Chapter Twelve - Here Comes The Sun
Notes: We're finally here. Chapter Twelve. One chapter left til the end of Part One.
Notes Two: The number of times I have attempted to kill off Dani is obscenely high. Time to remedy that, I think?
Notes Three: Next chapter is done. Get wamh to 130 reviews and I'll post it. (Yes, I am letting you guys bribe me with reviews.) ... Please.
xoxo
Rachel's eyes snap open to the blinding sun. She blinks rapidly, willing her eyes to adjust to the harsh light. After about a minute of blinking, she finally sees that the curtains in the room are pulled back. Well that's new. Her eyes immediately snap to her roommate's bed to find the blonde laying on her stomach, writing leisurely on a pad of paper with a small smile on her face.
"You seem happy." Rachel's voice croaks and she frowns.
Dani's head snap to her direction, brown eyes wide with surprise. "Oh, you're awake. Did I wake you?"
Rachel shakes her head no. "Why are you awake so early?"
Dani shrugs as an answer, the smile still not leaving her face. Rachel's eyes narrow.
"What's got you so up?"
"Up?" Dani asks with an innocent bat of her eyelash. "I'm not up."
The brunette sits up on the bed, her own smile finding its way to her face. "You are. I'm guessing that means you're back with Santana now."
"We were never together," Dani says with a small frown, but it is quickly wiped by another smile. "But, yeah. We're talking again. Guess that makes me up, huh?"
"It does," Rachel agrees. "It's so good to see you smiling."
"Hush. Enough about me. How was that date with Char?" Dani asks, hoping to get the attention away from her.
It's the diva's turn to smile. "It was amazing, Dani," she gushes. "I mean, I have never felt this... This undeniable surge of happiness."
Dani nods understandingly. "It's love, you know."
Rachel sighs longingly. "I know. And it's so much more than I've ever felt before. And I fear that it will be so much more than I will ever feel."
The blonde's head tilts to the side in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Rachel plops back down on her bed, her head disappearing behind pillows. "I just wonder what would happen when my father finally takes me away from here and I'll have to leave Quinn behind."
"Quinn?" Dani asks with a smile.
"Yes, Quinn. Not just Charlie. But Quinn, as an entirety."
"And you're worried that..."
Rachel's eyes are trained into the ceiling. "I'm worried that we're not going to work out. And I'm worried that because of the intensity of what I feel for her, I'll never find someone to compare."
The blonde watches her roommate, who she suddenly realizes had grown to become her best friend, bite her lip in genuine worry that no one else's love would compare to Quinn's. She can't help but smile at the innocence between them. "It will work out. Fate always finds a way."
Rachel sits up on the bed and regards the guitarist with steady eyes. "It will work out for you too, you know."
Dani rolls her eyes, but smiles nonetheless. "Maybe."
xoxo
Santana rolls around on her bed, her body tangling in the sheets and her hair growing into an even bigger mess than before. Charlie watches on from behind the book she's engrossed in. She can't help but smile at her roommate's excited energy.
"What do you think she'll say?" the brunette asks, finally settling on her back. She blows the strands of hair on her face and stares at the ceiling in contemplation of her plans.
Charlie sets the book down on her bedside table. She's read it enough times already to memorize wonderland. For now, she needs to assuage her friend's worries. "She's been in love with you since forever, Sanny."
"But I've hurt her so many times and I've fucked up." The disheveled girl suddenly sits up, dark eyes wide with panic. "What if she tells me to fuck off?"
"She won't tell you to fuck off," Charlie scrunches her nose at the term. "She loves you. It's obvious, Sanny. Just go and ask her already."
The brunette frantically shakes her head. She's feeling that stupid panic sweat under her boob and she does not like it one bit. "I-"
"You're scared?" Charlie stands from her bed and skips over to Santana's. "Here. I'll make you a deal. I'll ask Rachie to be my girlfriend, and you ask Dani to be yours." She hold out her hand for the brunette to take, her head tilting in a questioning look. "Deal?"
Santana bites her lower lip in contemplation.
"Deal."
xoxo
Dani sits alone at her room, papers strewn on her bed and her guitar on hand. She's strumming the first verse of her new song, but feels as if something's wrong. Something missing.
"You busy?"
The blonde's eyes snap up from her papers to the newcomer in her room. Her lips quickly burst into a grin as she motions for Santana to take up the seat beside her. The brunette does so, and looks over the blonde's shoulder to read the lyrics. "Neon Lights?"
Dani's head dips to hide her blush. "Uh, yeah. I just thought I'd make a song that's new and happy and cheerful and I wanted it to be something that can be played in clubs for people to dance to and have fun with their friends and-"
A peck to her cheek stops the blushing blonde mid-sentence. Santana grins goofily at her, watching her with those eyes that promise something - everything. "You're cute when you babble like that."
Dani pouts. "I'm always cute."
