Finally an update! hope everyone is keeping well :)
Enjoy!
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Quinn was on her feet instantly and all heads in the room snapped to her attention.
"Baby where are you? Are you ok? Oh my god." Tears were pouring down the blondes face.
Santana took a deep breath and her ability to talk finally returned.
"I'm ok… fancy meeting me at the police station? We should be back there in about half an hour. We are just waiting to be checked over by the ambo guys and we will be heading out."
"YES of course! Oh god what's wrong? I thought you said you were ok. How did they find you? I swear to god if anyone hurt you…"
"Quinn calm down we have to get checked out as a precaution. I will fill you in on everything else when I see you ok?"
"I'm sorry you don't need me rambling on like a crazy person. I will see you soon."
"I missed you so much."
"I missed you too! God I've been going crazy here."
After a few more questions Santana had to go as the Ambulance had arrived. Quinn placed her phone on the bench and practically jumped into Maribel's arms as tears of joy fell from everyone's eyes.
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"I think they are both going to be ok physically."
Detective Coles was discussing Shelby and Santana's health with the ambulance crew.
"We will be sure to get them some victim support and counselling."
"Yeah they will probably need it, I'm happy for them to be cleared from a hospital visit."
"Great I'm sure they will appreciate that in the very least."
The ambulance crew returned to their vehicle to fill out the necessary paperwork and Scott made his way to Santana and Shelby.
"If they want us to go to the hospital I'm kicking up a whole pile of NOPE." Santana said quietly
"I'm sure we will be ok San." Shelby chuckled.
"Ok ladies shall we make our way back to the station?"
"Absofuckinglutely." Santana jumped to her feet.
The detective and Shelby smiled at Santana's eagerness.
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The drive back took longer than Santana was prepared for and she was basically clawing at the door handle when they finally pulled to a stop in the underground carpark of the police station.
"I'll take you upstairs into an interview room for some privacy, we will need to talk to you both before you leave."
"I can talk to you first, let Santana get reacquainted with her family."
"Ok great."
"Wait Shel what about your family?" Santana queried.
"I haven't rung anyone."
"What? Why the hell not? They must have been going crazy."
"I'm not close to my family San they probably haven't even noticed I was gone."
"But you used to be so close to your sister."
The elevator sounded its arrival and the three of them stepped on to it.
"Yeah I used to be….. Luke managed to kill that and most of the other relationships and friendships I had."
"So no one is coming to meet you?"
"No but that's ok I don't like a fuss, I will answer whatever Scott needs me to and I will head home to my glorious bed and likely sleep for the next few days."
They arrived at their floor and stepped into a quiet corridor.
"Just wait here ladies I will check what rooms are available and get set up."
They both nodded quietly.
"I don't think you should be home alone."
"I will be fine hon."
"But what happens if he has someone else around?"
"The cops are on their way to arrest him as we speak. I'm sure anyone else he is involved with will go to ground. But I promise to double lock my door and not open it to any strangers."
Shelby placed an arm around the younger woman to reassure her.
"Why don't you go and stay at my place?"
"San they know where you live as well if that's what you are worried about."
"Yeah but they would probably never expect you to be there."
"Look how about I promise to go there if I feel unsafe at any moment? Besides there is more security in my building anyway."
"Ok deal."
Shelby pulled Santana into a hug. It was nice that she cared. In fact it gave Shelby hope, if Santana could talk to her and still care after what she had done to her maybe she had a chance at repairing things with her sister after all.
Quinn rounded the corner in a hurry but stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Santana and Shelby with their arms wrapped around one another, the sting she felt in her heart when she thought of the two photos she had seen earlier was still strong especially when it was a reality bang smack in front of her.
"Woah why are we stopping?" Dani had walked straight into the back of her cousin.
Santana and Shelby's heads turned with the sudden voice. Their arms instantly falling to their sides.
"Oh my god Quinn."
Santana tore down the corridor and Quinn met her half way. As their bodies collided and arms wrapped exceedingly tight around each other Santana was once again speechless. Quinn felt so good, she smelt so good and she looked like heaven was on earth.
