A/N: Hello! Is anyone still reading this story? Well, I sure hope so! Thank you all for the reviews, alerts and PMs. I apologize for the months-long delay. I would love to give you all one million+ excuses, but I'll refrain.
Momo0424: You are soooooo awesome! Thanks for the encouragement!
Disclaimer: I don't own 'Glee'
Santana kicked off her tour on the East Coast. She played Madison Square Garden as well as the
House of Blues in Atlantic City, New Jersey and finally the Well Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The tour continued south and found its way up to the Midwest and finally to the West Coast. For every major venue she did a few smaller ones. Santana spent a month touring in various European countries and a month in India, Beijing, Kenya, South Africa and Australia. By the end of the tour she was physically exhausted, but mentally renewed. Her world tour opened her eyes to endless possibilities. Just because she had reached a certain level of fame didn't mean that her flame was burning low. After all, she is Santana Lopez.
She flew back to the states for her final performances. She did much smaller venues. Again she stopped in New York City and Philadelphia. She put on free shows in Camden, NJ, Greensborough, FL, and Detroit. She was well aware that her concert tickets were expensive and she wanted to accommodate as many of her fans as she could. There is no better way to close out a love letter than with love.
Her final performance was at Staples Center in Los Angeles. This was her management team's idea. It was bittersweet. She was more than ready to move forward with other projects and focus on her creative outlets and passions.
Currently, Santana is sitting in her bedroom in the penthouse suite at the JW Marriot in downtown Los Angeles with Seta and Mark. She was still exhausted from her performance and the celebration that followed from a few nights ago. She told them to get lost for a few hours; she needed a couple of hours alone to relax and possibly take a nap.
Santana's nap was interrupted by repeated knocks on the door. "Seta could you please get the door? Seta?" Apparently Seta was nowhere around.
"Dammit." Santana muttered to herself.
She had no idea who could possibly be at the door. Seta had a keycard and Mark had a few errands to run. She gave Gene the day off. She was only sleeping and relaxing. There was no need to be shadowed by her body guard. She wasn't expecting anyone for at least another few hours. After a few minutes of contemplating answering the door, she decided to see who was disrupting her slumber.
To say that she was surprised by her visitor would be an understatement. Those large brown eyes would be the death of her.
"Rach. What are you doing here?"
Rachel giggled at Santana's wide eyes and dropped jaw. "Are you going to stand there like a deer staring into head lights or are you going to let me in?"
"I'm sorry. Come in."
Santana moved aside to allow Rachel to enter the suite. Santana stared at Rachel for a moment. Rachel pulled her in for a hug. She held on for a few moments longer than she should have.
Rachel was easily one of the most beautiful women Santana had ever seen. Of course she was physically appealing, but her mind and spirit were also attractive qualities. Over the years Santana wondered how she could let Rachel go so easily. It was quite simple really: She loved her. No matter what Santana wanted to make sure that Rachel lived out her dreams. What Santana failed to realize was that she was a part of Rachel's dream. But fame and ego had brought out the worst in her; the endless amount of women throwing themselves at her became too much to ignore. Had she known then what she knows now, she would have married Rachel. It was too late. She was already indirectly a part of the Lopez clan. And she wasn't bitter. She and Rachel didn't have a relationship based on jealousy and lies.
Even after their time in Europe there was no dissention. They just drifted apart. Their lives went in completely different directions. Neither woman regretted it because it allowed them to live out their dreams and find themselves.
Rachel found herself on Broadway and through her relationship with Nic.. Nic was an incredible wife: loving, giving, open and sure. Through her relationship she realized that things that are beyond our control; they just happen. Sometimes things don't go according as planned. She always knew that she would be on Broadway and a doctor's wife. Most everything is the same, except for the wife. Prior to dating Nic Rachel always felt she would be Mrs. Lopez. But life hadn't led her in that direction. With Santana she had appeased her sexual curiosity and experienced first love. With Nic she became a woman. She loved her wife. She was happy. She appreciated that she could have a loving relationship and still has her autonomy. This break from Broadway would further extend her autonomy. She was more so now than ever free to choose her projects. She had untapped curiosities and was adamant about exploring them.
