As much as I would like to own them, all the characters of Glee belong to Fox – I own nothing. All the characters of The Fast and the Furious belong to Universal Studios, I'm just borrowing some of them. All writing belongs to me.

It's here! I've literally been waiting to write this chapter since I started this story! It was so good to write so I hope you enjoy it and I will see you next week.

Thank you to everybody who followed and reviewed this week, continued support of this story is much appreciated! :D

Santana's eyes slowly fluttered open to the sound of her phone ringing. She rolled over from where she had been participating as the big spoon behind Brittany and threw her arm over her eyes, willing herself to wake up quick enough to grab the offending item before it woke Brittany up too. With that in mind she reached over and clutched the phone into her hand, rubbing her eyes with her free one as she answered.

"Hello?"

"Santana, it's Shelby"

"What can I do for you?" She yawned.

"It's delivery day"

For a moment Santana's blood ran cold, a shiver coursing through her body at the answer she had been given. It was then that she gulped, her body and mind now far from any sleep she thought she may have been able to reclaim when she had first answered. She realised with a start that she hadn't actually replied.

"Uh, ok. You chose me?"

"Yes. This is my final test"

"Final test?"

"My way of seeing if you're really worthy of being in this crew. Call a street legend like me paranoid but I just wanted to make sure"

"Yeah, no, I totally understand. What do you want me to do?"

"Head over to Holly's shop and we'll be there waiting for you to hand you the keys to the R8. I'll give you further instructions when you get here"

"Ok. Right now?"

"Yep. We're waiting"

"Ok, I'll see you soon"

"Bye Santana"

"Bye"

As Santana ended the call she lay there for a few moments collecting her thoughts. She was pretty sure today was the day when everything changed, when the crew would finally find out what she had been hiding when she didn't deliver the car like she was supposed to. She was sure that they would hunt her down and demand answers and whether she liked it or not she had no choice in how this went down. She had a job to do, something she had been waiting for all these months but now that she was here, lying in this bed with the woman she was sure she loved sleeping peacefully right next to her she wasn't so sure she wanted to do it. She wasn't sure she wanted too give it all up and it scared her.

She glanced over at Brittany momentarily and watched her sleep soundly. Checking the time on her phone she was just about to cuddle up behind her for a few more minutes, just to savour the feeling of her wrapped in her arms she probably wouldn't ever get to feel again, when the blonde in question stirred. She was unable to pull her eyes away from the other woman as Brittany rolled onto her back and then onto her side to face her.

"Hi" Brittany smiled cutely, her voice thick with sleep as she trailed her hand up Santana's stomach until it came to rest on her chest.

"Hey."

"Who was it?" She asked, motioning to the phone still in Santana's hand.

Santana's gaze momentarily left Brittany to look down at the mentioned item and snapped her head back up, feeling guilt pool heavily in her stomach as she was brought back to reality in a matter of moments. "Oh, Shelby. She wants me to go and do something for her"

"Can't it wait?" She mumbled cutely into Santana's collarbone.

The Latina couldn't help but laugh. "Nope. It's kind of an emergency Britt"

"Fine"

Santana laughed and pressed a kiss to her bed-ridden blonde mop of hair before looking down to see what was most probably a full blown pout formed on her face but obscured by the way it was positioned against her chest.

"Is that a pout I see Miss Pierce?" She grinned knowingly.

"No"

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes"

"Hmm, ok. Whatever you say babe."

Brittany mumbled and tightened her hold on the Latina, showing no signs of letting go any time soon. Not that she didn't want it, because she would have chosen snuggling in bed with Brittany any given opportunity, she had a job to do. That's what prompted her to hook her finger under Brittany's chin, lifting her head up so that she could meet her gaze.

"I have to go" She whispered softly.

Brittany could see the seriousness in her eyes and if what she said was true, that Shelby needed her and it was an emergency, she was going to have to let her go. Not without a proper goodbye first though. She lent up and pressed her lips gently against Santana's, letting the touch linger for a few moments before pulling away and sighing.

"Go"

Nodding her thanks Santana placed a kiss to her forehead before sliding out of the bed and heading over to the dresser. Brittany watched from where she had her head propped up on her hand as Santana pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, sitting on the edge of the bed to slip on her Converses. Brittany resisted the urge to shuffle forward and cuddle her from behind, instead letting her get on with what she was doing. She didn't know how urgent Shelby's situation was but she had learnt over the years not to keep the older street racer waiting, especially when it was an emergency. When Santana was done she stood up and grabbed her leather jacket which was hung up on the back of the bedroom door. When she turned to look back at Brittany she couldn't help herself, walking back over to her.

