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Until Death Do You Part
Chapter Six
It takes Santana a few moments to come to her senses, her head feels slightly fuzzy and throbs where it collided with the steering wheel. She lifts her hand towards the pain in her forehead and her fingers are coated immediately with blood. It's painful, but only a small cut, nothing life threatening at least.
Santana turns her attention to Rachel who has been quiet in the passenger seat besides her. She's slumped against the window, but Santana can see no signs of blood. Santana tentatively reaches over and touches her fiancés shoulder.
"Rachel?"
Santana receives no response and she knows that Byrne could have survived the crash too. If he has, he's just another danger for them while they're trapped inside the car. She unbuckles her seat belt before reaching over and unbuckling Rachel's too.
Santana checks out of each window for any sign of Patrick Byrne and is relieved that she doesn't see the man anywhere. She knows she has to move fast despite the fogginess affecting her head. She opens the car door and swiftly exits the car, closing the door behind her.
Santana makes her way around the front of the car, keeping low down and as close to the car as possible. She's thankful that she has the cover of darkness to help conceal her whereabouts. However, the darkness could also be against her and can help to hide Byrne's location too.
Santana reaches Rachel's door and opens it as quietly as she can. She keeps crouched down and gently cups her fiancés face.
"Rachel, can you hear me?"
"San, what's going on?" Rachel asks groggily.
"The car crashed. Patrick might come after us so we need to move."
"My head hurts" Rachel says.
She attempts to touch part of her head that feels painful but she barely moves before she lets out a hiss of pain.
"My wrist hurts too."
"I'll have a look at it once I get you out of the car. Come on."
Santana guides Rachel out of the car with as much care as possible so she doesn't cause her fiancée any more pain. Just as Rachel is out of the car the driver's seat window smashes into tiny pieces. Santana looks up, through the remainder of the window and sees Byrne pointing a gun towards the car.
He's at least a hundred feet away which gives Santana the opportunity to duck down and get Rachel into cover behind the car's rear tyre before he can shoot again.
"I need you to stay here" Santana says.
"What? Where are you going?"
"I'm going to confront him."
"Santana, he just tried to kill us. You can't go out there."
"He'll kill us if we stay here. I have to do something."
"Please don't leave me" Rachel whispers as she tries to hold back her tears.
"I'll be back, I promise."
Santana cups Rachel's face with her hands and places a loving kiss on her lips.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
Santana stands up and slowly walks around the car until she's standing across from Byrne. He raises his gun as soon as he sees her so Santana raises her own gun in return.
"You know it's a longer sentence if you kill a police officer."
"I don't care."
Santana knows that he doesn't care, she's probably not the only officer he's pointed a gun at, but she's just trying to buy herself some time.
"Where is my dear wife?" Byrne asks.
"You're ex-wife is safe and I'll keep her safe."
"Is she really worth this Santana?"
Santana knows that he's using her first name to try and evoke some kind of reaction from her, but she keeps her face straight as she keeps her eyes on him.
"Is Rachel really worth losing your life for?" Byrne asks, dropping the hand holding the gun slightly.
"Of course she is; I love her. That's the difference between us, I love her and will protect her with my life and all you ever did was use her."
"I didn't plan on using her at the beginning, when we met I genuinely liked her, but then I saw the bigger picture, an opportunity. We married quickly so I could get into America. I gave her what she wanted and then that little bitch ratted me out."
"You're a killer; any decent human would have done the same."
"She was my wife; I gave her everything she wanted so she would stay out of my business."
"What Rachel wanted was a husband; she wanted to be loved, to have a family."
"She betrayed me and I don't take too kindly to that. That's why once I've finished with you; I'll take care of her."
Byrne raises his gun again and pulls the trigger, anticipating the shot, Santana pulls her trigger too.
Santana feels a searing pain in her shoulder and a quick look at the blood on her shirt confirms she's been shot.
Her next thought is of Byrne, she looks over to where he was stood but he's no longer on his feet. She goes to walk over to him, but before she can she feels arms wrap around her from behind.
"I heard the gun shots, I was so scared" Rachel says, holding on to Santana as tight as possible with an injured wrist. Santana turns around to face her fiancée.
"Oh my god, you're bleeding!"
"It's nothing, just a graze" Santana lies.
"I need to check Byrne; he still might be a threat. Stay here."
Santana holds her gun firmly in her hand as she approaches Byrne who is lying on the floor, his hand clutching his chest.
"Looks like I have a better shot than you" Santana says, pointing the gun at Byrne.
"Maybe, but you don't have the balls to finish me off."
"You're right. I'm not a murderer like you."