Santana found herself through traveling, music and sex. Santana's promiscuity was nothing if not pure curiosity. She is a sexual person and appreciates that about herself. It would be foolish for her to deny something so essential to her being. She didn't spend her time having rampant one night stands. She respected the women she slept with and never made them feel inferior or unworthy. Though she knew who was susceptible to whatever vulnerabilities, she never used them against the women; unless of course they were plotting skanks like Veronica Holender. But she was a hard nut to crack. If she really cared about finding Veronica's weakness, she's sure she would. Santana had a heart. She didn't wear her emotions on her sleeves. She let her music express what she couldn't verbalize and show. She was content. She had new things to look forward to and new adventures to embark.
Now here they are standing in the foyer of a penthouse suite in downtown Los Angeles: two women who were former best friends, teen-aged lovers. The two former teenaged, love struck, hornballs who were passionate and driven were now very successful women.
Both women immediately felt the loss of contact of their embrace ended. Santana missed holding the smaller woman in her arms. Rachel never forgot being held by such strong arms.
They stared at each other in a comfortable silence.
Santana was the first to speak. "Rachel. It's really good to see you, but what are you doing here?"
"I had lunch with your favorite person yesterday and she thought I should check up on you. How are you?"
Santana really wanted to roll her eyes. But Rachel hated when she did that. Of course Seta had something to do with this. "Exhausted. I finished my tour last week. I have a few things to take care of and then I'm home free."
"You do look a little tired. Let's sit, shall we?"
Santana nodded and lead the way to the living room.
"Would you like something to drink? Water? Wine? Juice?"
"Wine would be lovely."
"Red or white?"
"White. Please."
"Of course." Santana smirked. She walked over to the mini bar and began preparing drinks. She gave Rachel a twice over. "You look good Berry."
Rachel blushed. "Thanks Santana. You don't look too bad yourself."
"Ugh. Please. I look like I've been run over by Satan's chopper. I've barely eaten and I'm exhausted."
"You're always beautiful."
"Thanks Berry." Santana walked over to the couch and handed Rachel her drink. She sat on the couch and looked at nothing in particular. "So?"
"So?"
"How have you been Rach?"
"Very well thank you. How was your tour?"
"Incredible. My fans are amazing."
"You're amazing. I heard what you did for your fans."
Santana blushed. "It was nothing."
"No. It was definitely something. You know, that's what separates you from the rest."
"What? Costing Mark and Co hundreds of thousands of dollars?"
"You love your fans. You really connect with them."
"It's all about the fans."
"I don't doubt that San."
"How's Nic?"
"She's good. Been busy."
"The life of a doctor—I can only imagine."
Rachel chuckled nervously.
"What are you doing here in LA? Other than spending time with the wifey and having lunch with my other half?"
"I'm actually working on a few projects. One of them is 'Dorothy of Oz'. It's a CGI adaptation of the 'Wizard of Oz'".
"Cool. How's that going."
"Well. Thank you. It's a really cool project."
"So, San, tell me how your tour went."
Three hours and two bottles of wine later Rachel and Santana had talked about everything from Santana's tour and Rachel transitioning into film and television to starting out in the business to Ryan Seacrest's newest (and lamest) business venture and their current guilty pleasures. It was almost as if no time yet so much time had passed. They were rediscovering one another. They found one another to be so much more interesting and insightful. Santana was calmer and Rachel was more relaxed.
Rachel only talked in sentences instead of full paragraphs. She didn't get too much into her relationship with Nic. She wanted to enjoy her friend's company. No one was a married Broadway diva or a complex music sensation. They were just Rachel and Santana.
Santana was in the middle of telling Rachel about a group of fans who followed her band throughout Europe when there was a knock at the door. Santana hadn't realized what time it was, but she had been expecting this knock.
