After a lecture from Rachel's dads about impromptu overnight guests and the dangers of attempting acrobatics in the living room, the men took her to the urgent care center to have her ankle x-rayed. Despite Rachel's protests, Santana followed and stayed with her all morning. Her ankle wasn't broken but it was very badly sprained and she was told to stay off of it for a couple of weeks. Santana skipped the rest of her classes, too, and reluctantly helped Rachel decorate her crutches with fuzzy pink things and she drew music notes of different colors on the aluminum. When they returned to school Santana carried Rachel's books (and occasionally Rachel if the girl complained that her arms hurt) to class every day.

After a month Rachel was back to normal and Santana made her vow on a daily basis that she'd wouldn't try any ice skating jumps on surfaces they were not meant to be tried on. Santana still carried her books and Rachel would occasionally whimper that her ankle was bothering her so the Latina would roll her eyes and pretend to be annoyed and hoist Rachel up and carry her through the hallways to class. She knew the singer was lying because half the time she said it was her left ankle that hurt when it was the right that she had injured.

There were two weeks left of school before graduation, it was a Saturday and Santana's turn to choose where they went on their date. She refused to tell Rachel where they were going when she picked her up early that morning and started driving. The only thing she requested was that Rachel had to wear jeans and socks. The singer had obliged with the dress code even though she threatened she wouldn't when Santana wouldn't reveal the location of their date.

Santana hit the interstate heading south and Rachel looked around curiously.

"Where are we going?"

"Troy," Santana said, like it was the most natural thing in the world to randomly drive an hour away for a date.

Rachel furrowed her eyebrows. "Why?"

"Change of scenery."

Rachel plugged in her iPod and shockingly enough, it wasn't the soundtrack to any Broadway musical that started playing. Instead, the beginning notes of Pink's "Don't Let Me Get Me" filled the car and Santana arched her eyebrow curiously.

"I went through your iTunes last week," Rachel said. "I took note of your most played songs and added a few others that fit the most represented genres."

"When were you near my laptop? I didn't give you permission to go through my music!"

"You left it open while we were studying and you went to get drinks. And yes, I saw that you have the soundtracks to Wicked and Spring Awakening along with an impressive collection of Barbra Streisand."

Santana turned bright red and clenched her jaw. "You weren't supposed to see that."

"And why not? There's nothing wrong with any of those collections. I did have to chuckle at the extensive amount of The Spice Girls, though."

"Because it's embarrassing."

"There's nothing embarrassing about having Broadway soundtracks. I have plenty of them. As well as Ms. Streisand's complete collection, of course."

"Look, I only downloaded them because I thought it might make me understand you or give us something to talk about or whatever." Santana groaned when she realized she'd said much more than she meant to. "Shit. Just…can you forget I said that?"

"Why? Because it might jeopardize your bitchy reputation the last two weeks of school? You think I might tell people that Santana Lopez, shockingly, has a soft spot for her girlfriend? Santana, you and I both know that the cruelty is simply a façade. I don't understand why you refuse to embrace your vulnerabilities."

"You think people stopped throwing slushies at you because I was nice to them?" Santana sniped. "Being a bitch got me where I am and it gave me the power to keep those assholes from doing that to you."

Rachel blinked a few times and picked at her fingernails.

"And being vulnerable or whatever isn't going to get me anywhere near political office," the Latina continued. "You want someone that wears their heart on their sleeve and cries at the drop of a hat? Go talk to Quinn. If you want someone that will do whatever the fuck she can to get what she wants and protects people she cares about then I'm your girl."

Rachel reached over and put her hand on top of Santana's on the steering wheel. "You are my girl," she whispered.

Santana gasped a little and tucked her bottom lip between her teeth.

"And it'll be better when we leave," Rachel said simply. "Julliard of course embraces the arts so I'll have no problems and the city is generally more accepting and liberal. Columbia will allow you to vent your competitive nature but I hope you'll also find that you can let down your guard a little."

Santana turned her hand over and slipped her fingers between Rachel's. "Let's just get through the end of this year, okay? Let me finish out on top and then we'll talk about a personality makeover later."

Rachel nodded and pulled their hands over to kiss the back of Santana's. She rested their hands on the center console and scrolled through her iPod. "Don't Rain On My Parade" started blasting through the speakers and Santana shook her head and mumbled the words. Rachel smiled and sang along.

When they hit the Troy city limits Santana wove through the streets until she stopped in the empty parking lot of what looked like a warehouse building. She exited the car and grabbed a duffel bag out of the back seat. Rachel followed her to the building, Santana pulled a key out of her pocket and unlocked the metal door.

