Twice the Trouble
Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to Glee or any of it characters.
Chapter 12
The next few weeks went by in a flash of Volleyball, school work and Glee. Glee for the most part had been ok except that Mr. Shue ended up added a week to the competition because some of the guys were complaining that they needed more time to pick a song by a chick. Finn hadn't talked to her since the day Royal threatened him but he was always watching her and giving her those damn kicked puppy dog eyes of his that just made her nauseous. Rachel had tried to talk to both Kurt and Mercedes several times but neither would listen to her so she just stayed with her brother and surprisingly with Santana, Quinn, Brittany and Artie by extension. All the other glee boys minus Finn had made fast friends with Royal too and were always there as well so she had people around always.
Since school started things had been so different. She was on top being the Volleyball co-captain and Royal just seemed to boost her popularity. Everyone loved Royal. No one had even looked like they were going to attempt a slushie so far this year either. Volleyball was going good and Coach seemed impresses with her as well. She also hadn't had any more problems with any of the girls on the team or any of the Cheerios since the first day.
Unlike previous years she was attending study sessions with a lot of her friends. Sometimes they would all congregate at the school after Glee or meet at her and Royal's or Mike's house. It was always her, Royal, Quinn, Mike and Artie. Brittany and Puck were usually there and one of them would help them with their homework too. Those two both had trouble with their work and they wanted to make sure they would graduate all together. Tina and Sam would attend sometimes too but not often since they were a year behind and not in honors classes.
The only one to never attend was Santana. Not that she needed it, the girl was brilliant but Rachel really wished she was there. Since joining the team she and Santana were inseparable at school. They spent all of their time at school together except Cheerios but when the day was over she always rushed out saying she was busy. She would never say what with and it worried Rachel that something was not right in her life. The only time outside of school that they spent together was working on their duet but that was only on glee days for an extra half hour after school.
When they weren't all hanging out with study sessions, the mall, movies or the diner she was never around even when she was always invited. Rachel loved the way they were getting closer. The more time she spent with the Latina the more she grew to like her but Santana never seemed to fully open up. Just when they were really talking and she seemed like she was going say something important to one of the others would come over and join them stopping whatever they were talking about. It was maddening.
As she walked down the hall toward the parking lot she thought about today. It had started out crap this morning when she got up and it was raining and super cold. She decided to take her Mustang for the first time and prayed that no one defaced it like they had her Prius last year. After getting to school she noticed that Santana wasn't around and didn't see her until 3 hour and she wasn't in a talkative mood so she had no idea why she was late.
The rest of the day seemed to fly by but Santana was still quiet and at lunch she really didn't talk at all saying she had a headache. To say the least Rachel was becoming very worried about her friend. She was happy the day was over and couldn't wait to get home and just curl up with a book. Royal and everyone else were heading to the diner but she just wanted to go home.
As she opened the door and made her way to her car she noticed Santana cursing and kicking the tire on her car. Looking down she noticed that it was flat so she walked closer. "Hey Tana, need some help?"
Santana turned around sharply at her voice and threw her hands up in the air. "I wish you could help but I have a damn flat and my spare is crap too. I'm just stuck and if I don't get home soon I'm going to be in deep shit."
Rachel looked at the tire in the trunk and quickly took it and the jack out. Santana looked at her like she was crazy. "What the hell are you doing Rae? You can't replace a flat with a flat."
Rachel chuckled as she went to work taking the tire off of the car. "I know that Tana. I'm going to take off this tire that has a nail in it," she pointed to the nail showing it to her, "and put this other one on so it's not sitting on the ground. Then I'll put this one in my trunk to take it home and fix it. I will then drive you home and bring the tire back to replace it when it is fixed."
Santana just looked at her shocked. "You don't have to do all of that. If you can just take me home I'm sure I'll figure something out."
Rachel just ignored her and continued to change out the tires. "Just pop my trunk for me. The lever is right by the driver's seat." She hands her the keys and points to her car in the row behind Santana's.
Santana turned and looked at the car. "Is that sweet ass mustang yours?"
Rachel smiled with a nod. "Yep, my mama Shelby gave it to me when she moved to New York and didn't need it anymore."