"Excuse me for a sec, Rach?"
"Of course."
Santana opened the door and greeted Jess. Jess had the biggest smile on her face.
"Hey baby." Jess said pulling Santana for a chaste kiss. Santana deepened the kiss. Jess could taste the wine in Santana's mouth.
"Mmm. Hey back. How was your flight?"
"It was all right. You taste delicious."
"You taste and look delicious."
"Sweetie, I'm gonna take a shower. Then we'll order room service and catch up."
"Sure babe, but I want you to meet someone first."
"Ok." Jess said as she followed Santana into the living area.
Rachel stood up as soon as she saw Santana and Jess.
"Jessica Ryle, Rachel Berry-Bellino. Rachel this is Jessica." Rachel noticed the change in Santana's disposition. Her face was glowing. Her smile was bright and beautiful. Rachel realized that Jess wasn't just any woman. She was Santana's woman.
"It's lovely to meet you Jessica."
"Likewise." Jess said with a genuine smile. She turned to Santana "Babe I'm going to take a shower."
"Sure. Let me help take your bags to the bedroom. Excuse us, Rach."
Santana and Jess walked to the bedroom. As soon as Santana closed the door she turned Jess and pushed her up against the adjacent wall. She kissed her passionately. "I missed you so much."
"I missed you too."
"Let me take a shower you finish up with your friend and then we'll catch up."
"Or I could join you?"
Jess chuckled. "Just finish up with you friend and maybe later we'll take a bath and I'll give you a massage. Full body."
"Full body?"
"FULL body."
"Nice."
"Come here." Jess pulled Santana in for another kiss.
"Ok. Ugh. Woman you are going to the death of me. Go take a shower, relax. I'll see Rachel off and then order room service."
"Sounds like a plan."
When Santana returned to the living room Rachel was checking something on her phone.
"Sorry about that Rach."
"No problem."
"So? Where were we?"
"We were talking about your groupies in Europe—which we can continue another time because you have a very beautiful woman waiting for you and I'm meeting Nic for dinner."
"It's fine Rach, really."
"I know you too well, San. Just relax and enjoy yourself we'll catch up some more soon." Rachel said as she stood up and walked through the foyer to the door.
"Ok." Santana followed. She was really excited to spend time with Jess, but she was also sad to see Rachel go. "Let's not let too much time pass.
"We won't. Promise."
Rachel reached out to Santana and enveloped her in a tight hug.
"Thanks so much for checking up on me. It really means a lot."
"It looks good on you."
"What? exhaustion?"
"No silly. Love. I'll see you soon."
Santana blushed.
"See you Rach." Santana said as she watched Rachel walk to the elevator.
Santana was still blushing and it was deep. It was convenient that she was standing in the foyer by herself and no one could bear witness. She enjoyed being with Jess. They had only been dating four months, but she really cared for her.
After Santana left Le Sedona A'uberge she and Jess kept in touch for about a month. They'd send each other cute, goofy emails and text messages. During the second month of her tour she was in India, so was Jess. Jess had been learning new Zen Buddhism techniques on a 21-day retreat/ training seminar. They enjoyed each other's company and realized they wanted to spend more time together. They knew it would be hard with Santana being on tour and Jess expanding her family's business, but it was so worth it.
Anyone who came in contact with them knew they were smitten. So far the media hadn't delved too deeply into their relationship. Santana preferred it that way. She kept her private life very private. She had this overwhelming desire to protect Jess and keep her safe.
For the first (well, ever) Santana Lopez is smitten by a woman who isn't Rachel Berry or Quinn Fabray. From here, she can only take things one step at a time.
A/N: I know this is short and probably vague, but I'm trying to find my way with this. I need to find my groove again.
A/N: I'll be getting into some heavy stuff soon-ish. I just wanted Seta to do something to get Rach and San talking again.
*** Oh! The time jumps are going to slow down. I'm going to attempt to have more flow from here on.
Review! Criticism, suggestions, yay, nays and maybes are always accepted.