She felt the blonde grip hold of her shirt, keeping her in place as they proceeded to slowly but passionately kiss. What Brittany perceived of as another shared expression of love between them was Santana's version of mapping the woman she loved in case she never got the chance to again. That being said when they parted she pressed a kiss lovingly to Brittany's forehead and stood up straight.

Before she could pull away and make her way for the door though Brittany stopped her by grabbing hold of her wrist, pulling her back. Before Santana could verbally question the blonde's action she watched as Brittany pressed her lips up against her scar, lingering for what felt like hours when in reality was only a few moments. When she pulled away she smiled up at the brunette, her hand still firmly gripping the other woman's arm.

"Be careful"

"I will" She nodded, finally making her way to the bedroom door, though she hesitated with her hand on the handle unable to resist saying one last thing. Looking back at Brittany she smiled. "Britt..."

"Yeah?"

"I love you"

Brittany's face broke out in a grin. "I love you too"

It was then that Santana finally found the confidence to leave, exiting the room and closing the door behind her with a soft click as to not wake up the rest of the houses sleeping occupants. Taking a step away from the bedroom and the woman she loved she felt a single hot tear burn down across her cheek, splashing onto her Converse below.

This wasn't fair. Not one little bit.

Her heart started beating noticeably faster the closer she approached The Racer's Edge, unable to ignore the feeling of it sinking into her stomach as she got out of her car. She rubbed at her scar under her jacket nervously whilst heading to the front counter where Shelby and Holly were waiting.

"Morning Santana"

"Hey Holly. Shelby"

The brunette nodded her head in acknowledgement. "Hey, you ready?"

"Of course. Let's go"

"I knew I picked you for a reason" She smiled, temporarily breaking out of her serious demeanour, Santana grateful for the break in conversation. However, it didn't last long before Shelby was rounding the desk and holding out a small duffel bag and a set of keys. "Here. Take these and this"

As soon as Santana had both items in her hands she looked up. "What's that for?" She asked, eyeing the earpiece.

"So we can stay in contact whilst you're driving. I'm going to be giving you directions as you go and the last thing I want is you crashing the multiple thousand dollar car me and Schue have spent so much money on just because you were preoccupied with your phone"

"Makes sense. Is that it?"

"Yep. As soon as you pull off I'll give you directions to where we moved the car"

"Cool. I guess I better get going then?"

Shelby nodded and watched as she turned around, already heading for the door. Just as she was about to exit she called out to her, stopping her in her tracks. "Santana"

The woman in question turned her head back in the direction of the desk. "Yeah?"

"Good luck"

"Thanks"

"Kill it Lopez"

"I will"

She smiled at Holly's added parting words and turned back and left the shop, Holly and Shelby watching as she threw the duffel bag onto her passenger side seat before getting back into her car. Santana buckled herself in and placed the earpiece in her ear before starting up the Supra and pulling out onto the street. It was then that she first heard Shelby.

"You ready for this?"

"As ready as I'll ever be"

"Ok, turn left at the end of the street"

"Ok, you should be pulling up to the garages now."

"Yep, 'Blue Light Storage Garages'?"

"That's the one. Pull up outside garage four and on the keys I gave you there should be one with a blue tag"

"I see it"

"Ok, use that to open the garage. Drive on inside and park your Supra in there. Then switch over to the R8 and head out. I'll direct you from there"

"And I'll be able to pick up my car later?"

"Of course. Just go ahead and get in the R8. It will be safe Santana, I promise you"

"Ok"

She pulled up outside what was marked as garage four and stopped, getting out and selecting the key to unlock the door. As she did she glanced around, the sun just peeking up on the horizon as the day slowly began. She was somewhere on the outskirts of town and although she knew this was the best place to keep a car of importance on such short notice after what had happened with Puck trying to steal it she also knew that Shelby knew this was the last place anybody would think to look.

The surrounding area was quiet, the low hum of the city in the distance as she clicked open the padlock at the bottom of the door, guessing that it wasn't very often people came around here as the primary goal was to store their stuff in the long term. No matter what she thought of this place though she still had to complete her goal, turning her attentions back to the garage in front of her.

She reached down and pulled up on the heavy door, managing to slide it up all the way without much difficulty. When she turned however, she needed to stop momentarily to take in the sight that was before her. On one side of the garage was a large blue tarp where she knew the R8 lay beneath. Resisting the urge to pull it off she turned and got back into her own car, pulling into the empty space beside it and getting out. It was then that she held her breath for a few seconds, knowing it would be stolen by the sight of the car beneath the heavy nylon blue sheet she now had a firm grip on.

