Title: Where the Wild Things Are

Author: Rigby8

Pairing: Santana / Brittany

Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events is made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

Rating: M (General rating not chapter specific)

Summery: Written from POV of Santana. She is at college in New York but after a bad break-up she is persuaded by her High School friend Quinn to go on a camping holiday. Quinn's new friends from college (who are characters from Glee) take Santana into their friendship group without hesitation and Santana finds herself being unexpectedly drawn to Quinn's quirky friend Brittany.

RIP Maurice Sendak

A/N: Thanks for the comments and alerts. I know some of you didn't like my last chapter, I hope you've decided to stick with the story despite that because it is Brittana endgame and I do like to add a bit of drama to my stories. Perhaps I shouldn't have ended the chapter where I did, because it did leave things a bit open to interpretation so hopefully this chapter will clear things up a little.

Chapter Twelve

The scorching hot water ran down my body, and I scrubbed at my skin, desperate to remove as much guilt and anger as I possibly could. I was trying to keep my eyes open, even though the water made them blurry and the shampoo and body-wash made them sting because every time I closed them I saw Brittany smiling at me. I couldn't get her out of my mind, her beautiful blonde her, her gorgeous blue eyes and wide smile. My head was swimming in Brittany and I felt my pulse begin to race and my pulse quicken. I couldn't catch my breath and then I realised I had tears streaming down my cheeks. I wiped them away but they mixed with the water and it was useless. I placed my hands on the cold tiles in front of me and tried to steady my breathing. I used to get panic attacks like this after Cody and I had broken up, I had forgotten how painful and scary they really were. I felt completely overwhelmed and I was sure that at any moment my legs would give way and my chest would burst from the pressure.

Eventually, after what seemed like hours, I got a hold of myself and got out of the shower and dried myself off with a big fluffy towel. I gripped my arms about myself and closed my eyes, enjoying the comfort and imagining it was Britt's soothing arms embracing me and keeping me safe.

I went into my room and started looking through my wardrobe, looking at all my nice clothes and thinking about what I could wear. I pulled out a red dress that I had bought before I went camping but hadn't worn yet; I had wanted to save it for something special. I ran the material through my fingers, enjoying the silky sensation. I considered for a moment wearing it tonight but when I imagined myself in it, walking into Breadstix, it wasn't Cody on my arm it was Brittany. I wanted to wear this dress tomorrow night; I wanted to save it for the perfect date Brittany had agreed to go on with me. I wanted to wear this dress and see her jaw drop as I got out of the car and walked towards the entrance to meet her. I imagined how I would link my arm through hers, leading her to a romantic, candle lit table in a secluded corner, pulling her chair out for her to sit on and playing footsy with her under the table. I didn't want to be with Cody, it was suppose to be Brittany.

Before, I had time to think it through I grabbed my sweatpants from where they were dumped on my desk chair and a casual top. I pulled my wet hair into a messy ponytail and slipped my feet into my thongs. I left the room and was halfway down the stairs when turned and ran back upstairs, grabbing my phone and stuffing it into my pocket.

I got downstairs and two sets of eyes bored into me.

"I'm ready to go… but we're not going to Breadstix and you're giving those flowers to my Mom because she has shown you way more kindness than you could ever deserve."

"Mija…" I knew my mom had my best interest at heart but she was totally off the mark on this one.

"Mom, no. Please stay out of this. We'll talk, I promise."

I grabbed my car keys from the kitchen and no one spoke again, apparently in shock because of my assertiveness. When I made it to the front door I turned back and gave Cody a look that snapped him back into action. He took the flowers, gave them to my Mom who smiled appreciatively and ran to catch up with me. The door slammed behind us and we both got into my car. He looked unnerved, pressing his hands nervously between his legs and snapping his head between the dashboard and me.

"So where are we going?" He said with forced confidence, which was out of character for him.

"We're getting coffee." I said it very matter-of-factly. I knew I couldn't let my guard down; I didn't want to let him in.

"And then, I'm taking you to the airport." I put my foot down on the accelerator to make it through the lights in time, desperate to get this over with and back to my nice Cody-free holiday.

"But my flight doesn't leave until tomorrow!" He sounded quite pathetic and I started to wonder what the hell I ever saw in him.

