McKinley had changed a lot since the glee kids had last walked the halls. What used to be an ordinary high school was now a musical school. Lucky for the class of 2012, the gymnasium was still a thing. And the auditorium so Lord knows Rachel Berry was going to perform in it at some point during the night. When it did happen, Santana would roll her eyes and bitch about how predictable it was, but she would silently enjoy it. She missed the hobbit more than she cared to admit.
The Latina didn't want to come to this thing to begin with. She didn't see the point in coming back to a place that didn't resemble where she learned how to be a decent human being. It was also home to a lot of mistreatment and traumatic memories, memories she had trouble with reliving as it was already. These things were just for adults to relive their glory days and hook up, half of which would be cheating. It was sad really.
But all it took was one phone call to her favorite blonde and she knew this was what she had to do. It sucked dick because said blonde wouldn't be there since she graduated a year later, but she made a promise to the blonde and intended to follow through. Santana always followed through on her word.
So here she was, watching a sea of adults she had no recollection of, socialize and grind against each other. They were only 27-29 years old but it was still disgusting. Some men were already bald or overweight, or both, and the women already had plastic surgery done or were wine alcoholics. At least JBI wasn't there, Santana didn't think she could handle that jewfro bimbo.
"Girl why aren't you out on the dance floor?" Mercedes looked practically the same as she had when she graduated ten years ago. Her hair was shorter, her face was more mature, and she was slimmer but that was it.
The diva was in a black dress that sparkled under the beams of the lights and her hair was curled elegantly. She looked radiant.
"Because it's infested with pigs and plastic bitches." And it wasn't like she had anyone begging her to join them on the dance floor.
"You've always been a bitch but not an antisocial bitch." There was a question in Mercedes tone but Santana chose to ignore it. She simply didn't want to get up and personal with sweaty strangers. There was no deep, life meaning hidden deep inside.
"Listen up Wheezy, just because I'm an adult doesn't mean I won't get physical with you."
Mercedes rolled her eyes. She definitely did not miss Santana's nicknames or threatening to go all Lima Heights on someone. The Latina was a spitfire but she missed the Latina nonetheless and burst into smiles. Santana smiled back and hugged the woman. She smelled of hairspray and Queen Latifah perfume and her body was humming from dancing moments ago.
"When was the last time we saw each other?" Mercedes asked pulling away and collapsing on a chair at Santana's table.
Santana wondered how long Mercedes had been out on the dance floor. She herself had only been there for half an hour and had yet to see any glee members. Mercedes wasn't the tallest person so it made sense that Santana couldn't spot her.
"A while."
In the past ten years Mercedes had written four albums and had two world tours. Last year she had filmed a documentary on her latest tour which celebrated her latest album Hell to the No which was also the name of her tour and documentary. Santana went to the premiere of the documentary but didn't get to chat long. The price of being friends with a famous person.
Mercedes frowned and reached out to hold the Latina's hand in her own. It was a small gesture that said more than words ever could. Santana would never admit it, but sometimes a simple touch could be what home felt like.
"So, where's this husband of yours that I hear so much about from the media? Is it true you're getting divorced because you're pregnant and he doesn't want it?"
Mercedes smiled and rolled her eyes. "He's back at the hotel. He said it was the first time I'd be seeing you guys in who knew how long and didn't want to intrude. He's probably watching House Hunters."
"Who else have you seen other than me?" She had to have seen someone, who else would she have been dancing with?
Mercedes opened her mouth just for Kurt to plop down in the seat next to her. His hair was curly and wet with sweat and Santana could swear she saw some stubble on his chin. The top two buttons of his shirt were undone and his blazer was flung to the sides. He looked like he had the day he puked all over Miss Pillsbury, except he wasn't drunk.
"How did we ever make it through three years of show choir competitions?" He rasped.
"If you're like this at 28 I'd hate to see you in another ten years Lady Hummel."
Kurt gave a mortified look as he gulped his water eliciting giggles from both women. Santana's spirits were definitely being lifted, but there was something still misty about the air. Like there was something missing.
(Or someone.)
"Oh come on guys, lets get back out there! The night is still young. Santana, hey!" Mike engulfed the Latina in a unreciprocated light hug.
The talented dancer was dressed in a black silk shirt with a matching buttoned vest and black pants. His hair had lost it's spike from high school and was all over the place. It looked better this way in Santana's opinion.
