Author's notes: Here's one more chapter! There may or may not be another one before I leave, we'll see ;) hope you enjoy, thanks for the reviews :)
Santana
I wake up Thursday morning because it feels like someone is stabbing me with a blunt knife in my abdomen. I sigh. That time of the month again. And I have an hour and a half of dance class at one. I bury my head in the covers, but that just makes me feel faintly nauseated.
Ugh. I roll over, trying to find a comfortable way to lie, but there is none. I press my fists into my stomach and breathe out. It feels like someone's twisting my stomach around with a spaghetti-style fork.
I'm feeling much better about the Dani thing though - after Kurt made me chocolate soufflé and talked me through it. "It's only a few days, Santana. She'll be back before you know it." Which, I guess, I already knew, but...
"Santana?" Rachel yells up the stairs.
"Fuck off, Rachel!" I yell back.
"There's a delivery guy here for you! Says you have to sign for yourself!" I know that Rachel has added "bitch" quietly on the end of that because we're completely in sync and she'll be feeling like just as much shit as I am.
"Fine!" I get up and pull a dressing robe over my skimpy pajamas.
"Sign here," the guy says. I sign there. "Here you go," he says, picking up the plain cardboard box at his feet.
"What in the hell?" Kurt's awake now too, looking bleary-eyed.
"I don't know," I reply, temporarily putting my need for some serious pain relief on hold.
"Sender?" he asks, flicking the kettle on.
"Nothing," I say.
"What are you waiting for? Open it!" Rachel says, sitting on the couch and pulling her knees up to her chest, wincing at the bright light aas Kurt opens the kitchen curtains.
I get a knife and slice through the packing tape. Opening the flaps, I discover a note taped to the inside of one of them.
Sorry I couldn't be there - I thought this might help. Feel better soon, honeybun. -Dani
"It's from Dani," I say.
"That explains a lot," Rachel grumps. "Of course Dani would post you a huge fucking box on the morning of my monthlies and wake us all up."
Kurt winks at me behind her back and offers her a cup of tea and some Advil.
"Maybe you'll change your mind once you see what's in here," I say, grinning.
"What?" Kurt and Rachel lean forward at the same time.
I pull out things one by one. There's a two hot water bottles, one with a panda cover and one with a dog cover, three DVDs - No Strings Attached, The Help, and John Tucker Must Die. The note tied between the hot water bottles says: Rachel's on the same cycle as you, right? I thought she'd like the dog one. The note on the DVDs says: Don't watch No Strings Attached until you can laugh about being on your period.
Rachel sits forward. "Did your girlfriend literally send you a care package because you've got your monthlies?" She sounds both envious and sarcastic.
I stick my tongue out at her - I think Dani's done well. It's put a smile on my face, anyway. There's a couple of different kinds of painkillers - Sorry, I didn't know which one you take! the note declares. There's pads and panty liners and tampons - no note. I guess she figures that I'm not too dumb to figure that one out.
There's more too - I dig deeper and turn up bubble bath, massage oil and shower gel, all tied together with a bow and a note: I hope someone will give you a massage but if they don't I'll do it when I see you next.
A box of tea bags with Chinese print and a note attached: This stuff always helps me and even if it doesn't it tastes good.
An envelope that has written on it: Send Kurt down to the sushi place for dinner.
And finally, two fluffy pairs of slippers with cat faces on them. One for you and one for Rachel - now you have pussies on your feet ;) love Dani x
I laugh. Dani really is an amazing girlfriend. Rachel looks slightly less grumpy, although whether that's the painkillers or Dani's efforts, I'm not sure.
Kurt rolls his eyes. "I might like moisturizing but the amount of estrogen in this room is killing me," he says.
Rachel hits him with one of the pussy slippers. "Tell that to me after you've been stabbed in the stomach with a pitchfork and have to dance your way through a day at NYADA."
Kurt laughs again. "I'm kidding, Rachel. I respect your strength," he says placatingly. "More tea?"
