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Chapter 11

Santana sat at the end of the bed, staring intently at the wall in front of her. Mascara stained her face, tears streaming from her eyes. She was getting cold, due to her top lying on the floor across the room. Quiet sobs escaped the Latina as Brittany looked fearfully at her. She was confused, she thought the brunette had been having fun.

They sank back on the bed, lips connected and hands roaming. The kiss was fiery and passionate, almost as if the Latina had wanted to do it for a long time. Brittany loved the feeling of Santana's perfect body pushing up against her. The blonde ached for more contact and began pulling at the other girl's top, pulling it over her head and throwing it blindly across the room.

She caressed the brunette's waist with on hand and with the other, began tugging at the waistband of the other girl's shorts. Suddenly Santana pulled away, tears in her eyes, shaking her head.

And so, here they were, Santana sitting at the end of the bed, sobbing her heart out, and Brittany sitting beside her, confused and hurt.

"San?" Brittany said tentatively. The brunette just continued to stare at the wall, evidently not even hearing the blonde call out to her. She seemed to be in her own world, lost in her own mind somewhere. The sobs had subsided now but silent tears still ran down her face. "San?" Brittany tried again, but again got no reaction.

"Santana!"Brittany said it slightly louder and reached towards the brunette, placing a comforting hand on her bare shoulder. The Latina flinched, suddenly brought out of her daze, and jumped up, backing quickly away from the blonde and cowering against the wall. The sobs started up again as the Latina sank to the floor, trembling.

Brittany rose off the bed and approached Santana cautiously. She hadn't expected to find herself in this situation after the way the rest of the evening had gone. Holding hands in school, cuddling on the couch and then the making out. But now suddenly, the brunette was hunched in a corner, sobbing uncontrollably and wouldn't even let Brittany touch her.

Kneeling down in front of her, Brittany looked into Santana's eyes, seeing hurt and fear, two things that she had seen a lot of in Santana recently. The Latina looked back at the blonde's ocean blue eyes and immediately felt calmer, managing to stifle her sobs. Brittany reached towards her again, and this time she let her touch her.

"Santana I'm so sorry!" Brittany began, "I thought you wanted it. I thought- I thought you wanted me." Brittany finished quietly. How could she have been so stupid? To think that anyone would want her. Especially someone as amazing and sweet and kind and gorgeous and-

"I do want you Britt" Santana spoke up suddenly, blushing as Brittany's face lit up. "I just- I can't do this. Not now. It's- It's not you, it's him." Fresh tears began to fall from her eyes and Brittany pulled her into a tight hug, whispering comforting words into Santana's ear and stroking her dark hair softly. "I'll never be free" the brunette whimpered. Brittany's heart broke as she held her best friend.

"I'm so sorry" the blonde repeated, "I shouldn't have done that. It was stupid and selfish and I'm just really sorry!" Brittany felt tears coming to her own eyes then. The girls looked at each other, half naked and freezing on the bedroom floor, and suddenly burst into laughter.

"Come on B, let's just forget about it okay? I shouldn't have freaked out like that. Just bad memories I guess" Santana gave a weak smile and wiped the tears off her face. She couldn't deal with this right now. I'm so selfish, she thought to herself, taking this out on Brittany. All she wanted to do was help and then I go and mess up again. Just because my dad is a bastard, doesn't mean Brittany should have to deal with it too. I can't cope myself so what can I expect of her. She so innocent, I don't want her to get hurt…

"San did you hear me?" Brittany's voice broke through Santana's thoughts.

"I- um yeah what?" Santana stuttered.

"I said let's go to bed. All this crying and making out is making me tired." The blonde giggled at the last part and, grabbing the Latina's hand, pulled her up and they flopped back onto the bed. Once under the covers, Brittany put her hands protectively around the Latina's waist and pulled her in closer. Santana just smiled to herself as she felt darkness envelope her.

xXx

Santana got out of the car and stared at the house in front of her. A mixture of emotions ran through her. Fear, anger, hurt but mostly determination. She was going to do this.

"You okay?" Brittany asked, emerging from the other side of the car.

Santana turned and smiled, "Yeah, come on, let's go." Grabbing Brittany's hand, the two girls slowly made their way to the front door. "I have the key here somewhere" She murmured, searching through her bag. "Got it!"

