Santana sat in the lounge chair in Rachel's living room. Her eyes were shifting back and forth from the movie they were watching, to Jade. Her heart was beating fast, and she breath was short and choppy. It had only been an hour since she'd gotten to Rachel's house, and she was already having issues being in the same room as Jade. They hadn't spoken one word to each other, and had barely made eye contact. Santana just wanted to kiss her, that's all. To hold her for just a few minutes and kiss her, but it hadn't happened. It didn't seem like it was going to happen at all. Santana ended up standing up and storming out of the room.
"Whoa...is she okay", asked Alyson, and Jade went to stand up.
"No, stay put sweetie, I got it", said Quinn. Jade settled back onto the couch, as Quinn stood up and followed Santana. She found her outside in the backyard." You okay", asked Quinn as she approached her.
"Yeah, fine."
Quinn stepped in front of her, and grabbed her hands." I haven't seen a storm out like that since Rachel in the choir room. Something's up. Talk to me."
"I was starting to think I could deal with this, but I can't. Being in the same room with her, and not being able to touch her is fucking torture...I need to get out of here like now", said Santana." You haven't even tried to talk to her...", said Quinn.
"Why should I be the one to talk first? From the second I got here, she's been avoiding me. It's obvious that she doesn't even wanna' talk to me", cried Santana. Quinn pulled her into a hug, and rubbed her back." Santana, she's just scared. She knows why she's here today, she knows we want her to talk. I need you to trust me when I say that you being here is helping. I mean, I know it doesn't seem like it now, but you need to be here."
Santana pulled away from the hug, and nodded her head slowly." If you really feel like going home is better, than go. I can't force you to stay", said Quinn.
"Don't leave."
Quinn and Santana turned to see Jade standing near by.
"Please", said Jade.
Quinn smiled, and moved away from Santana. She walked back into the house, and left Jade and Santana standing not five feet away from each other.
Not a word was being said. Not one move was being made. It was Jade who finally spoke up after about a minute or two of nothing.
"Okay, there was less tension when the slaves were set free."
Santana smiled a little, and looked at her." Are you okay", she asked softly.
"If I say I am, will you believe me", asked Jade.
"No, but...it's still nice to hear you say you are...".
Jade nodded. Santana just looked at her. She didn't have any make up on, she looked so tired, but she didn't care. She still thought she looked so beautiful. Standing there in with her Nightmare Before Christmas PJ's on. She wanted to hold her, if nothing else, but she couldn't move. She didn't know how Jade would react. She glanced down at her hand, and saw that it was bandaged up.
"Your hand...", she said softly.
"I'm sorry...I didn't mean for you to see me do that last night...", said Jade. Tears ran down her face, and Santana could tell that she felt really guilty.
"Fuck it", she said. She grabbed onto Jade and kissed her hard on the lips. Jade wrapped her arms around Santana's neck, and leaned into her as close as she could. When the kiss broke, they rested their foreheads on each others.
"God Jade I am so sorry...I am so fucking sorry, I love you so much", cried Santana.
Jade just cried into Santana, holding her tight. Santana could feel her body shaking, and she got worried." Honey...", she said, trying to push her back, to look at her, but Jade wouldn't move. She clung to Santana as if her life depended it on it.
"Don't let me go...please don't let me go", cried Jade hysterically.
"Okay, okay...it's alright I won't let you go I promise", said Santana.
She knew something was really wrong, but she didn't know what to do. A few minutes had passed, and Jade was still clinging to Santana. Quinn, Rachel, and Alyson slowly and quietly walked into the yard. Santana gave them a look of desperation, so they approached the two.
"Jade...come on let's go in the house, okay", asked Quinn. Jade cried even harder, and sank down the ground. Santana wasn't about to let go, so she went right down with her, and held her tight.
Jade cried and cried and started to hypervenalte."Oh god...Rachel you're gonna' need to go get some water...like now",said Alyson. Rachel ran towards the house." Santana, flip her onto her back, but do not let her go", snapped Alyson. Santana quickly but carefully moved Jade onto her back, but held onto her from behind as tight as she could. Alyson got down on the ground and took one of Jade's hands in hers.
"Jade just breath...it's okay, everything is okay just breath...calm down...we're right here baby, just calm down", she said.