Just as she had expected the air rushed from her lungs when she caught sight of one of the most beautiful cars she had ever seen in her entire life. Sure, she had seen it before but seeing it again was just as good as the first time and that's when reality hit her. She felt it punch her hard in the gut, leaving her gasping for air as the reality of the situation sunk in. Just seeing what she had to deliver made it all the more real that she was really here doing this, about to turn her back on the crew she had come to know and love. They trusted her with this car, trusted her enough to get it to it's final destination safely and she was about to betray that hard earned and well placed trust.

That's why she shook her head of the heavy and weighing thoughts in favour of turning back to her Supra, smiling at the sight of the car she (and the crew) had put so much time and effort into making one of the best cars in Lima, one of the best she had driven in her life. She knew that even when Shelby said it would be safe and she could pick it up later that wasn't actually an option. This was a one way trip and this was the last time she would be seeing it, probably for a very long time if the crew didn't scrap it the moment they found out what she had been doing to them this entire time.

She knew it wasn't rational in anybody's mind to cry over a car but this was the one she had grown with, faced so many tough racers in, experienced so much and now she was about to leave it behind, the only real physical thing she had left before she got in the R8 and drove away. This is why she sat back in it, a tear rolling down her cheek as she pulled a small notepad she always kept in the glove compartment and a small pen. She scribbled a quick note and took a few seconds to herself whilst she looked around the cabin before stepping out. She made sure she had everything she needed and grabbed the duffel bag before stepping out. She slid the note onto the dashboard just above the steering wheel and closed the door, locking the Supra up for the last time and kissing it on the roof.

"I did it" She whispered hoarsely. "I made you the best tuner in the city. Don't have too much fun without me"

Sniffling she placed it's keys on the hood and turned towards the car next to it, it's beauty still taking her breath away. She whistled and fingered the keys for a few seconds before rounding the drivers side door and unlocking it to get in. She immediately felt the sudden awareness of extreme luxury and couldn't help but feel giddy at the sensation of being in such an expensive car. Once she had gotten over her race girl feels she strapped herself in and started it up. The powerful engine roared to life and filled the small storage garage with what Santana could only describe as something nothing short of beautiful.

It purred as she pulled out and as soon as she closed the garage door, taking one last look at her amazing blue Supra she hopped back in and revved it hard as she pulled out onto the street.

"Shelby, I've got the R8 on the road."

"The Supra locked up tight?"

"Yep. Where to now?"

"Start heading East. Be careful Santana, this car is a lot more important than you know"

Sliding her phone from her pocket Santana then quickly typed out a text whilst making sure to keep her attentions keenly focused on the road so that she didn't crash.

-To: Cassandra-

In the R8 now. What do you want me to do?

Before she could even rest the phone between her legs she had a response buzzing in her hand.

-Cassandra-

Good. Head Downtown and meet me at pier 14. I'm inside waiting. Don't waste any time Santana.

Santana rolled her eyes at the other women's continued bluntness when it came to telling her what to do via text but she replied anyway.

-To: Cassandra-

I'm on my way.

A few moments later she heard Shelby's voice in her ear and she took one last breath before pulling it out of her ear and throwing it onto the passenger seat where the duffel bag and her phone now lay side by side. Now there really was no turning back. This was the moment where she cut herself from the second life she had been living and forced herself back into the one she thought she knew.

At least, the one she thought she wanted.

Over the past few months the life she had been living with the crew had turned into something she hadn't expected, a blissful surprise. When she had been taken in by Cassandra and given no choice but to obey the thoughts she had as she drove out of that police car lot in a basic starter car was that she wouldn't enjoy being stuck with a bunch of people she didn't know with a car she didn't trust, all of them much more familiar with this world of racing than she was. It wasn't in the sense that she didn't know anything about the world of street racing it was just that she was coming back to a scene that was barely there eight years ago when she had left, now much more popular and structured than she had ever imagined it would ever get.

She had left a life where her beginnings were managing to beat the other guy across the line alive, let alone in first. Her neighbourhood wasn't exactly pristine. It didn't care that you were racing or just trying to get through each day alive, it was just tough no matter what corner you looked in. Being away for eight long years had taught her a lot about herself, internally and driving-wise but that first night when she stepped into a scene she didn't know for the very first time, no guidance and nobody she knew, she had never remembered being more nervous.