Santana ran over to the car and popped the trunk open then ran back to her car grabbing a blanket out of the back. She took it to Rachel's car and spread it in the back just at Rachel brought over the tire and gave her a questioning look. "I'm not letting you put my dirty ass muddy tire in your spotless 'stang. Not happening."
With a chuckle Rachel put the tire in and closed the trunk. "Alright, I got the other tire on for the moment let's grab your stuff and lock your car. I'll run you home so you don't get in trouble."
They rush over grabbing her things and lock up before climbing in to Rachel's car. Rachel fires up the engine and pulls out of the parking lot. "Thank you so much for the ride and helping me Rae. I just really need to get home. The babysitter is supposed to leave in like 5 minutes."
Rachel just smiles. "No problem." They fall into conversation about the competition that was tomorrow after school as Santana gives her direction.
When they pull in Rachel gets out and starts grabbing her stuff. "I can get that. You don't have to carry my bags in."
Rachel shook her head and start toward the door. "I got this just get the rest and open the door Tana."
She quickly complies and rushes ahead of her to open the door. "Lock the car Rae. This is not a good neighborhood."
Rachel clicks the alarm and follows her into the house. Santana throws her things on the floor by the door and rushes into the living room. "I am so sorry I'm late Mrs. Ramirez. I had a flat and had to get a ride home."
Mrs. Ramirez stood, already in her coat with her purse in her hand. "It's alright dear you're not that late. Did you get your car taken care of or do I need to see if Jose can run to the school for you?"
Santana looks to Rachel weighing her options and Rachel steps forward. "It's alright. I have the tire in my trunk and I'll make sure it gets fixed."
Mrs. Ramirez nods and quickly makes her way out of the room. "Ok then I'll see you tomorrow," and she was gone.
Santana sighed in relief that the woman was not angry and smiled at Rachel before looking to Mateo. When she did he was standing halfway across the room from them and the couch just staring at Rachel frozen in place. She walked toward him concerned "What the heck Mateo, what's wrong with you?"
He looked up briefly when she was right beside him then back to Rachel and whispered to her. "You brought me my angel."
She looked at him stunned then to Rachel and started laughing. "She's my friend you doofus. My car was broke and she brought me home."
Rachel looked to her confused. "Is he ok?"
Santana nods but before she can say anymore Mateo is moving and is right in front of Rachel. "I love you, will you sing for me?"
Santana laughs again receiving a glare from her brother before he is looking up adoringly at Rachel again. Rachel smiles remembering what Santana had said about him wanting her to sing for his birthday and just realized she had never answered. "I don't know Mateo, it might ruin the surprise of me singing at your Party if I sing now."
Mateo's eyes grew into saucers and he hugged her tightly. "Oh thank you thank you thank you. This is going to be so awesome. Wait until I tell Mikey that I got my angel to sing for my party. Oh this is so awesome but you can sing now too can't you?"
He looked up at her with such hope that she couldn't tell him no but Santana beat her to answering. "Ok psycho, calm down and let her breathe. She may not have time to sing to you right now."
Rachel put a hand on his shoulder and smiled at Santana. "I can sing one song before I go if you don't mind."
Santana just smiled and waved her to get on with it. Rachel leaned down looked him in the eye. "Now, what song do you want to hear?"
He thought for a moment then started bouncing on his heels. "Oh can you sing the Pocahontas song about the wind colors. I love that song."
Rachel chuckled and stood back up picking up her phone and searching for something. Santana looked at her incredulously. "Don't tell me you have that instrumental on your phone."
Rachel just looked affronted then smiled. "I'll have you know that I have an extensive list of instrumental Disney song but alas that is not one of them but I do have YouTube and I have found an instrumental version that I'm sure will work for this purpose."
Santana just shook her head and pulled Mateo back to sit on the couch as Rachel started to sing.
You think I'm an ignorant savage
And you've been so many places
I guess it must be so
But still I cannot see
If the savage one is me
How can there be so much that you don't know?
You don't know ...
You think you own whatever land you land on
The Earth is just a dead thing you can claim
But I know every rock and tree and creature
Has a life, has a spirit, has a name
You think the only people who are people
Are the people who look and think like you
But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger
You'll learn things you never knew you never knew
Sitting listening to Rachel sing while watching her awestruck brother was an amazing thing for Santana. It meant so much to her that Rachel had agreed to come sing for his birthday and that she was doing it now. If she hadn't already been head over heel for the girl this right here would have pushed her over.
Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon
Or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned?
Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?
Come run the hidden pine trails of the forest
Come taste the sunsweet berries of the Earth
Come roll in all the riches all around you
And for once, never wonder what they're worth
The rainstorm and the river are my brothers
The heron and the otter are my friends
And we are all connected to each other
In a circle, in a hoop that never ends
How high will the sycamore grow?
If you cut it down, then you'll never know
And you'll never hear the wolf cry to the blue corn moon
For whether we are white or copper skinned
We need to sing with all the voices of the mountains
We need to paint with all the colors of the wind
You can own the Earth and still
All you'll own is Earth until
You can paint with all the colors of the wind
As she finished Mateo looked up at her in adoration clapping his little heart out and Santana just stared in awe. As always Rachel sang beautiful but it never failed to amaze her when she belted one out on the fly like this then Mateo was up and hugging her again. "Thank you can you sing the Lion king song now."
Santana stood and pulled him back. "No hermano, She has to go."
Rachel smiled and leaned down to look in his eyes. "I do need to go but why don't you make a list of all the songs you want me to sing for your birthday and I will try and sing as many of them as I can then ok?"
He squealed with happiness hugging her quickly then ran over to his school books pulling out a clean sheet of paper and started writing. Santana just shook her head. "You have no idea what you've just done. He'll have you singing from the time you get here until the time you leave."
Rachel just smiled. "Its fine I don't mind. It's not every day that you meet your biggest fan. He's too cute Tana."
"Yeah, I'll keep him."
They both laugh and Rachel starts toward the door. "Can you give me your keys so I can unlock your trunk if I need to?"
Santana hands them to her and walks her out. "Thank you so much for this Rae. I'm not sure what I would have done this late. You're not going to the school alone are you?"
Rachel shook her head. "No, Royal will go with me. He'll be back from the diner before I get finished fixing the tire. I'll call you later."
They said their goodbyes and Santana watched until she drove out of sight then closed the door locking up the house. When she came back in the room Mateo was still working on his list. "Ok you need to finishes your homework before you can work on that list. You have plenty of time to get it finished."
He groaned but didn't protest further. He knew it was pointless so he put it away and went back to his homework as Santana moved to the kitchen to start dinner. A few hours later she was tucking him into bed and was startled by the doorbell. "You stay in bed and sleep tight. I'll see you in the morning."
He smiled and snuggled in for the night. Quickly Santana made it to the door and checked through the peep hole. She was shocked to see Rachel standing there. She opened the door quickly and pulled her in. "What the hell Rae, what are you doing here at this time of night? It's not safe out there."
Rachel chuckled and handed her the keys to her car. "I'm not alone silly. Royal followed me over so I could bring you your car."
Santana opened the door again seeing her car in the drive with a sexy as hell Camaro parked behind it with Royal in the driver's seat waving. She waved back and closed the door again to look at Rachel. "You didn't have to bring it all the way out here tonight. I could have gotten the keys tomorrow and you could have left the car at the school."
Rachel just shook her head. "No, I didn't like the idea of leaving you without a car while watching your brother. I didn't know what time your mom would be home so it made me feel better bringing it to you. Now you don't have to get a ride in the morning."
Santana's heart melted at the concern and sincerity in her eyes and she pulled her into a hug and kissed her cheek. "Thank you. My mom is working overnights at the hospital tonight so that makes me feel better too."
When they pulled back Rachel was blushing. "Y- your welcome, it wasn't a problem. So um… I guess I'll get going now. Royal is waiting."
Santana smirked at how flustered Rachel was and opened the door for her. "Do I owe you anything for the tire service?"
Rachel shook her head walking down the porch steps waving over her shoulder. "Nope, see you tomorrow Tana."
They wave as she slides into the car. Letting out a breath she watches as Santana closes the door. "My god that girl will be the death of me yet."
Royal threw his head back laughing as he pulled out of the drive. "What did she do?"
Rachel blushed and shook her head not wanting to tell how such a simple friendly thank you peck on the cheek totally blew her mind. Royal laughed some more and headed for home. "She may be the death of you Tink but what a way to go."
Rachel smiled looking out the window. "I know right."
A/N: The glee competition is up next with a little Berry family time on the side.