Quinn got down on the ground, as Rachel emerged from the house with a huge glass of water. She took her place on he ground, and handed the glass to Alyson." Jade...please calm down", cried Santana.
"Deep breathes, in and out...come on, drink some water", said Alyson, holding the glass in front of Jade. She calmed down just slightly, and took a few small sips of water.
"Should I call 911", asked Rachel.
"No no, it's fine. She's just having a panic attack", said Alyson. Santana kissed Jade on the forehead, and tightened her grasp on Jade's upper body.
"Jade...pay attention to my words baby...just listen to me, nod if you understand", said Alyson.
Jade nodded, but still couldn't manage to stop crying.
"I want you to listen to my voice. I want you to listen to the birds...listen to the sound the wind makes when it blows. It sounds just like music baby. Feel how warm the sun feels on your skin...", Alyson started to say. Jade started to calm down a little more." Listen to me...listen to us. I love you Jade", said Alyson, she looked up at Quinn.
"Jade...I love you", said Quinn.
"I love you too", said Rachel.
"I love you so much it hurts", cried Santana. Jade calmed down a little more.
"Open your eyes, and look up Jade", said Alyson. When Jade did as she was told, she was greeted with the concerned yet warm, loving gaze of Santana." Everything is okay...we're right here, and none of us will let anything or anyone hurt you...", said Alyson. A few seconds later, Jade was calm and breathing normal again, but nobody moved.
After a while, Jade sat up, and rested herself into Santana." I'm sorry", she said.
"Don't be. Everyone's entitled to panic", said Rachel.
"It was my fault. I didn't know I'd set you off if I kissed you", said Santana.
"No it wasn't that...I...I'm just...ready to talk...a little...", said Jade. The girls all exchanged looks of shock." Really Jade", asked Rachel.
"Alyson, can you go get my bag for me, please", asked Jade nicely. Alyson nodded, got up and ran towards the house." You're sure this is okay", asked Quinn." No. But, I'm sick of you guys wasting so much of your energy on me", said Jade. "It's not a waste. You are not a waste", said Santana. Jade just shook her head. When Alyson came back, Mercedes and Tina were following behind."Hey, look who was at the front door", she said." I you guys", said Quinn." So we obviously came at the bad time", said Tina." Not at all, you guys need to hear this too",said Jade. Mercedes and Tina joined the backyard circle, and took their seats. Jade took her bag from Alyson, and pulled out a flask." Jade...", warned Quinn and Rachel in unison.
"If I'm gonna' do this, I need to drink...not a lot, just a little. Please", asked Jade.
The circle of girl's all looked at one another, and all nodded in agreement. Jade took a few sips from her flask, and handed it to Santana. It was as if she knew she wanted a sip too. Santana took a sip then, wrapped her arms around Jade lovingly.
Jade took a deep breath." I'm gonna' show you guys something", she said.
She lifted her shirt, and pointed to a tattoo that was across her ribcage. It wasn't very big, but it was noticeable. It was a word that none of the girl's recognized.
"POMAP...", said Rachel out loud." What does that mean?"
"Property Of Mika Anthony Price", said Jade.
"What. The. Fuck", said Santana.
"Your own brother calls you his property? What kind of bullshit is that", snapped Mercedes.
"Wait...that day...that day you missed band practice last year. You said you were going with Mika to get a tattoo. You said he was getting the tattoo...", said Alyson.
Jade nodded." I lied. I couldn't tell you that my brother was making me go with him to his tattoo artist friend, because he wanted to brand me", cried Jade, and she took another sip from her flask. Alyson nodded, and cried silently. Santana again, tightened her hold on Jade." He forced you to do that", asked Tina."Yeah. Told me if I didn't people I cared about would get hurt. And I had no choice but to believe that...he has a history...",cried Jade.
"Okay stop right there. We already know about that, so you don't have to get into any detail, okay", asked Rachel. "How", asked Jade." Google. I just looked up his name...",said Santana." So Jade, it's okay. Now we know why you were trying to protect us", said Quinn. Jade nodded." It's true? He really did what that article said", asked Mercedes, and Jade nodded." I don't get it, why won't your family turn him in", asked Tina.