"Says the one who does dancing for a living. I work for Vogue Mike not Dancing with the Stars." Kurt vociferated.
"You guyyyys, why'd you all leave?"
'Jesus they're like clowns coming out of a clown car.' Santana was starting to feel claustrophobic from the people crowding her small table.
"Great, with Berry's loud mouth there's no way I'll get any peace and quiet."
Despite her snide comment Santana was wanting to leap into the Broadway star's short arms. It had been almost two years since they last saw each other and it almost hurt as bad as not seeing her abuela. Santana talked a lot of game but truth be told, Rachel was like her annoying little sister that she never wanted but after a while became her precious little thing that she had to protect. AuntieSnixxx on social media that attacked Rachel's haters? All Santana.
Rachel didn't even say anything before reaching down to wrap her arms around Santana's neck. Santana knew there were over 100 adults watching Rachel Berry hug Santana Lopez but she could honestly give less of a shit in the moment. This was her sister from another mister and she'd be damned if she didn't enjoy the hug. Besides, Rachel was kind of an expert at hugging, it was like a superpower of hers or something.
Kurt paced his hand over his heart that no longer felt like it was running away from a dog. He was a sucker for feel good moments, especially when it came to glee club. After all these years he was still surprised by this friendship. And to think he got to watch it all happen in an apartment in Bushwick.
"Well, it looks like we're all here." Santana surmised.
She didn't miss the pained look in Rachel's eyes from the absence of a certain someone. She reached out and squeezed her hand smiling the smile that had become Rachel's safety blanket. Rachel smiled back and leaned her head against Santana's briefly.
"Quinn should be here. I told that white girl to get her skinny ass here." Mercedes piped up.
"What about Puck?" Mike asked.
"You know him, out being Lieutenant Maverick."
Out of everyone in Glee club, famous or not, Puck was the hardest to get a hold of. He was always being shipped off somewhere or training people or working security at an event. Even when he got time off he wanted to spend it in Los Angeles where he lived or in Lima with his family.
Santana probably missed him the most, only because of his unavailability. That and the fact that they grew up together. When her dad was pulling all nighters at work on weekends or breaks, she would spend the day at Puck's house or some place in Lima. As kids, during the summer Santana would watch Puck play little league baseball. Then they got older and would cause mischief at Jorge Lopez's work. As teens it was parties.
Then adulthood happened and that all changed. Life took away all of Santana's best friends. Puck, her blood brother (he called her that because they had made a blood pact as kids and Puck was a little special); Brittany, her best friend and person she loved the most; Kurt and Rachel, the siblings she didn't want but got and adored; Quinn, her-
Well. Her Quinn.
"Come on, we're all over the age of 28 and Sue is in Washington D.C. so there's no one stopping us from spiking the punch." Kurt leapt up looking in search of the punch bowl.
'Why the hell not.' Was the last thought Santana had before joining Rachel in following the other three.
After ten years of consuming alcohol Santana still was a weepy drunk so she didn't drink much from the punch bowl that night. The last thing she wanted to do was cry in front of everyone who had feared her in high school. Then they would know that she actually had a heart and was capable of feelings. Better to have them think she was a sociopath.
Mercedes was already a giggling mess and Rachel kept clinging to everyone. She started with Mercedes but that ended quickly. She spent some time dancing with Kurt before spending some time with Santana. Finally she had left the Latina and was so up on Mike it looked like they were a couple. Tina definitely would not be happy when she found out which she was bound to somehow. Kitty probably wouldn't either.
Santana was just starting to entertain the thought of Kitty and Tina in a diva off against each other when Kurt strolled up to her. She groaned and rolled her eyes.
"I will go all Lima Heights on your smurfet ass if you try to take me back out on that dance floor."
"Relax Satan, I was just coming over to chit chat. When was the last time we caught up with each other?"
"Literally last week." Santana deadpanned.
Kurt shot Santana with a look in which she cocked her eyebrows innocently. "I mean in person. It's not the same over the phone, there isn't a connection with it."
"There isn't a connection now."
Kurt made a move to get up just for Santana to reach out and grab him. "Relax Dorothy, I'm just busting your balls. Fill me on what all I've missed."
Santana doubted there was much she missed considering they had just talked but whatever, anything to make her friend happy.
Kurt looked over at their trio on the dance floor and assessed the sound of Good Time by Owl City before scooting closer to Santana. The girl drew her eyebrows together and raised one. She had learned that from Quinn, considering it was her signature mark.