Her thoughts drifted to seeing Letty's crew for the first time, remembering how good they looked as they all stepped out of what she could only describe as a fleet of perfectly tuned cars, all in sync with each other and looking how a real crew should look, how they all seemed to be as one but so individual at the same time.

First came Letty. The brunette crew leader had stepped out of her Plymouth like she owned the scene, and in some sense of the word she did. People flocked to her, Mia shooting glares at any scantily clad race girls that got even a foot too close to her, not that Letty would have paid them any mind anyway. She smiled at the thought, Letty unyieldingly loyal to the woman she loved. She only had eyes for Mia, it was clear to anybody who even just took a momentary glance at them when they were together. Mia not only looked up to her as her girlfriend but a leader and now having spent time with the older Latina she understood why. Letty was a woman with a hardened exterior that held family right next to her heart (along with her car that is) and she had a sense of duty about her that made her the perfect leader to a crew which was probably why they were all so loyal. She kept them all together and they meshed so well because she played things the smart way, the way that wouldn't get them into some serious shit like Puck let his crew do more often than not. Santana understood this, understood why they were all so loyal, every single person under her, and it's what made the situation all that harder to go through with. Having spent time with the older woman who seeped so much love and dedication to a group of people she held as family rather than friends Santana felt the loyalty seep naturally into herself, not even having fought it the deeper and deeper she got into her so called 'lie'. She didn't want to betray her, that was the last thing she wanted, as she had come to respect her as one of the only people she could rely on to have her back no matter what but now here she was, bluntly put stabbing her in the back and she was sure the moment she found out she had turned her back on the crew, her crew, that had welcomed her with nothing but open arms (something which they never did before her) that she would truly try to kill her. And she didn't blame her. Mia probably would too.

Mia had been the most welcoming to her, nothing but nice from the moment she had met her and from what she understood, the crew leaders girlfriend had nothing but total faith and hope in her from the moment she first saw her race. She had routed for her the entire time, swayed Letty when her girlfriend had wanted nothing but to call the whole thing off, not wanting to invite some stranger into the already strong crew, the family she had built from the ground up all by herself, and had been the nicest person ever. Sure, that was cheesy to say but simply put she was. She rattled her brain trying to think of something else to replace it but the effort was fruitless. Despite her loving attitude Mia carried it all on her shoulders, all of the crews day-to-day crap her problem – and she was happy to do it, because she wanted to. She had helped Santana from the start, helped her get her car in order when she got confused by all the complex workings of what it meant to redesign and rework it from the ground up and she was sure that if given the opportunity again the short brunette would do it all again. Her loyalty never ceased to amaze her and even though she hadn't seen her drive, Santana was sure that Mia did a lot more than just take the crews shit on a day to day basis.

That's what brought her to thoughts of a blonde woman, the one who never seemed to want anything more than to drive and look for trouble. Dani. The woman, although rebellious, was someone Santana knew would have your back just like Letty. Yes, she did have her moments and seemed to never care about much more than beer and her car, she had a loyalty to the rest of the crew that screamed anything but going behind their backs and lying. And that's why Santana felt fear pool in her gut, knowing that if-when Dani found out that she had stabbed them in the back she would take it personally. Especially when she put two and two together and realised that she had broken Brittany's heart in the process, something she had told her face to face that she would never do. That's why when she thought about one of the short moments they had spent together whilst working on the engine bay of her Supra together, the blonde vowing to break her neck if she broke Brittany's heart, she had no doubt in her mind that if it came down to it she wouldn't hesitate to fulfil that promise. Santana knew that it would probably hit her the hardest. She didn't know why but she just had a gut feeling that it would.

And that's what brought her to flashes of another blonde she had come to trust as much as she would a sister, if she ever had one that is but it came pretty damn close; Quinn Fabray. She couldn't help but smile at the thought of the woman she had come to call her best friend. Although she had some crazy shit going on in her life she had come to realise in the short space of time that they had known each other that she had finally found the person she could call her best friend. Whether that would still stand after today she didn't know but she let herself reminisce in the things she had felt whilst she spent time with her. They shared jokes whilst in the garage working, annoying Dani together and sharing tips on driving tricks that one knew but the other didn't. How she would try and squeeze out of Santana the way to drift with Nos but was always unable to get past the first word as Brittany had always saved her girlfriend from spilling the beans in the nick of time, the drift queen not wanting anybody to know their secret until they were ready to give it away, until they had perfected it together. It was things like these that was what cemented in Santana's mind that Quinn was someone she was probably always meant to meet, even if it did take such a long time to do so. It was also the moments where they were nothing but honest with each other, sharing things they hadn't shared with anybody else the way best friends were supposed to. One in particular was probably the one bit of good she actually did despite all the lying. Bringing her and Rachel together, helping her realize her true feelings for the other woman and making someone happy. It was this moment, wherein she had for the first time in her life realised that Quinn would be that one friend that would stick around. She was the definition of a best friend. Hell, even their girlfriends were best friends. She just hoped she could forgive her when this was all said and done. She truly was someone she was proud to call friend.