As Santana turns to walk away, Byrne reaches for his gun that's lying next to him. He raises it with all the strength he can muster and aims it at Santana's head.
It was the opportunity Santana needed to finish him off, he doesn't get the chance to pull the trigger. Santana shoots first, straight into his heart. That's if he even had one.
"Santana!"
"It's okay baby, it's over now" Santana says, gathering Rachel into her arms.
The sound of sirens surprises them; Santana looks towards the road and sees the blue and red flashing lights. They're surrounded by three police cars and in moments there are police officers exiting the vehicles.
One of the officers, a short blonde man approaches them.
"Drop the weapon!" he yells.
Santana had forgotten about the gun in her hand and drops it to the floor immediately.
"I'm a police officer."
"I know who you are, Detective Lopez but we still have to follow protocol."
"Lopez!"
Santana's glad to see a familiar face as Officer Clarke runs over to them.
"Hey Dan."
"Are you okay? Jesus, have you been shot?" Clarke asks as he reaches for his radio on his shoulder.
Santana automatically covers her blood stained shoulder, her adrenaline had eased the pain, but now he life was no longer in danger she could feel the intense pain in her shoulder again.
"Dispatch this is Officer Clarke, we need an ambulance down here now. Officer wounded."
Santana keeps the pressure on her shoulder, but it doesn't help ease the pain. Another Officer approaches them, Clarke's partner Officer Barnes.
"How's Patrick Byrne?"
"Dead. The paramedics will have to confirm it though."
"How did you know where we were?" Santana asks.
"Dobbs called it in. He said that your apartment has been broken into and Patrick Byrne was in Lima and looking for you. He asked us to meet us at the College Hill Motel so that you could have back up if necessary. When we arrived at the motel, there were other officers there. They arrested Byrne's men and Dobbs was being put into an ambulance. He said that he gave you his car and that it had a tracking device. We put the details in our system and followed it here."
"How is Dobbs?"
"He lost a lot of blood, they took him for surgery. We won't know anything until he's out, hopefully he'll make it."
"Okay enough chit chat, we have to start an investigation" the short, blonde officer says.
"We will Murray, once Detective Lopez has been seen by a paramedic."
As if on cue two ambulances arrive. The first team of paramedics head over to Byrne, but Santana knows that he's already gone. The second team makes their way over to Santana and Rachel; they immediately go straight to Santana since she's bleeding.
"It looks like we have a gun shot wound, no through and through so the bullet is still inside."
"What? You said it was just a graze."
"I didn't want to worry you. Johnson?" Santana asks looking at the female paramedic's name badge.
"Do you think you could check Rachel out, she was complaining about a pain in her wrist."
"Santana, I'm fine."
"I'll be the judge of that" Johnson says with a warming smile.
"Detective Lopez we're going to have to take you to the hospital. Your wound isn't fatal, but we need to remove the bullet and close the wound to limit the risk of infection."
"I'm coming with you" Rachel says trying to get out of the grasp of the paramedic.
"Don't worry; Miss Berry is fine, she's just sprained her wrist. We can sort it out at the hospital as I doubt she'll want to leave your side at the moment" Johnson tells Santana.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome, now lets get you two to the hospital."
Johnson helps Santana into the back of the ambulance and onto the gurney, much to Santana's protests. She didn't like feeling weak, but with the pain shooting through her shoulder she gave up the fight and laid down on the metal bed.
As she lays there she can see the scene before her through the ambulance's open doors. Dobbs' car is completely wrecked and just a few feet away Patrick Byrne's body was on a gurney similar to the one she was lying on.
However, he wasn't being lifted into an ambulance, he lying in a black body bag and was being carried into a coroner's car.
Rachel enters the ambulance, her arm in a temporary sling. She sits on the seat along the ambulance wall and at the side of Santana's bed. Rachel uses her good arm to take Santana's hand in her own just as the paramedic shuts the ambulance's doors, covering the evidence of the night's trauma and leaving Santana and Rachel alone for a few moments before she returned to keep an eye on Santana.
"Patrick's dead" Rachel says, she hadn't really had time to let that sink in.
"I know."
"A few weeks ago, you said that once you found Pattrick you'd ask me a certain question again."
"I know and if I remember correctly you said that your answer would be yes. However I don't think the back of an ambulance whilst I'm bleeding after being shot by your ex-husband is the ideal place to ask."
Rachel lets out a soft laugh at Santana's comment, it's been a hard night but thankfully now it was over and they can start to relax.
"I love you."
"I love you too" Santana replies.
The back door of the ambulance opens and the female paramedic, Johnson climbs into the vehicle.
"Okay ladies, let's get you out of here."