"Keep your jacket on," Santana said when Rachel started to shrug it off her shoulders.

"Santana am I going to get jumped or something?"

"No, come on." Santana took Rachel's hand and pulled her through a dark hallway. She opened another door and the freezing cold hit Rachel like a brick.

"Carlos!" Santana called out into the dark space. "You moron, I told you to make sure the lights were on! Stop smoking whatever it is and get your ass down here!" Santana's voice echoed off the walls of the large space.

"Santana…" Rachel whimpered. She clung onto the Latina trying to keep warm. "Santana, what's going on?"

"Sorry, my cousin's an idiot. Here," Santana pulled her letter jacket off and wrapped it around Rachel's shoulders.

"San? Is that you?" a male voice called out.

"No, it's the voice of God! Estúpido, of course it's me!"

"Hold on…I gotta remember where the switch is!"

"Ay dios mío…él está loco."

Santana tapped her foot impatiently and Rachel still clung on to her desperately. After a few minutes there was a buzz overhead and the giant lights flickered on. Rachel audibly gasped when the space came into focus. In front of them was a big ice rink with stadium seats on either side. There was a concession counter off to one side and a skate rental counter next to it. A sign over another door indicated that on the other side of it was an arcade. Right inside the door was a huge glass case filled with trophies and medals. Rachel squinted her eyes when she swore she saw Santana's name on the base of one of the larger trophies. A tall, thin Latino man with a goatee came down a staircase and Santana punched him in the arm, Rachel turned her attention to the pair.

"I told you I was going to be here today or is your brain too fried to remember, huh?"

"I think I remember." The man scratched his head.

Santana groaned. "I talked to you last week. I told you not to open today because I was coming."

"Oh yeah! So, this her?"

Rachel was holding onto Santana for dear life and the Latina smiled. "Yeah, this is her. Rachel this is my incredibly stoned cousin Carlos."

"'Sup?" Carlos said with an intoxicated smile. He nodded his head. "So uh…I'm gonna go back upstairs. If you want a joint or somethin' you can come up."

"No, thank you," Rachel politely declined.

"You know I don't do that anymore."

Carlos shrugged. "Lock up when you're done. Oh hey! You should totally bring her to dinner tomorrow, yeah? You like Mexican food?"

"Thanks for ruining the other surprise you dumbass!" Santana scowled. She whacked Carlos on the back of the head. "Go back upstairs and smoke your weed."

Carlos just laughed and took the stairs two at a time, Santana turned back to Rachel and the shorter brunette had her eyebrow arched quizzically.

"Let's find you some skates," was all Santana said.

She pulled Rachel to the rental counter and unlocked the door. Rachel found a pair her size and pulled them on, Santana gave her a hat and spare gloves from her bag. Santana pulled her skates out of her duffel bag and laced them up then pulled out a jacket and put it on. She helped Rachel to her feet and opened the door to the ice rink. Santana stepped out first and skated to the DJ booth. She booted up the sound system and started up Carlos' 80's rock playlist. Metallica blared through the speakers and she skated back to the door where Rachel was standing and helped her onto the ice. Rachel was a little wobbly and Santana had to catch her when she fell forward.

"I thought you said you'd done this before?" Santana said when Rachel fell into her arms.

"I have…when I was younger."

Santana helped Rachel steady herself before she started moving. She gripped onto Rachel's forearms and Rachel held onto hers. Santana started skating backwards, pulling Rachel along.

"How much younger?"

"My eighth birthday?"

Santana shook her head and moved a little bit faster, Rachel gripped harder onto her forearms.

"Ready to try that triple?" Santana teased.

Rachel scowled. Santana gradually loosened her grip until Rachel was moving on her own. The Latina stayed in front of her and gave her pointers on moving and Rachel only fell a few times before she got the hang of it. Santana took her hand and they skated a few laps, Santana occasionally let go to circle Rachel just to tease her.

"So how long have you been skating?" Rachel asked. "And why didn't you tell me about it?"

Santana shrugged. "Since I could walk. My cousin Diana, Carlos' sister, skated in the Olympics in eighty-eight for Mexico before the family moved here. She's kind of my lame claim to fame. She didn't place or anything but it's still pretty cool. My mom's whole family moved here the year after that and they opened this place up." Santana chewed on her lower lip and moved around to skate backward in front of Rachel. She took the singers hands into her own and smiled. "You'll meet them tomorrow if you want to come to dinner. It's loud and they're all obnoxious and I'll have to translate a lot but I want you to come."

Rachel nodded. "I'd like that."

