July 9, 1996
"Quinn would ya hurry it up?! I want to show you something before we go see the movie with your grams!" Santana yelled up the stairs at the blonde. Santana didn't know what was taking the girl so long but she was growing impatient. The little brunette let out a sigh as she tapped her fingers anxiously against the banister of the stairs. They only had about 30 minutes before Betty would be gathering them up to get going to the theater and it took at least fifteen minutes to get to where Santana was taking them. If they didn't leave now, they could just forget about it.
"Quinn Fabray!" Santana shouted out again and a blonde head popped up at the head of the stairs before she was dashing down them.
"Geeze, can't a girl get ready in peace?" Quinn asked with a laugh and Santana rolled her eyes.
"Sure. I have no problem with that. It's when the girl takes an eternity to get ready is what I have a problem with." Santana replied smartly as Quinn hopped over the last stair and gave Santana a bright smile.
"Exaggeration." Quinn remarked and Santana only shook her head with a smile.
"Come on. I want to show you something I found on my way home from the lake yesterday. I think you'll like it." Santana said as she took the blondes hand and they both made their way out of Betty's house.
"Ooh is it like a secret garden or something?" Quinn asked, her eyes sparkling at the prospect and Santana laughed.
"You really gotta get over that movie Q." Santana replied playfully and the blonde scoffed at her while giving her a light shove. Quinn had made the brunette watch that movie about thirty times since she had met her and the blonde was still mesmerized by it each time. Santana didn't know how Quinn did it. One time Puck had made her watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles about 12 times, a movie that Santana had once loved, and she ended up breaking his copy of it. By then, Santana even hated just hearing those mutant green turtles' names.
"It's a great movie Santana." Quinn declared as she grabbed the brunette's hand again, allowing herself to be lead wherever it was they were going. Santana swung their clasped hands together.
"Oh I know it is. But how you can watch it like twenty times a day is crazy to me." Santana said with a laugh and Quinn rolled her eyes.
"I do not watch it that much!" Quinn protested to which Santana just shrugged, letting the blonde know she wasn't fooling anyone.
"And to answer your question, it's not a secret garden." Santana said as they made their way through the opening of the brush near the road and into the woods.
"Well what is it then?" Quinn asked, a slight frown on her face and Santana threw her a smile; her eyes huge and sparkly.
"It's a surprise!" Santana exclaimed with excitement and Quinn sighed.
"San, you know I hate surprises." Quinn whined and Santana abruptly stopped their walking.
"Come on! Live a little Quinn." Santana remarked as she gave the blonde's arm a shake as their hands were still tightly clasped together. Quinn couldn't deny the bright smile on her friends face so she sighed and gave in.
"Fine." Quinn obliged with a small smile on her face and Santana gave a whoop, tugging the blonde along again. The two continued on their path, talking about the movie they were going to see and Santana complaining about how her abuela made her clean out the attic the other day. They talked about anything and everything; big and small.
"Where is this place that you're taking me, in Narnia or something?" Quinn interrupted their previous chatter to ask and Santana laughed.
"We'll be there soon. Promise." Santana replied and Quinn sighed, following along still. It was starting to get hotter, the sun blazing in the clear blue sky, but soon the duo came to a hanging bridge and Santana halted their movements. The bridge didn't look safe at all and there were a few planks of wood missing from it. Quinn just crossed her fingers and hoped they didn't have to go over it.
"Look! I found it yesterday when I got lost and the path led me here. I just had to show it to you." Santana pointed and as Quinn followed her finger, her eyes stumbled upon an old tree house. It looked abandoned but the way the overgrowth of the trees hung around it made it seem peaceful. And wonderfully secretive and. The sparkles of light that came through the tree from the blazing sun above painted the wood an even gold and made it seem magical.
"Wow. That's really cool." Quinn let out as the pair of them stared ahead at it.
"I know. Come on." Santana said as she began to move but Quinn grabbed her by the arm before she could step foot on to the hanging bridge.
"We don't have to cross that do we?" Quinn asked with a slight gulp. She really didn't want to fall to her death all because Santana was a self proclaimed 'adventure seeker.'
"How else do you think we're getting across Q?" Santana asked with a laugh and Quinn shrugged.
"I don't know. We could go around so that way we don't fall to our death." Quinn remarked, her eyes wide.
"Where's the fun in that? What, ya scared Quinnie bear?" Santana asked with a smirk on her face to which Quinn rolled her eyes at.