'Not my problem."

He sat back in his chair and huffed like a spoilt child, angry for not getting his own way. He wasn't used to experiencing such a forceful Santana who didn't take his shit; when we were together I was such a pushover. He had made me into a push over and I'd lost my spark, all my fire. There was no way I was letting him take that back off of me again.

We pulled into the coffee shop parking lot and I swung into the space, causing him to grab hold of the door to support himself. He looked flustered and I realised that this really wasn't the Santana he was expecting to be greeted by.

I got out of the car, locked it when I heard his door slam and without even looking at him went inside, not caring if he was following or not. I found a quiet table in the corner and sat down and waited for him to catch up. He got to the table and was about to sit down opposite me but before he sat down I gave him my order and signalled with my head over towards the counter, making sure he knew that I would not be ordering, paying or carrying my own drink on this excursion. If he wanted to speak to me so desperately then he was going to be doing all the work. He walked off to the counter like a chastised schoolboy and I took the opportunity to take my phone out of my pocket and switch it back on. A message came through quickly and my heart stopped when I read it.

What the fuck San? Britt called me crying her eyes out, talking about Cody? Please tell me she is lying… call me asap. Q x

I kept starting to type and then having to stop and delete the message because it was almost impossible to explain what had happened and what I was doing in a text message. Instead of texting Quinn, I decided it was more of a priority to reassure Britt, I hoped it wasn't too late.

Britt, please don't freak out. It's not what you think. I'll call you tonight and explain everything. I promise. San x

I really hoped it would have the right impact, I hated thinking of Brittany crying, that my actions, however much they weren't under my control, had hurt her. I leaned my head back against the wall behind me, exhausted with frustration. I wanted more than anything to be back at the campsite with Brittany sitting between my legs, looking out at the water, talking rubbish, and me placing lazy kissed on her neck. God I missed her so much already.

"Here…" Cody placed my drink down and I snapped my head back off the wall and put my defences back up. I had softened merely thinking about Brittany, she made me soft and calm. Cody made me guarded and angry.

"So, want to tell me what this is all about?" I was using my best bitch voice, but hell, he deserved it.

"What do you mean?" He genuinely wasn't aware that his actions were out of the ordinary. He was really that arrogant, how could I forget.

"You cheated, broke my heart, and practically destroyed my life. Then when I am finally getting over you, you decide to fly down to my hometown, woo my mother and think that you're going to take me out on a date. That is what I mean."

"Santana, I made a mistake and now I want you back so I'd I thought you would think this was romantic."

"You're an ass."

"How did me making a grand romantic gesture make me an ass?

"No, the fact you cheated and then thought that a romantic gesture would be all that was needed to win me back makes you an ass. This isn't some romcom movie Cody! You don't get to walk back into my life, when I was starting to get on and be happy and stick a huge spanner in the works. I've moved on. I suggest you do the same."

"You've moved on?" He looked shocked and I felt put on the spot for the first time since we had been alone.

"That is none of your business." I returned, but he looked angry and I realised he wasn't going to let this one go without a fight.

"You're seeing someone else already?" He sounded cut-up even though he had no right to be and it made me feel a mixture of guilty and smug.

I couldn't tell him about Britt. There was no away I was going to give him the privilege of being one of the first people to know about whatever it was that Britt and I were. He didn't deserve that information and I didn't want to give him the ammunition. I could already imagine what his response would be. Something along the lines of me only needing a good fuck from a real man to make me realise what I was missing and that I'd come running back. Little did he know that the comparison between having sex with him and having sex with Britt was really no comparison. Brittany made my body hum in ways that no one else had ever managed to; having sex with Cody now would only reinforce how much better she was than him.

"I said, that is none of your fucking business. Who I sleep with ceased being your business when I caught you in bed with my best friend." I spat the words out at him and a few of the other customers turned to look at me.

"You couldn't have been that cut-up after we broke up if you're already sleeping with other people Santana. I never realised you were such a whore."

