A/N: Once again, thank you for all the feedback I've been getting for this story!
Here is Ch. 14 and I am attaching a trigger warning onto it for violence.
Let me know what you think ;)
Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, NY, March 29, 2025. 6:30 am.
The stale smell of salt water hit her nostrils as Santana took a deep breath and watched the waves break against the sand in the light glow of early morning. She shivered at the coldness of the March air and wrapped Brittany's jacket tighter around her, holding it close to her body. She could just make out the first rays of sun peeking above the horizon as she gazed out towards the Atlantic, arms resting against the rusting railing of the boardwalk she was standing on.
She could easily make out the distinct sound of heated conversation going on behind her. She tore her eyes from the waterfront to glance over her shoulder at the special agents she knew were there. Brittany was talking adamantly with Quinn, the former agent pacing back and forth as Quinn and the others watched on. A small but pained smile tugged at her lips knowing Brittany was trying to figure out how to get to her parents.
Santana sighed and turned back towards the water. She was still conflicted about her emotions. It had almost been two weeks since she had met the blonde agent. From the moment Brittany had removed her helmet, just after being rescued by her, Santana had felt something growing deep inside her chest. She suspected it had been planted there the very first time she had locked eyes with the other girl from across Holly's lab, despite not then knowing who she was. The feeling had scared her and even caused her to push Brittany away. She had regretted it almost instantly and reuniting with the girl had resulted in the most relieving and strange feeling she had ever felt.
The strangeness was what plagued her. At this point she couldn't tell if she was actually falling for the blonde or if it was simply this weird chemical reaction that was taking place between them. It was almost as though Santana needed Brittany, if not for her heart then just for her physical presence. But then again, even when Santana continued to tell herself to watch her back, not to let down her guard and not to trust the special agent, there was always something pulling at her heart.
That feeling that she got whenever Brittany looked into her eyes.
Or the way her skin would hum in anticipation just being near the other girl.
It seemed as though Brittany was starting to fill a part of Santana that had always been empty. It was like Brittany was the second half of her equation, one that was crafted meticulously to produce something truly unique and beautiful. After all of her time as a scientist, this was one mechanism Santana could not place. She couldn't figure out how.
That was the problem. The problem of how this was happening to her, to them. The rational and logical part of herself was roaring in anger and confusion, constantly pulling her back from finally truly giving in to the mysterious girl who literally swept her off her feet. That same side had been the one to overpower her initially, pulling her from Brittany in an effort to extract herself from any emotional ties due to her current state of existence.
But now there was a different side of her that was beginning to work its way to the surface. This part of her was the part that was willing to take a chance, to take the plunge. As it was before, she was fighting to stay alive to prevent the seemingly inevitable deaths of millions of people, but her focus had quickly shifted. She would do anything in her power, humanly and chemically, to make sure the people she cared about most in her life made it out of this alive. If she could save them, then her job was done. Santana wasn't fighting to save everyone anymore; she was fighting to save just three of them.
She would give her life to see her parents live and she would sacrifice herself to give Brittany that fighting chance. It wouldn't be worth it any other way.
Santana picked at a piece of rust on the railing she was leaning against, peeling off some of the chipped and faded paint that no longer served any significant purpose. A seagull called and pulled her head back towards the water. The sun was now rising, the tip of the fiery ball finally making its way above the waves and breaking through the chill in the air.
She should have been exhausted. She had far too much anticipation circulating throughout her body. But Santana knew it was because of her anxiety, still feeling the aftershocks of last night's events.
Brittany hadn't been fast enough to catch her once her legs gave out. It was almost as though hearing that name pour from Rachel's mouth had taken a swift slice through her Achilles' tendons, causing her to collapse instantly. She had barely felt any pain because it had been too much. All she remembered was blackness as the white heat erupted out of every nerve and then nothing.
She wasn't sure how long she had been out but she had awoken long after the patrons had left the club. Delirious at first and only half-aware of the dull throbbing pain in her head, she had regained consciousness on one of the soft cushioned sofas in the VIP room and rolled over to see Brittany sitting quietly next to her. There had been other agents buzzing around in commotion but Brittany was there watching over her, waiting and making sure she didn't wake up alone. Just thinking about that small fact now made the pain residing in Santana's body subside and the ache of her parents' kidnapping slightly more tolerable.