Rachel sighs and flops over sideways.
Kurt stands up. "Advil, Santana?"
I nod, flattening the box out to put in the recycling.
"Thanks, Kurt," I say as he gives me two tablets and a glass of water. After getting his head ripped off the first time Rachel got her period, he's worked out that it's in his best interest to give us both painkillers and placate us.
"No problem."
"We're having sushi for dinner, apparently." I hand him the envelope.
"Thrilling!" He snatches it off me and does a pirouette. "I'll put all this away."
He puts the painkillers in the pantry, and slides the dog slippers onto Rachel's feet. "Cinderella!" he declares dramatically. I roll my eyes at their theatrics, sure that Rachel will probably break out in song at any moment.
In the shower, I start to feel a bit better as the painkillers kick in. I get dressed in a hurry as Rachel bashes on the door, yelling that she needs tampons.
When I come downstairs, Rachel's lying on the sofa with a blanket wrapped around her. Kurt sits down beside her, holding the two hot water bottles. "You wanna watch a movie?"
"Yeah," I say.
I drag a couple of pillows onto the floor and Kurt dumps all the cushions on the floor in front of the couch and I put an arm around Rachel. She leans her head on my shoulder.
Kurt puts on The Help. As the opening scene plays, I compose a text to Dani.
Santana - Morning, gorgeous! I got your care package...that was so cute. Thank you so much :) made me feel much better x I love you.
"You're such a romantic!" Rachel squeals, suddenly sitting up.
"I'm not!" I protest, quickly blanking the screen of my phone.
"You so are! I saw that!"
I roll my eyes. "Shut up."
Rachel just smiles and puts her head on my shoulder again.
Dani
I'm sitting up in bed checking my emails when my phone chimes. I read the text from Santana and I smile.
Dani - Morning. I love you too x you're absolutely welcome, I'm so glad that it made you feel better - how are you feeling? x
I open the next email. It's one from my agent. Attached is a demo of a song.
This is off the Frozen soundtrack. I've been asked if you want to sing it to be released as a single, and I think it would suit your voice. Have a listen and tell me what you think.
I listen to the sample. It's a great song. I'm keen to sing it. I write a quick note telling her that I'll accept the offer and asking when I'm going to record it.
My phone chimes again.
Santana - Not great but it's not that bad. We're watching The Help.
Dani - Aww hun {hugs} You enjoying it?
Santana - Haha yeah it's actually really good. Emma Stone is awesome.
Dani - She's so much cooler in person.
Santana - I'm sooooooo jealous of you! :P
Dani - Shhhh perks of the job. So relaxing is making you feel better?
Santana - Yeah. Hopefully I'll be okay for my dance class too.
Dani - Aww, you have one today? Poor baby x
Santana - It'll be fine :) When are you due, anyway? Maybe I can do the same thing for you ;) even though it would totally be a rip off.
Dani - I'm not. I skip the sugar pills on tour, because who wants to be performing on stage when all they're good for is ODing on painkillers and a hot water bottle?
Santana - Good point. At least I don't have to feel bad that I'm not with you then :)
Dani - I love you.
Santana
When Dani texts me back, I open my phone behind Rachel's head so she can't read it.
I'm just telling her that I don't have to feel bad when doorbell rings. Kurt pauses the movie and sighs. I can't get up with Rachel leaning all over me and holding a hot water bottle on my stomach. And she's not moving off my shoulder. Kurt gets up, giving us both the finger for our laziness and laughing. As the door clicks open his laughter stops abruptly.
"Oh my god," he says.
Rachel and I glance at each other and then get up and rush to the door too.
It's Quinn. She's standing at the door with a sports bag and one hand raised to the doorbell.
"Oh honey," Rachel says, holding out her arms. Quinn's whole face trembles and then she falls into Rachel's arms.
I grab Quinn's bag and Rachel guides her onto the couch.
