Chapter 19: Wind Beneath My Wings.
Santana wheeled herself into Principle Figgins to talk about her schedule. She had a class on the second floor that she couldn't get to because the school didn't have any ramps to the second floor or an elevator.
She sat in front of her principle, not sure if he would actually listen to her. He tended not to care about the kids in this school and she figured she was no different.
Santana cleared her throat, "I wanted to ask if I could get a schedule change."
"Why would you need to change your schedule? We are already 6 months into the school year," Figgins asked in his monotone voice.
"Because my human phys. class is upstairs. I don't know if you noticed this, but I can no longer go upstairs," Santana told him with an eye roll.
"I am sorry Miss Lopez, there is nothing I can do about your schedule this late in the school year," Figgins said in an unsympathetic voice.
Santana crossed her arms, "Why can't I just be switched to the classroom on the first floor?"
"We have no rooms in any of those classes," Figgins told her.
"What am I supposed to do?" Santana grit her teeth. "I can't get up those stupid stairs in this stupid chair."
"Figure it out," Figgins said with finality.
Santana scowled and wheeled out of the room. Rachel walked up next to her, "Hey, what's wrong?"
"Stupid Figgins won't change my schedule," Santana frowned as she kept moving.
Rachel followed after her, "What? That is so not fair. He can't expect you to go to class if you can't get to it."
"I know Rach," Santana sighed, spinning the wheelchair around to face her. "Let's just forget it now and get to Glee. I just want this day to be over."
Rachel sighed and nodded, "OK, for now but we will be talking about it after Glee."
Santana nodded and turned back around, "I know."
Rachel started pushing her to the choir room. They got inside and Rachel wheeled Santana to her spot before standing at the front.
Rachel stood in front of her and smiled, "So I don't really know what to say to you about all that you are going through I just want to make you feel better. I think this song is the best way I can express my thoughts to you."
Santana watched Rachel as she started singing, "Ohhhh, oh, oh, oh, ohhh. It must have been cold there in my shadow, to never have sunlight on your face. You were content to let me shine, that's your way. You always walked a step behind. So I was the one with all the glory, while you were the one with all the strength. A beautiful face without a name for so long. A beautiful smile to hide the pain."
Rachel stood in front her, "Did you ever know that you're my hero and everything I would like to be? I can fly higher than an eagle, for you are the wind beneath my wings. It might have appeared to go unnoticed, but I've got it all here in my heart. I want you to know I know the truth, of course I know it. I would be nothing without you."
Santana smiled at her, silent tears going down her face, "Did you ever know that you're my hero? You're everything I wish I could be. I could fly higher than an eagle, for you are the wind beneath my wings. Did I ever tell you you're my hero? You're everything, everything I wish I could be. Oh, and I, I could fly higher than an eagle, for you are the wind beneath my wings, 'cause you are the wind beneath my wings."
Rachel smiled and grabbed Santana's hand, "Oh, the wind beneath my wings. You, you, you, you are the wind beneath my wings. Fly, fly, fly away. You let me fly so high. Oh, you, you, you, the wind beneath my wings. Oh, you, you, you, the wind beneath my wings."
Rachel backed away, going to the piano where Brad was, playing the music to the song, "Fly, fly, fly high against the sky, so high I almost touch the sky. Thank you, thank you, thank God for you, the wind beneath my wings."
"That song was played in Beaches after Cecilia's best friend, Hillary, was in the hospital because she was so sick. She wanted to go home because she didn't want her daughters last memory of her to be that of her in the hospital. Cecilia realizes then that she really appreciates Hillary even though they found a lot. I mean they met when they were just preteens, you are bound to have a fight every now and then, and they lived together for a while. When she sees Hillary with her daughter, saying what could be her last words, she thinks about how much Hillary meant to her and that all her fame was fueled by the love and friendship she got from her. She didn't realize that until it was too late. Well I don't want to wait until it is too late. I almost lost you Santana and I don't know what I would have done if I had lost you. And I said it while we were on the phone but you said that you don't remember so I want to say it again, when you aren't dying or something tragic is going on… Santana Lopez, I love you."
Santana stared at her in shock, as well did everyone else. Santana sat there for a second as Rachel rung her hands waiting for a reply from her. Santana pulled off the brakes and rolled over to her, stopping in front of her.
Santana bit her lip before smiling up at her, wiping her tears away, "I love you too Rachel Berry."
Rachel smiled and leaned down, kissing her. Everyone cheered and clapped with smiles on their faces. Rachel pulled away and took Santana's hand, "I am sorry that this happened but I am glad that I get to help you through."
"Thank you for helping me Rach, I don't think I could do it without you," Santana smiled.
Rachel smiled back and leaned down again to kiss her as Mr. Shue walked in, hands clapping together, "Now I know that this week is supposed to be dedicated to Santana and her family, but I want you to all start thinking up some ideas for Sectionals next week."
Rachel and Santana went to sit down and everyone nodded in agreement. Puck got up and sang, "If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away" by Justin Moore, sending Santana a smile afterwards.