Her shock at hearing their old Glee teacher's name seemed trivial now, almost as though she should have guessed it from the moment she recognized Rachel. But the small brunette wasn't lying when she said Lima always seemed to find a way back into the lives of people who tried to leave. Mr. Schue had, in fact, never left. At least Rachel had done the right thing this time and confessed, giving them The Teacher and their next destination with a single name. And since then all they had been doing was securing the club and investigating the location further. Santana anxiously waited for their departure.
The weight of a heavy hand on her shoulder had shaken Santana from her staring contest with the ocean. She flinched under the sudden intrusion, quickly snapping her head to the right to see who the culprit was.
"Easy there, champ, it's just me" Quinn said, removing her hand from Santana's shoulder and giving her a smirk. She seemed much calmer than she had been the night before, conveying that signature stoicism that Brittany so often exhibited. "You don't want to give yourself an aneurism and pass out again," she said, bumping her shoulder into Santana's and occupying the space directly next to her on the railing.
Up close, Santana noticed Quinn's eyes were a pale green. They were soft but mysterious as they contrasted against her exterior. She still couldn't get a read on the other girl as she settled against the rusty metal.
Santana couldn't help but glance behind her now that the other agent had joined her contemplation. She found Brittany immediately, now on the phone and pacing back and forth, talking animatedly as other agents looked on. It was nice of Quinn to come and join her but she would never admit to the girl that she wished it had been her agent instead. She paused at the term of endearment that passed through her mind. That's what Brittany was; her agent and the thought surprisingly didn't scare Santana. It excited her in a way that was completely irrational.
"Hey," she heard Quinn say and she turned back to face the girl.
"It's going to be okay," Quinn assured her but Santana only offered a small smile in return.
"So I've been told," Santana said, removing her eyes from the girl and facing the beach again. She had to resist the urge to reach up and rub against her eyes, the colored contacts having been in place way longer than they should have been. "We should have left already, Fabray. Why are we still here?" she asked, frustration evident in her tone.
"She's organizing transportation now," Quinn explained, kicking at the splintered wood beneath their feet as she spoke about Brittany. "We just need to get everything in order before we move out, secure the facility and Berry. We don't want to jump the gun on this thing."
They stood in silence for a while as the sun made its way higher into the sky. Santana felt Quinn's eyes on her. She shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, nervously picking at her cuticles and wishing they were already far away from this grimy place.
"She's going to take care of it, Dr. Lopez," she said, drawing Santana's eyes back to her. "Brittany, she… she's not going to back down, you know that right?"
Santana held Quinn's gaze, eyes flickering back and forth between the agent's. She turned her head back towards where Brittany still stood next to the street and allowed a small smile to play against her lips. She dropped her gaze but nodded heavily enough for Quinn to notice. She did trust that her agent was going to do everything she could for her.
"You like her, don't you?"
Santana's head snapped up at the sudden and brash question. She was met with a playful smirk as the early morning sun reflected off of Quinn's pink highlights.
"What?" Santana breathed out, suddenly panicking. She couldn't risk losing Brittany now and if people found out about what was going on between them it would definitely be considered a liability. Brittany couldn't be pulled from this case. Not now. Not ever.
"No. I mean, yes. No. Just, she's a remarkably talented individual and I greatly value her expertise in the matters at hand. I mean I find her extremely interesting and I am glad to have her assistance," Santana rambled, cursing herself for her continuous slew of words. A smile twitched at the corner of Quinn's lips and she felt herself begin to panic.
"Our affiliation is purely platonic. I mean… even if I wanted, we… maybe to evolve into something more? No, that's illogical and inappropriate and rash on so many levels," Santana's eyes widened at the light chuckle that had escaped from Quinn's chest. "We're just friends," she finished curtly, hoping that was enough of an explanation for the confusion of words that had spilled from her mouth.
She felt her cheeks burn as Quinn's giggles erupted into a more heart-filled laughter. Santana shamefully turned her head away from the other girl.
"You talk strange," Quinn said as her laughter settled down and it only caused Santana to hang her head even further, clenching and unclenching her fists to remove some of the embarrassment.
"Yeah, she tends to do that, you just have to get used to it."
Santana snapped her head up at the familiar voice, turning to find Brittany walking towards them. Brittany's playful smile made her cheeks burn even hotter than they had before under. Quinn's teasing.
