Can you tell I'm having a slow week at work? he he he.
Hoping the flashback within a flashback is easy enough to get your heads around...
Thanks for all the reviews, faves, follows etc.
Enjoy!
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Quinn sat back in her chair and rubbed her temple she wasn't sure if her headache was from lack of sleep or from her tight shoulders and neck… possibly all of the above.
The photo of Shelby kept entering her mind causing her to sigh once again, these rosters weren't going to do themselves but equally she couldn't do them if she was so distracted. She decided a break was needed and made her way downstairs to get a coffee.
"Hey Quinn."
Stacey called out to her from behind the bar, she was busying herself checking the stock levels of their top of shelf range.
"Hi Stace how was last night?"
"Everything was good no dramas or anything."
"Always a bonus on a Saturday night."
"I know right? Everyone behaved themselves and no one needed to be removed."
"That's what I like to hear."
"Oh one thing actually! A guy from the local paper asked if he could come and do an article on us."
"What sort of article?"
"Kind of half review half advertisement, wants to promote us or something like that. He seemed legit I gave him your number and told him to call you this week."
"Ok thanks Steph."
"You are tired huh?"
"Yeah is it that obvious?"
"Well you totally look it and you just called me Steph."
"Fuck I'm sorry Stace."
"Ha ha it's all good I'm not offended."
"I'm trying to do the rosters and my brain just doesn't want to function so I came down to get a coffee can I make you one?"
"I just had one before so I'm fine thanks, did you want me to fix you something stronger instead?" Stacey gestured to the bottle of rum in her hand.
"No I'll stick to coffee I think."
"Probably a good idea if you are exhausted."
"Yeah a Chinese takeout request has been made for on my way home so I'd better not fall asleep at my desk."
"Yes I don't think a hungry Santana would be much fun."
"Do me a favor if I'm not down and out of here in the next 2 hours come and wake me up."
"Deal."
Quinn smiled and made her way to the kitchen hopefully a coffee would work it's magic and clear her mind and ease her headache.
V
V
V
Santana lay back on her bed and stared blankly up at the ceiling, she had done her laundry and cleaned the apartment up a bit and now she was beat. She had read multiple stories online about Luke and had even seen some footage of the reporters trying to get a statement from Shelby as she left her house that morning. Santana noted straight away that she looked tired and stressed out. Santana could always read the woman's eyes and from that video she was convinced Shelby may have known her husband was up to something but she certainly wasn't involved. This pleased her immensely as she was well aware how much Shelby had given up for her husband and the last thing she deserved was to be dragged down with him for something like this.
"Ughhhh." She groaned loudly why did she even care what happened to Shelby? It's not like she deserved any of her loyalty. She closed her eyes and tried to block any further thoughts from her mind.
Flashback
"Santana wait." Shelby pushed the Latina away slowly.
"I thought you enjoyed me kissing your neck." Santana said softly before attaching her lips once more to the pale skin of Shelby's neck.
"I do, you know I do San I just….I need to talk to you."
"Oh sure what's up?"
"We need to cool this."
"Cool what?"
"This…..us…."
"What? Why?"
"Please don't ask me to explain just trust that we need to take a break for a while."
"I think I deserve an explanation…It isn't like this is a new thing Shel."
"It's Luke…..he….." Shelby struggled to find the right words to say.
"Fuck him…..just leave him! You don't love him. Leave him and we can finally be together."
"It's not as easy as that Santana."
Shelby got up from the bed to put some distance between them. She was addicted to Santana, always had been and if she wasn't careful she would fall straight back in to bed with her and that couldn't happen. She had been trying to find a way to start this conversation for weeks and now she couldn't put it off any longer.
"It should be…..If you love me like you say and I know you don't love him."
"We just need to take some time out and have a bit of a break." She was trying her hardest to do this as gently as possible.
"You just need to bring your sexy ass back into this bed and let me make you forget about this whole taking a break idea. You booked us in for the night so let's make the most of it."
"Santana…..please…..I'm being serious."
"So you want to end this?...end what we have?"
"I can't be with you at the moment."
"Why the hell not? We have been fucking each other for over 3 years Shelby! Why the hell does it need to end now? Please tell me you haven't just grown a conscience?" Santana's voice was loud and defensive as she climbed from the large bed in a hurry.
Shelby closed her eyes and sighed. She knew this was never going to be easy but it had to be done.
"It just has to." A single tear fell from her eye and she hurriedly wiped it away.
The lump in Santana's throat made it difficult for her to swallow.
"But you love me." Her eyes pleaded with the older woman and her body trembled.