"Can you promise to keep this a secret?"
"Have you met me? I'm the queen of keeping secrets. And finding out about them."
'I'm not the one that blabbed to Finn about who Quinn's baby daddy really was.'
Kurt stayed quiet for a few more seconds to make sure Rachel wasn't making her way over before speaking. "The main character in Caleb's next book is going to be based on Finn. He's heard us talk about Finn and has seen him perform so he wanted to do something to honor Finn. Caleb's wanting to run it by Rachel and Carole first of course."
They definitely had not discussed that on the phone last week.
"How long has he had this idea nestling in his bird brain?"
"A while actually. He's been asking for my opinion on the whole thing, wanting to know if it was right or wrong and how everyone would feel."
"And what'd you say?"
Kurt eyed Santana wearily. He had known Santana for 14 years now and knew when she was ready for Lima Heights Adjacent to commence. This was a conversation he had been dreading with everyone but Santana especially. He felt like a public place was the best venue for telling her.
"I told him that I thought it was an admirable way to remember Finn but that others may not see it that way. I also said Carole and Rachel were who he needed to run it by which he understood and agreed to."
"You're really okay with someone using Finn to profit off of?"
That was just one reason why Santana despised this idea. It was just a lawsuit waiting to happen.
"I can see why you'd think that, and that's why he's talking to Rachel and Carole. He said he'd like to speak to the Glee club as a whole even." Kurt tried to reason in that semi squeaky voice of his.
Santana shook her head. "Listen, Clark Kent seems like a nice guy and I like him, I do, and I don't think he would use Finn that way, but others might."
"Which is understandable."
Santana's glare was so formidable Kurt sat back in his chair and gulped on air.
"I appreciate him wanting to remember Finn, but if he's going to do that he has to do it the right way. He has to write him the way he was, flaws and all."
Kurt opened his mouth, ready to reassure Santana that he didn't condone Finn outing Santana and that he regretted it for the rest of his life. But Santana held up her hand and readjusted herself in her seat.
"I'm not mad at him for that. He apologized and we cleared it up, not in the way Mr.Schue did to make him seem like some hero but in a genuine way. I know he was sorry and I forgave him. But it should be included because that's part of who he was and not everyone is perfect, not even me." Kurt scoffed but softened it with a proud smile. "You hear me Lady Hemmings?"
"How about you tell him that? He's here, in Lima. He's wanting to meet with everyone sometime this week."
"Nope. Nuh uh. I only have one vulnerable outburst a year and this was it."
Kurt shook his head but decided not to call Santana out on her bullshit. Santana may seem like a cold, heartless bitch on the outside but she's actually the biggest softie Glee club knew. Her two roommates, two certain blondes, and an Air Force man were experts on that.
Kurt's phone buzzed and he immediately
perked up after. Santana narrowed her eyebrows already disliking where this was leading. Anytime Kurt got giddy it usually had to do with something Santana could give two shits less about. When they were roommates and classmates she was forced to listen to it and maybe get excited with him. But for the past four years she hasn't had to. No Broadway musical trivia for her tonight.
She still had to figure out what it was first. Snooping was her middle name after all. She also liked being able to have an advantage over people (Rachel called it blackmail but Quinn agreed it was called an advantage).
"What's going on Tinker Bell?"
Kurt's fingers were blinding as they danced neatly across his screen. "One second." Before Santana could question that he was dashing off to the dance floor where their three friends remained.
Santana watched as Kurt and Mike forced Rachel to listen to whatever Kurt had to say. After some excited talking by Kurt that involved hands and a head jerking movement, Mercedes and Mike disappeared. Kurt and Rachel walked back over to her with smiles stretching across their faces.
"Oh no, what did you two idiots do now?"
Rachel giggled then jerked Santana to her feet.
"We have a little surprise for you." Kurt announced.
"You know I hate surprises." Santana growled as she let the two guide her in the direction of the auditorium.
'As suspected, Rachel's going to serenade us with one of her Broadway hits. Or Run Joey Run.'
When they got to the entrance both Kurt and Rachel covered up Santana's eyes.
"What the hell? Is this really necessary? I'm not afraid to commit homicide!" Santana warned as she bumped into one of the chairs on her right where Rachel was.
"I can't believe you already got this drunk. We had a plan." Santana could hear Kurt chastise Rachel from the corner of his mouth.
