Alright so I received an amazing idea from May1217, shout out to her for this.
The show will still be a thing, but Brittana will meet beforehand. She told me it is better for Brittana to get to know each other a bit better before Brittany signs San up for a show and I love that idea more.
''What got you all smiley like a dope S?'' Mercedes asks as she slides beside her friend at the bar.
''Huh?'' Santana asks looking up from her phone, she quickly turns off the screen to hide the selfie Brittany has send her the night before of her and Blast cuddled up in a bunk bed both wearing a grin and turns to look at her. ''Nothing Cedes.''
Mercedes raises an eyebrow and chuckles. ''I call bull, the last time I saw you smiling like that was the day that you had your first date with her.'' She quickly glares at Santana and hits her arm.
''Ow fuck C!'' Santana yelps rubbing her arm.
''I swear to god Santana Lopez, if you start something with that bitch again, I will kick your fucking ass.'' Mercedes warns glaring.
''I am not stupid.'' Santana exclaims still rubbing her arm. ''I don't have any contact with her, C.''
''With who?'' Quinn asks turning on her heels as she hears Santana's promising tone.
''Smurfette.''
''Bitch.'' Cedes and Santana reply in unison.
''I sure hope so Satan, I will kick your fucking ass if you do.'' Quinn warns glaring at her best friend.
''Lay off will you?'' Santana asks the both of them with a groan. ''I promise you that I don't have contact with her.''
''Then who is the cause of that dopey grin?'' Mercedes asks curiously.
Quinn also turns to her best friend noticing the grin she is desperately trying to hold back and walks over to her after telling one of their colleagues to serve the table she was heading to, she stops beside Mercedes and locks eyes with Santana. ''Who warmed your self claimed cold heart babe?'' She asks softly.
''No one.'' Santana replies too quickly.
Quinn and Mercedes both exchange a look at their friends defending posture and smirk, Quinn turns back to Santana quickly snatching the phone out of her hand and hides behind Mercedes as she jumps up.
''I swear to god Lucy, give me my phone back!''
''Not until you talk to us Satan.'' Quinn fires back giggling.
''Yeah girl, who is the unlucky chick this time?'' Mercedes asks teasingly.
''Screw you Wheezy.'' Santana breaths out as she looks at her a look of hurt crossing her face.
Mercedes freezes having seen the look before it vanished and steps closer. ''San that was a joke.''
Quinn looks around Mercedes to look at her and frowns. ''Shit you are in deep aren't you?'' She asks.
Santana snatches her phone back shoving it into her pocket and looks at them. ''None of your business.''
''Santana.'' They both exclaim as she walks away from them, Quinn sighs as she ignores them while walking into their break room and nudges Mercedes.
''Come on.'' She turns to Gunther mentioning her head to the break room silently telling him that they are both taking their break early and pulls Mercedes into the break room, she walks over to the table as soon as she sees Santana sitting there and places both of her hands on her shoulders. ''We were just joking babe, who is the lucky girl?''
''Someone far out of my league.'' Santana grumbles keeping her head down on the table, she tightens her hold on her phone as Mercedes sits down beside her and moves the device into her lap. ''Can you just leave it?''
''Since when is someone out of Santana Lopez's league?'' Mercedes asks in surprise. ''San, that girl can be happy to date someone as amazing as you.''
''C is right.'' Quinn tells her best friend softly. ''Someone who manages to worm past your defenses will get to know the soft and loving woman we know S, girl is lucky as hell to date you.''
''Only that there is no damn dating.'' Santana tells them still keeping her head down.
''You lost me.'' Mercedes mutters in confusion while looking at the side of Santana's head, she glances at Quinn locking eyes with her as she sees her already looking at her and raises an eyebrow. ''You know her for longer Q, do you know what she is trying to tell us?''
Quinn slowly shakes her head silently telling her that she doesn't know and turns to look at the back of her best friends head. ''What do you mean S?''
''I am not dating anyone.'' Santana tells them with a groan. ''It's just impossible to date the woman I am currently crushing on.''
Quinn sighs moving to the free chair on Santana's other side as she slowly understands her best friends cryptic explanation and rubs her back. ''It's your pen pal isn't it?''
She blows out a breath as she stays silent, her body tensing the only give away that she guessed correctly and bites her lip. ''Damn San.''
''I know alright.'' Santana breaths out groaning. ''I know that it's stupid to crush for a woman I never met in person, to crush on someone who is risking her life day in, day out.'' She turns her head to look at Quinn and smiles sadly. ''Still can't help it though.''
Mercedes sits up as she hears Santana's voice crack and gently places her hand on her shoulder. ''Girl, you crushing on someone is anything but stupid and even if she is a soldier so what?''
''C is right.'' Quinn agrees softly.