Heavenly laughter erupts from the brunette as she pulls back. "That you are. Come now. Show me that song." Dani lets out her own chuckle before throwing a piece of paper Santana's way. The Latina takes it effortlessly and runs through the words in her head. She casts a look at the blonde's guitar before rolling her eyes. "A fun song and you plan to play it using an acoustic guitar?"
"Yes?"
Santana clicks her tongue. "That's no good." She runs her eyes around the room, hoping to find something useful. She 'ah-ha'd when she sees the pencils from Rachel's table and the thick book. She goes to grab it and shoots a confused look at Dani when she reads the cover. "Who's Barbra Streisand?"
Dani shrugs. "Some Broadway personality that Rachel's gaga over."
"Should I warn Char that she has competition?" Santana asks as she sits down and begins using the pencils to play a few beats on the book.
Dani chuckles. "No. I don't think you need to warn Quinn."
A perfectly sculpted brow arches upward, but the Latina nods in understanding. Instead, she turns her attention back to the sheet music handed to her and motions for Dani to begin. The blonde nods and lets the words slip through her lips like a whisper.
"Baby when they look up at the sky,
We'll be shooting stars just passing by."
Santana creates a drum beat that manages to go along with the vibe of Dani's voice. The two of them share looks then burst out into laughter.
"That was awesome," Santana comments once they've recovered from the impromptu laughter.
Dani nods in agreement. "Neon Lights is definitely not an acoustic guitar song."
The brunette reads over the lyrics and hums distractedly at the blonde. A smirk finds its way to her lips as she slinks back towards the singer. The blonde has no qualms about being pushed down on her bed, sheet music and guitar pushed to the side. The brunette straddles her, leaning low to sing huskily at the blonde's ear. "You'll be coming home with me tonight. We'll be burning up like neon lights." She accentuates her words with a light nip at the blonde's earlobe earning her a breathy moan.
A pale hand guides Santana's face towards the blonde. Brown locks with black in an intense stare-down. The kiss they share then is gentle, more intimate than whatever they've had before. At that moment, nothing in the world matters other than the feeling of the other's lips on theirs. Dani can feel it, the shift between them. And at the same time, it feels as though nothing has changed. Instead, whatever's happening now has just been moved to the forefront, masks thrown aside and walls crashing down. It's frightening for the blonde to feel such intense emotions and languid vulnerability in the kiss, but she knows that for Santana, it's much worse. And yet, the brunette isn't running away.
As if hearing her thoughts, Santana breaks the kiss and locks her eyes again with the girl beneath her. "Never again," is the whispered promise against her lover's lips.
Dani feels a tear escape her, and she bites back the small sob that makes its way to her lips. She doesn't want to break the spell of the moment, in fear that everything will come crashing down on her.
Santana is unfazed as she presses a kiss to soft lips. Her heart is thundering against her chest, her nerves coming back full force. It's this connection that she hasn't allowed herself to have since the incident with her father. She hasn't felt like this since her rage took over her. No. She mentally shakes her head at herself. She's always felt this since she first saw brown eyes staring back at her hazily. She just refused to acknowledge it like a filthy coward. Never again. She runs a hand to wipe away the tear as she whispers the words that make it feel as though everything is right.
"I love you."
And when Dani answers her with a relieved laugh and an 'I know', she finally (finally) breaks free of the chains her rage had on her.
xoxo
"It's such a nice day out," Charlie comments. Rachel nods in agreement, her lips in a smile that hasn't left since she met with Charlie a few moments ago.
"To be honest," Rachel begins as they arrive at the oak tree. "I like it when it's raining more."
The blonde tilts her head and shoots the girl a confused glance. "Why?"
"It was raining when we first kissed."
The grin Rachel gives her is blinding and it catches Charlie's breath. She can feel it, the love and affection. It's everything she - Quinn - has ever wanted and never got. And yet here is Rachel making her feel like even if she's not the only girl in the world, she's the only one that mattered. She may not be in that tower and she may not be the princess anymore, but at least she finally (finally) has her knight in shining armor. So she does the only thing that makes sense. She kisses Rachel and pours her everything to it. Her love, her promises, her everything. She asks the question she's been desperately wanting to ask since that first kiss underneath the very same oak tree they're standing at.
"Be my girlfriend?"
What she can't understand is why Rachel pushed her back with tears in those beautiful brown eyes and a sorry in her lips before she runs away. She's still asking herself the question as she falls to her knees, her arms wrapped around her stomach, cradling herself. She's not even sure when she started crying. All she knows is that her vision is blurry and her ears are ringing.
"Why?" is the only word that leaves her lips.
A part of her - the part she so desperately tries to avoid - gives her an answer. She doesn't know if it's the truth or not, but for now, it's the only thing making sense.
Because you're fucked up and you don't deserve happiness.
