Chapter 16: Wanted

Rachel broke down in her friends arms as they stared at her in shock. She sobbed out against Mercedes, "She was in so much pain."

Mr. Shue snapped out of his daze first, having been there to celebrate a great opening with everyone else, "We should go to the hospital."

Brittany started crying from her place next to Artie, "Sanny is hurt?"

Artie tried to comfort her but she couldn't calm herself. This caused all the girls to cry, the guys trying not to let it show, trying to be strong for all the girls.

Mr. Shue ushered them all out, him taking a few kids, Finn, Kurt, and Mike driving the rest, taking everyone to the emergency room where Santana would arrive. Mercedes held Rachel, trying to contain her own tears, rubbing her back, trying to get her to calm down.

"Hey Rach, she will be OK, she's strong," Mercedes whispered to her.

"She was so scared," Rachel sobbed. Quinn and Brittany let out a cry at the information they were given. Kurt was silently crying while Blaine held his hand tightly, crying also.

None of them had really realized how much Santana really meant to them until they saw Rachel and heard what had happened to Santana.

They arrived and got out, running inside to find out that they had beaten the ambulance to the hospital. They all stood there waiting for the Latina to arrive.

A few moments later Santana was rushed into the hospital on a gurney, a paramedic on her chest, pumping her chest as an EMT was holding a breath apparatus, waiting until the chest pumping stopped before covering her with it, squeezing air into the limp girl.

Rachel fell to the floor at the sight and cried harder, feeling like she couldn't breathe as Kurt hugged her with sobs of his own.

Another gurney was brought in but this one wasn't rushed and it held a black body bag. Mr. Shue went over and talked to the paramedics bringing it in. He came back, looking solemn, "Her father was D.O.A."

Rachel cried for the Latino man taken before his time before standing and wiping her eyes, tears still escaping, "I need to call her mother."

Mr. Shue looked at her sadly, "I can do that for you Rachel."

Rachel shook her head, "No, I want to do it." She pulled out her phone and called Santana's mother, "Mrs. Lopez… They… they got into an accident. I don't know, it's bad... He's-he's gone."

Rachel closed her eyes, tears falling harder at the pregnant mother's sob on the other side, "I'm so sorry... No don't drive, I'll come get you…"

Rachel hung up and looked at everyone, "I-I need to pick her up. She can't drive."

"Neither can you," Quinn said through her tears.

"I would never forgive myself if I let her drive and she got hurt," Rachel said.

Mr. Shue put a hand on her shoulder, "I'll drive you over."

He was the only one keeping it together, but you could see the deep concern bubbling in the teachers eyes.

Rachel looked at her teacher and nodded slowly, agreeing to let him drive. She turned to the others and asked in a broken voice, "Could you call if you hear anything about her?"

Kurt and Mercedes nodded, silent as they still cried. Puck was sitting in a corner, silent tears streaming down his face and his fists were clenched in his lap.

Brittany was in Artie's lap, sobbing into his neck. Quinn was crying into her hands as Sam and Rory sat on either side of her, trying to comfort her as they dried their own tears. Mercedes sat on the other side of Sam, leaning into his side. Finn was sitting next to Puck, just staring at the wall but he wasn't crying. Mike was trying to calm the hysteric Tina. And Kurt and Blaine were crying into each other.

Rachel followed her teacher out of the hospital and to his car. They got in and Mr. Shue drove off toward the Lopez house. When they pulled up outside and Rachel saw the mother come out, broken, she started crying harder.

Rachel got out and went to Santana's mother, hugging her tightly as they both cried. Rachel held her tighter, whispering, "I'm so sorry."

Maria shook her head, "It's OK Rachel. Let's get to the hospital."

Both women got into the back of the car before the Glee coach took off back to the hospital. The car was silent except for the cries coming from the two girls in the back.

When they got there everyone had calmed a bit. They had stopped crying but they were all huddled together still.

Rachel looked at them, sniffling, "Have they said anything?"

Blaine shook his head at them. Quinn looked up at the sound of her voice. It seemed that her anger had turned from sadness to anger as she jumped up and got in the diva's face, "This is all your fault."