Shelby knew the only way she could do this properly was to say the one thing she had been dreading….the one thing she knew would work.
"No….I don't Santana."
Santana felt like the world stopped turning, only 3 days previous when they were nakedly wrapped up in each other's arms Shelby had declared her love for her and she believed it whole heartedly.
"You do….I know you do! I can see it in the way you look at me….I know you Shelby."
Shelby glanced to floor, the girl was right she loved her more than anything and it was because of that that she had to do this and she had to do it right…even if that involved the need to be cruel to be kind.
"Do you think you are the only person I look at like that?"
"What…." The air left Santana's lungs in a heartbeat. She thought she was Shelby's escape from a loveless marriage…she was her knight in shining armor….she was wrong it appeared….she was just one of many.
"I need to go….I'm so sorry Santana." Shelby left the room in a hurry not even bothering to pick up the jacket she had discarded somewhere on the floor during their welcome make out session.
Santana stood frozen. She wanted to run after her….. Make her stay but her body wouldn't cooperate with her brain. Instead her legs gave out from beneath her and she collapsed to the floor. Her heart was in pieces as sobs wracked through her fragile frame.
Shelby made it one mile down the road before she had to pull over, she could no longer see through her tears and she couldn't put any else's life at risk. Her mind wandered back to the conversation she had with Luke a few weeks previous.
Shelby Flashback
"Luke we are over! this marriage is a sham and I want out."
"Oh shut up! You get everything you want out of this marriage! Money, prestige, a big house…you get it all."
"It's not enough anymore."
"You aren't leaving."
"You can't stop me."
"You think I can't? I need you by my side for the next twelve months Shelby."
"Luke this is ridiculous! Having a wife is not going to help your career."
"Yes it is and you will stay."
"I will not."
"Are you seriously that foolish? You don't think I know what you've been up to?"
"What….what do you mean?"
"Declan has been filling me in on all your little escapades with that fucking Latina slag."
Slap
Shelby's hand whipped across his face.
"Don't you dare talk about her like that."
"Is that why you think you are leaving? Don't tell me you went and actually fell in love with her."
"I'm not having this conversation with you."
Shelby went to walk from the room and Luke grabbed her roughly.
"You are not leaving…in fact you will stop all contact with that little tart."
"Fuck you."
"That language is not very becoming of you my dear."
"Get fucking used to it."
"You will stop seeing her or I will find a way to permanently make it happen."
"Are you threatening me?"
"No I'd say it was more like I was threatening her."
"You're a piece of shit Luke."
"You are part of my ticket to the white house Shelby and if this girl is going to become a hindrance to that happening then I will gladly find a way to remove her from the situation."
"How can you say that?"
"Do not blame me for this you are the one that went and fell in love with her, I have been turning a blind eye to your affair for years but don't think for a second you will be leaving."
"I have been in love with her for years! Luke I have been the dutiful wife but I can't be any longer."
"You have one month."
"One month for what?"
"If I hear you are with her even once after that then I begin to bring pain to her and her family."
"You are fucking scum."
"Enjoy your last 4 weeks Shelby, now go and get ready we have an important dinner with the mayor."
Luke left her standing there shaking with rage, she couldn't put Santana in that position. She knew what her husband was capable of.
End of Shelby flashback.
She had done the right thing, as painful as it was she had done what was best for Santana. She had done what was needed and now she had to live with the consequences. Truth was she had tried to leave Luke for years but he always turned it around. At first he would beg and plead that he needed her, then he would lay the guilt on which then progressed to threatening her…she knew she should have been stronger.
She had also tried multiple times over the years to distance herself from Santana and anything close to her, to keep in control of the situation. In the end it made her look bad and no one in Santana's circle particularly liked her.
Now they would all get what they wanted, Luke gets what he wants, Santana's broken heart will heal and that will just leave her… her flawless public facade masking her inner private despair.
End of flashback.
V
V
V
"Baby…baaaabbbbyyyy." Quinn cooed softly trying to rouse Santana from her sleep.
She considered simply stripping off and joining the brunette under the covers but she knew they had to get back to a normal routine. She opted for the kissing awake option and began to place her lips on the Latinas skin. It soon worked its magic and Santana began to stir with a large grin on her face.
"Mmmmm best wake up ever." She groaned as she stretched out, her muscles were sore from all the morning tension but she knew a hot shower would ease them up. Her stomach growled involuntarily.
"Chinese food is in the kitchen." Quinn chuckled before placing her lips on Santana's.
"Yum you taste pretty good perhaps I can just have you for dinner."
"I taste like three or four coffees."
"Scrumptious." Santana smacked her lips together.
"Then can call me Truly! Now get up and let's eat."
