Chapter 11

"Puck!" Santana screamed his name, making the boy whip around and give her a smirk.

"Ah, if it isn't my Latin Goddess. You ready to take a ride on the Puckster." He winked at her, unaware that she was currently trying to hold the vomit down. Such a creep.

"No, I would never want to come anywhere close to what ever you decided to call your pathetic thing of a dick." She snarled, shoving the boy backwards. "How dare you!" She shoved him again, earning a confused look.

"Whoa there hot mama. I like it rough just like the next guy, but I didn't do shit to you. So stop attacking me!" He dodged the next shove coming his way and started to back out of the situation. Santana was scary as fuck sometimes. And last thing he wanted was to be missing an eye... Or his balls.

"You know what you did. Don't play stupid with me." She followed after him, trapping him against a row of lockers. "You think it's funny to spread rumors about people?"

He looked down at her, understanding starting to dawn on his face. He knew what this was about alright. And someone he once considered a Bro.. Had just lost his Bro status. He wondered if Santana would be down for Killing Finn.

"This is about Quinn isn't it?" He looked away for a second, shocking Santana slightly. "She came onto me okay? And being the Sex shark I am. Why would I try to deny something like that?" He gave her an honest shrug, bringing his hand up to rub the back of his neck. "But I never said anything about her. If anything, I feel like a complete d-bag for what I tried to do."

Santana stared at the boy, her head pulled back slightly, lips curled to the side and a brow raised. Never before had Puck just instantly manned up and felt bad about something. It was like Finn being smart for once and thinking before he speaks. A rare sighting and if she had a camera right now, she would be recording that shit for scientific study.

"Hang on a minute..." Santana put a hand on her hip, sucking on her lip, lost in thought. "I over heard them talking and from what you just said. Finn knew that you tried to fuck Quinn and yet he was surprised when she told him?" She scrunched her face up.

"Wait, she told him?" Puck questioned, pushing himself from the lockers. "He nearly took my head off when I told him."

"Yeah, well he probably would have done the same to Quinn if I hadn't of stepped in." Santana cut across him, looking down the hall when the last bell rang. "Meet me after school. You and I have lots to talk about."

"Why is he here?" Quinn spat as soon as she turned the corner and caught sight of Puck leaning against Santana's car. Santana and Brittany both flanked her on the sides and looped their arms with her, pulling her towards the parking lot.

"Because I should be a fucking Detective with the amount of shit people tell me." Santana replied, rolling her eyes slightly. Honestly she should because she would be awesome at it. "Plus I told him to meet me here." She tugged on Quinn a little, making her pick up the pace.

"Ladies.." Puck smiled when they approached him, each one giving him a different look. Santana was fighting to smirk back at him. Because honestly, if anyone even paid any kind of attention, Puck and Santana were almost the same person. Santana just had more class and was a sassier bitch. Puck was just full of himself. Quinn on the other hand looked like she want to strangle everyone and was fighting to glare directly at Puck. And then there was Brittany, watching everything as if it was just one big show and the best thing she had ever seen.

"Puckerman." Quinn snapped at him, finally pulling herself free from her friends and stepping towards the man.

A show down was going to happen. And Brittany stood back as if it was going to be the most epic thing ever. Quinn was moving closer to Puck with each step and for a second he thought she might not attack him. Too bad he was wrong about that. She raised her hand and brought it back delivering a hard smack to his cheek before breaking down and throwing herself into his shocked arms.

His eyes watering some from the hit, he slowly wrapped his arms around the blonde and glanced over her shoulder at Santana. They both exchanged a "What the fuck?" look before Quinn managed to get a hold of herself and pulled away slightly. Santana shook her head, today had been so weird already, what else could happen?

"Finn! No, I told you once already. They only way we are going to win is if we pick the right people to sing the right songs." Rachel's voice cut across the parking lot. Catching the attention of the small group. Santana narrowed her eyes as they locked on the pair.

"But Rach-.." He tried replied, only to be cut off by the smaller girl again.

"Look, you are Semi-attractive and sometimes can be really passionate about music. But music is my life Finn, performing is my life and I just think that performing with you..." She paused, stopping in the lot and turning to face the boy. "Performing with you would be a mistake. And not to mention the fact that I would hate to ruin your reputation!" She turned on her heel, storming away from the boy and towards her friends.