"But it can be all sorts of adorable, isn't that right, Sparks?" Brittany said, giving Santana a playful wink.
Santana couldn't risk looking at Quinn even though she could feel her green eyes laughing at her. She just stared helplessly back at the tall agent who was decidedly stealing her heart.
"Anyway," Brittany finally said, breaking her teasing stare from Santana and turning towards Quinn. "We're about ready to head out. The ride is here," she said and Santana instantly looked behind them, seeing a black SUV now occupying the space where Brittany had been previously pacing. "I think the driver is excited to see you," Santana heard her tell Quinn.
"What? Who?" Quinn asked and then it was Santana's turn to chuckle under her breath.
"Go see," Brittany said teasingly and Santana watched as Quinn's eyes rose excitedly before turning and jogging off towards the van.
Brittany turned back towards Santana, her charming smile still present as she scrunched her nose up slightly.
"Who?" Santana couldn't help but ask. Brittany simply shrugged her shoulders.
"Evans!" They heard from across the boardwalk, Quinn's voice easily cutting through the morning air.
"An old friend," Brittany said simply. Santana smiled back up at her as the blonde took a step closer. "How are you doing?" she asked with genuine curiosity.
Santana sighed and glanced back at the waves crashing on the sand. "Nervous. Anxious. I'm starting to feel weak again," she said honestly, her fingers trembling slightly.
Brittany took the final step into her personal space bubble and placed a hand on the middle of her back, applying just the right amount of pressure to let Santana know she was there without it being too intimate. It just made Santana long for more.
"Just hold on a little longer, San. We'll find it," Brittany spoke softly. Santana felt her warm breath hit her face even in the cool air of the early morning. "At least you haven't needed to use anymore Snix."
Santana sighed and unconsciously reached for the box against her chest. Brittany was right at least. But the dwindling number of vials had not been forgotten and she was certain Brittany was thinking the same thing. Maybe she wouldn't need anymore? Perhaps her resilience was growing and she could go longer without the protective substance. The longer she could go without experiencing the Earth-shattering pain and need to inject herself once more with the enigmatic liquid, the better.
"Yeah," Santana finally breathed out. "At least."
"Hey," Brittany said, pulling Santana's attention back towards her. She felt the pressure of Brittany's hand increase against her back and she wanted nothing more than to fall against the agent's chest and stay there safe and hidden. "I'll be there if it comes to that again. I promise."
Santana inhaled deeply at the words. If she needed to use the violet liquid once more, she wanted Brittany to be there. She stared up and into Brittany's eyes before dropping her gaze to pink lips. They looked so tempting in the early morning sun and Santana was suddenly very aware of the time that had passed since the last time she had been able to press her lips against the blonde's.
She subconsciously licked her lips at the thought and watched as Brittany pulled her lower lip between her teeth.
"You should take out your contacts now," Brittany breathed out, slightly heavier than normal.
"Yeah." Santana stuttered breathily as she managed to pull her eyes away from Brittany's lips long enough to stare at her eyes instead.
Brittany nodded, "I want to be able to see your eyes properly again. I miss them." She reached up and rubbed gently at Santana's left temple. "And take this makeup off. You don't need it."
Santana blinked, the dry burn of the old contacts suddenly more prevalent than it had been before. She definitely had to remove the offending objects as soon as possible. Her eyes dropped to where a pink tongue darted out to moisten slightly chapped lips. She could practically feel the electricity pulling her closer to her beautiful agent. It took all of her will power not to close the distance between them.
"Uh, so we're ready to leave?" Santana pushed out, still managing to keep her eyes on Brittany's lips. She knew they needed to keep on task. She had her parents to save, after all.
It took Brittany longer than expected to answer and Santana had already moved her eyes higher by the time words rolled off of the blonde's tongue. "Yes. We should… we should head over there."
Santana nodded as Brittany's hand slipped from her back. She frowned at the loss of contact but didn't hesitate to turn and follow Brittany towards the government issued vehicle parked against the boardwalk. She could see Quinn talking enthusiastically with a tall blonde man who stood by the driver's door. They stalled their conversation as they approached.
"All caught up there, Fabray?" Brittany called to Quinn.
"Hardly," Quinn answered sending a glance back towards the blonde man standing next to her. Santana gave him a curious look which Brittany obviously noticed.