No words were spoken as tears streamed down the lovers' faces.
Dani placed a reassuring hand on both of their arms as she moved past and made her way to Shelby, There was no way their bodies were coming apart for quite some time.
"Shelby hey are you ok?"
"Hey Dani I'm doing much better now thanks."
"I'm so glad neither of you were hurt."
"It certainly could have been much worse that's for sure."
"Santana baby."
Maribel and Carlos rounded the same corner Dani and Quinn had emerged from moments earlier. Their arms quickly formed a protective circle around Santana and Quinn.
Shelby smiled softly. Santana was exactly where she needed to be and where she deserved to be. In that moment her heart and head finally joined forces and came to the realization that Santana was no longer the one that got away…..she was a wonderful memory but it was time to move on.
"Where are your family?"
Dani's voice brought her back to earth.
"Oh I'm just here to answer some questions and then head home. No big reunion for me."
"Oh." Dani felt sorry for the brunette beside her.
"Shelby we are ready for you." Detective Coles had quietly come up behind them.
"Sure lead the way, it was nice to see you again." Shelby smiled in Dani's direction.
"Yeah you too."
Shelby and Scott began to make their way away from the group.
"Wait." Dani called out.
They both turned back to look at her slightly confused.
"Do you have a ride?"
"Sorry?"
"A ride home after you have talked to the cops."
"No I'm going to get a cab."
"One of our officers will take you home." Scott added.
"Can someone come and get me? I will drop her home." Dani shrugged almost nervously, she wasn't totally sure why she felt such a strong desire to make sure Shelby got home safely.
"You don't need to do that Dani but thank you." Shelby smiled and began to turn away again.
"I know I don't have to but I want to, Detective Coles please come and get me." Scott looked between Dani and Shelby who simply nodded.
"We will try and get this wrapped up in half an hour."
"I'll be here."
Shelby and Scott nodded in agreement and continued their paces to the room at the end of the corridor.
Dani turned on her heels and made her way back to her cousin who was still practically glued to Santana.
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"I've been worried sick."
Quinn and Santana were sitting in an office waiting on Detective Coles to finish with Shelby. Maribel, Carlos and Dani had excused themselves a few moments earlier with the intention of getting coffee and of course to give the women some privacy.
"I can only imagine Q."
"I'm sorry it sounds like I'm making this all about me when you were the one having to live with it all."
"It doesn't sound like that at all, you had to deal with something pretty traumatic also."
"I don't know what I would have done if anything happened to you San."
"Well thankfully we don't need to find out."
Santana pulled Quinn back into her arms and kissed the top of her head, her aching muscles seemed to ease when the blonde was close by.
"You are both ok though right? They didn't hurt you or force you to do anything?"
Quinn gave Santana the perfect opportunity to talk about the pictures she had received.
"Yeah we are fine. A few emotional scars but we will be ok."
Santana didn't think now was the right time to mention Lucas and his creepy demands. She could see enough pain in Quinn's eyes and she didn't want to put her love through any more right now.
Quinn sighed and rested her head once more on Santana's shoulder.
"Ok babe."
"Santana we are ready for you." Scott knocked lightly from the other side of the door.
"Let's get this over and done with so we can go home huh." She held her hand out to Quinn and they made their way to the door. She was sore and tired so the sooner it was all done the better.
"Quinn you can wait right out here if you like." Scott pointed to some semi comfortable looking chairs outside the interview room.
"Can't she come with me?" Santana was reluctant to let the blonde out of her sight.
"Unfortunately no it's not protocol."
"I'll be right here San." Quinn squeezed her hand reassuringly.
"I won't be long." Santana kissed her lips gently although they had been wrapped in each other's arms since their reunion they had yet to actually kiss. It was a simple lip to lip connection but the all too familiar tingles and surge in Santana's heart rate made her smile into the kiss and deepen it slightly. Images of Shelby and Santana kissing flooded Quinn's mind but she forced them away she needed this as much as Santana did.
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"Thank you for doing this now we try to get as much information as early as possible whilst it all remains fresh in your head."
"It's not something I'm going to forget in a hurry you can believe me."