Finn must have missed the memo because not long after he followed her towards Santana's car and right into danger. Completely unaware of the looks he was receiving.

"Turn your busted biscuit can looking ass around and march the other way." Santana growled, reaching forward to grab Rachel's hand and pulling her away from the dumb boy.

"My what... Hey!" He glared at her, stopping his walk and taking in how many people he was actually facing. Rachel and Brittany, he knew would never attack him. But Quinn, Puck and Santana, they would attack him for sure and he would be destroyed. "I just wanted to talk to Rachel."

Quinn snorted.

"Doesn't look like she wants to talk to you." She raised her eyebrow, releasing herself from Puck and joining the other girls.

"We'll take care of her Finn, Promise." Brittany added, flanking Santana's other side and blocking the rest of Rachel from view. They had created a wall around the girl and Rachel never felt more protected in her life.

"This doesn't concern any of you. I want to talk to Rachel!" He bellowed, throwing his body around like a small child who's cookies had been taken away.

"I got this." Puck stepped forward, getting right into Finn's face. Why he was ever friends with this guy? He would probably never know. But in this moment, somethings were more important and even though Puck seemed like the type of guy who just slept around with chicks and left them hanging. He really wasn't. He actually cared for each and everyone of them at some point and knew to never, ever raise your voice or fist at one of them. No matter what.

"Step off dude. She doesn't want you here." He tilted his head, laying down his dominance. Finn just either didn't care or was too stupid to realize, but he was about to get an ass-beating.

"Oh and they want you here?" He pointed, his hand reaching well past Puck's head. "Trying to sleep with the rest of them?" He spoke loudly, his words filled with anger. "Or are you just trying to hurt me more?" He ended his sentence by giving Puck a sharp push, almost knocking him back into the girls.

Rachel gasped, trying to force her way through the wall of bodies and get to Finn. She stopped though when Puck turned to face them and stared directly at her.

"Get out of here. Get her out of here." He nodded, turning back around and running a hand through his Mohawk.

Rachel was about to protest, when Santana slipped a hand into hers and walked her around the car. Well more like pulled since she kept trying to escape to stop the fight that was about to happen. Pulling the door open, she gently pushed Rachel into the passenger seat and closed the door behind her. Crossing back over her car, she nodded to the other girls and together they each got in the car. To the sounds of a very displeased Rachel.

"Honestly! Like are you serious right now? We are just going to drive off and let them fight?" She had her arms crossed over her chest and was staring past Santana to get a good look out her window.

"It's either Puck fights him, or I hand cuff you somewhere and we all gang beat Finn. So choose one Rachel." Santana replied, earning nods from the two blondes in the backseat. Rachel pouted a little.

"You know I do not like violence Santana! If anything we should stop it, so no one gets hurt. Finn doesn't deserve to be beaten down like an animal!" She screamed the last part, breaking something inside of Santana and making the girl see red.

"God Rachel! Just fucking... Are you being serious right now?" She slammed her hands against the wheel, startling everyone in the car. "After all the shit that that prick has done, not to mention anything else he might do, you still stand up for him? Why? Why would you waste your time on someone who is probably never going to make anything about himself and will only drag other people down." She was breathing heavily now, feeling more relived the longer she ranted.

Rachel was actually leaning away from her, fear starting to enter her eyes.

"I know you are good and all, but not everything is going to be rainbows and sunshine. And if you keep being this innocent little girl and just let people fuck with your emotions all the time then you are going to become stuck too. And Honey, you are too good to be stuck here with the rest of us. So I love you, but please, shut up, put on your damn seat belt and let me get you home safely." She cut off her rant with a deep sigh and turned the key in the ignition.

And as they backed out of the parking lot and away from the school, the last thing Rachel caught in her side mirror was Finn going for a tackle and Puck side stepping him. Santana did have a point, but at the same time. It just felt wrong to let people fight each other.

Santana was more than happy to finally change out of her uniform and fall face first onto her bed. It's not like she was tired or anything, in all reality, her brain was moving a mile a minute but her body.. It was just refusing to do anything she wanted. And right now, she really wanted to move before she suffocated into her pillow.