He smacked his hand down on the table and I saw the flash of anger I had seen in his eyes only once before. When we were first together, he'd taken me to a house party. I wasn't used to drinking so much as they did at college parties, so after some shots and mixers I started dancing quite freely and a guy took a liking to me and started to grind up against me. I was young and wasn't used to being in a relationship so I ground back into him, not thinking about what I was doing. Next thing Cody had hit the guy behind me, knocking him unconscious and grabbed my wrist, pulling me through the crowd and insisting that we left. Once we had got outside he grabbed me by both of my wrists and shouted into my face, sobering me up really quickly, telling me that I was never to humiliate him like that again. That I belonged to him. It was the first time I had ever really been scared of anyone I was dating and after that point I made sure that I never gave him reason so feel remotely jealous again. When I think about it now, I realise that I shouldn't have stayed with him, that it was not a normal reaction to have to a bit of dancing but I was naïve and blinded by how strongly I felt for him that I did as he said.

That was when I realised why he was really here. Why he had come to visit me. It wasn't that he particularly wanted me back, or that he cared about me. It was the same old story. Cody couldn't bear to think of me being with someone else. It didn't matter that he had moved on, that he had probably slept with other women, countless women I would expect, even whilst we were together. All that mattered to Cody was that I belonged to him.

"Don't talk to me like that." My voice was starting to get weak and I gripped the material of my seat, hoping that I wasn't about to get myself into a situation that I couldn't get out of. The fire in his eyes was making me get scared of what he might do. I really didn't want to be alone with him anymore.

"Do you really think you're ever going to find someone better than me? I am the boy that all the girls want, so stop being childish and admit that you want me back. That you are desperate to get your hands on this and that you have been waiting for me to take you back." He folded his arms and leant back on his chair.

The ridiculousness of his comment coupled with the fact that I was nervous made me laugh out loud.

His cheeks went pink with embarrassment and I saw his cockiness start to crumble and his anger make-up for the dent I had made in his pride.

"You think that you're the best I can do? You really have no idea what you're talking about." I retorted: Brittany at the forefront of my mind.

He sprung up from his chair, making it fall to the floor behind him with a crash and swiped his mug of coffee from the table, sending the hot liquid across the floor and making me recoil and lean back as far as I could.

"Don't you ever talk to me like that" He pointed his figure at me accusingly as he said it and was rounding the table towards me with a menacing look when I heard a familiar voice pipe up behind him.

"You don't want to do that." Mike was stood with his cell phone in his hand, held up showing the numbers 911.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Mike's interruption caught Cody's attention and he turned back and started walking towards Mike who held up his phone again, indicating that he was going to call if he didn't stop.

"I think it's time for you to leave now." Mike stood his ground and I was impressed by his strength. By this point the staff members were all stood in a line behind him as back up and the majority of the customers were either staring at the spectacle or looking down at their drinks, trying to pretend there was nothing going on.

Cody looked around the place, replicating the body language of a caged animal trying to assess the best way out of the situation. He decided this wasn't the right time to carry on this fight, obviously not as stupid as I assumed.

He turned his attention back to me, once again pointing an accusing finger that made me want to grab it and snap it in half.

"This isn't over Santana." He really did watch too many actions films.

He pushed passed Mike, being sure to bump him with his shoulder and stormed out of the coffee shop.

With Cody gone I slumped into the chair and rested my head on the table, trying to ignore the hubbub of excitement now spreading through the place as people began to whisper with excitement at the events.

"Santana… do you want to get out of here?" Mike placed his hand on my shoulder, being cautious not to get too close and startle me.

"Please." I mumbled almost incoherently into my arms but Mike heard me and helped me up from my chair and towards the door. I kept my eyes locked on the floor, making sure I didn't make eye contact with anyone, which would only further my humiliation.

"Is he definitely gone?" I was worried that we would get outside and Cody would be waiting for me by my car.

"I saw him walk down the block. Come on, I'll take you in my car and you can get yours later on. You're not in a fit state to drive."

"Thank you." I looked up at Mike as we headed to his car, I don't know what I wouldn't have done if he hadn't appeared.

"Don't mention it." He escorted me to his car, opened the passenger door for me and signalled for me to climb inside.

He got in and started the engine.

"So, where to?"

I hadn't even got so far as to think of where I could go. I didn't want to face my Mom quite yet. I was still mad at her and I wasn't ready to explain myself and I hated lying.

