A.N.: The first sentence is from a web series, The Most Popular Girls In School. I just changed it from 'Fucking Rachel Tice' to 'Fucking Rachel Berry'. Anyway, check them out on YouTube, they're funny as hell.

Disclaimer: I don't remember what was here before, don't ask me.

Fucking Rachel Berry. Always inconveniencing others. Why now? She's had all the chances in the world to come back. The Klaine wedding, Kurt's promotion party, Mercedes's release party. I don't fucking get it.

Santana stalked into rehearsal ten minutes late with nothing but attitude. She could've been five minutes early, but she had just spent fifteen minutes crying angry tears in her dressing room. She could feel eyes on her but it only served to make her more annoyed. Especially when she looked up and caught one of the dancer's eyes.

"What?!" The dancer looked too shaken to answer but did anyway.

"Uhm, your mascara is a little smudged. That's all." She supplied the Latina.

Santana had already had enough of this day and it was only 7:15. She angrily grabbed the makeup wipes from her bag and wiped any trace of makeup off her face.

"Let's do a run through of Don't Rain On My Parade." Since Sydnie wasn't here yet, she had free reign on what to rehearse until he arrived.

The band started up and everyone got into place. Santana's sung this song dozens of times. It's just that each time she does, a little piece of enjoyment disappears.

"Don't tell me not to live, just sit and putter." Santana remembers the first time she'd performed this song. Rachel's face had been the best thing ever. It hadn't been the first time she'd ever sung it. She wasn't stupid enough to audition with a song she'd never sung for a musical she's never seen. Maybe her knowledge of the film wasn't as extensive as Rachel's but she knew enough. How could she not when she lived with Barbara's reincarnation for over a year?

"Life's candy and the sun's a ball of butter." She remembers the first time Rachel performed this song at Sectionals. She had always heard the diva talking about the song and humming it in the halls, but when she heard it and saw it with her own eyes it was a whole different experience. Santana would never admit this but she had to stop herself from clapping along with the audience when Rachel was done.

"Don't bring around a cloud to rain on my parade!" Yeah sure, her voice was beautiful and she could belt if she wanted to, but it was nothing like Rachel's. She couldn't perform any of these songs the way they needed to be done and Santana's starting to feel like insistent runs weren't going to make up for her lack of breath control. She's gotten better over the years, but there's always work to be done.

"Stop! Stop the music!" It was as dramatic as it sounded. In Santana's mind you could've heard an imaginary record scratch in the distance. This wasn't a game though as everyone could tell as Santana stalked off in the direction of Sydnie's office.

The way she banged on his door reminded her of all the times she rushed Rachel out of the bathroom in the mornings.

What the FUCK brain? STOP!

She doesn't want to think about Rachel. In fact, it'd been too easy not to think about Rachel. Which is why it should've rubbed her Mexican Third Eye the wrong way when she started having all these thoughts and recurring dreams about the young starlet.

"What is it Ms. Lopez?" That actually made Santana stop. What is it? What is it that she wants? She didn't know, but her mouth sure seemed to

"I quit." He actually laughed at her. Now Santana actually wanted to quit.

"I'm serious, Sydnie." He waved her off.

"You've said you quit before and look where you are now," she shuffled from on foot to another, "Look kid, you can be Serious, Santana, or freaking Bo Jangles. I don't care. As as you're Fanny Brice by the time that curtain draws up."

"No." His face screwed up in confusion and anger.

"No? What do you mean no? You, my dear, signed a contract. 300 shows, no exceptions."

"Except, I don't give a flying fart. I want out and I want out now. Sue me if you have to, you seem to love suing young girls anyway."

"Santana, Santana. Just wait for a second, okay? What am I supposed to do without you? You were the original understudy!" The raven haired girl scoffed at him.

"That doesn't concern me anymore. I'll fax you the number of my family's attorney." With that, Santana strode out the side door of the theater and leaned her head back against the wall of the building. She felt scared, yet relieved. Maybe she was heading in the right direction. That thought alone was enough to put a smile on her face as she walked down the street to a familiar place.

Walking into the Spotlight Diner was severely humbling. Especially since Santana had been all too eager to throw her apron into her shift manager's face while ranting about how much she hated working there. However, she took a seat at a booth in a corner and waited to be recognized.