"That looks comfortable." A deep voice cut across her room, causing Santana to nearly pee her pants. Whipping around suddenly and probably forcing a kink in her neck. She glared at the figure taking up a seat on her desk.

"Okay! If you are blind in the human world then how the hell do you know what I am doing?!" She let out, throwing her hands up in a fit. "I think you're bullshitting me."

Runic chuckled, standing up from her desk and crossing her room. He looked happier than normal, almost human like.

"I am not, as you say, bullshitting you. There is just so much you don't know about me and sadly, We do not have time for such a story." He stopped by her bed, his milky white eyes looking down at her. She scowled and brought a hand up, waving it in front of him.

"So creepy.." She whispered, dropping her hand back down. "So what brings you here O' master of the gates." She sat up more, trying to not stare at his blind, soul eating eyes.

"We don't talk anymore.." He sounded almost sad. Santana snorted, glancing him over. Did he really just..

"Are you high? Can spirits even get high? Because that was gayest thing I have ever heard you say." She scooted from her bed and looked for her phone, she had placed it somewhere.

"No, I am not high. And I'm not a spirit either. But, even though sometimes your language is offensive and you may not think before you act. You are the most colorful of my.." He paused, thinking for a moment. "Lets say, of my clients. And those ones, normally have the hardest time with their second chances."

Santana stopped her search and turned around to face him.

"Wait.. You have other people? Like.. I'm not the only one who was given a second chance?"

"No, if life has purposely sent you down the wrong path and you failed to correct it before time ran out. Then generally you are sent to the proper gate master." Santana made a noise, making Runic bring his hand up to silence her. "I am not the only Gate master Santana. There are many of us. And I, like the rest of them, are given several people to look after. But not every person is alike. We each get one main person. The one who will need the most attention."

Santana hummed, why he was explaining this to her now, she didn't know. But she had to admit, it was pretty cool, learning about what hung between life and death.

"So.. I take it that I am that one main person?" She smiled at him, dropping it when she remembered that if he was telling the truth. He couldn't see her. "Great. So if I fail, then you fail? Is that what you are trying to say to me?" She was getting angry now. Like she needed more shit added to her list. She had enough problems, not to mention Quinn's, and Rachel's and Brittany. And the entire city of Lima. She might as well open up a booth and just listen to people talk all day.

"No, I am not saying that. That's why I am here. I have had major cases before, some have fixed what they needed too while others.. Well you know, have failed. But you Santana, I have never seen anyone like you." She blushed under his compliment. "You have amazed me since you landed in my field. And I am glad that you have found your path." He reached his hand out, managing to find Santana's shoulder and squeeze it.

He was right. There was so much she didn't know about him. But she hoped one day, he too would share his story.

Rachel was having trouble sleeping that night. Which really worried her when it happened because she thought she had finally managed to control her panic attacks. Laying there in her bed, she stared up at her dark ceiling and took several deep breaths, tears falling silently from her eyes. It had been awhile since she had felt this way and she hated it. Actually hated it. It was like she was being held down and forced to breath through a straw.

Fighting against the weight in her body, she wiped the tears away and forced herself to sit up in her bed. She had to do this on her own, no calling out for her Dads this time. She had to do it her way. Bringing her knees up to her chest, she let out a heavy breath and repeated the process. Her nerves only growing more the longer she sat there.

Crying out in frustration, she threw her blankets away from her and reached for her phone. Her brain clouded by her attack, she found the number she wanted and hit call.

"Why does everyone call me at this hour?" Santana whined, her voice rough sounding through the phone.

"San-Santana.. I can't.. Can't breath." Rachel stuttered out, waking Santana up instantly.

"It's going to be okay. Just listen to me okay. I want you to lay back and just close your eyes." She cleared her throat, smoothing out her voice. Rachel followed her directions, laying back. "Alright, now I want you to clear your head."

"If I could do that.." She took a breath. "I wouldn't be calling you."

"Quiet shorty. You want help or not?" She yawned in reply, satisfied when Rachel didn't respond. "Now like I said, clear that mind of yours. Think about something else, like winning an award for most phone calls made at 3 in the morning." She chuckled when Rachel scoffed.

