A/N: So, here's this sorry for the tiny break. It's not entirely done, but I'm not dropping this story all together. Hope you guys enjoy.
Warnings: I don't own Glee or any of the characters or any of the songs I may use. This will include lesbian sex, maybe some hetero but it's not likely. Possibly Finn bashing.
"This is your fault," Leroy growled down at me.
Before we'd all even gotten in the house he was standing before me, leering down with such an intensity I began to wonder if he could actually set me on fire.
"Dad, it's not her fault, she was trying to help," Rachel tried to move in front of me.
Shelby was to caught up watching the exchange and Hiram had found himself taking in the sight of the woman behind his daughter.
"Rachel, she isn't good for you," his voice softened as he gave her a quick glance then he looked back up to me full force, "You're telling her things she doesn't need to know, dragging her around where she can get hurt, pulling her into a life she's better off without, and soon enough you're just going to let her down."
"And what're you doing? Hiding her from our world, her world," his eyes flickered to Hiram for a moment with slight worry, "Denying her any idea of who she really is, why she's the best at what she does, why she actually has a chance?"
"You're stupid rules would deny her. You didn't tell her that did you? That you can't leave? That you can never be the best? That if she were with you she couldn't be the best?" He growled at me.
I dropped my eyes for a moment, for the most part it was true, but when I looked up I didn't care, "She's above the rules."
Rachel and Hiram looked between us in confusion while Shelby's face was tinted with concern.
"Tell your dad that," he sneered.
I visibly winced at that as he looked to Shelby, "What do you even want? You aren't even supposed to be here."
"I wanted to meet her," Rachel announced, shock covering her face as she looked up at the angry man before her.
"No you didn't. You had no idea who she was until she," her glared hatefully at me, "Came into your life."
"I made her," Shelby admitted, "I didn't give her a choice in the matter Leroy. It's my fault."
"Shelby, you gave Rachel up! You didn't care, you just wanted to leave, no matter the cost, and we paid your price." He leered at the woman.
"I shouldn't have, I should have never taken your money Leroy." She gave her own violent look, even past the obvious hurt.
"But you did." He scowled, "Neither of you have any right to be in her life."
"Leroy, maybe we should actually talk to them." Hiram quietly suggested.
"No! Damn it, no. I don't need this from all of you!" The man shouted, shoving past me and Shelby angrily before leaving, not even bothering to take a car.
"Dad, wait," Rachel shouted after him, worry taking over her features but Shelby and I placed a gentle arm on her shoulders.
"Let him go." I mumbled, a commanding undertone attempting to make sure she will.
"I always knew there was a part of Leroy's life that he was trying to leave behind," Hiram spoke slowly but we all turned to listen, "He tried to keep it from me and Rachel, but I suppose at some point it would have to catch up." He rubbed his temple before looking up, "Shelby, I suppose we should have expected Rachel to search for you, but I hoped when that time came Leroy and I would be prepared." He turned to me next, "Santana, as far as I know you've been nothing but good to Rachel, and I trust her judgment of character. In fact, I see a bit of Leroy in you," I fought the urge to look to the smirk I knew was on Shelby's face as he continued, "I don't know what you have to do with his past since I hardly believe you could be involved with it, but you seem to haunt him." Finally he looked to Rachel, a small smile touching the worry that matched her own, "Sweetheart, I know that with everything in our lives happening like it has you've taken the brunt of a great deal of it. Two gay dads, and one with seemingly no past, up and moving entire states, not knowing your mother. You've taken it all in stride and we've trusted your decisions thus far, so I'm going to continue. There's parts of your dad's life that I know I might never know and might never want to, but I trust that you two," he paused at that and looked between the three of us still at the door, "Four, know what you're doing."
Rachel went forward and hugged her father, tears glinting in her eyes. Shelby and I just shifted awkwardly until they looked to us.
"Um, should we go after him?" I looked between the three.
"Don't look at me," Shelby held her hands up when we looked to her for insight from the past.
"It's fine, I'll wait up for him," he finally took notice of my features, "Um, Santana, do you want me to look at your face? We have a first aid kit."
"Uh, no, it's fine, really." I assured.
"Well," he began shuffling nervously as well, "You two are welcome back anytime," he offered a weak smile, "It just might be a good idea to call first."
"Yes, sir." I nodded.
I went to hug Rachel quickly and whisper, "Call me if you want me to come back. I've put you through enough for one day, but I'll turn my phone back on when I get home."
She nodded in my arms, "Take care of yourself."
"I can't take as good care as you could," I smirked cockily down at her, both of us more relaxed.
She hit my arm slightly, "That's not funny!"
We turned to see the two adults laughing.