"No. It just doesn't look safe is all." Quinn said indignantly as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"You'll be fine. I crossed it yesterday and didn't die. Just don't look down." Santana said and as soon as the words left the brunette's mouth, Quinn did just that. She saw the murky water of the lake flowing underneath them and the height of how far they were up made her dizzy. Quinn looked at the brunette with slight panic and Santana sighed.
"I said DON'T look down blondie." Santana reprimanded and shook her head. Quinn gave a helpless shrug.
"Come on. You can hold my hand." Santana declared as she held out her hand. Quinn looked from the brunette's hand, to the long plunge she would take if she fell and then back to Santana's hand. Santana gave her fingers a wiggle, signaling the blonde to take her hand and Quinn sighed; giving in. She took Santana's hand and the brunette gave her a smile.
"If I fall to my death I'm coming back to haunt you Santana Lopez." Quinn retorted as the two of them began to move across the rickety bridge.
"Seems fair." Santana said with a chuckle. Quinn was holding on to the brunette's hand and the rope of the bridge with an iron grip as they moved across the wooden planks. In the middle Santana hit a rather creaky plank that sent them both wobbling for balance as well as the old bridge. Quinn let out an audible gasp and her heart began to race a mile a minute.
"It's fine. We're fine." Santana assured as she looked back at the blonde. Quinn could see that there was a pause of fear in Santana's face. Even though Quinn's eyes were as wide as saucers and her face was a little pale, she gave Santana a head nod. After catching their breaths, and waiting for the bridge to stop swinging, the pair started across it again and finally made it to solid ground.
"See that wasn't so bad." Santana said with a laugh but only received a playful punch from her blonde companion.
"Wasn't so bad?! We almost died Santana!" Quinn yelled, slightly hysterical and Santana rubbed her arm where the punch landed.
"Geeze blondie settle down. We weren't going to die. If anything the water would have broken our fall." Santana said with a smirk and Quinn rolled her eyes at her as she blew out her breath. They both stood there for a minute, letting Quinn catch her breath and hold back her urge to throw up from near death.
"So we going up or what?" Santana asked as she looked up at the house in the trees.
"Of course we are. I didn't just brave that for nothing." Quinn declared as she pointed at the death trap that was the hanging bridge. Santana gave the blonde a smile and began climbing the wooden slabs used for a ladder and into the tree house, Quinn right behind her. Once they got inside they took a look around. The place was pretty spacious and it got the perfect mix of sunlight and shade.
"Who do you think this belongs to?" Quinn asked as she pulled at a cobweb that was hanging in front of her.
"I don't know. But it doesn't look like it has been used for a while. Maybe ever." Santana said as she took a look around as well. She then made her way over to the makeshift balcony, took a seat and let her feet dangle out of the house and over water. Quinn took the seat beside her.
"Well since no one has claimed it, can we?" Quinn asked as she kicked her feet back and forth. Santana gave her a smile.
"Sure we can. We can clean it up a bit. Paint it if you want and make it our own." Santana said as she lightly kicked the blonde's foot with her own. Quinn laughed and nodded her head.
"That would be awesome." Quinn replied mimicking the brunette's actions a kicking back at Santana's foot.
"It can be our secret headquarters. We can come here when we're bored or when our grandmas drive us insane. Or if we're ever feeling sad." Santana remarked and Quinn really liked that idea.
"How are we gonna make sure no one tries to take it over?" Quinn asked, looking to Santana and she shook her head.
"No one ever comes out this far. It's a far walk and most of the kids here are too afraid to." Santana reassured. She was more than positive no one would make the walk out this far just to mess with their tree house.
"Are we gonna tell Puck about it?" Quinn asked and Santana shrugged.
"I don't know. Do you want to?" Santana asked and this time it was Quinn shrugging.
"I don't know either but I kind of like the idea of it just being ours. Something for us." Quinn said giving Santana a smile and Santana returned it.
"Then it's settled. It can be just ours." Santana replied with a head nod. The two sat there in silence for a while, their feet dangling just above the water and enjoying the view.
"So I hear your parents are coming to visit for a few days. Are you excited?" Santana asked as she chewed away at her nails. It was a habit she picked up and couldn't get rid of.
"I mean I guess. I sort of miss them you know but I just-never mind." Quinn said shrugging with a frown on her face. She did miss her parents but there was a reason she liked the time she got away when she visited her grams. It meant no fighting. No yelling. No slamming doors or breaking dishes. It meant the little blonde could have peace of mind.
"Nah come on. You can tell me." Santana said bumping Quinn's shoulder with a reassuring smile on her face. Quinn knew her parents fighting wasn't nearly as tragic as Santana losing hers but if the girl was willing to listen it could be something Quinn could get off her chest.