Tina and Mike sang "Pray" by Justin Bieber, Tina tearing up and giving Santana a hug before her and Mike went back to their seats.
Mr. Shue ended the meeting after their song and Santana wheeled out with Rachel. Rachel smiled and pushed her girlfriend, "Want to come to my place?"
"I can't. My abuela is picking me up," Santana said, looking back with a smile.
Rachel stopped and smiled at her, "You're going to see your grandmother?" Santana smiled and nodded, Rachel giving her a hug, "I am so glad that you are going to get to spend more time with her."
Santana smiled and nodded, "Yeah, I missed her. She is a big part of my life, always has been and it hurt when she rejected me because of my sexuality."
Rachel nodded and went in front of her, kneeling down and taking her hands, "Well if she gives you any trouble about it, you just give me a call."
Santana gave her a small nod and leaned forward, giving her a kiss, "Thank you."
"Of course," Rachel smiled and stood, going back to pushing her. "I think this week is really good for you. It's easing you back into being in Glee before we have to start preparing for Sectionals. We are going against the Warblers and some group named, 'Noters'. Not the most creative name but we can't let that fool us. I was thinking that we could have you featured in it too."
"Rach," Santana interrupted her. "I'm not sure I want to do Sectionals."
Rachel waved it off, "Your voice will be great, we could always pair you up with Blaine, I think you two would sound good together."
Santana pulled on her wheels so they would stop, "I don't mean that I don't want to sing a song at Sectionals, I mean I don't want to do it at all. With that new girl Sugar, we will have enough people at Sectionals without me."
Rachel looked at her, "What are you talking about? Why wouldn't you want to do Sectionals?"
"Because I don't know how to use this chair yet and I don't want to be out there getting in the way," Santana told her, staring back at her.
The diva shook her head, "That is crazy, you did 'Proud Mary' without getting in anybody's way."
"That's different, everyone was in wheelchairs," Santana looked down.
"It's not, Artie will help you and so will the rest of us," Rachel leaned down, kissing her cheek before they started moving again.
When they got outside, Alma was waiting for Santana in her grandfather's old pick-up truck. It was cold out and it looked like it was going to start raining soon since it was getting into the winter months. Sectionals always took place about a month before Christmas.
Rachel took her to the truck and opened the door, lifting Santana into the truck. She closed up the wheelchair, taking Alma's help to get into the bed of the truck.
She then went to Santana who had rolled the window down for her. Rachel smiled and leaned into the truck a little, resting on her arms, "I will call you later OK?"
Santana nodded and smiled softly, "I will answer your call later."
Rachel giggled softly and glanced at Alma before giving Santana a quick hug. Alma shook her head, "You two can give each other a kiss. I may still be getting used to it, but you should always kiss your partner goodbye."
Santana laughed at her grandmother before pulling Rachel in for a quick kiss, still not wanting to make her abuela uncomfortable, "Bye Rach."
"Bye San, Mrs. Lopez," Rachel smiled at both before backing away. Rachel watched as they pulled away before going to her own car and driving home.
She decided to go hang out with Kurt and Mercedes for a bit. They sat on Mercedes' bed, eating popcorn and watching a movie. They weren't really watching the movie; they were talking about their significant others.
Kurt was gushing over Blaine, "After the last night of the musical, Blaine and I went back to his place. It was exactly how you would think. He put on Dean Martin and he was sweet and gentle."
Rachel went wide-eyed, as did Mercedes, "You guys slept together?"
Kurt blushed and nodded, "It wasn't rushed or at all like what everyone else says. It meant a lot to both of us. We lost it to each other and it was romantic."
Mercedes sighed dreamily, "I hope when I lose mine it will be like that. I want the guy I am with to be saving it, like I am."
Rachel looked down, "If I decide to do it with Santana, do you think it will be less romantic because Santana isn't a virgin?"
Mercedes and Kurt turned to her, Kurt speaking first, "No Rachel. Just because you aren't her first doesn't mean it will be any less romantic."
Mercedes nodded, "Yeah. It will still be romantic because you two love each other and that will be a first for her. To do it with someone she really loves."
"But she loved Brittany," Rachel argued.
"She may have loved Brittany but she never admitted it to her so they never did it with feeling," Mercedes said.
"And if you are really scared about all this, then talk to Santana," Kurt told her.
Rachel nodded and smiled, "I will talk to her about it. Thanks."
They smiled and hugged her before they started talking about celebrities they thought were cute. They talked about boys and girls alike but Rachel was the only who really found the females attractive and it was a weird experience for her to be talking about it like this.
The rest of the week went off normally, people kept singing songs to Santana during Glee. When it came to Friday and Santana was wheeling down the emptying halls toward the choir room, did anything happen.
A couple of the Cheerios' grabbed her chair and started wheeling her. One of the Juniors, Lesley, smirked as the other two pushed Santana, "So now that you are no longer the captain and you are basically powerless here since you started dating Yentl, we are here to get our revenge."
"What are you talking about?" Santana looked around nervously as she was led to the back of the school.
