NA: For those who asked, the story is coming to an end, and there are very few chapters to come. I might be convinced to write a sequel, though. Let's see how persuasive the readers can be.

Oh, and hugs and cookies and kittens to BrSoccerChic, a beautiful person who offered to beta me and is doing a wonderful job at it.


11

Santana is as miserable as she thought she would be when she told Brittany to leave, and refuses to take any calls. She's not used to being like this after a breakup, because she's not used to being so attached to anyone; Blonde must have cast a spell on her, there was no other explanation. She drinks beer and stays in most of the time, especially now that her murals are all over New York, Blaine had sold all her paintings over the last few months and she had built up quite a bit of savings for someone with her expenses.

She doesn't need to paint if she doesn't want to, and so she drinks beer and stays at home when she's not out with Puck, or boxing with Puck until her lungs hurt, and singing with Puck and his guys. Puck doesn't look at her like he feels sorry for her, he just carries her on his back at 4am when there's no one on the streets and they had one too many tequila shots. He's a nice guy and he makes her forget about her own problems and he knows what she needs to take the edge off without her telling him so.

Brittany calls every day, so Santana stops using her cellphone. She doesn't need to meet that many people anyway, and those who matter know how to reach her. She rehearses every Thursday and Wednesday night with the band, Rachel often hijacks her on the weekends to fill her time, and Quinn grows a habit of spending with Santana the nights she's not spending with Jewish Barbra. Santana wonders how that girl even manages to keep the grades she keeps with a problematic friend like Santana and a demanding diva like Berry, but often Quinn is at Santana's reading something or studying something, drinking Santana's coffee and staying awake long after Santana has passed out on the couch watching something stupid on her new television.

Kurt and Blaine try to stage an intervention during the second week. Blaine says she's miserable and Kurt finishes his sentence saying that Brittany is miserable, too. Santana doesn't care, and she's tired of second guessing and being bossed around. Except that Santana cares and her heart aches to talk about Brittany in any way and it takes all of her energy to pull herself together. "You're meant to be, Santana." Blaine says, and she almost cries. "She cheated on me. And we've been living by her rules for a year. It's time it stopped." She answers, leaving her beer behind and leaving the bar they had found her in.

Her main distraction is the band and the show on Saturday where she will sing a couple of songs. It will be a great opportunity for them and a great diversion for Santana, who even buys some chains to add a punk touch to her dark, ripped jeans, and excels on her smoky eyes and her fuck me make up. They are doing some AC/DC, some Rolling Stones, some pop songs turned into rock, and Santana is actually a bit nervous before it starts and downs some vodka to loosen up before going up on stage.

They do great and people love them and Puck's guitar solos and how his voice blends with Santana's and how they fake flirt. The lights blind Santana to everything but Finn's drums and Puck's guitar, Tina's bass and how her heartbeat syncs with every song. She jumps around, she plays with everyone, and people are singing along and cheering; one thing people can't say is that she has no stage presence.

When they leave the stage she spots the manager smiling in the back and she has a feeling Puck might be coming back a few more times if it's up to the public's response. She's happy for him. They all share a beer, and just as predictably as possible, people start hitting on them. This is the first time Santana is exposed to that kind of thing since the fight, and even though it's easy to turn down men in general, when a girl comes to talk to her she hesitates and thinks of Blonde.

The worst moment is when Sugar comes to talk to her and even though that girl is completely crazy and absolutely convinced that her horrible voice is fit for singing, she's nothing short of amazing under the sheets and she's looking great. Santana's sitting on a stool, and obviously Sugar takes advantage of that to stand between Santana's legs and place her hands on Santana's thighs. She's talking to Santana like their proximity is no big deal and Santana hasn't had sex in three weeks and she's human. Her body is responding even though she wishes it weren't, and Sugar's cleavage is tempting and she's wearing that same citric perfume.

Santana thinks for a moment she has seen Brittany and her breath catches. It would make sense, a lot of sense, as Blonde has known about the concert they were rehearsing for at that big club and could very well have decided to show up. But Sugar is leaning in and their lips are touching and that girl is wonderful at kissing, so Santana decides to forget the rush of yellow hair that could or could not be Blonde and closes her eyes, letting Sugar explore her mouth and place herself between Santana's legs as her hand finds Santana's hair. When they part Sugar is smiling dangerously and leaves to buy them both a drink.

"What do you think you're doing?" Blonde actually shows up and all blood leaves Santana's face. She's wearing high heels and a black strapless dress that barely leaves room for imagination and she's as much of a goddess as she was three weeks ago. "Who is that girl?" Santana finishes her beer, trying to calm herself down, before answering. "Someone I used to go out with. Not that it is any of your business."

"Of course it is my business. You are my girlfriend." Blonde takes a step further, invading Santana's personal space like it is no big deal and setting Santana's glass aside. She has an edge Santana can't explain, an aura of danger. "Mine." She says before cupping Santana's face and kissing her hot and demanding, pressing against Santana in such a way that Santana's head spins and all her blood rushes south before she can say Mike Chang. Her tongue massages Santana's and she bites and pulls Santana's lower lip before diving in again, sucking Santana's tongue and there's nothing left to do but moan. Her hand is at the back of Santana's neck and at rare times has she ever been this controlling and it takes Santana some time to realize what is going on and push her back.

"Last time I checked you were straight and dating one of your dancers." She says coldly, running the back of her hand over her mouth as if to wipe it clean of Brittany's taste. "I'm tired of the hiding and the gossip magazines. You kissing me won't change a thing." She says, even though she's staring at Blonde's perfect lips more than she'd like, and when Sugar returns with two beers there's a long, tense silence until Brittany introduces herself as the girlfriend, Santana interrupts saying not anymore, and Sugar looks at the both of them, hands Santana her beer and says she'll come back later.

"Look at what you've done." Santana says, irritated, and looks at her beer, drinking a few large gulps. Blonde places her hands on the counter behind Santana, hovering over Santana and trapping her in place, dangerously close again. "Santana, it's been three weeks. We'll have to talk eventually." Brittany says, in a sure tone, overwhelming Santana with her perfume. "You know that, don't you?" Santana nods, trying not to act on their proximity. She's still hurt, and she still doesn't trust Blonde.

She takes the initiative this time and kisses Handsome Devil, this time slow and gentle. She wonders how two people can have a connection like theirs, and how a mere kiss gets her hot and bothered like that, and how it's possible to be so blindly in love. When they part, she looks into Blonde's eyes for a long moment. "When you're ready for me, let me know." She says, and leaves.