''She doesn't even know.'' Santana groans out, she drops her forehead back on the table and gulps thickly. ''I never thought this shit could happen after you forced me to do it Q, but now I am sort of happy but also sort of mad that I allowed you to force me.''
''Why are you mad about it?'' Mercedes asks softly.
''Because it makes you fear the same, your mami feared every day when you were little.'' Quinn slowly breaths out in realization. ''Oh San.'' She gasps out as she sees Santana's shoulders tremble, she reaches out to pull her in a hug and kisses her temple. ''Babe, you can't think like that.''
''And why not? Damn Q I know her for half a year now and she got injured three times.'' Santana mutters sadly. ''Once because of her own clumsiness, but twice during a mission.''
Mercedes runs a hand down her face, inwardly cursing herself for forgetting what happened to Santana's dad and gently places her hand on the Latina's back. ''Oh San.'' She whispers sadly. ''As hard as it is, you can't fear the worst.''
''It's hard not to after hearing the news about the shit going on overseas.'' Santana whispers sadly as she pulls out of Quinn's hug, she fiddles with her phone in her lap and sighs. ''I know she is okay, she texted me this morning but still.''
''Wait, text?'' Quinn asks with an eyebrow raised.
Santana nods her head and bites her lip. ''Yes text, we currently text a lot but also write letters because we didn't want to stop with that.'' She mutters with a shrug. ''Letters are about all day things, but we text about deeper things and just to ask a random question that popped into our minds.''
''You sound so smitten.'' Mercedes mutters with a small grin.
''That girl had me hooked from the very first picture she send.'' Santana confesses with a blush. ''My feelings just grew with every letter and every text, her flirting with me also doesn't help at all.''
''She flirts with you?'' Quinn asks grinning, she raises an eyebrow as Santana blushes and chuckles. ''You are making us curious S, care to show us a pic so we have a picture to what is her name?''
Mercedes laughs and reaches over Santana to push her softly. ''That did not go like planned Q.''
Santana chuckles as Quinn blushes and bites her lip glancing down at her phone. ''Her name is Brittany and she is actually pretty known here.''
''What do you mean?''
She looks at them and smiles slightly. ''Well the world is really small, Britt and her best friend Sam who is also a soldier worked here a few years back.''
''Are you serious?'' Quinn asks shocked, Santana nods her head and chuckles.
''Gunther knows her, that he changed the themes is actually her doing, I was just the messenger.''
''Damn we got to thank her Q.'' Mercedes exclaims with a grin knowing they are all happy about the theme change, Quinn nods her head in agreement and turns to her best friend with a grin.
''Well can we see a picture of Brittany?''
''Wait hold that thought.'' Mercedes breaths out, she turns to Santana and raises an eyebrow. ''You said she worked here a few years ago? How many?''
''Five or so, why?''
''How old is she?'' Quinn asks knowing Gunther doesn't hire underage people.
''Twenty-three, she will turn twenty-four the fourth of July.'' Santana answers with a soft sigh.
''She hot?'' Mercedes asks silently letting her know that she has no problem with the five year age gap.
Quinn laughs as she sees Santana's eyebrows raise in surprise and shrugs as she turns to her. ''Age is just a number babe, so I also stand to C's question.''
''Seriously, the word hot still sells her short.''
She unlocks her phone as they both just raise an eyebrow at that and looks down at it, she opens the gallery on her phone scrolling through her pictures and stops at the selfie Brittany had send her a few weeks prior.
She smiles slightly as she sees the big grin on her sweaty face knowing she had send her that after a workout and holds it out for Quinn to see. ''She just worked out so don't mind her sweaty look.'' She mutters softly.
''Holy fuck!'' Quinn exclaims with wide eyes as she looks at the picture, she glances between the phone and her best friend and laughs. ''Okay you are so fucked babe.''
''Hey I want to see her too!'' Mercedes whines holding out her hand, she snatches the phone out of Quinn's hand the second she holds it out for her and turns it around to look at the picture.
''Hot damn, those eyes.'' She gasps out the second she sees the gorgeous blonde with bright blue eyes.
''Screw those eyes, look at the body!'' Quinn exclaims.
''Well San rather screws that bod while gazing into those amazing eyes.'' Mercedes points out smirking.
''Cedes!'' Santana yells shocked snatching her phone out of her hand, she blushes bright red as she just smirks knowingly and hits her arm. ''Shut up.''
Quinn burst out laughing the second she sees Santana's cheeks tint red and reaches out to poke her side. ''Oh S, you are so screwed.''
''That only explains a part of why the subject of you crushing on her brings you down tho, what is really bothering you S?'' Mercedes asks carefully.