"Santana, this is Special Agent, Sam Evans. Evans, this is Doctor Lopez," Brittany introduced.
Santana held out her right hand for the new agent who accepted it graciously. His hand was warm and strong and Santana instantly felt kindness spread through her. He gave her a dorky smile.
"Doctor? Doctor who?" He said in a weird voice, making Santana narrow her eyes at the tall man.
"Uh, Lopez," Santana answered. They were still shaking their hands slowly up and down making Santana shift uncomfortably.
"No, I…" Sam started to explain, voice now sporting southern twang and looking towards Quinn for guidance. The other girl just shook her head with a playful smirk.
"Never mind. It's a pleasure, Doctor," he said as he finally released her grip.
"Same," she replied, eyes still narrowed at the oddness of the boy in front of her and looking at Quinn for further explanation.
"Evans here was my partner," Quinn offered, giving Sam a wide smile. "Before I went under of course."
"But no way I could hold back now," Sam cut in. "Not when I heard Quinn was out," he paused, turning to give Santana his full attention, "And about you, Doctor."
Santana smiled at the man's kind words, suddenly realizing the odd family she found herself a part of. She looked back at Brittany who also had a warm smile on her face.
"Shall we get this show on the road?" Sam asked.
Brittany moved her attention towards the man and gave him a strong nod before walking around Santana to open the back side door.
"Doctor," Brittany said teasingly, holding open the car door for Santana. She smiled up at her as she made her way over to the vehicle and onto the dark leather seats. Her cheeks definitely felt warmer than they should.
She slid across the seats to the other side of the vehicle and was followed shortly by Brittany herself who occupied the remaining back seat. Quinn clamored through the passenger side door next to Sam. Santana reached up and managed to finally remove the bothersome contacts from her eyes, which she held shut to allow the moisture to rehydrate them as she heard the engine of their vehicle rumble to life.
"So we head for the GW. It's early so traffic should be light," Sam explained. "And then onwards to Ohio!"
Santana's eyes flicked open and she snapped her head towards Brittany, "We're driving? To Ohio, Brittany that's going to take hours."
"Sylvester expects there to be a large presence of New Directions members waiting for us at Cleveland international," Brittany informed, leaning slightly towards her across the vehicle as Sam pulled out into the street. "And we don't know about the other, smaller ports either. She'd rather keep you on the ground than lose you in the air. We have more options with wheels than wings at this point."
"You can't be serious," Santana said, glaring at the blonde. "Don't you remember what happened the last time we were on the road, Britt?"
Brittany pursed her lips and nodded slowly, aware that Sam and Quinn were probably listening to the words that passed between them. "They're investigating the ports now, Doctor. Once they determine them open, air arrangements will be made. But for now, I figured you would appreciate it if we started moving."
Santana swallowed thickly at Brittany's heavy and professional tone. Her words made sense and she suddenly felt wrong for questioning the circumstances. Brittany seemed to only have her safety and best interests in mind all while she still managed to keep her trained demeanor under check.
"I understand," Santana said, meeting Brittany's gaze and holding it. "I appreciate it, Agent Pierce."
She saw a small smile flicker and pull at the corner of Brittany's mouth but the blonde couldn't hide the shine in her blue eyes at Santana's words.
"I'm glad," she said, tone softer now as Sam began to fiddle with the radio. She leaned back in her seat but kept her eyes on Santana, making the vehicle appear hotter than it should have.
Santana had to force herself to turn her attention to what lay outside of the SUV. She reached into her jacket and pulled out her most prized procession.
Her fingers traced absentmindedly over each of the slim corners and the small lock on the front while she studied the trees that lined the sidewalks. She played with the dials for a moment, just thinking of the work she had put into developing the substance inside of it. Her eyes dropped to her hands and she finally positioned the dials in the right order. The metal clinked open and she lifted the lid to look inside.
The two remaining purple vials caught the light of the rising sun as it seeped through the window, making them glow from the inside as it bounced around the cylindrical glass walls. They sat side by side, held in place by thin elastic straps. But they weren't alone, two twin syringes lay neatly placed next to them, ready for using when the moment arose. Just two of each for two more extensions of her life.
Santana ran through the numbers in her head. She was already beginning to feel the last batch wearing off. She felt slower and the ever-present throbbing felt heavier. Two more vials and at this rate Santana estimated she had barely ten days left; just ten more days to live, to save her parents, the world and to love the woman sitting next to her. Because that was happening: she was falling in love.