Detective Coles stood from his desk and ended the recording of Santana's statement. Santana's version of events from inside the factory corroborated perfectly with Shelby's so the most important differing information they could each give was the lead up to that point. Shelby was convinced she had been drugged and Coles hoped some trace would show up in the bloods taken by the Ambulance staff. Fortunately Santana had been alert and able to take in quite a substantial amount of information considering the position she found herself in.
"I will be in contact with you tomorrow."
"Yeah that's fine just not too early please I plan on catching up on some much needed sleep."
"Ha ha not a problem." Scott chuckled.
He might actually get some decent sleep himself tonight.
"Oh did you track Luke down?"
"We did. He was quite shocked to see the officers to say the least."
"Chuck everything you possibly can at that worthless piece of shit."
"You have no need to worry about that Santana it will be an absolute pleasure."
Quinn leapt to her feet when the door to the room opened.
"She is all yours Quinn." Scott smiled at her warmly and placed a small squeeze to her shoulder as he walked by.
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"That girl adores you Mija."
Santana's eyes followed Quinn as she made her way to the ladies room. They were in a coffee shop next to the police station waiting for Dani to return from dropping Shelby home.
"She is the one Mami."
"I can see that." Maribel grinned at her daughter.
"Do you think it's time for us to get your Bisabuela's ring out of the safe?" Carlos had always told Santana his grandmother's engagement ring was hers to have in whatever capacity she wished.
"Maybe Papi….."
"I will get it checked over by a jeweler and polished for you."
"Thank you it doesn't have to be right away."
"Ok sweetheart."
"Like tomorrow is fine." Santana winked at her father before they all broke into a laugh.
"That's a sound I love to hear." Quinn smiled at her girlfriend as she returned to her vacated seat.
"Mmmm as is that sexy as hell voice of yours." Santana kissed the blondes cheek and nuzzled into her neck.
"We should do this more girls."
Santana and Quinn looked at Maribel slightly confused.
"We should have more meals and coffees out together as a family."
"Oh right…. yeah that sounds good to me Mami."
"Me too." Quinn agreed genuinely it was nice to feel like part of a family again.
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"Oh my god I totally took for granted how comfy this bed is."
Santana stretched her arms above her head and arched her back.
"It is a pretty decent bed." Quinn replied from the bathroom.
"Are you nearly done?" Quinn had been in the bathroom attending to her damaged nails.
"I bit these to all hell San they need a bit of work."
"So tomorrow we will go and get you a manicure, just come to bed already I want to snuggle." Santana pouted even though she knew Quinn couldn't see her.
"Ok ok who am I to deny you some snuggle time." Quinn placed the file on the counter and switched off the light.
The room feel into darkness and Quinn's silhouette was illuminated by the moon light as she made her way to her side of the bed. She truly was like an angel.
"Hey Q."
"Yeah babe."
"Tomorrow can we take some time to talk?...just the two of us."
"Yeah of course, we can now if you want."
"I'm completely wasted. Right now I just want to fall asleep in your arms."
"You best get over here then." Quinn opened her arms and Santana scooted across the short distance in a nanosecond.
"Mmmm feels so good." Santana murmured against the pale skin of Quinn's neck.
"Apart from the obvious is everything ok?" Quinn began to stroke her hair.
"Everything is perfect."
"I mean with the whole wanting to talk tomorrow."
"Oh yeah I just want to talk to you about some things that went down. I promised myself that I wouldn't try and deal with any of this by myself that I would be open with you about everything you know."
"That sounds like a really good idea my love. You can tell me anything you want ok?"
"Mmmm best future wife ever." Santana mumbled, she was practically asleep and likely had no idea what she was saying but it still made Quinn smile from ear to ear.
Tomorrow she would take the opportunity to ask Santana to move in with her officially, she knew they discussed finding a place together but she really didn't want to wait any longer for that to happen. She wanted the woman she loved by her side every night, she wanted her closet filled with Santana's clothes and shoes, she wanted her bathroom full of Santana's hair products even more than it all currently was. The next step in their fairy-tale needed to start sooner rather than later and she hoped Santana was on the same page as her.