Santana scoots down her chair as she realizes that Mercedes figured her out and sighs. ''Well first thing is that she is there for almost four years already, she came home and some shit happened that made her go back and give her no reason to think about taking a leave to come to New York again.''
''What happened?'' Quinn asks frowning, curious to know why the soldier is away from home for so long.
''She walked in on her ex going at it with her sister.'' Santana mutters.
''Oh fuck.'' Mercedes exclaims as Quinn just gasps.
''Yeah so if fate does have a say in this and we all meet her, don't tell her I told you that.''
''Our lips are sealed, you know that babe.'' Quinn promises, Santana just nods her head knowing they will shut up and sighs.
''Second thing is, the both of you have seen that picture.'' She tells them while nodding her head down at her phone. ''If she looks this hot over there, mostly wearing her uniform and shit. That woman is way out of my league in street clothes, she could have everyone.''
''And yet she flirts with you.'' Mercedes points out.
''C is right.'' Quinn agrees. ''You captured her interest San, nobody else did.''
''She had nobody else around.'' Santana points out. ''Do we know what will happen, the second she does decide to come back?'' She asks. ''Have you seen what walks around here? There are many woman who do play in her league and we all know that.''
''You don't give yourself enough credit San.'' Mercedes tells her with a frown. ''You are gorgeous S and if she does come back home, she will only have eyes for you.''
''I understand where you are coming from.'' Quinn starts as she locks eyes with her best friend. ''She didn't see a lot of woman the past few years, but you are focusing way too much on the age gap babe.'' She continues with a sigh. ''That woman is flirting with you, she is interested in you so don't get hyped up on something that will probably be no issue.''
''But…''
''Nu-uh.'' Mercedes exclaims cutting Santana's reply off. ''Quinn is right and you know that, you are thinking way too much S, why don't you take things as they come?''
''Because I don't know what will come.'' Santana grumbles as she slides down her chair with a groan. ''She is hella flirty and compliments me a lot, but in the end she is still there and I am here.''
''You do know that long distance is a thing right?'' Quinn asks with an eyebrow raised.
''I know Q.'' Santana breaths out with a groan. ''But am I strong enough to be in love with someone, who is risking her life? Strong enough to know that every day she wakes up and goes out onto the field could be the last?''
''You can't focus on that San.'' Mercedes tells her sadly. ''Yes it is a risk, a huge risk but is it worth worrying about it, if there is a chance to be happy with her?''
''Who says that she will be a soldier forever?'' Quinn asks. ''Maybe the next leave she takes, will be a forever leave.''
Santana licks her lips knowing they are trying to cheer her up and sighs. ''As good as that sounds and as much as that makes my heart jump, I can't allow myself to think that because it would only break me if it wouldn't turn out like that.''
She slowly sits up and sighs. ''I am honestly not sure why I am even this worked up about it, she is still only my pen pal.'' She runs a hand through her hair and groans. ''My very hot and very flirty pen pal, but still.''
''I think along the past months she went from pen pal, to someone you turn to whenever life tries to bring you down S.'' Mercedes tells her finally voicing her thoughts. ''It's fucking with your head because you want something to happen, but you don't know how it will as long as she is there.''
Quinn watches her best friends body language, noticing her shoulders sink after running Mercedes's words through her head and reaches out to rub her back. ''Babe, I think I pulled you to enough romantic movies you claimed to hate, to know what options you have.''
''Maybe, but this isn't a movie Q.'' Santana mutters.
''Well it sure sounds like a movie.'' Mercedes comments trying to cheer her up. ''College student is forced by best friend to participate in a pen pal project and meets the love of her life.''
''That sounds like a movie, I would pull you to.'' Quinn exclaims chuckling.
Santana shakes her head and laughs. ''The both of you are idiots.'' She turns to Mercedes and pushes her softly. ''I didn't say anything about love bitch.''
''You still love us.'' Quinn tells her chuckling. ''I think you have to take C's advice and take things as they come babe, you don't have much influence on things yet but maybe you have to talk to her about it, she might have the same struggle and no one to talk to.''
''She has her best friend there with her right?'' Mercedes asks.
Santana nods her head and chuckles. ''Yeah but you can compare him to Puck, just as dorky and lame but Puck loves pick up lines, Sam loves impressions.''
''That sounds really lame.'' Mercedes mutters laughing. ''I bet he would befriend Puck real quick.''
''I am sure about that.'' Quinn agrees laughing.
Santana glances at the time and sighs, she reaches out to pull the both of them in a hug and kisses their cheeks. ''I didn't even know I needed this, thanks girls.''
''Anytime babes.'' Quinn mutters with a grin as she pulls out of the hug. ''Now get your ass up and leave, bitch will be here soon.''