Long, pale fingers made their way into her field of vision and gently wrapped around the hand she still had tracing the violet vials. Santana raised her head slowly and looked back at Brittany.
The blonde agent was looking at her softly, blue eyes big, warm and comforting. Santana felt her heart flutter when she thought she saw love flicker through them as well. Brittany's thumb traced gentle patterns against the back of her hand and gave it a firm squeeze.
After spending the entire morning contemplating her growing feelings for the woman sitting next to her, Santana realized that their brief correspondence on the boardwalk had been their longest conversation with each other since before their moment on the dance floor last night. She was suddenly curious to know just where the blonde stood in regards towards their obviously growing feelings for each other.
Santana moved her attention towards the front of the car where Quinn and Sam were bickering back and forth about something playing on the radio. Even though they seemed distracted, it still wasn't enough for the privacy she wish she had at the current moment. A squeeze against her hand brought her back.
"Put it away, San," Brittany said. "Don't think about that now."
Santana nodded and allowed Brittany to help her close the lid of the metal box, lock clicking into place. But she made no move to replace it in her jacket pocket, simply opting to grip it tightly in her right hand as she held onto Brittany's with her left.
"I'm glad you took out the contacts," Brittany said as she continued to study her.
"Me too," Santana said causing Brittany to smile the smile that made her nose scrunch up and her eyes shine. She wasn't sure how much longer she was going to be able to last without kissing the girl sitting next to her.
A small giggle broke her daydreaming and Brittany was staring at her again. Brittany smiled at her like they shared the greatest secret in the world before the agent sat back against her seat, patting Santana's hand before removing hers completely. Santana instantly missed the contact but knew it was for the better. The scenery outside her window regained her flustered attention as they continued to meander through the Brooklyn streets.
By the time they had made it to Manhattan, Santana swore to herself that if she ever made it out of this alive, she would never drive in New York. There were too many people and too many cars. It was torture enough having to be stuck in such close proximity to her agent and not be able to touch her in the way she longed. This journey was already taking longer than she had anticipated and she instantly hoped they would be able to cut some of the journey out through the air like Brittany had conveyed a possibility.
At least Sam seemed to make the time pass faster with his boyish behavior.
"It's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly, timey wimey… stuff," Sam said in what Santana assumed to be a British accent.
"Sam, what the hell are you talking about," Quinn said with a laugh.
"Oh come on, the Doctor!" Sam said, taking his eyes off the road for a second to look at Quinn. "You guys don't know who the Doctor is?" He glanced quickly behind his shoulder at Brittany and then Santana.
She had to bite the inside of her cheek as she turned to face Brittany. She could tell the blonde was stifling her laughter but she could see it in her eyes. At least this explained his earlier comment somewhat.
"No, Sam," Brittany said with a light chuckle.
"Always bring a banana with you to parties!" He added, sounding more Australian than anything.
"I hate bananas," Santana said and she heard Quinn crack up in front of her.
"I can't believe you're still trying to do impressions, Sammy," Quinn said through her laughter.
"What? They're great!" Sam insisted and Santana saw his eyes flash in the rear-view mirror. "I could always do Sean Connery. I'm really good at him. Everyone loves that one!"
"Oh man, I don't know if I'll survive one of those," Quinn said, fiddling with the radio again and settling on a new station.
"Well Quinn, I think you own me a song, anyway," Sam said, smiling towards the girl next to him. "After all your time being under, how's about a song for old times' sake?"
"Sam, we have a very long drive ahead of us, let's save the singing for later. It's still too early for singing," Quinn whined.
Santana looked over at Brittany again, slightly taken aback when she realized the blonde agent had been studying her with her intense blue eyes. She narrowed her eyes in question and the other girl simply smiled and shrugged.
She gripped the box in her hand tighter than before, feeling her empty hand twitch in the direction of the blonde, still longing to have some sort of physical contact with the other girl. Her eyes dropped to where Brittany's hand was resting on the seat on the other side of the car. She saw a pale pinky tremble slightly and lifted her head to face the blonde again. This was just as much torture for the other girl as it was for her.