I flick the kettle back on, dropping one of Dani's relaxing tea bags into a cup and getting out the chocolate mousse that Kurt made last night. Quinn looks like she's in need of some serious comfort.
She looks so tired and small where she sits on the couch, hands folded in her lap. I crouch in front of her and hand her the cup of tea. Her hands are shaking. "Cold?"
She doesn't say anything, just sits there, tears rolling down her cheeks as Rachel talks to her quietly, speaking words of comfort. Kurt goes to Rachel's bedroom and brings back her duvet. He wraps it around Quinn and I see the shoulder squeeze he gives her, meant for comfort.
Quinn sips at the tea, still not saying anything. Eventually Rachel's pattering speech peters out and Quinn is left staring at the floor.
"Hey Quinn?" I say, kneeling in front of her. "You can stay here as long as you want, okay?"
She nods, once.
"You need to sleep, alright? I'm gonna take you to bed, and then I'm going to bring you something to eat, then you're going to sleep." I put my arm around Quinn and I notice that she flinches when I touch her side.
I take her to Rachel's bed, tuck her in, put the cup of tea beside her and go to the kitchen. Kurt's already made her a sandwich and I take it to her, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Kurt made you some food. You need to eat, okay?" I watch her as she puts it in her mouth, chews slowly and swallows. Still no talking. She gets halfway through the sandwich, puts it down and lies down.
"Sleep well, okay?" I touch her forehead. Slight fever. I go back out to the lounge, where Kurt and Rachel are both sitting on the couch.
"Did you find out what's wrong?" Rachel asks, sitting forward.
"She won't talk. I don't know…" I put my head in my hands.
Kurt sighs. "We just have to look after her, I guess. I'm going to cancel my shift at the diner so I can stay here. You guys go to class."
I look up. "Kurt, as sweet as that is, I think Rachel or I should stay. She needs her girlfriends, and neither of us really want to go to dance class anyway. Plus you - we - need the money. For rent and stuff."
Kurt nods. "Okay. Fair enough."
"I can stay, Rach," I offer. "You need the dance class for Funny Girl."
Rachel nods. "Okay. Are you sure?"
"Yup. I'm gonna go sit with her, okay? So there's someone there when she wakes up."
Kurt goes to the kitchen, what he always does when he's worried. I can hear the dull thump of the knife as he cuts things up.
Rachel comes down the hall and into her room.
"You okay, San?" She sits down beside me.
"Yeah," I say. "I'm just...worried about Quinn."
She hugs me. "It'll be okay."
"I hope so."
We sit in silence for a few minutes. I remember Dani and check my phone. I can't tell her this in a text. I have to call her.
"I'll be back in a minute," I tell Rachel. She nods as I leave.
I call Dani, desperate to hear her voice.
"Dani?" I say. And then I burst into tears.
Dani
Santana calls me up after about half an hour. I'm just eating toast, and I grab the phone and accept the call.
"Hey!" I say happily.
"Dani?" And then she starts crying.
"Santana? What is it?" I stand up, pacing over to the mirror. "Honey?"
She slowly breathes in and out. "Sorry, just..."
"Wanna talk about it?"
"Yeah-" and then she spills everything. Her friend Quinn, what happened, absolutely everything.
"Oh, hun. I'm so sorry." I comfort her with words as much as I can. "I know you need hugs right now. I wish I could be with you, but I really hope it all works out." I sigh, imagining how much she just wants to curl up and relax.
"It's- It'll be okay. Look, I should get back. I'm sorry. I'll, um, talk to you later." Santana ends the call, sounding freaked out.
I worry for the rest of the day. I eat my now-cold toast, then go to the pool complex. I swim back and forth for ages, veering between worry about Santana and doubt about her and just everything gets tangled up in my head.
At hair and make up, I'm a mess, twisting my hands in my lap as Serafina works around my head.
"Dani! This is full of chlorine." She shakes her head and pushes me over to the basin to wash it.