"I do miss my mom and dad. What I don't miss is all the yelling that they do. They're always fighting about something." Quinn said looking at Santana as she bit her lip. She hadn't really told anyone about how bad the fighting between her parents was. It was mostly because she didn't have many friends at school to talk to and it's not like she could talk to Frannie about it because she already knew. She could probably talk to her grams about it but she didn't want to get in trouble if she happened to.
"Whether it's about me or my sister, about bills, anything. They yell and scream at each other like whoever is the loudest will win a prize or something. And I know when they get here that isn't going to automatically change." Quinn finished with a sigh.
"Man that's rough. I'm sorry that your parents are always fighting. I use to hear mine argue a few times before, you know, and it did suck. Does it ever scare you?" Santana asked and Quinn shook her head.
"Yeah. Sometimes my mom will throw things or my dad will slam the front door extra hard when he's leaving to cool off and it gets a little scary. I usually go sleep with Frannie when that happens." Quinn admitted with a shrug before Santana spoke up.
"I'll tell you what, when your parents get here if they start fighting or yelling and you just can't take it, call me and we can come here alright?" Santana said and once again Quinn was biting her lip.
"What if it's late? I wouldn't want to wake you up or get you in trouble with your abuela." Quinn asked and Santana waved her off.
"That doesn't matter. Sleep is for babies and old people and I'm in trouble with my abuela half the time anyway. We'll just make it a night adventure." Santana declared, cracking a smile and Quinn did too.
"Promise?" Quinn asked as she held up her pinky, signaling for the girl to make her a promise. Santana held up her pinky as well and wrapped it around the blonde's.
"Promise. Just say the word and I'm here." Santana reassured. Both girls pressed their thumbs together and kissed the skin of it just before spitting over the makeshift balcony. They both settled back into their seats and a comfortable silence but soon Quinn was breaking it.
"Thanks for being my friend Santana." Quinn said as she played with her hands, adopting a shy look on her face just before glancing up at the other girl. Santana had a look of surprise on her face. No one had ever thanked her for being their friend. Not even Puck. Most of the time people were running the other way because of her attitude and sharp tongue.
"You're welcome. It's a hell of a lot better than just being friends with Noah. You're pretty and nice and smell way better too." Santana remarked and both girls laughed. Quinn hadn't missed the part where Santana said she was pretty but it had her wondering if she meant it or just said it because she was being nice. She didn't think about it too much. Either way, it was nice to hear. There was a pregnant pause before Santana was speaking again.
"Thanks too." Santana declared with a smile before looking away from the blonde and kicking her feet back and forth.
"We should probably get going. My grams is most likely wondering where we ran off to." Quinn said with a chuckle and Santana nodded her head. Both girls got to their feet, dusting off the seat of their pants before descending the tree house and, this time, taking the long way around instead of crossing the bridge.
Santana chastised the blonde for being so wimpy and declaring that the next time they came they were just going to have to cross it again, because she was not taking the long way around every time, but the blonde argued that they would solve that problem when they got to it. Santana sighed but gave in to Quinn's demands and followed her back to her grams house the long way, half of the way griping in Spanish about how they could have been back hours ago. When they finally made it to the front gate of Betty's house, the middle aged woman was sitting on the front porch waiting for them.
"And where have you two been this whole time? Hmm?" Betty asked as the two girls came through the gate to stand in front of her. She had her hands placed firmly on her hips and this caused Quinn to bite her lip. It was Santana that spoke up though.
"Well you see Ms. Fabray when I was coming home from the lake yesterday I found this really cool but secret old tree house and I just had to show it to Quinn so we went to it real quick and I didn't think you would mind seeing as you said we would be leaving to head to the movies around 5:30 and its only…" Santana paused to look at the Minnie Mouse watch her abuela had gotten her for her tenth birthday.
"Its only 5:20 and technically we still have ten more minutes but sorry that I kidnapped Quinn without telling you. It'll never happen again just please don't tell my abuela or else she'll make me wash the windows again. She might even throw in attic dusting and I really couldn't bare that. It's dusty and creepy up there and I think my abuela's old cat died up there as well because it smells something fierce in that place." Santana stopped her mouth from running a mile a minute and caught her breath as she looked at Ms. Fabray. She was trying to assess whether she was washing the windows tomorrow or not. Betty cracked an amused smile at the little brunette in front of her.
"You know Santana you should really get an award or something for how fast you can flap those gums of yours." Betty said with a chuckle to which Santana playfully rolled her eyes.