Sam's voice cutting through the air over the music on the radio drew her attention back towards the front of the vehicle. He was singing along to a song she hadn't heard since high school, back when she was in the Glee club with Rachel. It was unsettling but Sam had a lovely singing voice.
She glanced quickly at Brittany again, giving her a brief smile before slouching slightly against the leather seat. Quinn had caved and joined Sam in his singing and their voices melded together perfectly. It brought warmth into Santana's heart and she twitched when she felt the whisper of skin against her fingers.
Her eyes dropped to where her hand had been resting hotly against the leather. Brittany's hand had moved from its original position. Her pinky was gently ghosting against the edge of her own before it slipped under and locked around hers. She gave her smallest finger a tight squeeze and smiled softly at Santana when she finally looked back up at the blonde.
Even if it was the smallest amount of contact, it did wonders on Santana's nerves and she instantly felt relieved. A genuine smile tugged at her lips as she continued to watch the taxis dodge the pedestrians outside her window.
The brief enjoyment of impressions and singing had worn off soon after, however, as the congestion of the city seemed to grow exponentially. And on top of that, they hadn't been expecting traffic. At least that was what Sam had reiterated to them for the fourth time as they sat in bumper to bumper while they waited to cross over the George Washington Bridge.
"It's a Saturday!" He complained again as they inched forward slightly. "Since when is there rush-hour on a Saturday?" It had taken them long enough to get there and now it was taking even longer as they inched closer and closer to the structure in the distance.
"Relax, Sam," Quinn said, reaching for the radio that was built into the dash board.
Santana wasn't paying attention to their bantering, Brittany's voice cutting through occasionally as she rested her head against the window. She briefly processed the distorted voice coming back through the radio to inform them that there was indeed an accident on the Bridge that was blocking almost all the lanes.
She felt Brittany slide towards the middle of the seat so she could poke around at the radio in front, arguing lightly with the other agents that occupied the vehicle. It was only then that she realized their pinkies had been linked that entire time. She instantly missed the connection once Brittany moved her hand away.
The disconnect made Santana realize how claustrophobic she was starting to feel. Even though her body was riddled with exhaustion, her limbs seemed to ache for the opportunity to move, even if for the slightest moment.
Santana tried to stretch out her legs before finally giving up and collapsing back against the cool window. She let her eyes drift shut, willing herself to forget about her protesting body and the commotion going on around her. Perhaps if she just let herself fall asleep she would wake up to better circumstances.
When her eyes opened again she had to blink several times to gain her bearing. Santana wasn't even sure if she had fallen asleep or simply blinked very slowly but when her eyes opened she noticed a different intensity in the air around them. Everything was quiet, eerily so. Sam and Quinn had stopped arguing and Brittany had appeared to have moved back over to her side of the car where she tapped mindlessly against the glass of the window. It was the only sound that filled the vehicle.
Adjusting herself, Santana sat up and fixed the seat belt that had twisted slightly around her waist. She looked around, rubbing her eyes as she yawned and peered out of the window next to her.
They were still in traffic.
She turned and looked out the windshield and saw that they were finally on the ramp leading up to the bridge, the first tall archway much closer than it had been before. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary but Santana was certain something had roused her from her brief slumber.
Brittany's tapping stopped against the window and they were immersed even deeper into the thick silence.
"Brittany?" Santana asked throatily, causing her to clear her throat at the harsh sound of sleep that was still evident.
"Santana," Brittany answered, Sam checking them in the rearview mirror. "What's up?"
Santana looked at Brittany momentarily before peering back out at their surroundings. She shifted slightly in her seat. Everything seemed to be normal, other angered motorists complaining about the delay as well and the day carrying on as normal around them.
"Santana," Brittany said again, shifting so she was no longer leaning against the window. "Are you okay?"
Quinn twisted in the passenger seat, turning so she could look back at her as well. She felt a vibration begin to grow in her chest as they inched slightly closer towards the bridge.
Santana sat as still as she possibly could, allowing her eyes to fall shut as she focused on her breathing. The vibration grew stronger as the seconds passed slowly.
She opened her eyes and turned towards Brittany, swallowing heavily. The whole situation felt too surreal for her liking. Too similar to something she had fabricated previously in her sleep. Maybe she hadn't woken up after all.
"Pinch me, Brittany," Santana instructed, needing to know.
"What?" Brittany asked, obviously confused by the interesting command. "Why?"