"Oh please, I hardly even call you." She spoke clearly this time, what ever Santana was doing, it seemed to be working.

"Yeah and I'm really the tooth fairy." Rachel laughed at that one. She had to admit, sleepy Santana was down right adorable, even if she was still kind of mean. "You lost all your baby teeth yet?" She asked.

Rachel laughed again, this time a yawn following after her.

"Why, so you can creep into my bedroom at night?" She replied, pulling her blankets back up.

"Yeah, and then I can finally root through your clothing and replace all of it. I'm sure you got a pair of granny panties laying around." She had no clue what was happening now, her brain had gone on autopilot and shit was just flying from her mouth.

"Why are you thinking about my underwear?"

"Because it's the only thing boring enough to make me fall asleep. Night Rachel."

And she hung up her phone with a smirk, knowing that, with that information, Rachel would fall asleep and have very curious dreams.

"Alright guys. We only have two days left to get this number down! Don't give up on me yet." clapped his hands together, turning his back on the group and starting the music over again. As soon as he was facing away from them, half the club pulled their phones back out, each of them reading the same text Santana had sent them.

It had been a week since he had dropped the bomb on them. Rachel and Finn were to take the lead on both group numbers and even though a majority of the club had tried out. Rachel had landed the solo as well. Now if that had been Rachel the first time around, she would have been pleased with herself and found this as a opportunity to reach out to Finn. But since Santana had been trying her hardest to stop that from happening. Everyone was livid, including the tiny Brunette.

Each of them ignoring Mr. Shue's directions, one by one they packed up their things and silently crept from the stage. The group following Santana's orders and by the next time Mr. Shue had done his one millionth gay little turn. Finn was the only one left standing on the stage. Wearing the same confused expression as his Teacher.

"Listen up. We are all here because we all pretty much accept the fact that Mr. Shue is just dumb. And he wears ugly vests." Santana shrugged a shoulder, never passing up a moment to insult someone she didn't like. Rachel glanced at her from the corner of her eye.

"Agreed. But what are we going to do? Sectionals is two days away!" Tina squeaked out, holding onto the back of Artie's chair.

"Asian Mama is right." Puck walked up next to her, earning a glare. "What? I call everyone Mama."

"He's right. Called me it one day in the locker room." Mike spoke up, flashing Tina a smile and completely missing the "Hell no" look from Artie.

A few people chuckled at that, knowing fully that Puck did just have this way with flirting with both sexes. Even if it was by using nicknames reserved for girls. Santana just shook her head.

"We are getting off topic here. Santana, please." Rachel addressed the group, whispering the last part to the chuckling Latina. glancing over to the girl, She gave Rachel a small smile and winked.

"Rach is right. We have two days. Don't worry about that. Brittany is trained in dancing and from what I have heard, Mike is pretty good as well." She waved her hand to the semi-blushing boy. "Not to mention, Rachel pretty much knows all about music and Q and I have done our own research." Santana addressed the group, some of them looking less then pleased about having to learn new songs.

The silence was thick through the group, each one thinking it over. Kurt and Mercedes were off to the side, whispering very urgently about something. Artie and Tina actually startled when Mercedes whipped around and marched right up to Rachel.

"Alright. Me and my man are in. But get this straight right now Rach-" She was just about to put her finger up when Rachel cut across her.

"Whatever problems we have had in the past." She bit at her lip. "I just want you to know, that I thought you killed your audition. And deserved the solo more than me."

If Santana was ever at a lose for words. Now would be that moment. She still kind of figured that Rachel would try to control any situation and cut the head off of anyone that wanted her solo. But this new Rachel.. Was throwing her through fucking loops. And apparently Mercedes was having the same problem.

"Well.. Alright then. What's the plan?" She wrapped her arm around Rachel's shoulder, leading her towards the group.

"I am very disappointed in you guys right now." Mr. Shue approached the group in their greenroom. For the last two days they had ignored countless calls and text messages from their Teacher and instead worked on a new plan. One that blew the old one out of the water. And they had only been working on it for two days! Mr. Shue had been pushing them for a month.

"Mr. Shue is right. None of you showed up. It's like you don't even care!" Finn raged from his seat, finally snapping out of his man-child pout. Not like anyone was listening. They were all waiting for the signal and it couldn't have come soon enough.