Then there was Rachel, a woman so determined to prove herself she could sometimes end up scaring people with it if she wanted to, intentional or not. Sure, she had seen people set their mind something before and get things done as a result but when it came to Rachel Santana was pretty sure that no other woman, or person for that matter, on Earth would ever come close to matching how dedicated she was to getting something done. She was hard-headed, much like Letty in a way, and she was unshakable once she had set a goal which was something that was a very rare trait to find in someone. It's why Santana had come to respect her, hearing from Quinn how determined she had been to improve herself as soon as Santana had joined. They weren't quite as close as they could have been, she mused, but their playful banter and snarky comebacks between each other had become their way of communicating and getting to know each other. She just regretted that they didn't have that much time to see where it really could have gone.

Tina was next. Santana knew she should have spent more time with her but the simple fact of the matter was that Cassandra had been breathing down her neck, increasingly more so leading up to today, and although she knew it was nothing more than an excuse, she would have really loved to just sit down and spend some time with her, pick her brain about how she raced etc. She remembered back to the night they had been introduced to her by way of information, her handler telling her that she was one of the best scouts in the city. She was also the go-to girl for anything involving tech but the knowledge she could have learned from someone who was a scout would have made things a hell of a lot easier. Even though she regretted never truly getting to know her she had some sort of unvoiced respect that she shared with her, eternally thankful to the Asian woman for helping her initiation go a little easier and smoother than it really should have been.

And that's what brought her to her girlfriend, Marley. She also had a respect for her that she couldn't voice out loud. The woman was willing to put her car and her life and safety on the line all in the name of keeping the rest of her crew safe. She had saved her from violently trading paint twice, each time Marley only ever happy and enthusiastic about the encounters. Sure, she knew it scared Tina half to death when Marley put herself willingly in harms way but she didn't even blink when it came to doing it for someone she hadn't known all that well for very long either. That's why despite what she was doing she would be eternally grateful for both of their help, vowing to keep one little piece of information for herself when shit got real, which wasn't that long away. She would keep it to herself, just like she had promised to, the fact that they had helped her get into the crew with a lot more ease than Letty had originally intended. It was the least she could do considering she was stabbing them all in the back.

Then she saw Brittany.

Thoughts of the blonde woman flooded her mind in a sudden influx she couldn't stop even if she wanted to, memories of their time spent together taking precedence over everything including the current situation. Her mind mapped out how their story had begun and remembered how she had slowly fallen for her, but for the life of her she couldn't help but feel that that was the only real thing she had truly lived in these past few months, the only thing that had brought her joy and happiness instead of stress and pain. Brittany had been a breath of fresh air that she never knew she had needed and as soon as she had realised that she was indeed in love with the blonde it hit her in the face, finally knocking the sense into her to push for something she knew would be the only thing that kept her going through everything. That had included supposedly killing someone, getting beaten half to death and put in the hospital as well as dealing with the subject of her disorientated family. It literally broke her heart as she thought about what she was doing, the weight of the situation crushing it ever so slowly more as she drove closer and closer to the place where this would all end. Brittany would find out that she had lied to her and she was pretty sure that she would never want to speak to her the moment the truth left her lips but she allowed herself to take comfort in the fact that she would at least have her memories of the time they spent together, the only true moments where she could truly breathe and be who she was, Santana Lopez.

Tears burnt at the back of her eyes before flooding over and down onto her cheeks in hot streaks, more thoughts of the other people she was leaving behind, people she had come to know as much more than just acquaintances. Kitty, the woman who was always there to reign in Dani and be the voice of reason despite the fact that she had a bar to run 24/7. Blaine, the first guy she had talked to when she pulled up on the scene looking to race and find a crew, a man she considered close to a brother. Then there was Holly and Shelby, two women she knew that given the chance to choose freely she would never turn her back on willingly. They were legends on the road and behind the wheel two of the wisest drivers she would surely ever meet and two women she would have loved the chance to really get to know and pick their brains for knowledge. She had a respect for them that went beyond belief, something she couldn't really put into words. It was something that you just couldn't verbalise, it was just there. Then there was the matter of being trusted to do something and not doing it. She knew, as she drove closer and closer to the docks where she was to turn into, that Shelby had probably been deliberating this choice the moment Letty had brought her into the crew as an official member. That's why she didn't take this lightly. This opportunity she had been given was a gift and a curse, on the one hand having been honoured to be picked over a woman she had known for much longer, even considered as an adoptive daughter, but on the other knowing that it would seal all of their fates as well. It was the result that Cassandra had wanted from day one and despite knowing that she had been the only reason it had actually happened made her sick to her stomach.