Rachel stood shocked for a second before answering with a soft, broken, "Quinn what are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I am talking about. We went out tonight because she was so upset about you and her abuela. She never would have been driving if you had just talked to her and let her apologize," Quinn accused.

"I-I tried to today," Rachel looked down again, now believing that it was her fault.

"You didn't try hard enough," Quinn spat.

Rachel's shoulders shook with the sobs that racked her body. Mr. Shue stepped between them, "Quinn stop. This is not the time to be fighting. It wasn't Rachel's fault; it wasn't anyone's but the guy that hit them."

Quinn crossed her arms and sat down, glaring at Rachel. The diva just sat there, crying until the Latina mother came over and took her in her arms, "This isn't your fault, Santana wouldn't want you blaming yourself."

Rachel stayed with Maria until the doctor came out and walked to the group, "Mrs. Lopez?"

Maria turned to look at him, "That's me."

"I'm sorry to inform you but your husband was dead when they arrived on the scene, they tried to revive him but were unsuccessful," the doctor said gently.

Maria cried softly, "What about Santana? How is my daughter."

"We lost her on the way here," there was a collective sob from the group before he continued. "We successfully revived her and were able to get the glass out of her body and stitch her up. Her right ulna was snapped and we have set it but it will take about two weeks for her to recover. She broke her patella on her left leg and her right leg her she broke her tibia and her fibula. There is a spider fracture on her pelvic bone and her clavicle is shattered. She also fractured both of her scapula's."

Maria nodded, crying harder, "Is she awake?"

"She is still out from the anesthetics we put her on but before she wakes there is something you need to know," Maria nodded for him to continued. "She is paralyzed from the waist down. A piece of glass pierced between her l4 and l5 vertebrae. We are optimistic that she will make a full recovery with some therapy but there is a chance that she may never walk again."

Rachel looked at the doctor, "She can't walk?"

The doctor shook his head sadly, "I'm sorry."

"Can we go see her?" Maria asked.

"Only a few at a time, we don't want to overwhelm her," he answered before giving them a room number and walking off to help another patient.

"We will go, you two go see her and we will come back tomorrow," Puck said, standing. Almost everyone nodded and stood, leaving. Quinn glared at Rachel before being pulled out by Brittany.

Rachel and Maria went back to Santana's room and both gasped when they saw the image in front of them. Santana was covered in casts and wraps, her face was bruised and so was most of her body that was visible to them.

There was a cut above her eyebrow that was surrounded by a nasty yellow and purple bruise. The fingers in her right arm were swelled up and purple because of the break in her arm. She was asleep with her head facing them.

Maria walked over and took her daughters left hand between hers, "I'm sorry Mija."

Rachel went over to stand next to Maria, looking at Santana before looking down. They sat in chairs next to Santana's bed in silence until she groaned about 20 minutes later. They looked at her as her face contorted into pain so they called in a nurse.

They injected morphine into her IV tube, causing Santana's features to relax slightly. She opened her eyes and looked over at her mother and Rachel causing her to mist up.

The nurse went about, checking her vitals before heading out. Santana croaked out, "Mami, is papi…?"

"I'm so sorry Mija," Maria said sadly.

Santana let tears fall down her cheeks, "It's all my fault, he was driving me…"

"Stop it Santana Marie, this is not your fault," Maria looked at her daughter.

Santana nodded lightly, her lip trembling. She looked at Rachel who was still staring at her hands, "Rach?"

Rachel looked up, tears streaming down her face, "I'm so sorry. I was being insensitive and insecure and I pushed you away and I am the reason you got into that accident. I just thought of the old Santana and I wasn't thinking and I hurt you-"

"Rach-"

"-And now I can't take that back. You wouldn't have been there if I had-"

"Rachel-"

"-You wouldn't have been going to that party they set up for you and you wouldn't have-"

"Honey," Santana tried again, this time stopping her rant. "This wasn't your fault OK. I don't blame you and you had every right to be mad at me. I shouldn't have yelled at you, I know that. None of this was your fault. You aren't insensitive, I'm the insensitive bitch remember?"