The lights started flashing in their greenroom, cutting and Finn's rants short and heightening the level of anxiety. Gathering for their little prayer circle. Puck and Mike stationed themselves around Finn and waited for their walk down the hall and towards the stage. Once was out of sight, they shoved him into a broom closet they had discovered earlier and blocked the door. Sharing a quick high five and bolting for the stage. It was time to bring the house down.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Please welcome to the stage. The New Directions!" The announcer boomed through his microphone, visibly shaking Rachel to the core. After some debating, they had finally decided on two group numbers and a solo. Rachel was adamant about Mercedes taking the solo, and after taking a hit to her ego when everyone agreed. They set out of two grueling days of practice.

It still didn't stop Rachel from nearly falling over in that moment. And Santana was quick to see it. Moving from her spot in line, she rushed up to Tina as the music started and whispered in her ear. Nodding to the taller girl, Tina slid back and took Santana's old spot, smiling carefully at Quinn. Surprisingly, Quinn smiled back.

"I got you shorty." Santana whispered, making Rachel jump and look at her with sad eyes. The music was starting to build now, each girl knowing that it was time to start.

Reaching a hand out, Santana grabbed Rachel's and gave it a little squeeze before nodding to the stage. It was time for her to shine and she would be damned if she let anything ruin that for Rachel.

"Took a ride to the end of the line. Where no one ever goes." Rachel started singing, walking out onto stage, a bounce in her step as the up beat music invaded her soul. "Ended up on a broken train with nobody I know." She twirled, linking arms with Puck before her spun her off for Kurt to catch.

"But the pain and the longing's the same." Santana picked up after her, the same bounce filling her too. "Where the dying. Now I'm lost and I'm screaming for help." She smiled when she was spun as well, knowing fully that Rachel was the body she was going to meet.

Each girl met up in the middle of the stage, mere inches apart and bumping their hips together before diving into the chorus.

"Relax, Take it easy. For there is nothing that we can do. Relax, Take it easy. Blame it on me or blame it on you." The two girls sung together, sliding to the side and joining the group for the next part. They split up into two separate groups and almost battle sung at each other, as if fighting for the lines.

"It's as if I'm scared."

"It's as if I'm terrified."

"It's as if I'm scared."

"It's as if I'm playing with fire."

If Mr. Shue was pissed off before, he was defiantly pissed now as he followed after the kids and their first place trophy. He was surprised to say the least when they had first walked onto the stage, but that quickly left after the solo and by the time their final number ended and he was walking back stage for the judging, he was mad. His mood only got worse when he had discovered Finn locked inside of a closet. And when they announced The New Directions as Winners. His attitude his rock bottom.

Following them out the door and back onto the bus, he remained quiet the entire ride back home. Finn seemed to be sharing the same attitude and had been shunned to the front of the bus.

From her seat in the back, Santana smiled to herself, as she watched Puck pull Rachel in for a hug and passing the trophy off to her. It was a huge moment for all of them, but yet, they still treated Rachel as if she was the star of the entire show. And Santana was actually proud for once.

"She really is awesome right?" Brittany slid in next to her, leaning her head on the other girls shoulder. "She was meant to do this."

"Right she was..."

"No.. Please.. Just p-please be okay." A disembodied voice filled the air.

"She's gone Britt! She's gone.." Another voice followed after.

Santana shifted in her sleep, flinging her arm over and whacking someone in the face with it. Rachel awoke with a painful start and glared at the girl.

"Today we lay to rest the young soul of Santana Lopez." A male voice now took over, the scene growing clear as a coffin was being lowered into the ground.

Santana sobbed out, clutching at something in the air and completely freaking Rachel out. Not quite remembering if it was bad to wake someone from a nightmare, she carefully wrapped her body around Santana and rubbed the arm that wasn't swinging around in the air.

Soft giggling filled her ears, slowly pushing away the sobbing and filling her chest with hope. Was she in heaven now? And why did that angel look a lot like..

"Rachel.." Santana sighed, finally calming down from her terror and breathing with an even pace now. Rachel wrapped herself tighter around the girl and laid her head on her chest. Listening to her heart beat.

"It's okay.."