A/N: I do not own Glee or any of its characters.
Running late for the first day back to work was not how I planned my morning, but spilling my coffee on my shirt wasn't either. Quinn and Kurt are going to make my life miserable today, saying 'I told you so' when they predicted I would be late for some mundane reason.
We all live together in a four bedroom apartment, the fourth roommate bailed on us though due to lack of communication skills. The girl replied to the ad we posted about needing a roommate, she accepted then not even a week before she moved in she flaked. I didn't mind all that much, one less person to irritate me.
Quinn and Kurt are good roommates though, annoying at times but I can always depend on them. I went to high school with Quinn and we decided to move to Califonia together and that's when we met Kurt at the local college classes. We really clicked with him, and when I mean "we", I mean Quinn. I learned to tolerate his obsessive facial skin care and fashion statements, but he is a good guy.
As I approached the parking lot my car made an entrance with it's squeaking brakes and loud clunks. It isn't the most attractive or reliable car, but it works for now. It gets me from point A to point B, plus Quinn and Kurt never complain when they need a ride somewhere. I grab my bag from the backseat and what's left of my coffee and make my way to the shack to meet with tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum.
The shack was where most of the lifeguards and beach staff meet to get their assignments for the day. It's also a great place to escape when the beaches get crowded and you just need a break. The weather had calmed down since I woke up this morning, but it was still breezy and grey skies, making me pick up my pace.
"Mornin' bitches!" I holler kicking the door open sufficiently scaring Quinn.
"Good morning to you too Santana." Quinn greeted me with little enthusiasm and an eye roll.
"Where's lady face?" I ask placing my stuff on the table and pulling a hoodie out of my bag to put on.
"He's in the back grabbing check lists for us." She huffs throwing her tennis shoes into her locker.
"Ugh, we are doing inventory today aren't we?"
"Unless you want to go patrol outside?" Kurt announced emerging from the back with two clipboards in his hands.
"There wasn't anybody out there! So nothing to patrol, right?" I replied nonchalantly.
"Wrong Lopez." I spun around with the blood draining from my face. Sue Sylvester stood behind Kurt with her arms crossed looking foul this morning. She was our supervisor and lead trainer, meaning we had to follow every one of her orders with no exceptions.
"As a lifeguard it is your duty to protect anyone that walks onto this beach, even if they happen to be overinflated tourists struggling to walk in the sand! Do I make myself clear?" she said sternly.
"Crystal ma'am." I respond.
"Because of your lack of appreciation for this job, you get to start the first watch of patrol." I couldn't help by cringe at the idea of being in the cold. "And take Quinn with you. Me and Porcelain will begin inventory and then we will switch in the afternoon. Hop to it." She said dismissively.
Just after Quinn and I exited the shack, she turned to me and smacked me in the arm.
"Ow! What was that for?"
"For being dumb and unappreciative." She said agitated and stomped forward.
"Well sorry Sue."
"Seriously Santana, why did you want to be a lifeguard?" My face fell in guilt, knowing full well I am not putting as much effort as I normally would with being a lifeguard. I told her of my near death experience as a child but she sometimes uses it against me, not in a malicious way , but more so as a gentle reminder.
"To help save people. Save lives." I mumble quietly.
"Exactly San, we all want to help people and if that means patrolling a lifeless beach for a day, then so be it." She said softly. "Besides you never know when something exciting might happen."
"Yeah I doubt it." I chuckle looking around us. There were flocks of birds coasting in the wind and only one or two people walking with their dogs. Nothing compared to what it will be in a few weeks.
We continued walking down the beach talking about our summer plans and how the end of our semester went. We occasionally fell into comfortable silences and enjoyed each other's company. That's the great thing about Quinn, I have known her so long it feels like we are sisters and she doesn't feel the need to fill every second with conversation. But she did have moments of non-stop rambling like now…
"So I told him I wasn't interested and he kept on insisting-"
"Quinn look." I said cutting her off and pointing ahead. There was a young boy running hard towards us, clearly out of breath but pushing his body to reach us. I began a simple pace to meet with him so he wouldn't have to run as far and Quinn caught on and followed me.
"He- hel- help!" He huffed out once we reached him. He was a thin boy wearing jeans and an over sized transformers t-shirt.
"Take a moment to breathe, okay?" I put my hand on his shoulder as he was panting. He nodded his head before trying to catch his breath. I exchanged a look of concern to Quinn wondering where his parents were since the beach was deserted.
"Thereisagirldownthebeach!" He spat out in one quick breath.
"Woah, slow down buddy. Why don't you take a moment to just relax before you try and tell me what's going on." Again he nodded and inhaled deeply through his nose. Quinn remained standing watching as I crouched down and spoke with the young boy.
"Down the beach, there is a lady lying in the sand. I don't know if she's d-dead or just hurt." He said worriedly, clearly in shock.
"Okay, can you show us where you found her?" I asked him. Turning to Quinn I whispered, "Get Kurt on the radio tell him we will need to locate his parents as well as check this out." She nodded before walking away calling it in to Kurt and Sue.