Rachel let out a wet laugh, "You aren't a selfish, insensitive, ignorant you-know-what."

Santana smiled lightly at her, "Can't even say the word anymore Rachel?"

Rachel looked at her, "I have only said it twice before and both times made me feel awful. Mostly because both times I said it to you."

Santana reached out her good hand to take hers, "I'm sorry."

Maria stood, "I'm going to let you two talk Mija, I am going to speak with the doctor and call your abuela."

Santana nodded and looked at her, "She deserves to know what happened to Papi."

"You too," Maria said.

Santana looked down, "She won't care about me."

"You are still her granddaughter San," Maria said.

"No I am not. She made that clear last time I saw her," Santana whispered, looking at her lap.

Maria sighed and walked out going to call Alma. Rachel gave her hand a gently squeeze, "Santana, I am sure that your abuela will be disheartened to hear about what happened to you."

"Can we not talk about it?" Santana asked gently.

Rachel nodded and sighed, "What do you want to talk about then?"

Santana closed her eyes for a second, "I am sorry for the way I acted at rehearsals, I was completely inappropriate and out of line."

"It's okay. I forgive you. I know that you weren't thinking and you are allowed to make mistakes. It's the only way we can learn," Rachel told her honestly.

"How are you always so forgiving?" Santana asked with a smile.

"Just be glad that I am," Rachel replied with a small smile.

Santana stared at her for a moment before asking, "How did you know I was here?"

Rachel looked at her confused, "I called you and you answered, remember?"

Santana shook her hand and thought, "I kind of remember, I was crying and I could hear you talking but I can't remember much else."

Rachel looked at her with wide eyes, she doesn't know that they said they loved each other. She shook her head, "It's okay. Well that's how I knew; I talked to you."

Santana nodded and they sat in silence for a while. After a few moments Santana asked, "Hey Rach. Are we okay?"

Rachel looked at her for a second before asking, "Do you mean are we back together?" Santana nodded and Rachel sighed, "I don't know Santana. I don't think we can."

Santana looked down as she had taken her hand back, "Okay, I understand."

Rachel suddenly broke out into a smile and giggled, "I'm kidding. I started thinking about it today and to be honest, I miss you."

Santana smiled, "Really?" Rachel nodded and Santana grabbed her hand again, "I promise I will be better."

"I just want you to be you," Rachel told her, kissing her hand.

Santana smiled and gently tugged her hand, "Come sit with me."

"I don't want to hurt you," Rachel said.

Santana rolled her eyes, "I am a badass, you won't hurt me."

Rachel giggled and sat next to her, accidently bumping her leg, "Oh I am so sorry San."

Santana looked at her then her legs, before looking back up at Rachel with wide eyes, "I didn't feel anything."

Rachel looked at her and worried her lip, "Um- the doctor… he said…um…"

"Rach, spit it out," Santana said, eyes still wide.

"He said… he said that you might be paralyzed," Rachel stuttered out.

Santana looked at her for a second before letting tears fall again. Rachel took her into her arms gently and kissed her head, "I'm sorry Sweetie. You will be OK."

Santana cried against her for her father and her legs. Rachel just held her and whispered into her ear as she tried to soothe her. After a while she calmed down a bit, "I don't know how I can do this without him. How Mami can do it."

Rachel sighed and kissed her head again, "Both of you are strong and you will get through it. I wish there was something more I could do."

"Just hold me and sing to me. That's all I need from you," Santana said, brokenly.

Rachel nodded and kept her in her arms before she softly started to sing to her, "You know I'd fall apart without you. I don't know how you do what you do 'cause everything that don't make sense about me makes sense when I'm with you; like everything that's green, girl, I need you, but it's more than one and one makes two. Put aside the math and the logic of it. You gotta know you're wanted too. 'Cause I wanna wrap you up, wanna kiss your lips, I wanna make you feel wanted. And I wanna call you mine. Wanna hold your hand forever and never let you forget it. Yeah, I, I wanna make you feel wanted."

Santana closed her eyes and listened to Rachel singing to her softly. She had missed Rachel singing just for her for the week that they had been apart. Rachel liked to sing for Santana a lot, practically every time they were together alone.