}{
I decided to walk home rather than taking Shelby's offered ride. I had so much on my mind from that day. Too much. I'd taken a serious beating, introduced Shelby and Rachel, and had a great deal thrown in my face. I think that's why I missed so many signs that I shouldn't have gone home that night. But even as I walked in it seemed normal enough, but I made one mistake right off the bat.
"Mami, Papi, I'm home!" I shouted into the house.
"Hello mija- Ay Dios mio!" My mother shouted as she came out of the kitchen.
I heard voices but all I could really focus on was the look on my mothers face at what she saw my own, "It's not that bad!"
"What happened? How in the hell could this not be as bad as it looks?" My mother rarely cursed, but it terrified me as she came up to me, gripping my face as it already had been today.
"I got in a fight," I lied, avoiding her gaze.
"You're fighting? What could you have to fight about? What could possess you to fight?" I pulled away from her.
"It's nothing," I tried to go to the stairs but she stopped me.
"Carlos!" She called, gripping my arm.
"Si?" He called as he came out of the kitchen.
"Your daughter has been fighting. She looks like she's been hit by a mack truck." She growled almost as ferociously as Leroy had earlier.
"My dau-" He was going to argue but he saw my face, "Dios mio!"
"Is this what I get from her late nights, "Working" and running around with those boys like she's some sort of thug?" She demanded, yanking my arm as if she were trying to display me.
"No, this isn't. She's a teenager, they do this-"
"I didn't run around and fight and fall out of trucks!" She all but shouted.
"She takes after me, she's just trying to fit in." He tried to appease.
"Damn it, Carlos, No! No more, she can't do this," next she turned to me, "No more late nights, no more "working," no more skipping school!" She shouted.
I winced, "Mami, I have t-"
"Don't have to me! You're a child, not a thug, not a fighter, not a troublemaker. You can't run around getting in trouble, hurting yourself, and throwing away your future. I hate to say this, but you're grounded. I'm driving you to and from school everyday. No cheer leading, no nothing."
"But Mami-" I started again.
"No, buts! Go to your room until your father goes to check on your face." I made my way up the stairs, hearing they're arguments. He tried desperately to get her to take any of it back but she refused. Instead I heard the slam of their bedroom door before he excused himself to excuse whoever he'd been talking to in the kitchen.
I sat on my bed, frustrated that I'd allowed myself to be caught like this, until my father came up. I looked to him and tried to say something but he held up a hand to try to silence me.
He took my hand in his, expecting it as everyone else had done before cleaning my lips and eyebrow once more and giving me something I assumed would help.
Finally he stepped back and looked down on me, an emotion I dreaded seeing on his face there, disappointment, "I spoke to Leroy, today."
My chest tightened, "And?"
"I think you know what he said."
I did, but didn't respond.
"He said you took his daughter to a meeting, putting her in danger, and you've been telling her about us." He said it so calmly, if I really tried I could almost make myself believe he weren't upset.
"Papi, she's dormant! And he didn't te-"
"That wasn't your place!" He growled. "She could have been human. She could have easily gotten hurt, or worse."
I wanted to say I knew but instead I dropped my eyes.
"Look at me Santana!" He commanded and I did, the anger finally showing. "Do you know what else he said?"
He knew I did.
"That according to you, Rachel Berry is above the rules and traditions."
I fought the fear making it's way onto my face.
"What does that mean Santana? Are you thinking of leaving?"
I worried my lip.
"You think you can just up and leave this pack? What about your friends? What will they say? What will happen to them?"
I couldn't find the words, "They'll move on."
"What?"
I closed my eyes, "They'll grow up, and move on, and leave and never look back!"
"But you don't get to, you have to be here, to carry on the pack."
"What pack?" I finally shouted, "They'll leave like everybody else in Lima does."
"Santana you knew you couldn't leave! You've always known, and you accepted that." He growled dangerously.
"Because that's all I knew. I knew I could never be the best, never do as well as I wanted to. And never be better than anyone but maybe Leroy's right. Our rules, our traditions, they're stupid. I can't be the best because you couldn't because your father couldn't because we just can't?" I demanded.
"Yes! Why should you be the best? Because you're faster and stronger? That makes you the leader, not the best!"
"Then I don't want to be the leader!" I yelled, tears forming in my eyes, "I'm tired of only being second best when I know if I left I could be on top."
He was silent for a moment. That must have been the most terrifying. But soon enough it was over, and while it was hardly what I was expecting it hurt so much worse as he sighed, "Fine then. Don't be the leader. Go ahead and leave your friends, your family and everyone else you have, so that you can go and be the best. My daughter was a leader but she's not here anymore." He turned his back on me and my heart wrenched.
I wiped my face and glared at the door until I heard the slam of the front door. In that moment I felt so small. I was turning my back on my entire upbringing, and all I really wanted was someone to hug me, but for the moment both of the people most likely to do that were upset with me and I knew it was to early to seek that from somebody else I had in mind. So I sat back in my bed, pressed my palms into my eyes until I was certain I wouldn't cry and turned on my phone.