"Where are you parents young man?" I asked gently, checking for any signs that he may be injured since he was shaking pretty badly.
"They said they would be right back, they just needed to pick up something from the hotel and would be back. I was bored and went on a walk and found the lady." He seemed to be getting upset again and I deiced it would be better not to ask any more about this lady.
"Okay buddy, we'll get you back to your folks in no time. But first I may need you to point me in the direction of where you found the lady so we can go help her." He lifted his hand and pointed straight ahead.
"She is near the creek, behind a large rock or something. Maybe it was some drift wood, I'm not sure." He said nervously.
"Thank you for letting me know. My friend Quinn will watch over you and return you to your folks okay bud?" I smile at him and he returns a shy smile back.
"Quinn, is Kurt on his way?" I ask her.
"Yes, so is Sue. They are bringing the quads and first aid kit." She replied.
"Great, how long until they get here?"
"Only a few minutes."
"Perfect. Quinn, can you look after the young champ here?" I ask presenting the young boy proudly to her.
"Why of course, he's a handsome fellow isn't he?" She asked giving him a wink, causing him to blush. "What might your name be?"
"Matthew." He replied shyly.
"How old are you Matthew?" Quinn asked getting down on her knees. She has always been great with kids, much better than me.
"I'm six and a half years old." He replied confidently, which made Quinn chuckle.
"Well Matthew why don't you and I start heading back and we can meet with some more lifeguards and get you home. How does that sound?" She asked putting her hand out to take, which he gladly accepted.
"Are you going to be okay walking back?" I questioned looking at the far walk we had made.
"Yeah we should be fine. Besides here comes Kurt and Sue now." She said squinting in the direction we came.
Kurt rolled up on the quad first closest to me and then Sue followed shortly behind. We generally only use the quads to cover large distances in times of emergencies. Seeing as this is the only major call we have had all day, it qualifies I suppose.
"Kurt you head out with Santana to where the girl was reported to be seen. I'll take Quinn and the young lad back with me and contact the parents." Quinn and Matthew crawled up onto the quad and held on tightly before zooming back to the shack.
"She'll want us to check in once we get to the sight. Which direction did the kid say to go?"
"West, towards the creek that splits the beach." I say striding towards the front of the quad.
"What do you think you're doing? I'm driving." He tries to challenge me.
"Not this time twinkle toes, move back or you'll walk." No one has time for his slow driving. He reluctantly gives up and slides back to allow room for me to get on. I quickly rev the quad and we jolt forward towards the creek.
We are there in only a matter of minutes. Granted being pelted in the face with the light rainfall wasn't pleasant but it doesn't matter because someone may need our help. I turn off the quad and hop off instantly walking towards the area of large boulders and logs lying about the creek while Kurt gets off shakily.
Some parts of the coast have logs wash up on shore and how it manages to get all the way up on the beach is beyond me, but when the waters get rough all kinds of things wash up on the shore. I look around for any signs of life, listening intently for cries or whimpers.
I move past a large split log and see what looks like legs on the other side, past a boulder. Tide pools surrounded the area, some easily deep enough to reach the knees if not the waist.
"Kurt bring over a blanket and first aid kit, I think I may have found her!" I holler over my shoulder and proceed to where I think she is lying.
I reach the opening of the creek and see a pale body immersed in the chill waters. The small current continued to pass by the blonde hair and limp body, she hadn't any clothes on and her body had began to take on a blueish tint. I sprinted over to her splashing in the small tide pools along the way.
I kneeled down in front of her and scooped her out of the water, carrying her over to some dry sand before placing her gently down again. I know number one rule as a first aid responder is to not move the victims because they have some injuries I am unaware of, but who knows how long she was in the water for. Her limbs felt like ice in my hands.
I scanned her body for any major injuries including cuts or broken bones and couldn't seem to find any. I made quick work and reached up to her neck to locate a pulse. I waited patiently to detect the faintest of pulses, terrified there wouldn't be one. My heart grew heavy with the thought this young woman died because I couldn't get to her fast enough, but then I felt it. The smallest beat that told me she was still alive.
I leaned down to hear if she was breathing or not and it was incredibly faint. I began to place my hands over her chest and pump down three times before giving her mouth-to-mouth. The moment our lips touched I was shocked, not by the coldness of them but by how soft. But it was short lived when I remembered she wasn't breathing, pressing again three times on her chest.
"Kurt! Kurt!" I yelled. He came around the corner quickly with the kit and blanket, placing it swiftly on her lower body to generate some heat.
"Do I need to get EMTs?" Kurt asked.
"Yes, she is barely breathing and her pulse is weak. I don't know if she will make it Kurt." I said sadly because I really didn't want her to die, she deserved more.
"She looks like she is suffering from hypothermia and possibly a concussion." He said inspecting her head.
"What? How do you know that?" I asked continuing to alternate between pushing on her chest and giving mouth-to-mouth.