At the time she had no idea what she was getting into, had no idea that when Cassandra had told her that Letty's crew was the best chance at getting into the scene to take Puck down that the FBI agent had failed to mention one of the most crucial pieces of information that probably, if she had known, would have saved her, and them, so much heartache and pain.

They were family. Ride or die.

They considered her family in return, Letty having mentioned it not that long ago to her in a passing comment after beating Puck and putting him in his place. It's what made the situation all that more painful and real both at the same time. Especially when she turned into the road that lead down to the warehouses and she started counting from the first that had a worn number '1' painted on the side in a rustic 'off-white' just big enough for her to see.

Her heart pounded faster and faster with every number she counted and nearly gave out when the dreaded '14' came into her line of sight. She bravely drove forward instead of backing out like she really wanted to and turned down along the side of it until she reached the side which faced the water. She knew this was it as she turned into the open warehouse doors, driving in and finally catching sight of the blonde woman who had been waiting for her. She pulled up next to her in the middle of the room, stepping out as soon as she had put it in park.

Cassandra smiled as she stepped up from leaning on the side of her police cruiser, whistling at the sight of the R8 in all of it's modified glory. "Wow, Miss Shelby did a good job. It's even better in person"

"Yeah, well, that picture on my phone was rushed. It's gonna be better in person"

Ignoring the way Santana scratched the back of her neck nervously as she stood out of the drivers side door she peeked in the passenger side window. "Still, it's a magnificent piece of machinery. What was it like to drive?"

Santana shrugged. "I really didn't get a chance to test it out"

"You didn't?"

"Nope. I just did as you asked and drove it here"

"What about that?"

The Latina looked down at the bag she had just pulled out from the passenger side seat, shrugging in response to the blonde's question. "Don't know."

"You mean you didn't peek inside to have a look what you were carrying?"

"Of course not. Shelby just handed it to me and I trust her enough to know it's nothing bad, especially when the car is so valuable. By the way it feels I think it's cash."

"Well, whatever it is she trusted you with it. Enough to not look inside anyway. It's evidence now though as well as the whole car"

"So am I done yet?"

Cassandra laughed. "Of course. Just hand over the bag and the keys and I'll be on my way to the precinct to rendezvous with police chief Washington."

"What about me? What do I do from here?"

"You hand over the keys to the R8, I hand you the keys to this police cruiser and we can go our separate ways. Then you can head down to the precinct any time you want and ask for your original car back and they'll give it to you without any problems. Then you're free to start you life anew like you had first planned when you arrived back in Lima all those many months ago"

"You sure about that?"

"Of course. We promised you that you would get it back as soon as this whole thing started didn't we?"

"I guess"

"Then hand over the keys and we won't ever have to see each other ever again"

There was a pause in between them as Santana considered just what she was doing, just what she was giving up in handing these keys over to the FBI agent that had flipped her life upside down. She could change her mind, jump in the car and turn her back on her handler and everything they had worked for but she found herself unable to stop her hand from reaching out forward, the key fob dangling from her finger tips over the center of the other woman's hand. Trust, family, love and friendship were gone in the space of just a few quick seconds as she decided that she had no choice but to do what Cassandra wanted.

Everything she had worked so hard for disappeared as she let it drop, the deed done and confirmed by the bright smile on Cassandra's face. Wanting to distance herself from exactly what she had just done she rubbed at her scar nervously through her jacket as Cassandra took the bag she had been holding and slung it over her shoulder.

"So, what is so important about this car anyway?"

"It's evidence that Puck wanted to sell someone else's property without their permission"

"But surely there's more to it than that. Shelby gave me express instructions not to even scratch this thing"

"I know" Cassandra replied nonchalantly as Santana watched her survey the car all the way around. "There's something much more important stored within it"

"What do you mean?"

"It's nothing you need to worry about. Your job is done Santana, have a nice life"

Before she could reply the FBI agent was throwing her the keys to the Dodge police cruiser behind her. Deciding not to question it she turned around and slid the key into the driver's side door.