"Because they are all totally popped in the head...I've been wanting to tell somebody about him ever since this night he came home covered in blood...laughing his ass off as if he had just won the fucking lottery. I could hear my parents yelling and screaming...and then I could hear my sister crying...so I got out of bed, and snuck downstairs...and...there was just so much blood on him...next thing I knew Nessa's locking me in my room, and my parents are running out the front door...they were hiding anything that would make him look guilty. All because they didn't want people to know how fucked up their son really is...but I already knew...because...because...", Jade stuttered. She went to take another sip from her flask but Alyson took it from her.
"Because why Jade", she asked." Because he's been messing with me since I was five years old", cried Jade. By this time, there was a cry eye int he the circle, and Santana was fighting back the earge to find Mika, and destroy him." Jade...does your brother...", Quinn started to ask.
"Yes, he has. Yes...he still does", cried Jade.
"Oh god...",cried Alyson. Tina grabbed her hand, and held it tight.
"You're entire family knows about it, and they still treat you like that? That ain't even right...", said Mercedes.
"I told you, they're all popped. My parents, you know, they own three bars, and two hotels in the city. People with money sometimes...let it change them. Paying people off becomes a bad habit. They've been trying to scare me into keeping my mouth shut all these years, and it worked. But...I can't...I can't do this anymore...", cried Jade.
"We're taking him down...him and the rest of the family. They are going down...", cried Santana.
"No, I need to do this on my own. You guys already know way too much, and like I said, I need to protect you."
"Jade, you've protected us, and them long enough. It's time for somebody else to give you some fucking protection", cried Alyson.
"I need each and every one of you to promise right now that you will let me fix this on my own', cried Jade.
"No fucking way", said Santana.
"Not a chance in hell", said Mercedes.
"I need to do this on my own", cried Jade.
"What are you going to do", asked Quinn.
"Something I should have done a long time ago. Tell the cops how much I really know", said Jade.
"Okay, well at the very least, let Santana go with you", said Rachel." No, I need to do this by myself. And, I need you all to trust me", said Jade.
It took a little while, but eventually it was agreed amongst them all that Jade would have one chance to deal with the problem on her own. If not handled correctly, they would step up and help her with the situation.
"Why didn't you tell us? Any of us", asked Alyson.
"At first...it was because I wasn't sure anyone would really believe me...or...care. Then it was because I didn't want to put anyone in danger. My parents do that enough as it is. My Mom knew damn well she shouldn't have invited you guys to dinner. Mika has so many problems...he can't stop what he does. He doesn't wanna' stop, so he's never going to actually try. Poor Jonah, he can't even have a girlfriend because he's afraid that Mika will hurt any girl he gets close with...it's just...twisted. Jonah is really the only one of them that has a heart. But, just like me, he's scared as hell to fight back, or say anything. I'm ashamed that I'm a part of that family", said Jade.
"None of this is your fault, and you know that", said Mercedes.
"No it's not. And you have all of us now...", said Quinn.
Jade smiled a little, and rested her head on Santana's shoulder.
Not too long after, the girls left Santana and Jade outside by themselves. Alyson was watching them from the window. She watched them laying together in the grass. Talking, kissing and laughing. Alyson smiled to herself. She couldn't even remember the last time she had seen Jade that happy. Eventually, she joined everybody else in the living room.
Jade was laying on her back, Santana hovering over her body.
"I wanna' ask you something. Please try not to get mad at me", said Jade.
"I won't" ,said Santana.
"Why are you in love with me?"
"Funny you ask, I've been thinking about that a lot. I think one reason is because you are everything that I'm not. Mostly though, it's because you're so beautiful", said Santana. Jade smiled. "What about you, why do you love me?"
"Pretty eyes, and soft lips aside?"
"Yes, those aside, kiss ass", laughed Santana.
"I've somehow always known that…you could…protect me. Like even before we started talking, I knew your arms were a safe place to be", said Jade.
"Oh god…", said Santana.
"What", asked Jade.
"You wanted me to keep you safe….and I….I…hurt you so much….", said Santana.
"Don't feel bad. It's okay", said Jade.
"Do you forgive me", asked Santana.
"Always."
For the rest of the day, the girls bonded. Talking about things, watching movies, and just trying to cheer Jade up and have fun with each other. Santana couldn't help but notice how much better Jade seemed already, and she didn't leave her side for the rest of the day. That night, they all snuggled together on Rachel's living room floor to watch a movie. It was how they fell asleep, and it's exactly how they woke up the next morning.