"She sliced the back of her head on some rocks by the looks of it." He said lifting some of her hair and viewing the side of her head.
It was about the fourth time I gave her mouth-to-mouth she jolted up and laid on her side spitting out what seemed like buckets of water, breathing heavily. Her throat sounded raw by the sound of her heavy breathing.
"Ma'am can you hear me?" I asked gently touching her shoulder. She flinched at my touch before spinning wildly around to face me looking bewildered.
"Are you hurt at all?" Kurt asked her, she looked up at him just as confused.
"I am going to have to ask you to lie down please, we need to check to see if you're okay." I said soothingly to her and coaxed her to lay back down on the blanket.
She slowly reclined back but not entirely laying down. She looked weary and scared, unsure of what was going on around her.
"Can you tell me your name miss?" I ask her gently.
"B-b-brittany Pierce." She replied through chattering teeth, shivering violently and looking around her surroundings.
"Alright Brittany, do you mind if I examine you to make sure you are okay?" I couldn't help but love the sound of her name on my tongue. When she looked at me I felt my breath hitch. Her eyes bore into mine and I couldn't place this sudden feeling in the pit of my stomach. Her eyes were so familiar but yet raged with a cloudy blue-grey that I have only seen in the ocean before.
"Y-yes." She replied sheepishly tearing me out of my train of thought.
I shook my head before beginning my evaluation. I began at her neck and gently pressed on the muscles surrounding her neck.
"Does anything by your neck or head feel sore or painful?" I ask without making eye contact, knowing I'll get lost in her eyes again.
"No." She responded dryly. I continued further down to her shoulders and both arms, avoiding her chest considering I didn't want to make her uncomfortable. She held the blanket firmly around her body, most likely shielding herself from Kurt and the cold. It wasn't until I needed to examine her legs that she was reluctant to move the blanket from around her waist.
"Brittany I am going to have to ask you to remove the blanket. I can have Kurt turn around if that makes you more comfortable?" I asked. She stared at me with again fear, fear of what I was unsure. "It's alright, I promise." I assured her.
"But I don't, I can't-" She trailed off. Kurt walked off quietly, understanding she must have been uncomfortable.
"I just need to make sure you are okay, there is nothing to be afraid of alright?" I said with a smile, reaching slowly out until my hands were wrapped around hers. She gave a small nod before releasing her hold on the blanket.
I heard her gasp when her legs came into view, which I assume is from the cold. I looked up at her to get a read of her expression to make sure she was comfortable. She stared wide-eyed at her long legs, wiggling her toes slightly. The corners of her mouth picked up slowly the more she fidgeted in the sand. She bent her knees and made them straight several times. Clearly her legs were fine.
"Well Brittany it looks to me you are okay, probably still delirious from dehydration, hypothermia, and possibly a concussion. But can you tell me what happened? Or what you last remember?" I ask her placing the blanket yet again over her body.
"I was in the water, sitting on a large rock, resting my eyes for only a few minutes and then… I can't seem to recall what happened next." She said disoriented, reaching up to touch the back of her head. I gently grabbed her wrist before she touched the tender spot, locking eyes with her. Why would she be sleeping on a rock in the middle of the ocean I thought to myself.
"I don't recommend that Miss Pierce. You cut your head pretty badly and it will need to be looked at." I say letting go of her hand, which a part of me didn't want to.
We stare at one another for a while, absorbing each other's appearance. She looked so familiar to me and yet I have never met her. She possessed an almost angelic appearance. She had cascading blonde hair, gentle eyes, full lips. My thoughts scared me momentarily seeing as I haven't had any feelings like this for anyone. She curiously scanned over my face as well, not saying anything but just observing, she then looked down at my legs and I became confused, scrunching my eyebrows together.
"Santana EMTs will be here in less than five minutes." Kurt said interrupting our staring contest.
"Thanks Kurt, I will probably ride with them to the hospital to make sure she is okay." I said turning my attention back to see her lay down and close her eyes. Worry instantly stuck me with the worst possible thoughts.
"Brittany! Can you hear me? I need you to stay awake until EMTs get here." I say in a calmly fashion.
"I'm awake, just resting my eyes." She says sleepily.
"Brittany wake up, I know you want to sleep but you must stay awake." I say sternly, but she doesn't hear me as she has already started dozing creating soft snores.
EMTs come running around the corner with a stretcher and quickly ask for details about the young woman. They perform the same checkup as I had been trained to do and decided to treat her with a saline solution on the way to the hospital. They turn to me and ask if I will be joining them and I tell Kurt to inform Sue I will be heading out and will return shortly.
As we make our way to the main hospital, I noticed Brittany gripping the sheets tightly and begin to breathe heavily, her vitals beeping loudly and close together. I can't stop myself from reaching forward and grabbing her hand, gently pulling her fingers from the sheets and wrapping them around my small hand. Her body relaxes and her vitals return to normal and I lean just a little bit closer to her.
Woo! Another chapter. Leave a review and the next chapter will be shortly posted.