"Can you drop me at Quinn's?" I couldn't think of where else to go. I knew she was going to be mad at me initially, but she was such an understanding friend, I wasn't concerned that she wouldn't be there for me.

The journey was very quiet and I was grateful that Mike didn't ask too many questions. I knew he must have been wondering what that had all been about but he seemed to respect my privacy enough not to pry. The last time he had spoken to me I was having extended snuggle time with Britt in a tent and the now I was having an argument with a random boy in a coffee shop. He must have been confused.

"Please don't tell Brittany about tonight." I swallowed hard and he took his eyes off the road for a second to look at me.

"I am going to tell her but I want her to hear it from me first."

He seemed to accept this reason and nodded.

"You need to tell her soon. Brittany is my friend and I can't keep something like this from her for long."

I understood his predicament and hated putting him in that position but I had to do it. I had to think of the welfare of Brittany and I and hope that he understood.

"I'll tell her tonight, I promise."

He nodded again and the conversation was closed. I really hoped I had the courage to keep my promise.

We arrived at Quinn's and I held my hand out to grab the door handle and noticed that my hand was shaking. I looked back to Mike and he saw it too but neither of us said anything.

"Thanks." I know I had already thanked him once but I needed to reiterate to him how much I appreciated not only his intervention but also for driving me to Quinn's, and most importantly agreeing to giving me a chance to speak to Britt before he did.

"You're welcome."

I walked up to Quinn's porch and before I could ring the buzzer Quinn had swung the door open and pulled me into a tight hug. I was shocked at the welcome but then not so surprised when she gave me a playful slap on the arm, asking what the hell I was doing.

"It's complicated." I replied. I felt tears welling up in my eyes and Quinn's pulled me inside and took me up to her bedroom, ignoring her Mom's hellos to me as we went. She sat me down on the bed and put herself opposite. It was our standard 'talking' position that we had done on numerous occasions throughout High School and it felt comforting. Quinn and I had sorted out so many of our problems on this bed, sat in this way and we were still friends and had always made it out the other side, no matter how dark it got. It gave me hope that this problem would have a positive outcome too.

"So…" She left the question open and I realised I had no choice but to explain to her exactly what had happened since she left the campsite until I showed up at her door. As I explained she looked flabbergasted, changing her facial expressions and placing her hand on her head dramatically every time I described something that had happened. Finally once I had explained everything she placed her hand on my knee reassuringly.

"You're staying here tonight. No arguments. Call your Mom and tell her she did a bad, bad thing." The childish way she said it made me laugh and I could just imagine my Mom's reaction if I had actually said that to her.

"I will. But I need to call Britt."

It was pushing ten o'clock and I was worried that it might have gotten too late to call. What if Britt had given up on me ringing and given up on us? I knew I was being dramatic but after what had happened today I wouldn't take anything for granted.

"Yeah you do. I don't want to make you feel any worse Santana but she was so distraught earlier. I have never heard her like that before… no pressure, but please make it better. I can't stand knowing she's that upset."

My palms got sweaty and suddenly I didn't think I could call her, even though all I wanted was to hear her voice.

I got my phone out and saw that she had replied to my message. Before reading it I looked up at Quinn and she got the message.

"I'll be waiting downstairs. Take as long as you need." She kissed the top of my head and left the room, closing the door behind her.

I took a moment to compose myself before reading her message but was relived what I saw an x at the end, signalling that she can't have been too mad.

I trust you Santana… please don't make me regret it. Talk later. B x

As soon as I read it I hit the 'call' button before I could change my mind. Britt trusted me and I needed to make sure she knew that her trust hadn't been misplaced. She picked up after two rings, and I had visions of her sat with her phone next to her, waiting for me to call and it made my heart break.

Hello

She sounded uncertain and I ached at the hurt I had caused her.

"Hey Britt…"

I hadn't thought past the 'hello' part of the conversation and the line went quiet for a few seconds until she couldn't stand the silence any longer.

You ok?

"I'm better now I'm taking to you."

I heard her sigh down the phone and my stomach tingled knowing she wasn't so mad that she couldn't take a compliment.

Good. I feel better for hearing your voice too.