Worried messages from Brittany, upset ones from Puck, a mix of the two from my mother, and a single one from Rachel.
Since I was so terrible at taking care of you the first time, would you mind giving me another try?
I smiled slightly because I knew I wouldn't, but I'd have to wait until dark. So I plugged the phone into the charger and waited. I paced my room, took a shower, read, and scowled at the wall until dark came. Yes, things had slowly been falling apart so quickly but Rachel Berry was like a beacon of the good to come.
}{
"How come I don't have any powers?" Rachel asked, getting up from her bed as I climbed through the windows.
I shrugged, and pulled her into my arms tightly, "Not as cool as me."
"Hey!" She pushed me away slightly, smiling until she saw my expression, "What's wrong? Did something happen?"
"Don't worry about it," I put on a smile and leaned forward to kiss her.
She kissed me back quickly, but pulled back, "Tell me."
I sighed, knowing I would eventually, "I'm grounded."
She scoffed at that, apparently very aware of my lack of recognition for rules, "and?"
"Our dad's are talking," I lead her to the bed, leaning in for another kiss.
She turned her cheek to me, worry in her voice, "And?"
"Have I told you how important traditions are for us?"
She shook her head slightly, "I'd assume very."
"Well, there's a few." I sighed.
She sat on the bed and pulled me next to her, "Tell me. I think I should know."
I perked up slightly, placing my palm on her cheek, "That's the beauty of who you are, to begin with I thought you were human, but even better you're a nomad you don't have to follow the rules."
She nodded, I saw the questions in her eyes but she waited to ask.
"But I do." I sighed, and then repeated the rules I'd had drilled into me since I was young, "I can never be better than the best, the packs well-being comes before my own, it's my job to keep everybody safe and out of trouble, and to do that," I thought of the best way to phrase it, and turned to her, "I can't leave."
"Why can't you leave?" She asked quietly.
"Because I have to watch them. I have to make sure, Puck, Kurt, Mike, Emma, and even Karofsky still, stay out of trouble, whether they leave or not."
"Why not? Can't they take care of themselves?"
I shook my head, "No. Rachel," I brought her palm to my cheek, "Do you think you're the first person to attack me."
"I-" she licked her lip nervously, "Don't know."
"You haven't. We can't all, always be in control. We've hurt each other but I've had to make sure they don't rip each others heads off, and trust me they've tried." I unconsciously reached for my shoulder as I remembered the showdown between Kurt and Karofsky.
"But you have to stay in control, why can't they?"
"Because they aren't the leader. But I'm not anymore?"
"You aren't? Can you just stop?"
"No," I smiled slightly as I shook my head, "I can't, Shelby couldn't, and for the most part, you won't be able to."
She nodded silently before another question came to mind, "What do you mean by better than the best?"
I sighed at that, "Do you know Quinn Fabray?"
"Yes," she answered hesitantly.
"Quinn is the head cheerleader, she is the fastest, strongest, most coordinated, and most talented cheerleader."
"But what abou-"
I held up a hand, "And I'm not allowed to be faster, stronger, more coordinated, or more talented than her. At least not when people are watching."
"But that's unfair," she argued, and I had to shush her.
"It's the rule. Puck and Karofsky can never be better football players than Finn." I shrugged.
"But-"
"It doesn't matter."
"How can it not matter?" She demanded.
"Because I'm not staying," I assured.
"Where are you going?" There was a bit of hurt in her voice.
I turned to her, all emotion cleared from my face, "Wherever you go."
"I go?" She asked innocently, and it worried me.
I stood up quickly, holding out my hands, "I mean," I growled at myself, "I didn't mean I'm going to stalk you, I just meant," I looked to the window, considering just leaving, "I want to go with you. To New York."
She stood up and held my outstretched hands, "I want you to. I really do." She smiled up at me to let me know it was true, "But you're giving up everything for me."
"I know," I whispered, not entirely sure if she heard.
She nodded and hugged me tightly, taking a huge weight off of my shoulders as she did, "You really are the best." She sighed against my chest.
I smiled at that, "Can we please talk about anything else now?"
She nodded and pulled me back to the bed where we laid down, "How can you and Shelby eat so many donuts?"
I laughed slightly, "Please, you haven't seen me with a pizza."
"That's horrible!"
"You say horrible, I say delicious," I smirked, "But not productive, check this out," I rolled onto my back and pulled her up to straddle my hips. I pulled her hands down to my stomach as I pulled up my shirt.
I saw her eyes focus on my body but she still tried to ask, "What exactly am I checking out?"