"Thanks. I think." Santana replied and just shook her head. She thought she should get an award for many things. She was just glad someone else recognized that.
"Well why don't you girls go grab your coats and we'll head out to that movie. I'll get the car started." Betty said and Santana gave the woman a salute just before both girls ran into the house to get their jackets. Soon Santana and Quinn were sliding in the back seat of Betty's VW bus and heading to the movie. Quinn always loved the old thing. It reminded her of the Mystery Machine from Scooby Doo. She always thought she was riding in style when her grams took her anywhere in it but that wasn't the same for Frannie. She always complained and said it made her look like she was transported back to the days of the Hippies.
The three of them sang songs and even played the license plate game as they drove on the highway into the next county. There wasn't much to Clarksburg and even going to the movies was practically going out of your way but it was a lazy Sunday and neither of the three had much to do. When they finally made it to the theater, Betty bought both girls a whole assortment of junk food and the two couldn't have been happier.
It just meant that every 15 minutes they were both alternating between using the bathroom from all the soda they had consumed and squirming in their seats due to the sugar rush from all the candy they ate. Even when they were back on the road after the movie had finished, the two of them couldn't sit still.
"So did you like the movie?" Quinn asked as her and Santana sat on her front porch. The sky was tinged with reds, blues, and oranges as the two ate their ice cream. Santana shrugged.
"Yeah it was good. Funny and sad. I hated the part when all those kids got sick. Balto kicked ass though but he should have kicked that other wolfs ass is what's up." Santana declared and then took a lick from her ice cream cone. Quinn giggled but nodded her head in agreement. Steele was a jerk.
"He was just jealous because Jenna liked Balto better." Quinn commented and this time it was Santana giggling.
"So true!" Santana exclaimed shaking her head. Both girls finished their ice cream and had a race to see who could finish their cones the fastest. Santana won by stuffing the whole thing in her mouth. Then she nearly chocked. Quinn patted her on the back as the brunette hacked and coughed, flakes from the cone puffing out of her mouth as she did.
"You okay?" Quinn asked once Santana was done coughing, a hint of amusement and concern in her voice.
"Peachy Blondie. I still won." Santana declared when she got a hold of herself and Quinn rolled her eyes playfully.
"Oh I'm so sad I lost. Whatever shall I do?" Quinn deadpanned to which Santana bumped her shoulder. Santana let out a sigh and looked up at the steady darkening sky.
"Well that's my queue to get going." Santana said as she rose to her feet off the stairs and started towards the gate. Quinn followed behind her.
"Are you sure you don't want my grams to give you a ride home? I'm sure she wouldn't mind." Quinn asked and Santana shook her head as she put her hands in her pockets.
"Nah I'll be okay. I mean I only live down the street." Santana replied with a chuckle and Quinn gave her a smile.
"You sure?" Quinn asked again as she leaned over her grams' front gate. Santana gave her a smile.
"Positive. I'll see you tomorrow though. Puck wants to go to the arcade and I'm sure you'll want to be there to watch him get his butt handed to him." Santana said with a smirk.
"I wouldn't dare miss it." Quinn replied and Santana shook her head.
"Catch you later blondie." Santana said before she began making her way down the street and disappearing around the corner. Quinn then made her way back inside tuckered out from the day's events and headed off to bed.
A few days later both girls stayed true to their word and fixed up their tree house. Santana's abuela had a few extra paint cans left in the basement from when she re-painted the house and with her permission, the pair confiscated them. Santana then had Puck 'borrow' Mr. Connolly's wheel barrel to transport the paint to the tree house and the two got down to business. The girls had a hard time painting the outer wood, stopping while they were ahead when Santana almost fell out of the neighboring tree branch. So half of the outside was painted and half wasn't. Santana claimed it gave it character to which Quinn splashed paint at her and her nonsense, starting a war that neither wanted to forfeit.
They made quick work of painting the inside and even swiped an old crate from the Quick and Go as a makeshift table. They decorated it with their own old pillows and shabby blankets, a battery operated lantern that Quinn got from her grams and even had a stash of snacks for when they got hungry. Once they were finished, it was almost like a second home to them. Santana and Quinn made it their own. Their safe haven. They spent more time in that tree house then they did at home and they always kept their promise that whenever things got rough for either one of them, it would be there go to place. It was the one place they both felt they didn't need to be ashamed of being scared, sad, or a little lost in the world at times.
AN: I know. It's totally late buuuuut it's midterm week and I've immersed myself in a study cave to be able to make it out of these things alive. I found some down time to post so hoorah. Next chapter features Santana and reviews are always appreciated!