"And that's why I have to do this..."

What happened next though was something she had never expected to happen.

Two shots rung out in the large expansive space of the warehouse, the sounds piercing through the quiet stillness of the abandoned building and the early morning sounds of the docks just outside. It was as if two bombs went off in Santana's head, ears ringing as she found herself hitting her head on the hard metal edge where the roof and the door met. She felt her whole body slam into the side of the car and before she could truly realise what was happening she was sliding down to the dirty concrete floor in a pile of useless limbs and flesh. For a split second her whole body went completely numb, her whole world freezing around her before pain ripped throughout her entire being from head to toe.

Then, before she could grasp where the pain was coming from she heard a voice. Looking up her vision was blurry but she could just make out the end of a gun being pointed close to her face.

"Sit up"

Doing her best in her confusion Santana pulled herself up into a sitting position, allowing herself to lean back against the cruiser she had been about to get in. When she remembered the two shots she looked down to see blood staining her hands.

"It won't kill you, at least not until I'm done"

Looking up she found breathing hard as more pain ripped through her body at the slight movement. She panted as she pulled herself up a little more, looking down to see a well placed shot to her left abdomen. It wasn't quite enough to be a graze but it was enough to penetrate the flesh and leave her immobilized and completely at the mercy of the shooter. Speaking of shooters she remembered a second shot and checked her body to find another gunshot wound, this time to her shoulder and both on the same side. This was a situation where she really wished she was anything but left handed.

Looking up her vision had cleared enough to make out her attacker, her whole body locking up at the sight.

"Why did you do this?"

"Because it had to be done"

"But why?"

Cassandra laughed, the gun still pointed firmly at Santana's temple in case she tried anything stupid. Not that she would though, she was in too much pain to move and she could feel it getting worse with every second.

"Because what you thought you knew was nothing. I needed to teach you a lesson"

"For what? What's going on?"

"Are you that transparent?" She laughed again. "I'm surprised you haven't figured it out by now"

"What?"

"What was really going on Santana. God, do you really not know?"

"Why don't you share with the class?" She gritted through her teeth, another pulse of pain tearing through her shoulder and side.

"This wasn't about bringing Puck down Santana. It never was"

"Then what did you want?"

"A way in. I knew about this car a long long time ago and maybe if Shelby paid more attention to better encrypting her emails none of us, including you, would be in this situation right now."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is I'm going to humour you and tell you the reason why. This car is much more than a car Santana. Much more than evidence. It has something inside it that I need and I wasn't going to get my hands on it any other way, especially with me and Shelby's history. That's why I spent so much time carefully planning it and I found you: a street racer from the wrong side of the tracks who had left Lima to start a better life. I found you to be the only person capable of possibly getting what I wanted done with relative ease so I watched you before making my move on my plan. I took you in the day you came back and everything had been set into motion"

"So I was just a pawn in your stupid game?"

The blonde nodded, a sadistic smile on her face. "Why of course"

"What the hell is so important about this car?" She grated through her teeth, pain rippling through her body as she nodded to the car behind Cassandra.

Laughing breathlessly Cassandra glanced over to the Audi in question. "I got word that Shelby and Schue were planning on moving information I needed, very important information"

"What in the hell are you getting at?"

"What I'm saying is that somewhere hidden in that car is information that, if you say, were to fall into the wrong hands, my hands, would end a six year investigation into a lot of people in our dear sweet Lima Police Department and we wouldn't want that now would we?"

"That's not it is it?"

"Unfortunately for you it's not. There's information in there implicating me for a murder I committed a very long time ago and I've been waiting years for the opportunity to get a hold of the master copy so that I can finally cover my ass before anybody finds out."

"Murder?"

"Oh yes. You've heard him mentioned before. Uh, Finn is it?"

"As in Finn Hudson? Letty's driver and friend Finn Hudson?"

"Of course! That's the one! Just don't tell Puck"

"Why not?"

"Because he's going to be none the wiser. He's been my eyes and ears on the streets this entire time, telling me from his side of the line exactly what you've been up to when I don't have eyes on you. He's been very useful and he will be again when he gets out on the bail that I pay."

"Fuck"

"I know, confusing isn't it?"

"No, it's fucking stupid. I can't believe you would work with an ass-hole like him"

"Yes, but why turn my back when the sex is good?" She proceeded to laugh at the Latina's discomfort that was written clear across her face. "Anyway, he doesn't have to know about my little run-in with Finn. He was just another little piece of crap that got in my way. Just like Jake"

"What do you mean 'just like Jake'?"