"Don't play dumb Lopez. You were awful to us because you thought you were better than us, well you aren't anymore, Stephen Hawking," Lesley told her as they exited out of the door where the longest ramp at the school was.
"I'm sorry," Santana answered pathetically.
Lesley laughed and ordered the two Cheerios' pushing her to 'drop her.' The two tilted the chair up making Santana fall out, sliding down the slick ramp from the rain that had frozen slightly in the cold weather.
Santana cried out as she got road rash, going down. The three laughed and walked back inside, leaving the wheelchair at the top so she couldn't get to it, "Oh and keep this to yourself or next time you will be going down the stairs.
She scraped up her elbows, hands, knees, and her right cheek. She laid sprawled out at the bottom, crying out for help. She gave up after a few tries and just laid there as she heard her phone going off at the top of the ramp.
After a few minutes the door opened and out came the New Directions. When Santana saw them, she called out and they immediately turned to her.
"Oh my God, Santana," Rachel ran down the ramp carefully to get to her.
They rest of the group followed, Sugar getting her chair and Blaine helping Artie down to make sure he didn't slip down too fast.
"What happened?" Mr. Shue asked when they got down.
Rachel checked her over, frowning at the scrapes on her. Santana swallowed and looked down, "Um I wasn't paying attention and I guess my wheel got caught on something."
"But wouldn't the chair had come down with you if that was the case?" Quinn asked.
Mr. Shue looked at her, "Santana what really happened?"
Santana shook her head as Rachel helped her back into her chair, "I don't know what you are talking about. That is what happened; it was an accident."
Rachel crossed her arms as she stood in front of her, "Santana Lopez, tell what happened right now."
Santana looked up at her girlfriend then looked down again, "Some Cheerios did it but it's not a big deal, just leave it alone."
"Santana this is serious, I am going to have to go to Figgins about it," Mr. Shue said.
Santana shot her head up to look at her teacher, quickly shaking it, "No it's fine, please don't."
Everyone stared at her in confusion. Rachel looked at her, "Why don't you want him to San? Why are you so scared?"
Santana looked at her hands, picking at her fingers nervously, "They said they would push me down the stairs if I told anyone."
Rachel sighed softly, "San, we need to tell someone and we won't let them do that to you."
The others murmured their agreement. With that settled, everyone went home but Santana and Rachel who were escorted to Principle Figgins office by Mr. Shue.
Mr. Shue went in and told Figgins to call Sue into the office. They all sat and waited until Sue walked into the room.
She walked in a few minutes later, looking at the occupants, "Sandbags, Streisand, Butt Chin. Why am I in here?"
Santana looked down as her hands and Rachel put a hand on her forearm. Mr. Shue spoke up, "Santana was attacked by some of your Cheerios today."
"Is this true?" Figgins looked over to the wheelchair bound cheerleader.
Santana nodded mutely, still looking down. Sue looked at her for a second before sitting in a chair across from her, "What happened? Who was it?"
Santana recounted what happened the moment they walked up to her to the moment the New Directions found her, giving Sue their names.
Sue looked at her, "Just know that they will be kicked off of the cheerleading squad."
"And I will be giving them a month's suspension," Figgins told them.
Santana nodded and Rachel led her out of the office, "I will be accompanying you to your classes. I will drop you off and I will get some of the guys to take you up to your Human Physiology class."
Santana just nodded as Rachel took her out to her car. They got in and went to Rachel's house, neither of them really speaking.
They went up to Rachel's room and laid on the bed. When Rachel noticed that Santana was still upset she straddled her and kissed her softly, "Don't be upset. It will be OK."
"I'm just worried that they won't be the only ones mad at me," Santana muttered.
"I, along with the rest of New Directions, will watch out for you," Rachel told her sweetly. Santana nodded and kissed her, but Rachel pulled away quickly and looked down at her, "I have something else to talk to you about."
"What?" Santana looked up at her.
Rachel bit her lip and got off, sitting next to her but turned toward her, "Well as you know I am still a virgin and you aren't." Santana nodded and Rachel continued nervously, "Well I am just worried that it won't be special or romantic because you aren't a virgin."
Santana pushed herself up, "Honey, me not being a virgin has nothing to do with whether it's special or not. It will be special because we love each other and we want to be closer to each other. We will wait until you are ready and then it will be romantic and special because we will be making love, not fucking."
Rachel nodded and kissed her gently, "I love you."
"I love you," Santana kissed her back.
Rachel deepened it, going back to straddling Santana. The Latina placed her hands on her girlfriend's sides, holding her close.
They made out for a few minutes then pulled away to watch a movie. They spent the rest of the evening together, cuddled on Rachel's bed until Santana had to go home.
I'm sorry I am late; I know I suck. I promise that this is the last time I will be late, at least for a while. I am going to start preparing the chapters sooner and have them out on time. Anyways, thank you for the reviews, follows, and favorites, you guys are awesome. The song sung in this chapter is "Wind Beneath My Wings" by Better Midler which is also the title of the chapter. I will see you on Wednesday.