"Britt… earlier today with my mom and Cody… I didn't know he was going to be there."

I know you didn't. I just didn't know what to do so I thought it was best for me to leave. But once I left I felt sick and hurt and all kinds of emotions and I wished I'd not left.

"You were in an impossible situation. I am so sorry that you had to be involved with it."

Are you still with him now?

"No, I think he's gone."

You think?

Her voice got an edge to it and I realised I wasn't explaining the situation very well. She needed to know the full story.

"Well he kind of left, we were having coffee because…"

You went for coffee with him?

She sounded hurt and I fumbled over my words. I wanted to tell her everything but she wasn't giving me a chance to explain because I was saying everything wrong and making her upset.

"Britt, can I start again, from the beginning. Please? I am saying all of this wrong."

Okay… I won't say anything, you tell me what happened.

She was so understanding: the previous edge in her voice had disappeared and she was back to the patient Brittany I longed for. I told her what happened, trying my best not to elaborate or miss out details in case later on she found out differently from somewhere else and thought I was lying to her.

When I finished the line went quiet and I was terrified what her reaction was going to be. It was a lot of information and I would have given anything to be sitting with her face to face so that I could see how she was taking it. However, the coward in me was glad that I wasn't with her so I couldn't see the disappointment.

Okay

Was all she said. I waited for more but nothing followed and I began to get nervous.

"Are we good?" I said it tentatively, hoping that it might push her into saying something more so I could gauge her response.

San, that is a lot to process. I need to think. Don't be mad at me, please let me think about it.

I wanted so badly for her to tell me that everything was going to be all right. That she wasn't mad and that none of this was my fault but I knew that was unrealistic and that it wasn't fair on Brittany to expect it.

"Sure. I understand."

The line went horribly quiet again and I knew it was up to me to make things better. I knew that I even though I had a rough time today, Britt was the real victim in all of this. She was completely innocent and hadn't asked for any of this to happen to her.

"I miss you already…"

I miss you too

She said it a split second after I did and it was enough to reassure me. I hadn't completely lost her. Now all I could do was give her space and let her think about things.

"Can I still see you tomorrow night?" It was a loaded question but I needed something to look forward to.

I'm coming to Lima tomorrow for a dance rehearsal with Mike, so can I let you know after that if I feel up to it?

"Of course." I ached knowing she was going to be so close by tomorrow and I might not get the opportunity to see her. I had to see her.

San, I'm going to go now. I need to clear my head and get some sleep.

I didn't want her to go. I wanted everything to go back to how it had been a few hours before, when we had been flirting and talking about any crap that popped into our heads. Talking with her had been so free and easy and now it was stilted and awkward. It made me feel sick.

"I understand. Night Britt. Sleep well."

Night

She said it so softly and I was sure I could hear tears in her voice. I wished I could drive to her and wrap her up in my arms. Keeping her safe and letting her drift off to sleep without a care in world.

The line went dead and I sat on the bed with my head in hands crying until Quinn finally came upstairs to check on me. She didn't say anything, she just lay back on the bed and pulled me into her body and let me cry.

"She'll come round Santana. Just give her the time and space she needs. She is mad about you, don't worry."

I didn't know if Quinn was right or not, but it was definitely what I needed to hear and what I needed to believe. Now that the threat of losing Britt was real, it made me realise how much I needed her, how much I wanted her and that nobody else would do. It had hit me the hardest when I had been in the coffee shop with Cody and he was telling me that I would never find anyone better than him. When truth be told I had already found someone better. Someone who made my heart sing, who I could never imagine being afraid of and who I would travel across the country to see, not because I wanted to prove to her that she couldn't cope without me like Cody had done to see me, but because I couldn't live without seeing her.

Once I had settled and the crying had ceased Quinn rolled off the bed and grabbed me some pyjamas to change in to and got changed herself. We both got settled on our sides of the bed and I got my phone out one last time before I fell asleep. Firstly texting my Mom to tell her that I was staying at Quinn's, that we'd talk in the morning about Cody and not to let him in under any circumstances.

The other to Britt simply saying:

Sleeping without you isn't the same. I know it is silly but I really do miss you, especially at night. If you can see me tomorrow, please see me. Sweet dreams x