
Rachel just shrugs, not otherwise acknowledging Santana's joke.
"Now how about you go and make up with Quinn, and if she gives you any trouble come get me before the shouting starts. I'll be in the music room. Okay?"
Rachel finds Quinn siting on a sofa in the living room, nose buried in a novel. She shuffles into the room to stand a little bit away from the sofas.
"I'm sorry Quinn, I was wrong."
Quinn looks up then stands, discarding her book for the moment before striding over to the other girl and pulling the diva into her arms. "It's okay. You meant well."
And that's all it took.
Santana went looking for Rachel the next day when it was approaching lunch time and the diva still hadn't made an appearance and found her still in her still in her gold star pajamas, standing in her room and staring at the contents of her walk-in closet.
"Is something wrong Rach?"
"It's stupid." Rachel says shyly while ducking her head.
"Rach, I think we're beyond judging each other right now." Santana says kindly, "Tell me what's wrong."
Rachel sighs dramatically and Santana has to suppress a smile, "I can't decide what to wear."
Santana crosses over to Rachel and looks into the closet which is already freakishly organized. If Santana had bought as many clothes for herself the previous day as she had for Rachel, they would probably all still be in their bags on the closet floor.
"Okay, well Quinn wants to have a picnic in Central Park for lunch, so how about I pick for you today so we can head out?"
Rachel nods and Santana steps into the closet. Quickly locating Rachel's underwear in the built in drawers, selecting the black versions of the panties and bra Rachel had shown off when they were in Victoria's Secret and passed them out to the diva while surveying the clothes hanging from the racks in the small room.
She eliminates the jeans immediately. Rachel had pretty much lived in jeans for the past three years as far as Santana could tell from when she packed Rachel's clothes. The only exception seemed to be when she was working, and in the Latina's opinion a change was well overdue. The same for any of the skirt outfits, too much like her work outfit, and that left dresses. So Santana picks a knee length sleeveless dress with a slightly flared skirt and matching jacket combo which would be pretty much perfect for today's weather. A moments searching finds a suitable pair of low wide-heeled ankle boots and a purse and leaves Santana marveling once again at how organized the diva was.
Maybe she could get Rachel to organize her closet?
When she steps out of the closet she wasn't exactly sure what she had been expected but it certainly wasn't Rachel already stripped out of her pajamas and wearing just the lingerie that Santana had handed her moments before. She wasn't wearing heels this time but the overall effect was pretty much the same as in Victoria's Secret but without the advantage of a curtain the could be pulled between them to avoid Santana making a fool of herself.
And the effect on Santana was pretty much the same too and once again she actually has to remind herself to breath. She can't help it as her eyes dip down traveling the length of Rachel's body and back up again and she cringes a little when the boots slip from her hands to crash onto the floor. Rachel doesn't seem to notice though as she takes the dress from Santana and steps into it before turning to ask the Latina to zip her up.
Santana hoped that Rachel didn't notice her hands shaking a little as she pulled up the zip.
They actually did make it to Central Park, avoiding the remaining few paparazzi by taking the town car from the garage, and spent a rather enjoyable day taking in the sights of the park with Quinn and without Santana embarrassing herself any further.
The next few days are spent pretty much the same way. Santana picking an outfit for Rachel before the three of them head out for whatever destination had been agreed on for the day. Quinn had never really lived in New York, the closest being New Haven when she was at Yale, and Rachel has spent the last few years going from work to home to the little park to work and so they were both excited to take in the sights and even managed to drag Santana along to a Broadway show or two.
Santana didn't accompany them to the airport when it was time for Quinn to return to LA though. There were usually too many photographers around which meant too much of a risk that Rachel would be linked with the singer and they hadn't had that discussion yet. So Quinn and Rachel took the town car together and waited in the concourse for the call for Quinn's flight.
Just after her flight is called, Quinn turns to Rachel, "Rach, Santana really wants to help you and its okay to let her, just remember…" she pauses and sighs, seemingly changing her mind about what she was going to day, "Just… If you need anything or need to get away from the city for a while, just give me or Britt a call. Okay?"
Rachel agrees, wondering what Quinn was going to say before she changed her mind but deciding that now isn't the time to pursue the topic, "I'll keep that in mind. And you'll text me when you get home?"
"I'll text as soon as I've gotten home" Quinn confirms, "And Britt and I will Skype soon."
Rachel waits until Quinn has disappeared through the gates and down one of the long corridors towards the planes before she turns and heads back to the town car and back to what she had only just started calling home.
The first appointment that Santana had been able to get with the therapist was a week and a half after she had called. The Latina hadn't exactly been happy with that but from what she could tell, she was lucky that someone had just cancelled their sessions. Still, she was by all accounts the best in the city for this kind of work and as far as Santana was concerned, only the best would do for Rachel.
There were certain advantages too. This particular practice was well versed in the needs of those that were either famous or just paranoid and that meant that Santana could easily accompany Rachel to her sessions without attracting any attention as they entered or exited the building. They even had a private waiting area which is where Santana is currently sitting waiting for Rachel's first hour session to be over.
Santana had come with the diva not to sit in on the session, what she talked about with the therapist was private and Santana had no desire to intrude on that, but in case she needed someone to lean on afterwards, either metaphorically or physically. Santana intended to be there for Rachel for as long as the diva wanted her.
And she knew she had been right to come as soon as the office door opened and Rachel stepped out followed closely by the therapist. The diva had obviously been crying recently, her eyes were still red and she was still sniffing a little, but she was nodding to the doctor and smiled a small smile when she sees Santana waiting for her.
"Everything alright Rach?" Santana asks looking at the diva a little worriedly.
It's the doctor that answers, "Please don't be distressed. It's quite usual for patients to have strong emotional reactions in the early stages of therapy. The best thing you can do is take her home and let her sleep if she wants to."
"Rach?"
"It's okay San, she's right. I just… I just need to sleep for a while."
Santana wastes no time in getting Rachel home and the diva immediately heads off to her room for a nap. Rachel doesn't resurface before Santana decides to call it a night herself so the Latina is a little surprised when she goes in to her room to find Rachel in her bed rather than her own.
"Rach?" she asks quietly, not wanting to wake the girl if she's asleep.
"I couldn't sleep. I hope you don't mind…"
"No, I don't mind Rach."
Santana changes quickly and after a quick visit to her en-suite she climbs in to the bed next to Rachel who quickly curls into her side. It only takes a moment for Santana to realize that Rachel is still crying.
"Rach, what's wrong?"
The diva is quiet for a moment, "It's only a week until…" she takes a breath, "Until the anniversary of the accident." She pauses and swallows even as Santana pulls her closer, "I didn't even realize until I was talking to the therapist."
When Rachel doesn't offer anything further Santana asks "Do you want to do something? We could have a meal, or maybe watch home videos or something?"
"I-I haven't been to see them since the funeral" Rachel finally manages, "but… but I don't think I can go alone."
"We can go together" Santana offers, "If you don't mind my company I mean."
"You'd do that?"
"Of course."
"I think I'd like that." Rachel says.
"I'll make the arrangements tomorrow."