"Did you just chuck a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang reference in there?" Santana laughed as Quinn began to pull back the covers.
"I did….." The blonde squeaked when she revealed a very naked body beside her.
"I got hot." Santana smirked which made Quinn roll her eyes.
"A normal person would take off a blanket San."
"I never said I was normal….and are you really complaining?"
Santana husked as she grabbed Quinn's hand and placed it on her chest. She had to stifle a groan herself at the delicious way it felt against her hot skin.
"Fuck Santana…..I'm going to dish up." It took all of Quinn's will power to pull away from her girlfriend and not fall instantly into bed with her.
"The first part of that sentence sounded like a much better idea." Santana called after with a laugh.
She looked back up to the ceiling this time with a smile on her face Quinn's presence just had that effect on her.
Santana waited a few more minutes before the scent of their dinner made her finally pull herself from the comfort of the bed. She found a pair of sweats and a t-shirt and lazily pulled them on as she made her way out to the kitchen.
"Your phone has vibrated a couple of times." Quinn smiled at her, thankful she had put some clothes on.
"It's probably Mami checking that I'm not in a crumpled heap on the floor."
"Probably a good idea to call her back whilst I finish this then."
Santana looked at her phone and realized she had missed 3 calls from her Mom and had 2 texts.
"Yeah I'd better if she's not already on her way over."
She hit the call button on her phone and snuck a cashew nut from the dish in front of her as she waited for it to be answered. Quinn smacked her hand when she went to steal another.
"Santana are you ok?"
"Hey Mami sorry I was sleeping."
"I was getting worried sweetheart."
"I did tell you I had an afternoon nap planned."
"You know why mija."
"I know and I'm ok I promise."
"Is Quinn with you?"
"Yeah she is currently dishing up a mountainous plate of Chinese food…..I think she is trying to make me fat Mami." Santana whispered the last part of that statement.
Quinn scoffed in the back ground as she held up a bottle of wine and a bottle of coke and gestured for the brunette to choose one. Santana nodded towards the bottle of coke the wine did not appeal for some reason.
"Santana are you there?" Santana had switched off from what her Mom was saying at the end of the line
"Yeah sorry Quinn was distracting me….she isn't as perfect as you think Mami."
Quinn swung around and glared at her with one hand on her hip which made Santana laugh.
"I asked if Quinn got all her work done."
"Oh um I'm not sure to be honest she only just got home….here you can ask her."
Santana handed the phone to Quinn, she picked up the plate that had been prepared for her and began to place forkfuls into her mouth as she made her way to the sofa.
"I would ask if your mother taught you any manners but seeing as I've met your Mom I know full well she did." Quinn called after her before greeting Maribel.
"Let me guess eating whilst she's walking." Maribel laughed softly.
"Got it in one." Quinn joined her laughter.
"I was just checking In on Santana and asked if you had managed to get your work done."
"Yeah I got most of it done thanks now I have dinner and a movie planned before an early night."
"That sounds much like us, the boys are quite the handful at this age."
"I'm sure they keep you on your toes."
"They do indeed…..Is…..did…"
"She told me yeah."
"And you are both alright?"
"I believe so."
"I'm so glad she has you Quinn."
"I will always be here for her I can promise you that."
"Thank you dear I should let you both get on with your dinner please ask Santana to call me tomorrow."
"Will do thanks Maribel."
"We will hopefully see you again soon Quinn."
"I'd like that."
Quinn genuinely meant it she really liked Santana's family and even though Maribel had been a bit wary of her when they first met Quinn could totally understand why.
"Have a good night."
"Thanks you too, bye for now." Quinn ended the call and placed Santana's phone back on the bench before grabbing her own plate and drink to join her girlfriend on the sofa.
"Your Mom asked you to call her tomorrow."
Santana nodded into her glass as she took a sip and pushed play on the DVD she had set up.
"Seriously San?" Quinn nearly choked on her mouthful of food.
"Hey you got me inspired." Santana laughed as the familiar music of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang started.
"We are so cool right now." Quinn laughed.
"Hey no mocking me toot sweet! I love this movie."
"No judgement my love I hope you've got your singing voice on."
"You gonna sing with me Q?" Santana raised her eyebrow at her.
"It's like the law or something with this movie isn't it?"
Quinn grinned at her and Santana nodded as she turned back to the screen. Yep she loved this woman more and more with every moment she spent with her.
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A/N - Ooooohhhhh so maybe Shelby isn't quite as bad as everyone thinks she is...dun dun dun! lol just thought it was important to note in this story Shelby has no ties at all to Rachel :)
See you soon!