A/N - Thank you for the kind reviews, I'm glad everyone's still interested! Just a little reminder, pre-season 4 Sam is the only Sam I accept so I hope that comes across when I write him. Anyway, enjoy!

CHAPTER 12

In a perfect world, Santana would never have to see Sam's face again after her humiliating argument and it would never have to be brought up again, but sadly that world doesn't exist. In the real world, Santana has to own up to her mistakes and deal with her shit even if she'd rather not.

"Hey Santana," Sam says with his hands dug deep in his jeans pockets. He gives her a friendly smile but there's a slight uncertainty in his eyes as he stops at the bottom steps of the bleachers.

Santana instantly feels a little guilty for the unnecessary amount of distance he keeps between them, but that's fair when the last time she saw him was in the parking lot after practice and she went completely off on him and Brittany. Since then, she hasn't seen him around so she hasn't exactly apologized to him either.

So she swallows hard and smiles back, "Hey Sam. How are you?"

"Yeah, I'm good. How are you?" Sam smiles too and nods to the crowd of dancers, "Why aren't you out there?"

Santana shrugs because even she doesn't have a reasonable answer, "You here to see Brittany?"

"Kinda. Mr. Schue invited me for the Glee Club performance later but I saw you sitting alone over here so I thought I'd say hi." Sam answers and Santana hates how he is still a genuinely nice guy, it makes her feel even more worse for going off.

"That's cool." Santana nods and they both look out at the bonfire, an awkward silence falling around them. All the things left unsaid weigh heavily on Santana's shoulders until she can't take it any longer.

"So.." They both say in unison.

Sam chuckles and Santana shuffles uncomfortably in her seat.

"Is this weird? This is weird." Sam mumbles awkwardly.

Santana smiles weakly and remembers a very brief time back in high school when they dated, Santana obviously didn't have real feelings for him and she just used him for his status and to cause a little drama, but the person she was then to who she is now is so different. She played him like a toy, but now all she can think of is how wrong she treated him.

She inhales deeply and turns to look up at him, "So, about the other day in the parking lot. I was clearly in the wrong for saying what I did. I-I didn't know anything and I-"

"Don't worry about it," Sam stops her as Santana begins to fumble for the right words. There's a kind smile on his face, one of understanding, as he climbs a couple of steps closer.

Santana's brows scrunch in confusion but then it clicks.

"Did Brittany talk to you?" Santana asks and Sam nods as he settles in the spot next to her.

"Yeah, she told me a couple things." Sam replies softly.

Santana sighs and lowers her eyes, "I'm sorry, Sam. I shouldn't have been so harsh when I didn't know what was really going on. That wasn't cool."

"Hey, it's alright." Sam chuckles and nudges Santana's shoulder so she looks up at him, "I kind of missed your witty insults. No one has called me Trouty Mouth in years."

Santana chuckles too and she feels a little more at ease.

"I haven't had the chance to say this, but I'm really glad you're back. I know I might've had something to do with you two not keeping in contact over the years and I hope you know that was never my intention," Sam says and Santana stiffens at his serious tone, "I've been by her side through some of her really rough times, but I know a piece of her always wished it was you instead of me. Not that she said that, but you can just tell sometimes. I could just tell. She doesn't open up to me about things like she would with you. She barely talked about MIT or her parents or you," Sam pauses and scuffs his shoe against the ground, "She's kept a lot of things to herself, bottled up, so I guess I'm just trying to say be careful with her."

That sparks Santana's interest and she looks up at him again but this time her tone is sharp as she speaks, "Be careful with her? What's that supposed to mean? Did you come over here to warn me? Make sure I stay in my lane? News flash, maybe she just didn't feel comfortable opening up to you?"

Sam lets out a sigh and shakes his head, "Why do you have to do that? Why do you have to get so defensive? I wasn't trying to pick a fight."

"Are you sure because that's not what it sounds like." Santana snaps, "You might've been around for a hot minute but I've been around longer, maybe not recently, but I will know Brittany better than you would ever hope to, Trouty, so don't come over here trying to pretend like you do. You don't."