"I got bored waiting on- ow!" Rachel's yelp resembled that of a chihuahua only furthering Santana's annoyance.
"Watch your step, both of you." Kurt informed the two women.
After having Sue Sylvester as a coach for four years, walking up three steps blinded was a piece of cake. Except she had all of Rachel's weight on her right side and would teeter with her every time she tripped. Santana gripped Kurt's free hand and relied on him if it came down to her or Berry face planting. Honestly her trust in Kurt was solid.
With a giggle and a stumble from Rachel the trio came to a stop. Santana's heart was ricocheting off her ribcage in eager anticipation. Her mind was full of what could possibly be awaiting her on the stage in the auditorium. With tweedle dee and tweedle dum it was hard to tell. She had to assume Mike and Mercedes were a part of it though so it shouldn't be too drastic whatever it was.
"You ready?" Kurt squealed.
"Yes, now uncover my eyes."
They waited three more agonizing seconds before dropping their hands. Santana's eyes had to adjust to the harsh lights above before focusing on the figure in front of her. He was dressed in a slick all black suit and freshly polished shoes. His jacket was unbuttoned and he didn't have a tie on, almost as if this was all last minute. He was smirking that familiar smirk she was all too familiar with, one that she sometimes shared when creating trouble as kids. That same damn inviting smirk that started it all.
"Hey Lezpez."
Santana knows how disgustingly cliche it is but she can't help it, this is the man that practically raised her because her father was too busy saving lives to consider the life of his own blood, and she hasn't seen this man in almost two years. After spending 13 years growing up with someone, being apart is torture. Because this isn't befriending someone just to lose touch, they were still very much in touch, just not around each other.
Santana wonders which is worse, losing touch or keeping touch but being separated.
So she does the most cliche thing she's ever done and runs straight into his arms. He was just as surprised as their four friends but caught her effortlessly. His hold is just as firm and protective as ever but Santana can feel how his biceps have gotten bigger since his years as the bad boy, football player in high school. She feels like she has to be hallucinating from the shock of seeing him because he smelled like the same AXE body spray from high school. She couldn't think of the name now but it was something stupid, something that only Puck would find manly.
There's some awes from Kurt and Mercedes and Santana thinks she hears Rachel's obnoxious sniffling so she decides it's time to pull away. Santana's like an old dog, she's loyal and cuddling is nice every now and then but she doesn't like to be smothered. Puck sets her down and she's finally able to punch him in his arm.
"You told me you were teaching a class in Milwaukee!"
"Well I lied." Puck exclaimed rubbing his arm just to please her.
Santana eyed Mercedes and Mike behind Puck right as it all clicked. "You fools were in on this?" She turned towards Hummelberry to see that Rachel was most definitely blubbering all over her gold dress.
"Disgusting." Santana murmured.
Kurt smiled and clapped his hands together in that childish way of his. Some things never changed. "It was Rachel's idea! She knew how much you had been missing him so she called Puck up and planned this whole thing. We helped out obviously."
12 years ago if you had told Santana that Rachel Berry would be surprising her with Puck with Kurt Hummel, Mercedes Jones, and Mike Chang on standby, she'd say you were doing blow. Hell, even ten years ago she wouldn't think this was possible, she was sure she would have done something to damage her relationship with everyone in Glee club by the time her freshman year at Louisville started. Time proved her wrong.
"Well thanks, I guess."
Rachel clapped her hands together at rapid speed before toddling over to the taller brunette and engulfing her in her own hug. She reeked of Paris Nights by Celine Dion, sweat, and tequila but turning away a clingy, drunk and emotional Rachel was impossible. Santana wrapped her arms around her short friend and tried to look like she was in pain.
"We'll leave you guys to catch up. Come back out and join us when you're done." Kurt pried Rachel away from Santana and lead the way out of the auditorium.
Santana turned and shared a timeless grin with her best man.
(AN)
That's the first chapter! It was kinda long and there's no Quinn yet but I promise she will be making an appearance next chapter!
I know a lot of people hate Puck but I actually love him and think Pucktana would have been an AMAZING friendship. But I'm not totally upset they didn't get more scenes together because Mark was a disgusting person and a dick to Naya.
Next chapter will probably be up next Saturday. This was later than I wanted to post. Chapters will most likely be posted every Saturday around 12:00 - 6:00.
Anygays, I hope you guys enjoyed this first chapter!