"Just do it," she said. "Please."
Brittany furrowed her eyebrows as she unclasped her seatbelt and slid across the car. She reached out and grasped a small portion of skin on Santana's forearm between her thumb and forefinger before pinching them roughly together.
Santana instantly flinched away, the sharp and uncomfortable pain snapping through her body lightning fast.
"Ow," she grimaced, rubbing the skin Brittany had just harmed.
"Hey, you asked," Brittany pointed out, frowning slightly. "What's going on?"
Santana continued to rub the sensitive skin, turning her attention towards the sky outside. "Definitely not a dream," Santana spoke more to herself than anyone else in the car.
"Santana, what do you mean?" Brittany asked. "San, talk to me."
But Santana wasn't listening to Brittany's pleading words. Instead she was listening to a sound that was oddly familiar. It grew louder as the vibration against her chest grew deeper and stronger and she listened until everything clicked together in her head.
She turned to Brittany, eyes wide as the whistling grew even more distinct in the heavy silence.
Santana didn't think she had ever stared so deeply into her agent's eyes as the next word tumbled from her lips.
"Shit."
Brittany scrunched her eyes together, until the noise finally became audible to the rest of the people around her. The blonde managed to tear her eyes away from Santana towards the bridge a mere second before the missile hit.
It didn't explode right away. Santana saw it hit and for a sliver of a second it just sat there and Santana watched as the fire within ripped the shell open just above the center of the bridge. Silent and almost beautiful, until the screams began.
Santana could see the bridge buckle against the shock of the explosion; they were close enough to hear the strain of the steel wires that had been working to keep the bridge suspended and the road whining in protest of its unnatural movement. For a moment it seemed as though the structure was resilient enough, pausing before the stress became too much and the first of the suspension wires snapped. Then the road cracked.
Through the wave of fire, the first wire whipped down against the field of vehicles parked in the road, glass shattering and metal twisting. The second wire snapped, moving at a sickening speed as it swung down and hit a car with enough force to send it flying.
It landed on top of the car next to them.
"Holy shit!" Santana heard Sam yell, trying to maneuver the car as best as he could in the traffic. It was hopeless though, especially after a car rammed into them from behind.
They were jolted forward roughly, only stopping when the front grill of their black SUV collided with the car in front of them. Brittany was able to brace herself from falling where she still sat next to Santana not wearing a seat belt. She had barely managed to shoot her hand out to prevent her head from whipping forward against the passenger seat.
Santana met her eyes briefly before looking back out towards the bridge, now consumed in fire. Cables continued to snap and they watched in horror as the archway closest to them began to lean heavily towards one side, now lacking proper suspension.
The road was crumbling, the two levels of the structure having been terribly damaged in the explosion and Santana could see the cars begin to drop one by one into the river down below. She wished she couldn't hear the splashes over the screams of the people around them.
Outside of their car, Santana could distinguish people beginning to run back down the incline towards Manhattan. Quinn was already on the radio, shouting into the receiver.
"We have to leave!" Sam called to Quinn over her shouts and glanced back towards where Santana still sat with Brittany.
"You okay, San?" Brittany yelled, her voice cutting easily through the mayhem.
Santana turned towards the blonde whose shoulders trembled slightly as she attempted to keep herself cool and collected. Her blue eyes were on fire, one arm braced on the seat behind them and the other on Quinn's with one leg tucked under her body on the seat.
Santana already had her mouth open to respond when she saw blue eyes widen in fear at something behind her. She turned, just in time to see the tail end of the explosion that was close enough to send the jumbled mess of cars next to them flying in their direction at an unstoppable force.
It hit the side of their car right where Santana was sitting, the impact throwing them all to the opposite side of the vehicle, Brittany hitting the far side with a sickening thud due to her lack of restraints. The metal box Santana had been holding escaped from her grasp and went clamoring across the vehicle floor.
She had just managed to get her feet up high enough so they weren't crushed under the impact of the vehicle from the explosion. The pressure was building against her door and Santana yelled out as she tried to push further away from the collapsing metal but her seat belt held true.
She tried to scramble across the seat, now turned towards the door and trying to shove away from the increasingly constricting area. The straps twisted and protested with all their might and Santana had to reach behind her and frantically search for that small red button to release the clasp.