Santana walks down the aisle among the rows of chairs that have been perfectly set out. She surveys her surroundings; the walls were bare brick with large stained glass windows scattered throughout. It felt strange to be wearing her police uniform when she's not at a ceremony.
Santana still can't put that night in the motel behind her. She had suspected her partner of betrayal and then he put his life on the line for her. She could never thank him enough for that; there were many things that she wished she had told him. He wasn't just her partner, he was her best friend.
As Santana comes to the end of the end of the aisle she removes her hat as she views the altar and the flowers surrounding it.
"Hey Dobbs" she says with a soft smile.
There was something that she wanted to say to him, but she's struggling to find the words.
"How did you know that it was me?"
"Please I can recognize the shuffle of your feet anywhere" Santana smiles as she turns around to look at her partner.
"What are you doing here? The wedding doesn't start for another hour, are you repenting your sins?" Dobbs jokes.
"That makes no sense, this isn't even a church."
It's slightly awkward, they haven't talked about what happened the night Dobbs was shot. He was in hospital for a few months after he recovered from his surgery, a few of those he spent in a coma. He hadn't returned to work until a few weeks ago so Santana hadn't seen him as much as she normally would.
The last year had been rough; there was an investigation into Byrne's death, it was police protocol. They were the hardest days of Santana's life, the uncertainty of the outcome was constantly weighing on her mind every day.
Santana wasn't allowed to work during that time either, it was hard not being able to do her job since it's all she has know for the past eight years.
After all the evidence was reviewed Santana was cleared fully and was finally able to work again. Captain Matthews had constantly told her throughout the ordeal that she had nothing to worry about since she was acting in self defence against a known violent criminal, but still that didn't stop the huge sense of relief washing over her when the official word came and it was found that she shot in self defence and that Byrne shot first.
Everything was starting to get back to normal, everything except her relationship with Dobbs. Things had changed between then since that night. She had tried to approach the topic once before but he stopped her and moved the conversation on, but Santana knows that this conversation needs to happen.
"Look Dobbs about what I said at the motel."
"I told you that I don't want to talk about that."
"I know but I feel that we can't go back to how we usually are until we properly talk about this."
"Okay fine. I understand why you did what you did that night, you were scared. I might have even thought the same thing myself, especially if Maggie was in danger. It's all water under the bridge now."
"I still owe you, you saved my life."
"I'm always doing the stupidest things."
"God I missed you" Santana says wrapping her arms around Dobbs and pulling him in for a hug.
"Just know that there is nothing for me to forgive you for, you had a moment of mistrust, but in the circumstances I understand why. I could tell in your eyes you never truly believed what you were saying."
"I don't think I've been as terrified as I was in that moment. I know it's no excuse, but I'm glad we can move past it."
"Of course, partners for life right?"
"We're both lucky to be alive."
"That is something I'm truly thankful for. So are you nervous about the wedding?" Dobbs asks.
"A little bit, but I'm excited too. I've been waiting for this day for over a year and I can't believe it's finally here. I mean in a few hours Rachel is going to be my wife."
"I felt the same when I married Maggie, I know I joke a lot about her but I really do love the woman."
"I never thought I'd want to be like you" Santana jokes.
"You and Maggie truly have a great relationship. I also want to thank you for agreeing to be my best man. I know things between us had been strained, but you still always had my back."
"I'll always have your back and I know that you'll have mine too. Well unless you think I'll betray you again and you aim a gun at me."
"I thought we had just moved past that, but now I know I'm never going to live that down."
"You better believe it" Dobbs laughs.
The main door opens behind them; Santana turns around to see her parents entering the large hall.
"I'm going to find Maggie, I'll see you at the altar" Dobbs says.
He exchanges a few pleasantries with Juan and Maribel before leaving them some alone time with their daughter.
"Mija you look beautiful."
"Thanks Dad. I'm sorry Mom; I know you probably wanted me to wear a dress."
"Nonsense, I've very proud of who you are and what you do Santana. However, that still doesn't mean I don't worry about you" Maribel says as she traces her fingers along the scar just above Santana's eye.
It will always be a reminder of what happened that night, not that she needed one.
"You don't have to worry about me, I can take care of myself."
"I know that, but as a mother it's my right to worry."
"So are you nervous?" Juan asks.
"Why does everyone keep asking me that?"
"It's just a natural feeling to have before you get married. I was nervous before marrying your mom, but I just didn't let it show."
"I thought I was hiding it pretty well" Santana admits.
"You two are so alike"
"I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not" Santana jokes.
"It is. I love you both very much."
"We love you very much too, right Santana?"
"Of course we do. It seems like more guests are arriving so I think I should go to my room and get ready."