Santana slowed to a stop and pulled Rachel in. The shorter brunette smiled and stretched up to kiss her girlfriend. A catcall came from the balcony and Santana flipped Carlos off. She pulled away and Rachel was blushing.

"Let's see if I remember how to do this."

Rachel arched her eyebrow and Santana pulled away and took a deep breath. After Santana skated a couple of quick laps she stopped at the far edge of the rink from Rachel and smiled before she took off. She launched herself in the air and tucked her arms in and crossed her legs; her form was perfect and she smiled when she landed, arms out gracefully just as she'd been taught. Rachel squealed and applauded.

"It wasn't a triple," Santana said when she skated back up to Rachel. "I never could land one. But I think a double Axel is pretty impressive."

"Very impressive," Rachel said with a smile. "Can you do anything else?"

"How about a double Salchow?"

Rachel nodded. "Okay!"

Santana took off again and again threw the Salchow and landed it perfectly. She kept skating, calling out the jumps and spins and she did them and Rachel clapped with delight after each one. Santana took a deep breath and slowed to a stop again. She bent over with her hands on her knees and focused.

"Triple Axel!" she yelled. She was determined to do it even though she hadn't ever successfully landed it and hadn't tried to do so in a long time. She took off and when her speed was just right she closed her eyes and tucked in her arms and jumped. She felt herself go around once, twice, three times and her blade hit the ice…followed by the rest of her.

"Damn," she muttered when she sat up. Rachel managed to skate over to her and dropped to her knees.

"You okay?" Rachel asked, pushing a few loose strands of hair out of Santana's face.

Santana nodded. "My ass broke my fall."

"You almost had it, you know?"

Santana snorted. "Almost isn't what I was going for." She stood up and pulled Rachel with her.

There was a few seconds of silence before the next song started playing. Santana groaned and rolled her eyes when the orchestral notes of Aerosmith's "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" started. She glanced toward the DJ booth and Carlos ducked down.

"Sorry," Santana muttered.

"Don't be." Rachel smiled and started skating, Santana followed, her gloved hand in Rachel's. "I love this song."

"Maybe I shouldn't introduce you to the rest of them. It only gets worse when you meet my older cousins and my grandmother. She's been asking me for great-grandchildren since my Quinceañera."

Rachel looked up at Santana, mouth gaped open. "Grandchildren? They do know I can't get you pregnant, right?"

"They know. Nana says I can adopt Mexican orphan or, and I quote, 'do what that nice lesbian couple down the street did and use a turkey baster'. Only it was in Spanish which for some reason makes it funnier."

Rachel giggled. "That's how I got here."

"I know, you told me in the third grade."

Rachel nodded and Santana knew she was holding back reminding the Latina that she'd called Rachel a freak and pushed her into the dirt. She skated around in front of Rachel again and took her other hand. She swung Rachel around and the diva grinned.

"Don't wanna close my eyes," Rachel sang softly. "Don't wanna fall asleep…"

"'Cause I'd miss you, babe," Santana mumbled. "And I don't wanna miss a thing."

When the song ended Santana pulled Rachel in and kissed her. She led the shorter girl off the ice and took her skates back to the rental counter while Rachel put on her shoes. Carlos shut off the music and met the girls at the door.

"It was wonderful to meet you," Rachel said with a smile.

"Totally," Carlos said. "You comin' tomorrow, yeah?"

"Yes, I'm looking forward to meeting the rest of your family."

"You're not like Jewish or anything are you? They'll go all loco and try to burn you at the stake, you know?"

Rachel gasped and her eyes widened. Santana smacked Carlos upside the head.

"You ass! Don't scare her like that!"

"Just playin' cous'!"

Rachel looked like she was about to cry and Santana wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her in. "He was kidding. I told you, he's an idiot. He's just trying to make you sweat a little. They don't care, okay? They already know."

"Oh." Rachel nodded and smiled a little.

Carlos just laughed and Santana smacked his arm before she hugged him.

"See you tomorrow night," he said.

Santana nodded once and took Rachel's arm. She led her through the door they came in, down the hallway and then through the big metal door again. She locked it up and shrugged off her jacket and slung it over her shoulder.

"Never listen to anything he says, ever. He once told B she was eating duck enchiladas and it took me three hours to calm her down. He's just an ass. I only put up with him because he's family."

Rachel nodded and pulled the front of Santana's letter jacket tighter around her even though it was warm outside and she didn't really need it. Santana opened her door for her before tossing her duffel bag in the back and she drove them through a McDonald's drive thru for lunch and rolled her eyes when Rachel asked for a Happy Meal. Santana practically growled into the speaker that she wanted a grilled chicken sandwich with a bottle of water and a Chicken McNugget Happy Meal…with a princess toy. Rachel bounced in her seat when Santana handed over the box.