Brittany groaned from somewhere behind her, making Santana work even harder to free herself from the net she had been caught in. She twisted her neck around in an attempt to see her blonde agent.
Brittany lay crumpled against the far door, a small line of red growing from her temple and making its way slowly down the side of her cheek. It only made Santana work harder, giving up on trying to release the clasp and just yanking helplessly at the seatbelt, feet now placed firmly against the destroyed door and pushing for extra leverage.
She screamed in protest as she pushed as hard as she could with no avail.
"Santana!" She heard Quinn call to her and she briefly opened her eyes to see the pink haired girl leaning over the passenger seat towards her.
She had a knife in hand.
"Hang on," Quinn instructed, as Sam banged against his door in an attempt to open it. It was no use though. The force of the explosion had packed them tightly against the other vehicles around them.
Quinn brought the knife under the belt that was twisted across her lap and Santana held her breath, tensing at the closeness of the metal to her body. A brief image of Finn flashed through her mind and she quickly shut her eyes.
But then she felt the constricting tightness around her release as the durable material was sliced through. She tumbled backwards with the sudden release of pressure.
"Are you alright?" Sam asked, twisting in his seat.
"I think so," Santana answered, immediately turning to face Brittany. She gingerly touched the wound on the blonde's head as blue eyes fluttered open to look at her.
She smiled down at the girl. The wound wasn't bad.
"We're going to have to smash our way out," Sam told them, twisting back around and bringing his feet up to the wind shield. He used the butts of his heels to kick against the glass. It held strong and whined in protest.
The fire in front of them had grown, spreading to the neighboring disabled and abandoned vehicles. The bridge was just a twisted ruin with only a portion of the archway still being supported by a single woven cable.
The groaning of the steel was loud enough to be heard above the noises around them, causing all of them to halt their escape efforts.
The rest of the archway was giving out, pulling the wire impossibly tight until it finally snapped. It came rushing towards them in a heated fury as they watched the remainder of the bridge collapse into the awaiting river below.
Something exploded the moment the cable whipped the ground, the tip landing several yards in front of them to their right. Debris was flying everywhere and Sam made no movement to continue to kick out the windshield. A construction truck nearby was the next victim as the fire engulfed it, causing the gas tank to blow almost instantaneously.
She sensed it because the trajectory sounded different than the others. She watched it moving towards them at an impossibly slow pace, but Santana knew it was only slow for her and she had to react instantly.
"Watch out!" She called, hoping the agents in front would hear her in time. She twisted around and grabbed Brittany by the shoulders before diving towards the other side of the vehicle.
They landed in the space below the seat, Santana on top as she covered Brittany from the rain of metal rods that had been projected their way. She could hear Quinn screaming and scrambling to get to cover over the sound of shattering glass.
She cried out as the cold bite of metal ripped through the flesh at the back of her leg and embedded itself into the seat where they had previously been sitting.
Brittany groaned underneath her, no doubt at the less than graceful impact they had with the bottom of the car. Santana slowly lifted her head from where it had been buried against a pale neck. When she felt the bump of Brittany's nose against her own, she opened her eyes.
Their breath was hot against their lips, both panting from the sudden burst of adrenaline. Brittany's eyes were on fire and she could just make out the reflection of her own in the blue mirrors. The lightning from hers flashed against Brittany's.
A heaving pant left Brittany's lips and landed against her own making Santana realize just how impossibly close they were. She felt Brittany's fingers flex against her waist.
A heavy second passed between them but then Quinn's voice pulled them out of whatever trance they had found themselves in.
"SAM! Oh my god, Sam, No!"
Santana blinked and broke eye contact between her and Brittany.
"No, no. No… SAM!"
Santana twisted above the blonde to look towards the front of the car, the movement causing the metal against her leg to send shockwaves of pain through her body as it scraped against raw flesh. She clenched her eyes shut and gritted her teeth.
When she opened her eyes, she realized the cause of Quinn's hysterics. Santana's leg had been sliced open. But the metal rod that had done it had passed through the driver's seat to do so.
Santana could already see the red stain seeping through the material on the back of the seat and she watched as a trail of blood trickled down the embedded metal before dripping slowly onto her legs. She could just make out the pattern of blood-spattered blonde against a second piece of twisted metal right below the head rest.
She swallowed thickly and turned back to face Brittany. Their eyes locked once more as Quinn cried out again.