Hey everyone! sorry I've been rather awol lately :( it has taken me longer than anticipated to get back into writing since my holiday (which was amazing! Thank you America!). I thought I would dip my toes in with a shortish chapter and see if you guys are actually still interested in me continuing to write it, if you are not please simply choose to unfollow and if you are let me know :)
Oh by the way thank you for all the lovely messages after my last post, I'm happy to report the wifey is now fully recovered and happily back to normal.
Enjoy!
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Rachel peered through the small window in the door at the two women snuggled closely together on the hospital bed. Quinn always loved to snuggle close in bed but Rachel always needed her space, at least it seems she had found someone with the same snuggle desires as her own.
"You can go in you know." A nurse stated casually as she walked past.
Rachel nodded in her direction and pushed the door open as quietly as she could.
Quinn stirred when the door creaked shut. She opened her eyes to see her ex-girlfriend moving to a seat on her side of the bed.
"Rach."
Rachel swung around with a fright she had been so focused on getting to the chair without kicking something or sending something flying that she hadn't even noticed Quinn was awake.
"Hey hon."
She moved to the bed and kissed Quinn's cheek gently. The bruise around the blondes eye socket had shown its true self and it looked like Quinn had tried to turn herself into a real life Bratz doll. Rachel sighed and ran her thumb over the top of Quinn's cheekbone.
"That looks sore."
"Yeah it is kinda."
"So I'm guessing everything is ok?"
"I'm still having trouble remembering what exactly happened yesterday but on a whole I'm doing well."
"That's a relief I was so worried during my flight I think I may have driven everyone crazy."
"I'm sorry you had to come all this way Rach."
"Don't be silly I'd be here in a heartbeat you know that."
"Thank you I appreciate it and what you did to get Santana added to my contact info."
"She was majorly stressed out, I think someone else may have ended up in a hospital bed if they kept on refusing to tell her anything."
"I had things so tightly guarded because of Mom and Dad."
"I know. Whilst I'm here perhaps we need to change a few things around especially if you see this going somewhere."
Quinn turned her head towards her sleeping beauty and smiled at the small frown on her face.
"I do."
"This is a little weird huh?" Rachel chuckled softly. Talking to Quinn whilst her new girlfriend is cuddled up in bed beside her wasn't exactly a life goal.
"Yeah I guess it is."
"I probably shouldn't have come in so early. I should have given you guys some time to wake up properly."
"Rach its fine. Do your Dads know you are back?"
"Yes I rang them before I left they will come and get me from here when I'm ready."
"You're going to stay with them?"
"Well I'm not going to be staying at home am I?" the brunette laughed louder this time causing Santana to stir.
"You could if you wanted to it's still your house."
"I'm fine and besides isn't that where you guys are going to be?"
"We could always stay at Santana's place."
"Isn't that where this happened."
Rachel gestured to the purple mark on Quinn's face.
"Yeah it was."
"Um then why the hell would you ever go back there?"
"Because it's Santana's home."
"Quinn you were attacked in Santana's home."
"It's still her home."
"And until they catch whoever did this that means you are still unsafe at least at home the house is secure."
"It wasn't even meant to be me."
"Who the hell is she then if she has people after her?"
"You can drop the tone Rachel, the whole situation is…..well it's kind of complicated."
"No shit Sherlock."
"Rach I don't need your judgment ok."
"I'm just concerned about you Quinn. Is now the right time to getting involved with her?"
"I'm in love with her Rach, Santana couldn't have predicted any of this would be happening."
"Ok as long as know what you are doing, if this happens again you may not be so lucky."
"It won't happen again."
Santana's voice made them both jump.
"How can you be so sure?" Quinn could tell by the look in Rachel's eyes she was only just holding her shit together.
"I will keep Quinn safe." Fortunately Santana had seemingly woken up attitude free.
"Yeah coz you are doing such a great job of it so far." Rachel scoffed before sitting back in her chair.
Santana's eyebrow rose and Quinn sighed, the switch had just been turned on.
"San." She placed a hand over the Latinas and willed her to keep her cool.
"You know what? Purely out of respect for Quinn, for what you did yesterday and for flying all the way here I'm going to let that one slide. But be warned if you insinuate for one small moment again that Quinn's safety is not a priority to me and I'll tear you a new one."
"Yep she's a winner Quinn."
"Rachel shut up! You are an antagonist." Santana may be trying to be respectful but Quinn wouldn't have someone bad mouthing the woman she loves.
Rachel went to speak but closed her mouth again. Reasoning that Quinn didn't need the stress and seeing as the blonde was the reason she was here she would have to grin and bear it with Santana.
V
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V
"She has already told them she can't remember exact details why the hell are they still bothering her?"
Rachel was pacing outside of Quinn's room as the blonde was being spoken to inside by two police officers.
"Damn woman would you calm down! If any small thing she says can help find this fucker then I'm all for letting them talk to her."
Santana was starting to get pretty worked up by the smaller brunettes constant jabbering.
"Shouldn't you be in there with her? What if they start to pressure her?"
"Rachel look I know you mean well but can you sit your little white ass down and be quiet for a few minutes? This isn't like an interrogation they are simply trying to find out information, none of which will get Quinn into any trouble so I think she is ok…besides they wanted to talk to her on her own and she agreed so I don't have a choice. If Quinn needs me then she will let me know."