"My epic body. I got in trouble in cheer leading so I've been doing nothing but running or working out on the bleachers."
"It's paid off," her hands made their way up from my hips and down from my ribcage.
I fought the urge to moan as I watched her, "What're you thinking about?"
"You always feel like you just came in from a long run," she halted her hands to look up at me, that hungry look trickling in once more.
"And do you like that? Because I could show you what I'm really like after a long run," I offered, smirking up at her.
She nibbled her lip gently, "No, I want you here." She leaned down to kiss me and before she even realized it our positions were flipped.
"It's not fair that you can do that," she pouted against my lips and I couldn't help but smile at that.
"You can probably do plenty of other things," I assured kissing down to her neck.
"Like what," she tilted her head for me and slid her arms around my shoulder.
"Well," I breathed against her skin, "You did some pretty interesting things last night."
"San," her tone changed completely and I looked up to see the worry there.
"Yeah," I moved back to lay by her side.
"If I do that again," she paused, "If I hurt you," she pressed her palm to my cheek carefully, "Will you stop me?"
I looked her in the eyes and nodded, "I'll stop you."
"One more thing?" Her tone was less serious. It amazed me how quickly she could switch between things.
"Hmm," I hummed.
"Well, back in Jersey I had this friend," she pressed her palm to my cheek and kissed me.
"Mhum," I urged her to go on.
"And she had this puppy," She nibbled my lip gently.
"And?" I quirked an eyebrow.
"She was really cute, and we'd sit around and pet her," She brushed my hair behind my ear, making me a little uneasy.
"Spill it Rachel," I growled playfully.
"And she used to get really excited," she smiled just as playfully, "when we'd scratch behind her ear."
"What? No!" I tried to pull back but her hand was already there and I groaned, leaning into her neck.
"So you don't like that?" She grinned deviously.
"No," It came out as a moan and I had to grab her hand to make her stop, "Don't do that."
"But it's cute," she laughed silently.
"That's not cute. I'm not cute. I'm a vicious beast." I growled leaning over her, both hands in mine.
"Oh, San, what big eyes you have," she rolled her eyes at me.
"The better to ogle you with," I smirked.
"And the teeth?" She asked and I let them show, my canines lengthened.
"Oh, I'm sure you know what these can do," I let one hand go to brush her shirt away from her shoulder, exposing the marks I'd left the night before.
"And your ears?" She smirked back.
"They aren't that big," I brought my hand up to touch it tenderly.
"No, they aren't," she sat up reaching again.
I brushed her hand away laughing, "Is that what this is? You wanted a pet when you were little so you settled for me?"
"I did," she blushed slightly, "But I like you a lot more than a pet."
I rolled my eyes, "Good to know I mean more to you than a pet."
"I think so," she slid onto my lap, grinning.
"So, Little Red, it seems like you have the Big Bad Wolf wrapped around your finger, what's your next move?" I slid my arms around her waist and rested my chin on her shoulder.
"I was wondering the same," she looked over me innocently.
I smiled at her, "We have all night."
"What about school?" She worried.
"I can sleep through and get my work done," I shrugged.
"That's irresponsible," she chastised, "But I guess if you can do the work..." she let it trail off.
I kissed her cheek, "You love how irresponsible I am."
"Uh huh," she rolled her eyes, "That's exactly what I love about you."
"Fine then, what do you love about me?" I poked her rib playfully.
"Your body," she answered quickly, quicker than she'd wanted to, before turning a bright red.
I couldn't help but laugh, "Besides the obvious."
She nibbled her lip gently, "You're smile, it's gorgeous and obviously you don't do it often enough."
"What else?"
"Your warmth. It's worrisome at times, but I sort of like it." She turned to nuzzle my cheek.
I smiled as I felt her soft cool skin.
"And how you don't treat me like I'm breakable." She mumbled against my cheek.
"Why would I do that?" I teased.
"Because you took me to meet your pack, and to that fight, and you made me jump to the tree even if I didn't think I could." She brushed her lips over my skin.
"I think you know how I am when it comes to being "Responsible,"" I turned to meet her lips.
"You care, a lot, about the rules that actually apply to you. And about me," she kissed me back gently.
"But you think you know what you're getting into and I can't exactly tell you no," I pointed out, moving her legs around my waist once more.
She slid her arms around my neck and pressed her forehead to mine, "I really thought I was going to hate Ohio."
I scoffed, "I still do. I just get to enjoy your company now."
"That was almost sweet," she laughed.
We spent the rest of the night like that. Holding each other, flirting, talking, and just forgetting everything that had happened to us and how quickly it had. I suppose we both knew it couldn't stay that way forever. We couldn't always just sit in her room and talk like we were, the biggest reminder came just before five when I knew I had to leave. It would only be a few hours before we saw each other again but it didn't make it suck any less.