They jump as the door opens right after Quinn said it and groan inwardly as Dani walks in, Santana stands up while glancing at her friends and walks to her locker to grab her jacket. She places her name tag and notepad inside and closes the door locking it, she turns to her friends completely ignoring Dani's glare directed at her and smiles. ''See you tomorrow?''
''Bright and early for class S.'' Mercedes exclaims with a wink.
''Yeah movie time after work babes, see you tomorrow.'' Quinn agrees as she stands up Mercedes quickly following her lead.
''Santana.''
Santana ignores Dani as she tries to talk to her and tries to walk past her out of the locker room, she freezes biting back a groan as a hand tightly grabs her bicep and turns on her head to glare at her. ''Let me go.'' She warns darkly.
''We need to talk.'' Dani orders.
''We have nothing to talk about Dani.'' Santana tells her pulling her arm free. ''Just leave me alone.''
She squeaks as Dani yanks on the back of her jacket to pull her back inside and quickly reaches out to grab onto the door to keep her footing. ''What the fuck Dani!'' She yells as her elbow slams against the doorknob, she shrugs off the pain feeling Mercedes and Quinn immediately rush to her side and glares at the dyed blue haired girl. ''Just leave me the fuck alone.''
''You fucking left without an explanation and expect me to accept that?'' Dani yells angrily.
''You being a controlling ass bitch and forcing her to break contact with friends is explanation enough for her to leave your fucking ass.'' Mercedes exclaims with a heated glare.
''Just leave her the fuck alone Dani!'' Quinn growls.
''You really believed her lies?'' Dani asks laughing dryly. ''Santana was glad the second she could drop you all.''
''No I was happy the second I threw you out of my life.'' Santana growls angrily. ''My family comes first and if bitches like you can't accept that, I don't need you to waste my fucking time!''
''I wasted your time?!'' Dani yells while pointing at herself. ''You can be glad I fucked you! You will find no one else bitch!''
''Nope not happening.'' Quinn grunts out holding Santana back as she tries to attack Dani. ''We are at work babe, be better and walk out.'' She advises softly as she sees Gunther looking through the window.
Santana straightens up as she feels Mercedes also holding her back and straightens her jacket, she looks at them slowly nodding her head and pushes Dani out of her way to walk out making sure they are following.
''Everything okay?'' Gunther asks the second they walk out.
Santana nods her head and sighs. ''Yeah I am clocking out.'' She tells him softly. ''We kind of forgot the time, they helped me clear a few things during their break so I am sorry that they took longer as expected.''
''No problem.'' Gunther tells her with a kind grin. ''See you tomorrow?''
Santana nods her head walking towards the bar and leans over it grabbing a can of Red Bull, she holds it up for Gunther to see so he can note it down as drink she drank during her break and walks out of the restaurant still seething.
She raises her hand to hail a cab, sliding into the first one that stops in front of her and slides in her headphones after giving him her address also silently letting him know that she isn't up for a conversation.
She scrolls through her playlist in search for a good song to listen to during the ride and stops as she comes across the song Hard days by Brantley Gilbert Brittany recommended for bad days, noticing that she downloaded it but didn't listen to it yet.
She opens her messenger her thumb hovering over Brittany's chat and glances at the time, she taps it as she sees that it's almost ten pm there and types out a message.
To Hot Soldier: Hey you, I hope you're mission is going well. I just had the chance to listen to the song you recommended for hard days, it's amazing. You really have a good music taste B, stay safe. Xoxo
She raises an eyebrow as she sees her reading her message almost immediately and bites her lip as a reply comes in not even a minute later.
From Hot Soldier: Kinda scary that we were both writing at the same time, I just got back to the base. Mission went without a hitch and most importantly without a scratch for me, are you having a bad day, or just listening to songs randomly? Xoxo
To Hot Soldier: Day started out perfect but just had a run in with ex bitch not even twenty minutes ago, that definitely dampened my good mood, but texting with you brightened it up again.
She slides out of the cab after blindly handing the driver his money and wishes him a good day, she walks up the steps to the front door looking down at her phone as she feels it buzz and stumbles as she notices Brittany video calling her.
She catches herself before she face plants the door and quickly unlocks it, she clears her throat and accepts the call before she is too late. She walks up the stairs knowing her mami is working and bites her lip as Brittany suddenly appears on her screen.
''Hi.'' She breaths out a shy smile slowly forming on her lips as she sees Brittany smiling back at her, her blue eyes glistening in the dim light.
''Well don't you look shocked.'' Brittany teases smirking. ''Still gorgeous and angelic though.'' She adds with a wink.
''Well I didn't really expect you to call.'' Santana mutters blushing. ''And I could tell you the same, you look tired but still beautiful B.'' She compliments.
''Hearing you had a run in with her kinda concerned me.'' Brittany confesses with a shy smile. ''Are you okay?''