"And you think I talk too much." Rachel huffed as she took a seat two chairs away from Santana."
"You think I'm going to bite?"
"I don't know what to expect from you, I don't know anything about you."
"Well I think we can both agree I'm not the one who throws things at others and has a diva wobbly am I?"
"Oh yeah…um….. about that."
"Forget it."
"No I'm sorry I didn't actually mean for it to hit you and for you to be hurt."
"I know you didn't." Santana said quietly. Deep down she knew this was the case…..everyone did.
"Quinn has been such a huge part of my life for an extremely long time."
"That's why you slept with other people?"
"I'm not proud of what I did nor do I owe you any explanations I just want you to know that I would like to remain in Quinn's life and I am aware to do that I need to accept and respect the way she feels about you."
"Are you asking my permission to be friends with Quinn?"
"No."
"No?"
"No…I don't need your permission for anything Santana, however to make this easier for the woman you love and the person I care very deeply for perhaps we can agree to at least be civil to one another?"
"Does Quinn even want to be your friend?"
"I am hoping in time yes."
"Then in time let's see how we go."
"Ok that sounds good."
Rachel sat back in the chair not sure if she had actually accomplished anything with the Latina.
"How did this happen?" Shel asked quietly after a few moments of silence not even bothering to turn to face Santana.
"You know the whole not owing any explanations thing?"
"I was just curious…and also I wasn't sure if you needed to talk about it."
"It's a long story."
"Well we both seemingly have time." Rachel gestured towards the room where to two officers had now taken seats.
"I could do without the judgement." Santana got to her feet and began to stretch out her aching shoulder muscles.
"Fine I was simply trying to help."
"Yet all I feel is you are trying to worm our way into my life to make it easier for you to remain friends with Quinn."
"I guess you are right."
Santana swung around to face the smaller woman…..she had to give her props for honesty.
"So you'll forgive me for not wanting to share any campfire moments with you."
Rachel merely nodded before picking up her purse and standing from her chair.
"Coffee?"
"Yeah black and one sugar thanks."
Rachel walked down the hall in the direction of the coffee shop.
Beep beep
Santana took her phone from her pocket and swiped at the screen.
- - - How is Quinn doing today?
She stared at her phone and the message from Shelby. She was torn between her promise to Quinn to not have anything to do with Shelby and the feeling of at least owing Shelby an update, after all she had been such a huge support the day earlier.
After another minute or so she slipped her phone back into her jacket pocket, she would talk to Quinn first, the last thing she wanted to do was upset her girlfriend any further.
"Can you tell me why I'm only just finding out about this today?" an angry voice interrupted Santana's thoughts and she scampered to her feet.
"Steph I'm sorry I had so much going on in my head and I didn't want to worry you until I had more information."
"Yet she has time to get here?" Steph raised her eyes towards Rachel who was making her way back with two coffees in hand.
"Things got complicated." Santana sighed she could see that Steph was hurting.
"I should have been here for her…for you both."
"Stephanie I think Santana was only trying to do the right thing, she didn't want anyone to panic unnecessarily."
Rachel came quickly to Santana's defense which surprised all three of them.
"So you flying all the way here from London isn't deemed as a panicked situation?"
"Things were a little untidy when it came to Quinn's power of attorney and what not. I simply came to help."
"Gone are the days when you turn to friends for help and now we go direct to exes it seems." Steph glared at Santana in disbelief.
"Can you even hear yourself?" Santana spat back.
"This is actually not a time for it to be about you Steph. Do you think it was easy for me to call Rachel and ask for help?"
"Do you?" The Latinas voice was low but angry.
"Well no….I uh" Steph quickly realized she had pushed Santana too far.
"No it wasn't! But I had too because the love of my life was unconscious and it's my fault. Quinn needed Rachel here so don't you dare make this about you."
Tears pricked at the back of Santana's eyes and the last thing she wanted to do was to break down in front of either of the women in front of her. She began to walk and despite their calls for her to stop she continued down the corridor and once out of sight she ran, she needed air and she needed it now.
V
V
V
A brief glimpse of someone vaguely familiar caught in her peripheral as she bolted through the main entrance doors. She ran hard and fast before collapsing on a bench in a nearby park, sobs racked through her body. She felt awful and sick and guilty.
Strong arms soon wrapped around her and pulled her close.
"Shhh It's ok." Santana knew the voice and allowed herself to relax slightly into the arms.
"It's all my fault."
"I'm sure that's not the case at all, however if thinking that helps you release all this tension then go right ahead….. I will tell you how ridiculous the notion is once you're done."
Santana chuckled out loud.
"Thank you for coming."
"Of course! There is nowhere else I would be."
"You should go and be with Quinn."
"Is she a blubbering mess like you?"
"No she is actually doing amazingly well."
"Then I think she would appreciate my efforts out here for a little while longer."
"I'm sorry you don't need to see me in a state like this."
"Well you're too pretty anyway, seeing you in a snotty mess is actually kind of comforting."
"Ha ha thanks."
"None needed hon." Dani laughed before taking Santana's hand in her own and squeezing it gently.