"Hi" Quinn waves as Santana opens the door
"Hey"
Quinn greets Rachel and Brittany as Santana heads back to her room to finish getting ready. A glass of wine and about twenty minutes later both girls smile saying their goodbyes, heading towards the door.
Quinn moves, reaching for her jacket, Santana notices and quickly grabs it, holding it open for the blonde. An action that doesn't go unnoticed by any of the girls, it was something Santana would always do for Quinn before and always without fail.
Quinn blushes at the memory before offering a shy "Thank you" She turns carefully making sure to slide her arm down Santana's as she smiles. With pride in her eyes, Santana almost seems to puff out her chest as she nods, opening the door.
"Oh my gosh, did you see that?" Rachel asks as Britt nods "I did, I think our old Sanny is still in there. Quinn just has to be patient and unlock her and San needs to let her"
"That's easier said than done" Rachel responds as Brittany shrugs "If it were anyone else I'd agree but this is Quinn. If anyone can make our Sanny fall in love…again it's her"
The pair walk to a nearby pizza joint before taking a seat
"So" Santana says "Was I seeing things or did I see you at the Met a few weeks back"
Quinn smiles nodding "I had just got back to New York two days before, I needed to get my affairs in order before seeing you. It was all so overwhelming and I wanted a day just for me so when I saw you sitting by the Van Gogh...You took my breath away but I just couldn't face you, not yet and certainly not there"
Santana's eyebrows furrow "Why not there, it was my first time being in there"
"You don't remember" Quinn shakes her head "We used to go there all the time, Saturdays mostly. We'd walk around for hours critiquing the different pieces but that Van Gogh was always your favorite, you used to sit in front of it and I loved the look on your face as you sat there, in amazement like it was the first time you had seen it."
Santana watches Quinn's face as she recalls the memory, wishing she could remember it for herself.
Sensing the conversation is getting a little too heavy, she changes the subject "Since we didn't really talk much last lunch, Britt tells me we dated for a long time and then you randomly left? I didn't hurt you in some way or do something to make you leave, did I?"
The concern on Santana's face makes Quinn's heart skip a beat as she shakes her head looking down at her hands.
"No San, you didn't do anything. You've always been perfect. I would say this is all my father's fault but when I look back, it was completely and totally my fault...I should have done or said something…I should have tried….harder..." She takes a deep breath
.
.
.
.
.
"Miss Fabray"
Quinn rubs her eyes "John? Is everything okay? Is my dad here? It's like three in the morning?"
"Pardon the intrusion but you need to come with us ma'am"
The blonde shakes her head "What? No we're supposed to meet here and have a family in a few hours you must be mistaken"
The tall muscular bodyguard wraps his arms around the girl, ushering her out of the apartment building, as they walk down to the waiting car. Quinn remembers…."John, wait.
I just need my phone, I have to..."
"Sorry Miss Fabray, it's urgent your father speaks with you right now. Time is of the essence" The man shakes his head before closing the door
They ride for about forty five minutes and in the silence, the blonde begins to doze off when the car finally comes to a complete stop. She thanks them before entering her family's house.
"Dad? Mom?" She calls looking down the halls only to see boxes and coverings on all the furniture "What the hell is going on?" She asks once she finds her parents packing in the bedroom
"Oh good, Lucy you're here" Judy smiles hugging her daughter
"We need to get out of here Lucy. They're shutting everything down, putting the world on some kind of lockdown." The blondes eyes widen "But I don't have anything with me, and what about Santana, I can't just leave her"
Russell shakes his head "There isn't time for any of that, don't worry your things will be flown out soon and as for Santana. I was only able to have tickets for your mother, myself and you. Now let's go"
"No!" Quinn says crossing her arms "I won't run away and I'm sure as hell not leaving Santana"
Russell exhales, rubbing his temples before closing his suitcase "I had a feeling you'd say that...Look, I"
"Here sweetie" Judy interrupts, walking back into the room "Drink this, it'll calm your nerves"
The blonde accepts the drink but after finishing it, the room goes black
"No" She whispers looking out of the plane window "No!" She yells once more, causing everyone to look at her
"Lucy we needed to get out of there and fast and you needed to calm down. You're being ungrateful, I did all of this for our family. You will go and stay a few months, until this passes. Once all of this madness dies down we can see about sending you back to New York but for now, it's done. Now sit down and shut up!"
Russell's affirmative tone causes the blonde to wince before returning to her seat.
She leans against the window as tears begin to fall.
.
.
"Wow, that's fucked up" Santana exhales as Quinn nods "Yeah"
"Where did you end up?"
"Paris and right when we got there the whole town went on lockdown, we were transferred to a bunker somewhere. There was no cell service for months and I was never allowed to be alone"
Santana its back, trying to remember the past year
"I wish I could remember it"
"I'm kind of glad you don't to be honest" Quinn jokes offering a half smile "It was the worst year and a half of my life Santana. I didn't have my phone or any money. They didn't let me go anywhere alone and I had no one's number memorized or anyone's addresses. The plan was to come back when everything started opening again but then my mom and sister got really sick and it sent my dad into a frenzy. He wouldn't allow us to leave until we were absolutely cleared of everything and by then it was….Too late. No one over there would help me, my fathers guards were under strict orders to be with me at all times because he knew as soon as everything started opening again, I was on the first plane here"
"Why go to the Met first? Why didn't you just go to the loft and find me?"
"Once I arrived, I had to be cleared by the government. I had every intention of coming to find you but I just needed a moment to myself you know? I wanted to go to one of our spots and just…feel you again. Going to the loft meant being bombarded with a million questions from everyone. I know that makes me a coward and I can't even begin to apologize. To be perfectly honest I only owed you an explanation. I've missed you so much Santana and I am so so sorry, for everything…I wish I could take it all back…"
Quinn looks down at her hands as Santana studies her.
Noticing the genuine remorse in the girls eyes, Santana smiles reaching for the girls hand
"I'm sure if I could remember all that, you would definitely be buried under the shit house right about now" Quinn laughs "But since I can't, what do you say we just try and start something new. I'd say start over again but I can't do that sadly"
Quinn looks up and smiles "You'd do that for me? You'd really give me another chance, San?"
Santana nods "I'm not gonna lie, you being hot ass hell definitely helps my decision a lot Quinn. I mean I obviously have great taste. Besides, it sounds like the old me would probably give you a million chances. I just have to ask one thing of you. I need you to be patient with me Quinn, this might be normal, picking up where we left off for you but for me this is all brand new and I'm sorry for that. But if you'd like to try this, then I'd be willing to consider it"
Quinn nods as she squeezes the girls hand
"We have all the time in the world. You can take as much time as you need San"
Over the next few months, the two began seeing each other more often and Quinn had to admit. Falling in love with Santana the first time around was one of the highlights of her life but having another chance to do it all over again?
Well that was priceless.
Everything they did wrong the first time around, she'd make sure they learned from it and together they would do bigger and better, this time.