Santana gives both her parents a hug before exiting the hall to find her dressing room.
Santana looked at herself in the mirror; she had been waiting for this day for a long time. She had been through hell the past year and she hopes that once she and Rachel are married they can have a clean slate as they start their married life together.
The wedding is only possible because of Byrne's death, since Rachel was no longer technically married to the man it meant that she was free to marry Santana. When Santana found out that Rachel was married, her intention was to find Rachel's husband and convince him to sign divorce papers. She never expected it to end with her killing the man.
Santana still had the small bullet shaped scar on her shoulder that reminds her of that night. She also had to go through a course of therapy, it was mandatory for an officer that had been shot during duty. Santana wasn't really one for therapy, that was more Rachel's thing, but she must admit it really helped her during her recovery and the investigation.
Santana received an honorable welcome when she returned to the station after being declared fit to return to work. She was briefed about the case by Captain Mathews when she returned, it turned out that her instincts were correct and that Byrne was involved in the drug ring.
He was the top rung in the drug dealing ladder known as the Saint. So not only had Santana managed to protect her future wife from harm, she also managed to take down a whole drug operation.
Byrne was dead, his right hand man was in prison and his suppliers and dealers; Estevez, Walker, Phelps and Marsden were behind bars too. The case was officially closed.
There were still plenty of more cases for Santana to work on and all of her free time she spent with Rachel planning their wedding. They decided that since their wedding wasn't going to be a religious ceremony they were going to have some elements and traditions from both of their faiths included.
They are getting married underneath a Chuppah, a beautiful wedding canopy made from white cloth and decorated with fresh flowers. The service would have a mix of Jewish and Catholic prayers but Santana wanted to stick with the traditional Catholic vows since they had always struck a chord with her. The end of the service would be honored with the Jewish tradition of the breaking of the glass.
After the ceremony they would participate in Yichud, a few minutes of privacy for the newlyweds. This is one part of the wedding Santana had insisted on, usually during one of her family's weddings the whole family would crowd the new couple and give their congratulations, but during Yichud Santana can have a few moments alone with her wife in peace.
All those months of planning came down to one day and that day was today.
Santana smooth down an imaginary wrinkle on her shirt, she wasn't sure about wearing her uniform for the wedding when Rachel suggested it but she was glad that she had now. There was a knock on the door which turns Santana's attention away from the mirror.
"Come in" she calls.
"Hey Mija. It's time to get you married."
Santana follows her father out of her dressing room and down the corridor that leads to the main door to the wedding hall. Santana is the first to walk down the aisle. She had asked Rachel if she could go first because she has been dreaming of watching Rachel walking down the aisle to her in a white dress for months.
She can hear the music start from the other side of the doors so she loops her arm into her father's. He opens the door with his free hand and guides his daughter down the aisle. It is a small affair, their wedding list consisting mainly of family and friends including colleagues from the diner and Santana's fellow officers.
As she reaches the end of the aisle she finds her best friend and best man Dobb's waiting for her with a smile on her face. Juan kisses Santana on the cheek before leaving his daughter and taking a seat next to his wife.
The music starts up again and Santana immediately turns around in anticipation to see her bride walk down the aisle. Santana's wait was well worth it as she see's Rachel appear through the doors with her father's on each side.
She's wearing a simple white gown, the simplicity highlighting Rachel's natural beauty. Leroy and Hiram are wearing matching navy tuxedos, the same as Santana's father. They had chosen the outfits to compliment the police uniforms that Santana and Dobbs were wearing.
Santana can't keep the smile of her face as she watches Rachel walk down the aisle. Rachel has a similar smile gracing her face too; she hasn't taken her eyes off Santana since she entered the room.
"You look beautiful" Santana whispers as Rachel stands across from her.
"You don't look too bad yourself" Rachel says, reaching out and placing a hand on the medal of valor clipped to Santana's pocket. It hangs just below the scar of the bullet wound caused by Patrick Byrne.
It came as a shock to her when Captain Matthews had informed both Santana and Dobbs that they would be receiving the medal of valor for their acts of bravery and risking their lives whilst solving the case against Patrick Byrne.
It had been a proud moment when they received the medals, wearing the uniforms they're wearing at this moment.
Rachel removes her hand from the medal and steps into place. The officiant greets all of the guest and the wives to be. He reads a few prayers from both faiths before starting the vows for Santana to repeat.
"I, Santana Lopez, take you, Rachel Barbra Berry to be my wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish…. till death us do part."
A/N Thank you to everyone that's been reading and especially those that took the time to review. Also thank you to Beebeeborez for your help and for taking the time to edit for me.