I wince involuntarily as she rubs my head. "Tense?" she asks, lathering up the shampoo.
"Yeah," I say. "Just Santana stuff."
"Oh," she says. "You can tell me. If you want." She sounds awkward, as if she's remembering the last time Santana was here.
I don't actually dislike Serafina at all; I just had a mood swing that day and she did have a crush on my girlfriend, although I suppose I understand that… I tell her all about the drama, needing to sort out the mess in my head. She nods and agrees sympathetically in the appropriate places.
"You know, she'll be okay, right? She's got her friends, and you'll be there in a few days. You are a good girlfriend." Serafina sprays warm water over my hair.
"I know," I say. "It's just hard… It's still so early in the relationship, and I just - I just want to be with her, you know."
"Yeah, I know," she says. "I know."
Santana
Rachel's making us toasties for lunch when Quinn wakes up.
"Santana?" she whispers. I sit forward.
"Hey, Quinn. You okay?"
"I feel better now," she says. "Thanks. I'm sorry for turning up like that."
"It's okay. You need somewhere to stay?" I guess.
"I'm sorry-" Her face screws up.
"It's okay. Stay as long as you want." I sit up on the bed next to her. "Do you wanna talk about it?"
She shakes her head. "Can I use the bathroom?"
I show her, then head to the lounge. "I'm going to make up a bed in the spare room for Quinn."
Rachel nods. "I'll get some bedding."
Rachel and I make up the bed silently. She does the sheets, I do the duvet cover. There's an empty filing cabinet which I figure Quinn can use for her stuff until we sort her out more. It didn't look like she had that much.
"Thanks, guys." Quinn stands at the door, holding onto the frame like she might fall over.
"It's okay, Quinn. We've always been here if you needed us and we're here now," Rachel says, putting an arm around her and sitting her down.
"You need anything?" I sit on the other side of her, patting her back.
"I'm fine," she whispers, when it's so blindingly obvious that she's not.
Dani
I'm playing Candy Crush in my dressing room when Santana Skypes me.
"Hello?" Her face pops into the picture.
"San!" I force a smile for her. "How are you?"
"Yeah, I'm okay," she says. "I'm glad to see you."
"How's Quinn?"
"She's...okay. She won't talk about anything. We're really worried." Santana tries for a smile.
"Oh, honeybun. It'll be okay," I say.
"I really hope so," she says, pulling her hair into a ponytail. "So how was your day?"
"I went swimming, then there was prep for tonight and now I'm just waiting in the dressing room to warm up… I was gonna call you to make sure you were okay."
"Thanks, Dani," she says. "I've been hugging Demi and thinking about you." She giggles. "Is that stupid?"
"No. It's actually really kind of cute," I say.
"I love you," she says, blinking furiously.
"I love you too, San."
"Yeah," she says. "This morning was amazing, by the way. That really made my totally shitty day much better."
"I want to make you feel better every time your day sucks," I say, biting my lip at how cheesy that sounds.
"I-" Santana looks down. I think she's crying a bit, but that's okay. "I'd like that."
"I know, San, I know. You're gonna be okay," I say, seeing that she's now crying openly. "Quinn will be okay; you're absolutely spectacular at looking after people, and I would know! I'll be there in less than four days to give you hugs and rub your back and everything, hun. Just hold on."
Santana manages to smile for a few seconds. "Dani, you're amazing. Totally amazing."
"I just want you to be okay." I hold up a hand in the camera view. She holds up hers and I can see her squeeze her eyes shut as she imagines my hand in hers.
"I love you, so, so, so, much," Santana whispers.
"I love you all the way from Chicago to New York, San."
She smiles a bit at that and I think I've done my job of cheering her up a bit.
"Anyway, hun, I've got to go for warm ups." Amber's yelling through my earpiece for me. "I'll talk to you tomorrow, yeah? Bye!"
"Bye, Dani. Good luck, sweetie!"
I blow her a kiss and end the call.