"Anyone can tell you you're pretty, yeah. And you get that all the time, I know you do, but your beauty's deeper than the make-up and I wanna show you what I see tonight... When I wrap you up. When I kiss your lips. I wanna make you feel wanted and I wanna call you mine. Wanna hold your hand forever and never let you forget it, 'cause, baby, I, I wanna make you feel wanted. As good as you make me feel, I wanna make you feel better. Better than your fairy tales. Better than your best dreams. You're more than everything I need. You're all I ever wanted. All I ever wanted," Rachel ran her fingers gently up and down Santana's arm as she sang to her, soothing the Latina in her arms.

This was the first time that Santana and really let Rachel hold her and it felt kind of nice. For the month that they dated Santana was always the one holding Rachel and Rachel liked the feeling of holding her girlfriend.

"And I just wanna wrap you up. Wanna kiss your lips. I wanna make you feel wanted and I wanna call you mine. Wanna hold your hand forever and never let you forget it. Yeah, I wanna make you feel wanted. Baby, I wanna make you feel wanted. You'll always be wanted," Rachel finished up and looked down at the girl in her arms.

Santana whispered, eyes still closed, "Thank you. I never thought you would sing country."

Santana looked up at Rachel as she responded with, "Only Santana Lopez could make me sing country."

The Latina looked at her for a second before gently kissing her, pulling away slightly with closed eyes, "Thank you for making me feel wanted."

"Anytime Sweetie," Rachel whispered, closing her eyes also. They went in for another quick kiss but was interrupted by a cough at the door.

They broke apart and looked up to see Santana's mother standing next to Alma Lopez. Santana stared wide eyed at her, "Abuelita?"

"Santana," her grandmother started walking farther in and took in her granddaughter's appearance before looking at Rachel.

Rachel moved away to sit back in the chair much to Santana's disdain. Santana shook it off and looked at her abuela, "What are you doing here?"

"Your mother told me what happened, I just wanted to make sure for myself that you were OK," Alma looked at her with honesty in her eyes.

"I'm fine," Santana muttered, looking down.

"Santana, don't lie to me," Alma sent her a stern look.

Santana sighed, "I'm not OK but I will be."

"I don't doubt that. I want to apologize."

Santana looked up at her grandmother with shock on her face, "What?"

"I was going to keep on ignoring you but when your mother told me what happened I got scared. If I didn't get to see you again I didn't want you thinking that I hate you because I don't," Alma sat next to her on a chair.

"It's OK," Santana said softly.

Alma looked at her a moment, noticing a yawn and stood, "Get some sleep. I will see you in the morning."

"I'm fine," Santana said, looking over at Rachel.

"I will be OK. I will be here when you wake up," Rachel stood and kissed her forehead.

"OK Honey," Santana whispered, closing her eyes.

"Goodnight Sweetie," Rachel sat back down, Alma watching the interaction with an emotionless face while Maria smiled.

Santana fell asleep quickly. Maria looked at Rachel, "So you two worked everything out?"

Rachel nodded, "Yeah, we did."

"You know, she told me what happened. And I understand why you did what you did so just know I don't blame you and neither does she," Maria said.

Rachel nodded again and Alma spoke up, "What did Santana do to you?"

Rachel looked down and cleared her throat, "Um, she yelled at me during a rehearsal for our musical and said some stuff to me because she was angry."

"I thought we all raised Santana to be better than that," Alma looked up at Maria. "She shouldn't yell at her girlfriend."

Maria tried to hide the small smile that formed, "She knows and she has been reprimanded."

"Good," Alma said before she settled into her seat again, watching Santana sleep.

Rachel smiled at Alma, who didn't even stutter when she said "girlfriend." Rachel saw that as an improvement and hoped that Alma would accept her and Santana. But for now she would just make sure that Santana was happy.

So there is the next chapter, I hope that made it up to you guys. I know that things were all over the place but all the ideas for this chapter came to me at once and I couldn't sort them out and they just wrote themselves down on this chapter. Please review, favorite, and follow. I might be starting another Pezberry story soon so I will keep you posted on that. The chapter is titled "Wanted" by Hunter Hayes