Sam's shoulder drop instantly but he doesn't waver, "You've known Brittany way longer than I have, I don't doubt that, but what I was just trying to explain to you is that Brittany's my best friend too and I care about her and I want her to be happy. You remember what that feels like, don't you?"

Santana grits her teeth as she thinks about his words. Does she know what it feels like? Is he serious? Of course she does! Once upon at time, Santana was the one that knew Brittany better than anyone and for Sam to suggest otherwise is insulting.

"I don't want to see her get hurt," Sam adds, "But that's what happens when you're together. You hurt each other."

A lump forms in Santana's throat and she purses her lips tightly to try to stifle it.

Sam turns to her and speaks attentively, "Look Santana, I know I'm not your favorite person but we do have something in common and that's caring about Brittany. I was here when you weren't and that's not a jab at you and everything that has happened between you two, I'm just trying to say that I've earned my title as her best friend too. Like I said, I don't want to see her get hurt and I know that's a common thing that happens when you two get close."

Santana's jaw tenses as Sam's words hit low in her gut. She's at a loss for words and she can feel herself lashing out at any moment because how dare Sam talk about she and Brittany's dynamic as if he knows anything about what they've endured. She thinks about shoving him down the few steps but it wouldn't do nearly enough damage, but then she imagines Brittany's disappointed face after seeing that happen and she decides to take the high road.

"Maybe that's true but whatever happens between Brittany and I is our business and you really don't know anything about what we've gone through. Thanks for your concern, I'm glad Brittany has a friend that looks out for her like you do but we're just friends so you don't have to worry about that." Santana replies, there's still a slight edge in her voice. Just off in the distance, Santana can see Quinn walking towards them with a perplexed look on her face. Brittany's too caught up in talking to Mr. Schue to notice though and maybe that's a good thing.

Sam just ducks his head slowly then moves to stand up, "Okay, I guess I'll see you around then."

"Bye Sam." Santana says and watches as he nods again before making his way down the steps.

"Hey Quinn." He says in passing as Quinn approaches.

She gives him a polite smile and says, "Hey Sam." Then she looks to Santana who rolls her eyes and she waits until Sam's just out of earshot, "What was that about?"

Santana lets out a deep sigh as Quinn settles in next to her. Santana crosses her arms tightly across her chest, defending herself from what feels to be a ten degree drop in the temperature but she also feels a little vulnerable after some of the things Sam said.

"Just Sam acting like he knows anything about Britt and I when really he doesn't know shit." Santana bites, still staring daggers into the back of his head as he approaches Brittany and Mr. Schue. She grimaces as Brittany turns to him with a smile and gives him a big hug, "I can't believe you and I fought over him."

Quinn just chuckles, "If I remember correctly, you stole him from me."

"If I remember correctly, you were cheating on him with Finn." Santana smirks and Quinn begins to blush.

"God," Quinn sighs tiredly, "Don't remind me. High school sucked."

Santana just laughs, already feeling slightly better, but then her eyes settle on Brittany again just as she turns to she and Quinn. Brittany waves in their direction but the smile that accompanies it is different than how she looked at Sam. Maybe it's just Santana's eyes playing tricks or maybe it's just her over-active imagination, but she looks happier.

Then she gets to thinking; if it wasn't for high school and joining the Cheerios and Glee club, her relationship with Brittany would've never happened. Maybe they would've never dated? Maybe Santana never would've had the courage to acknowledge her feelings for Brittany?

"I don't know," Santana says as Brittany nears, "High school had its perks."

Quinn ponders a moment then shrugs, "I suppose."

"You so missed out!" Brittany teases Santana as she hops up the steps easily, "Dancing around a fire is so like invigorating! We should do it more often."

Santana giggles at the little spin Brittany does before settling on the steps in front of she and Quinn, but just as she is about to reply a chilly breeze sends a shiver down her spin.

Of course, it doesn't go unnoticed and Brittany's quick to place her warm hand on the side of Santana's arm. The touch burns in the best of ways and suddenly Santana wishes she could have that feeling all over.