And she breaks.
xoxo
Rachel closes the door of the showers with a soft thud and falls back on it. Her sobs are raking her body and the tears are like an unstoppable waterfall. Her heart is breaking and she feels as though she's drowning. She can't breathe.
She doesn't want to.
"I'm so sorry, Quinn," she whispers to no one. She knows it won't mean anything. She broke the blonde's heart. She saw how broken the girl had looked and something inside her wails for her to return. But she can't. She has to out an end to this. Quinn isn't part of her plan when she first entered this place. She is determined to get out, and if she lets this continue, she won't want to ever get out.
And she'd just break Quinn's heart anyway.
So it's better that she do this now, before anything goes out of plan. She's sure Char- no, Quinn will get over her soon enough.
She'd bear with the heartbreak on her own. It's for the best. She repeats the word in her head like some sort of mantra. It doesn't alleviate the heartbreak, but that's the cost of what she did.
It's for the best.
xoxo
The smile on Dani's lips is bright, her usual cloud of dark gone. Sebastian frowns at the sight. He hates that happiness. He hates the way the blonde's walks with that glow. Ugh, it's disgusting.
He knows he has to out an end to it.
"Hello, Danielle."
The blonde's steps falter as his voice echoes around the empty corridor. Her eyes are wide with panic and fear, and it makes the boy's lips curve into a pleased smirk.
"Wha-What do you want, Sebastian?" She knows he means no good. A part of her wants to run, but she can feel the pull. Her siren. Even in the haze of her happiness, the call still catches her.
"It's not about what I want, dear Danielle." He takes a step closer to her, smiling when she doesn't move. "It's about what you need. You still feel its call, don't you?"
She wants to shake her head, but she can't. He's right. The call is still there. Behind those evil eyes, she knows there is the glint of what she needs. No. She pushes back all selfish thoughts. Santana had been so strong for her. She has to be strong for Santana this time. The siren grows stronger as Sebastian pulls the item from his back pocket, the metal gleaming in the fluorecent light. She wants to reach out for it. No. She pushes her hands deep in the pockets of her jeans.
"I don't need that anymore, Sebastian." She mentally applauds herself for not letting her voice waver. She looks up to stare defiantly at the boy but falters when she sees the rage reflected in them.
"What?" he all but snarls. "You need this, Danielle. It's your siren."
She gulps in fear and takes a step back. "Not anymore."
Sebastian sneers. "Oh? Is this all the work of one Miss Santana Lopez?"
Something that feels strangely like protective defiance bubbles up in Dani as she takes a step forward and backs up the boy to the wall. He seems surprised about the action, but it's gone within a second. She doesn't falter and her voice is surprisingly strong as she growls out, "Leave her out of this."
The boy leans back casually against the wall, the blade twirling around his fingers. "So it is about her."
She doesn't like the way his eyes glint and his smirk. It sends shivers down her spine. "Leave her out of this," she repeats.
"But where's the fun in that?" He lets out a dark chuckle that's cut short by the blonde's arm on his throat.
"Leave her alone. She's getting better, and I'm getting better. So just leave us alone."
He pushes her from him roughly with a glare that makes Dani freeze on the spot. His eyes are burning with rage. "No one gets better here!"
The defiant energy is still bubbling inside her as Dani steps forward. "You're wrong."
"Honey, you know that I'm never wrong." His voice is sickly sweet and it makes bile rise up Dani's throat. "This place isn't meant to make you better. This place isn't for you."
The blonde shakes her head even if she knows he's stating the truth. McKinley isn't made for her, or for Santana. It's for this bastard in front of her. "Just leave us alone, Sebastian." She moves to leave, but a strong grip on her wrist stops her.
"Oh no, you don't. Darling, I never let a prey escape. I've worked way too hard for you and you've proved to be quite entertaining. Why in the world would I leave you alone?"
She feels fear seep into her skin from where he's grasping her. She knows she can do nothing except mutter out, "Please."
"No." His voice is hard and cold. "You're going to do what I want, and what you need. And this time, you'll finish the job, or I'll finish it for you."
"You want me to kill myself," Dani states, disbelief coating her words. "And if I don't, you'll kill me."
His smirk is deadly. "Yes. But it's not you I'll kill. It's your beloved Santana. The torture she'll have to suffer through..." He stares back at her, hungry for pain and blood. "You can spare her that." He loosens his grip on her wrist and slips the blade into her hands. "Just give in to the need."
The metal is cold against her skin. There are tears in her eyes. She knows he won't go back on his words. He never has. Her lips quiver as she stares at the blade in her hands. She knows she has no choice. She's seen what happened last time a person crossed Sebastian's path. They paid the price. She doesn't want Santana to go through that.
So she grips the blade in her hand and levels it to her wrists. She looks tearily up at Sebastian, who has a predatory smile on his lips. "Tell Santana that I love her."
"Of course."
xoxo
Afternote: Cliffhanger?
Song used: Neon Lights by the one and only Demi Lovato.