"Oh, you didn't know?"

"No, please enlighten me"

"Well, if you remember you didn't actually see what flipped his car over did you?"

"No..."

"Exactly, I simply gave him the extra little added trip he needed to crash. The the rest was up to nature"

"You mean you caused his death?"

"Why yes, you're learning fast Miss Lopez"

"But why? Why make me and everybody else think I killed him?"

"Because then Puck would put pressure onto you, causing Shelby to make her mind up about moving that god-damn car over there. I needed him angry at you. I needed a reaction"

"But he nearly beat me to death for something I didn't do!"

"I know, but that was an unfortunate compromise that had to happen. You survived didn't you?"

"Not the point..."

"No, it isn't. That's why you're going to keep this to yourself or else I will come back to finish the job, to put a bullet right between your eyes. This will be our little secret, something else Puck doesn't need to know about. Anyway, I don't have anything more to say to you. Oh, wait...I do! That's right, I have some interesting information about your mother that I think you'd might want to hear"

"So you felt the need to fuck with my real family too?"

"Of course. I do like to have my fingers in a lot of pies Miss Lopez. It's why I'm good at my job. Now do you want to hear what I have to say or not?"

"Just fucking tell me you blonde fucking bitch" She growled, the pain getting the better of her ability to form calm and well reigned sentences.

Cassandra shook her head as she knelt down, pressing the cold barrel of the gun to the Latina's shoulder wound, twisting a little. "I won't tell you with language like that."

At Santana's silence she smiled and carried on as soon soon as she stood up, starting to pace slowly in her signature black high heels in front of the injured Latina even when she heard her breathing in heavily through her nose, probably to deal with the pain but she didn't care, she couldn't. Still, despite the Latina's current state she continued.

"Now, I know you went to visit your grandmother when I explicitly told you not to and I did something to make you pay without knowing it was me who caused it"

"What?" She glared, her hand clutching at her side wound whilst she felt the warm trickle of blood soak into her shirt and down her chest from her shoulder.

"I tracked down your mother. It wasn't easy though, she's more fucked up that I thought she would be. She's on the brink of an overdose any day now and her addiction is getting the better of her. She's basically a dead woman walking so when I tracked her down and told her that her daughter, the one she left behind for a life of drugs and unfulfilled highs with your no-good father, she jumped at the simple mention she was making tons of cash, up to $20,000 per race. That's why I told her to call up that precious abuela of yours and they would lend her any money she needed if she just asked."

"You bitch"

The blonde laughed, the sound reverberating throughout the room. "Oh, I am, believe me I am but lucky for you I don't have to deal with you any more."

"You're just gonna leave?" She asked, growling as the pain ripped through her body as she propped herself up a little more against the police cruiser she was leaning on.

"Yes. I'm going to leave you here today Santana Lopez, and I'm going to watch the chaos I caused. I'm going to watch how Letty and her crew turn their backs on you, I'm going to watch as your so-called friends learn the truth about who they shared their lives with, and I'm going to watch with the utmost pleasure as your precious Brittany finds out that the woman she thought she loved played her like she was nothing but a game. You know, I really didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I have and when I made it even more interesting I couldn't help myself. You may have helped me Santana, and that's the one thing I will thank you for, but when it really comes down to it the last thing I want from you now is to see you suffer"

"But why?"

"Well, it's like this... I got what I wanted in the end the easy way by using someone who could actually get me what I wanted and your emotions were what made you the perfect target, the perfect pawn I could mould into the key to erasing my past. You did everything right, played everything right and in the end I got the one thing I wanted without getting my hands dirty. Not oil, not grime, not grease, but blood. You did all the dirty work and now I'm going to reap the benefits of all that beautiful hard work you put in."

"You're despicable" She growled, her breathing now ragged as the pain started taking complete control of her, black spots appearing at the edges of her vision.

Cassandra laughed as she started making her way towards the R8, Santana powerless to stop her in her current position. "Call me what you want Santana but in the end you got the job done. Have a nice life Miss Lopez, it was a pleasure working with you"

Santana heard the crooked laugh of the woman she once trusted before the drivers side door of the R8 slammed closed. The next thing she saw was it pulling away suddenly and kicking up dirt as it spun around and sped out of the warehouse. When the dust cleared she was unable to stop herself from coughing madly and the last thing she remembered was the early morning light slipping in through the holes in the ceiling and the sound of boats coming into the harbour before she blacked out completely.

Cliffhanger!

(...Please don't hate me!...)

TBC