At 7 years old, little Lucy Quinn Fabray was happy to play in the sandbox, in a secluded corner with her bubbly blonde best friend, Brittany S. Pierce. Neither of them really enjoyed expanding their friendship elsewhere and were content to play with each other.
Unfortunately, other kids didn't see it this way and would pick on Lucy for being quiet and slightly bigger than the average 7 year old, but mainly for being friends with Brittany.
Brittany was a little different, her brain worked in unusual ways and she sometimes said things that didn't quite make sense to anyone outside of her family or Lucy. She was unique and that's what Lucy loved about her, she didn't see her as the kid that was overweight (as her dad reminded her on a regular basis), the kid that would most likely need braces or the kid that sometimes had bruises across her arms and legs, she just accepted and loved as though she was her own family.
Every Saturday Morning, the girls mothers, Judy Fabray and Whitney Pierce would take Lucy and Brittany down to the local park in their hometown, Lima, Ohio and whilst they were playing, would go to the coffee shop across the road and have a catch up.
This Saturday was no different, they met at the park and the mothers went off to get their coffee. Brittany suggested that they play on the climbing frame and Lucy could never say no to them pleading blue eyes, so that's what they did.
"Lucy, please, it's not that high! We can climb it together and then go down the slide, I really really want you to join" Brittany pleaded with her shorter best friend.
"Britt, I just don't think I can do it, what if I fall? Daddy won't be too pleased if I rip my new dress." Lucy replies.
"You'll be fine, I promi-"
Suddenly Brittany was interrupted by a bellowing laugh, a laugh far too deep to be another child their age, however, you never know from around these parts.
Lucy turns around to see a taller boy approaching them, probably around 9 years old and definitely aiming to intimidate.
He looks Lucy up and down, observing every part of her, paying attention to every detail before turning his attention to the taller blonde, who looks physically terrified.
"What are you looking at Lanky? God, you look like you've been stretched like the kid from Willy Wonka's chocolate factory."
Tears began to flood Brittany's eyes as she looked to Lucy, who also looked like she wanted to be anywhere else right now.
The boy turns his attention to the shorter blonde and raises his eyebrow. "You got nothing to say to defend Legs over there?"
Lucy stares at him as panic begins to flood her and she feels the tears beginning to gather in her eyes.
"Surely you have something to say Chubbs? You can't be a true friend if you aren't willing to defend her." He steps closer into Lucy and shoves her hard enough for her to loose balance and topple over. The former gathered tears begin to spill from her eyes as she feels blood start to trickle down her leg from the newly formed cut.
As the boy steps towards her again, a flash of brunette hair forms a barricade infront of her and a low growl is heard.
"You step ANY closer to her and I'll show you something to be scared of. I don't EVER want to see you around either of these girls again or I swear, I'll kill you myself. Got it?" The words accompanied with the most devilish smirk ever seen on a 7 year old girl.
The boy begins to retreat when the girl opens her mouth again, "and make sure the message gets through to your laughing baboons too!"
It's at this point Brittany and Lucy notice the small army of boys that were behind the culprit, as all of the boys begin to retreat without another word.
Lucy is still on the ground as the brunette turns around and begins to approach her. Naturally, she begins to slither backwards away from the girl, and she obviously notices.
"Hey, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." She then turns her attention to Britt and looks between the two terrified blondes and says "Either of you."
She cautiously approaches Lucy and sits down next to her, inspecting her bleeding leg without getting too close or touching her, afraid of scaring her more.
"My names Santana, we just moved here recently. I've been around this park and I've not seen you two before."
Brittany takes this as her cue to approach as she no longer sees the girl as a threat. "I'm Brittany and this here is Lucy. We come to the park Saturday mornings, our moms are across the road having coffee but I should go and get them now so they can help Lucy with her leg."
Santana nods while looking over at Lucy to see if she can get any kind of reading on her considering she hasn't spoken yet. When the girl doesn't say anything, she decides to approach her with words again. "Would you like me to sit with you while Britt goes to get your mom?"
The only correspondence is a head nod but Santana supposes this is better than previously.
This has Brittany springing into action, "Thank you, okay, hang on Lucy, I'll be back as soon as I can with Judy." Again, Lucy can only respond with a head nod. And with that, Brittany scurries off to find the parents.
Santana takes this as another sign to start a conversation but is surprised when the little blonde turns to her and mumbles out a "Thank you". She's shocked but is glad the blonde seems to have found her voice.
"You don't need to thank me, I saw what that boy was doing after he pushed you. I'm so sorry I didn't get here before, you're leg doesn't look to be bleeding to bad though. I think you'll get one of them cool plasters with the patterns on." And she accompanies it with her best smile.
Lucy looks down bashfully and feels her confidence coming on "Nobody's ever protected me like that before." And as the words leave her lips, her cheeks begin to tinge with a slight shade of pink and the little Latina smiles at her nervousness.
"I'll always protect you" is the response and as she looks up, she sees Brittany approaching quickly with two flustered blonde adults behind her.
Santana takes this as her cue to leave and turns back to Lucy, who is still sitting on the ground, "I'll see you around Lucy" she says, whilst winking at her. Santana scurries back off just in time for the parents to arrive.
The words that come from Judy's mouth are "Lucy what happened? And who in the world was that? Did she hurt you? You better not tell your fath-"
Judy was interrupted by Brittany, "No Judy, that's Santana. She didn't hurt us, she was our hero. She came over and scared the boy who hurt Lucy away."
Lucy was completely oblivious to the conversation happening above her as she lusted in the direction the brunette with the gorgeous brown eyes went.
She was brought back from her thoughts when she was lifted to her feet and ushered in the direction of home. She looked over her shoulder one more time with the hope to see the girl again but didn't. However, one last thought crossed her mind.
My hero.