Santana pushed the key into the lock and turned it. The door swung open to reveal a dark, quiet house. Her mother's car was outside, which meant she had to be here. That just made the silence even more unnerving. The two crept through to the kitchen. It was empty. The girls stopped for a moment and heard a muffled noise coming from the sitting room next door. Pushing the door open, they stepped into the room.

Mrs Lopez sat on the couch, wine glass in hand, sobbing uncontrollably. She didn't even notice the girls come in.

"Mom?" Santana spoke in a soft tone, worried about her mother. Mrs Lopez looked up, startled at the sudden intrusion. Santana gasped as she saw her mother's face. One eye was surrounded by a dark bruise, there were small gashes on her cheek and blood was dripping from a wound on her temple. The older Latina cried harder when she saw her daughter, who knelt down beside her, pulling her mother into a loving embrace, for the first time in a long time.

"Oh Mom I'm so sorry! I should have been here to protect you!" Santana also began to cry, knowing what it felt like to be in her mother's position. She felt guilt wash over her as she held her mother's weak body, letting her tears soak her shoulder. This is all my fault, she thought bitterly.

Mrs Lopez eventually pulled away, wiping the tears and mascara off her face clumsily. She winced as her hand brushed her bruises. Santana stood up and took hold of her mother's hand, trying to pull her up with her, but she refused to move. Her mother looked at her strangely.

"Mom come on! We're going to the hospital first to get you sorted out and then we're going to the police. This ends now." Santana put as much force into her words as she could, trying to make her sound braver than she felt. Mrs Lopez' eyes widened in fear and she began shaking her head wildly, seemingly not being able to form any words.

"Are you serious?" Santana could feel rage building inside her. Her father had done this to her again, and she still wouldn't do anything. "Mom we have to! We can't let him do this to you anymore!" She gestured to the dark bruises on her mother's face with her own broken arm. "This has been going on way too long!" Santana's voice softened at the look of pain and terror in her mother's eyes. She knelt down next to her again, taking her mother's hand.

"It isn't right, Mom. We can't let him get away with this again." Santana spoke softly as tears began to slowly roll down her face. "I need you to help me. I can't do this on my own." Santana pleaded with her mother, who just sat there speechless. The younger Latina rubbed her mother's hand comfortingly. She needed to do this. They had to tell someone.

Brittany stood in silence by the wall, taking in the scene in front of her. Santana kneeling on the ground next to her mother, holding her hand. Ms Lopez looked awful, with her face covered in blood and bruises. The blonde admired Santana's courage, but from where she was standing, it seemed this courage wasn't shared by her mother, who had begun shaking her head again.

"Santana I-I can't!" Mrs Lopez mumbled, managing to catch her breath finally, "He's my husband! I love him!" Santana couldn't understand. After all these years of beatings and intimidation, her mother still wouldn't give up on her husband. How could she still love him after all he'd done?

"Wha…? I… Why?" Santana finally spluttered.

"He's my husband Santana! And your father! How could you do that to your own father?" Mrs Lopez seemed genuinely convinced.

"How could I do that?" Santana scoffed, "Gee I dunno Mom! Maybe the same way he's done all this to his own daughter the past eight years! Maybe because he's a bastard who doesn't know the meaning of the word 'love' and deserves to rot in prison for the rest of his sorry excuse for a life!" Santana yelled, both hurt and anger showing in her eyes, which were now full of tears. Mrs Lopez just shook her head again.

"I can't! This isn't the man I loved! But he's there somewhere! We need to give him a chance! I can-"

"A chance?" Santana cut in, disbelief covering her face, "He's had loads of chances! Each time this happens is another chance for him! He can't do this anymore!"

"I'm sorry! I'm not ready to give up!" Mrs Lopez said defiantly, "I was thinking of suggesting that he go for counselling. To help with his anger and grief. If I get him when he's sober he might listen."

Santana let out a short humourless laugh. "Do you know who we're talking about? Sober isn't gonna make any difference! He'll come home and as soon as you open your mouth, there'll be a fist in your face!" She knew it was pointless to argue. Her mother wasn't ready to go to the police. "For me?"

Mrs Lopez opened her mouth to speak but shut it again suddenly, not coming up with anything to say. That was Santana's answer. Hurt and anger powered through her as it hit her.

"Well wow, it's always nice for a girl to know her parents don't love her!" Santana kept her voice just above a whisper as what was left of her heart broke. Grabbing Brittany's hand, she stormed out, leaving her mother on the couch, speechless.