"Santana! Is that you? For once my old eyes don't deceive me. How've you been?" Santana smiled as the old man approached her.

"Gunther you know how I've been. We work right down the street from each other. Well, we used to."

"Yeah well it might as well have been across town as much as I've seen you. To say you work down the street, you never step foot in here anymore. And what's all this used to business?" The unemployed girl rolled her eyes. Gunther hadn't changed at all.

"I'm not doing Funny Girl anymore. I quit." Gunther's face turned awry. He gave a grim chuckle.

"Hmph. You quit. You gonna go and skip town too? Should I start a business out in L.A., since that's where all the kids are going nowadays?" It was quiet. Santana took in what used to be her boss's appearance. He was still the same except there was a fire behind his eyes. It seemed to be fueled by rage. Rage from the fact that Rachel up and left and the insinuation that she was too.

Maybe the old geezer cared way more than we thought.

"I'm not leaving, you crazy old man. I just needed a change of scenery." He nodded as if he understood. But how could he? He's had the same job for over 30 years.

"Well don't look here. We don't need any of your teen drama scaring away customers." Gunther smiled to show he was kidding. He'd love to have all three of the singing teens back; business was coincidentally as good as it was when they first opened when the teens were employed there.

"Please. You and I both know that I got the most tips every shift. Regardless of my knack for teen angst." Santana laughed while Gunther waved her off.

"Order something already, will ya?" He pushed the menu on the table closer to her and walked off when she picked it up.

"Hi, welcome to the Spotlight Diner. Our morning specials are Broadway Baby Bagels and Classical Coffee. What can I get for you today?" Santana froze with the menu still covering her face. The waitress who was currently trying to take her order was Dani. She knew that voice anywhere; no matter if it were talking, singing, laughing, or screaming out in pleasure.

Now is NOT the time Lopez! Just tell her your order.

Slowly she lowered the menu, still refusing to look up at Dani.

"Uhm, I'll take a blueberry muffin and a Classical coffee. Two creams-"

"One sugar. You don't have to tell me Santana. Some things are just committed to memory." Santana finally allowed herself to look up at Dani only to see a blank mask of indifference.

"Look, Dani I'm not-"

"It's cool, really. You work down the street. It's not like we wouldn't run into each other at some point. Let's not make this awkward okay?"

"Okay, you're right. Sorry."

"Don't even worry about it. I'll be back with your order in a sec."

Santana had half a mind to run from the diner. She hadn't seen Dani since they came back from Lesbos and that felt like forever ago. Santana even found herself taking a different bus route in case Dani had gotten an early shift. She felt silly because she remembered that Dani hated working first shift and avidly tried to avoid it if possible.

So what's she doing working now?

"Here we go. One muffin, blueberry, and one coffee, classical." Santana smiled politely.

"Thanks."

"No problem, anything else?" Santana hesitated.

"Can I ask you a question?" Dani looked mildly skeptical.

"Shoot."

"Why are you working the morning shift?"

"Well somebody's gotta pick up the slack. What with all the new employees dropping like flies." Santana nodded guiltily.

"Plus, not everybody's dreams come true just like that." Dani grabbed the menu from in front of Santana and took a step back.

"I have to go. I have other tables waiting on me."

"Yeah, yeah, sure. I get it. Uhm, thanks again." After that final jab, Santana had almost lost all of her appetite. She decided to leave some bills on the table and take her order to go.

She was about ten feet from the door when she saw a sight that made her angry, relieved, and sad all at the same time.

"Rachel." Santana breathed. Rachel stood there looking at the bulletin that kept customers updated on community things as well as upcoming Broadway shows at the theater.

Santana watched as her ex-roommate longingly looked at what she could only assume was a Broadway poster. She couldn't be sure from the angle she was standing at. Suddenly, Rachel turned on her heel and started walking towards the exit. Santana panicked and grabbed the closest thing next to her which happened to be a menu. She used it to cover her face as Rachel passed right by her.

Santana thought she might faint after getting a whiff of the brunette's shampoo that carried the same traces of lavender and vanilla as it always did. When she lowered the menu she caught Dani staring at her with a confused expression on her face. She turned and left without a word.

Way to act like a total weirdo, Lopez.

On the subway home, Santana pulled out her phone to send an emergency text to Kurt.

To Lady Hummel: HOUSE MEETING ASAP!

A.N.: Until next time…

TGWL