"Oh my God, you're freezing!" Brittany gasps.

"See, this is why you shouldn't dress like a hooker in the middle of Fall." Quinn jokes which earns her a stiff shoulder bump from Santana.

"I'm fine," Santana lies with a roll of her eyes, "I'm immune to it, it's my Latina blood."

Brittany lets out a belly laugh then shakes her head, "Yeah right! I know how cold you get, you don't fool me."

Then in an instant Brittany stands and whips her sweater off in one flowing motion, the bottom hem of her long-sleeved undershirt bunching just under her bra to reveal Brittany's toned stomach. It's only for a split second before Brittany's pulling off her sweater completely and adjusting her undershirt, but the image of her pale skin is etched in Santana's mind and it makes her swallow dryly because it's no surprise Brittany's still in great shape.

Brittany tosses her sweater at Santana and when it lands in her lap, Santana can already feel the warmth it emits but she can't accept it.

"What are you doing?" Santana asks and holds it up to Brittany, "Put this back on, you'll freeze!"

"Says you," Brittany says firmly, "I'm too hot from dancing so you can wear it."

Santana turns to Quinn, looking for back up.

"Don't look at me, I'm not lending you mine. I'm cold too!" Quinn laughs, tugging her cardigan closed.

"I don't want it because I'm not cold," Santana rebuts, "Tell her to put this back on."

Quinn just shakes her head, "You're literally turning blue. Why are you fighting this?"

Santana's shoulders drop with Quinn's betrayal, but she knows why. There's too much meaning in borrowing Brittany's sweater, she can't do it without feeling certain things that she's not meant to feel about her friend. It's like being marked as hers even though she's nowhere near close to that. She remembers how she treated the first article of clothing Brittany ever loaned her, a sweater too, and she remembers how she'd wear it all the time like it was a constant hug, comforting her and wrapping her up in Brittany when Brittany wasn't around.

Things aren't like that now but it's still hard for Santana to separate those feelings from Brittany's innocent gesture. She remembers when she and Puck were a thing and he'd lend her his letterman jacket to wear because it showed the guys that she was his, but Santana always hated how it felt with him, like she was his property in a way. With Brittany though, it was different. In the beginning, it was scary wearing Brittany's things. They would get away with it sometimes because they were best friends first and it wasn't weird to borrow a jacket or sweater, but deep down Santana knew that they didn't share clothes backed by the same feelings they had as friends. Back then, before she came out, she thought everyone could see that and she became paranoid with how people perceived them. As she got older though and became more comfortable in her own skin, she realized she spent too much time worrying about things she shouldn't. She wore Brittany's things and Brittany wore hers, proudly so.

Yet now, she's finding herself in the same position as before. Worrying about what people would think because she and Brittany aren't together but they're starting to do things that they did when they were but those things could also be what friends do as well and it's all so confusing for Santana.

But Brittany looks at her worriedly for a split second and says, "Please San? I don't want you to catch a cold."

It's the first time she's called her San in years and it makes Santana soften. She puts all those thoughts on the back burner for now and relents.

"Fine." Santana jokingly grumbles and pulls the sweater over her head, instantly trapping herself in Brittany's scent but also so very warm. She adjusts the sleeves that are just a tiny bit too long and looks to Brittany, feigning annoyance, "Happy?"

Brittany smiles triumphantly and says teasingly, "Yep, very cute."

Santana blushes slightly at the compliment but she rolls her eyes, "Whatever."

Brittany chuckles and nods over at the bonfire, "I'm going to go dance more before the Glee Club's performance."

Quinn and Santana nod and watch as Brittany bounds away again. Santana goes back to picking at her sleeves but she can't deny how she's already warming up and how grateful she is that Brittany was so quick to give her the sweater. She finds herself smiling at how good of a friend she is when she hears Quinn stifling a laugh.

"What?" Santana asks confusedly.

Quinn just shakes her head, still smiling, "It's happening again and you don't even realize it."

Santana frowns, "What? What's happening?"

"Really?" Quinn asks but finds Santana's genuinely clueless, "Nevermind. You'll figure it out eventually."