Once back in Lima, Santana drove through town until she pulled up to Rachel's house. She waited for Rachel to unplug her iPod before she leaned over to kiss her.

"Don't eat lunch tomorrow," Santana said. "Nana is going to make you eat two helpings of everything. Make sure the waistband of your skirt has a little give to it."

Rachel nodded. "I had fun today."

"Me too."

"I honestly didn't expect it. It was a very pleasant surprise. And very sweet, whether you intended for it to be or not."

Santana shrugged. "I try."

Rachel smiled and leaned in to kiss the Latina again. Santana slipped her tongue into Rachel's mouth and wrapped her fingers around the back of the singer's neck, pulling her in closer. Rachel pushed back with her tongue and tangled her fingers in Santana's hair. Tongues dueled and Rachel thought seriously about just pulling the Latina inside with her until her phone rang.

"Sorry," Rachel gasped when she pulled away. She pulled her phone out of her purse and her face turned red. "Hi Daddy," she answered quietly. She paused and looked up at Santana then towards the front door. "Um yes, I was planning on coming inside." Another pause. "Daddy!" Rachel squealed, "that was inappropriate!"

Santana turned red and looked passed Rachel to the front door of the Berry house and saw Rachel's Daddy standing in the doorway, phone pressed to his ear and doubled over in laughter.

"Yes, I will tell her! Now go back inside!" Rachel shut her phone and looked down at her lap. "Daddy told me that…" Rachel turned even redder. "He told me that if I can keep my mouth unoccupied for long enough that I should invite you in for a movie."

Santana smiled and rolled her eyes then reached over and tucked Rachel's hair behind her ear. Rachel looked up and smiled a little.

"I wish I could but since dinner is at our house tomorrow I promised my parents I would help out cleaning and rolling out tortillas."

Rachel nodded. "Okay," she said with a smile.

"I'll pick you up at five."

"Okay."

Rachel leaned forward again and Santana caught the girl's lower lip in her teeth and gave it a tug. Rachel let out a soft moan and returned the favor. Santana smirked when she pulled away.

"You should go before he calls again," Santana whispered.

"Thanks again for today. I had a really good time."

"Me too, Rach."

Rachel grinned. "That happened sooner than I ever expected."

"What?"

"Well a month ago you finally made the transition from calling me by my last name to my first. I didn't expect for you to shorten it for another two years." Rachel smirked. Santana shook her head and pressed a kiss to the diva's forehead.

"Yeah, well…I like you a lot more than I ever expected."

"Oh yeah? How much?"

"You're a narcissist, Berry."

Rachel growled. "Is it a horrible thing to want to know how much your girlfriend likes you?" She turned to open the car door and Santana caught her arm and pulled her back.

"I've never made Carlos shut down the rink before. Not for anyone. I wanted today to be about us and I didn't want to have to skate around a bunch of kids and have their parents look at us like we've got three heads each. I wanted to spend it with you and just you and I'll do it again whenever you want, just tell me when. That is how much I like you, okay?"

Rachel turned around and raised her eyebrows. "Not even for Brittany?"

"B hated skating. She complained that it was too cold and too crowded. Even when I really wanted to go she would whine until I caved and we did something else. She…she didn't really care that I loved it. She made me quit doing it to join the Cheerios. When you asked me to watch the championships and you told me you wanted to throw tricks…it felt really good. Like…I know you didn't know I was into it but it was still really cool, okay? It felt good to know you'd actually appreciate it and give a shit."

The signature Rachel Berry smile spread across the diva's lips. She pulled Santana into a hug and kissed her cheek. "I do appreciate it. You looked amazing on the ice, Santana." Rachel was still smiling when she pulled away. "You looked like you were having fun, I loved watching you. I want to go again. I want you to teach me."

The corners of Santana's mouth curled into a soft smile. "I swear to God if you tell anyone I got soft I won't teach you a damn thing, got it?"

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Of course. I should go." Rachel glanced over her shoulder. "My dads are watching through the window."

Santana smirked and leaned in for another kiss. "Tomorrow at five."

"Tomorrow at five," Rachel repeated.

Rachel shrugged off Santana's letter jacket and left it in the seat when she exited the car. Santana picked up the jacket and caught a waft of Rachel's citrusy smelling perfume and she watched the diva walk through the yard up to the front door. She wasn't really walking, she was twirling and doing bunny hop jumps all the way to the door and Santana couldn't help but smile. Rachel turned and waved to her when she opened the door, Santana waved back and wondered how she ever missed that Rachel Berry was actually kind of…awesome.

I will eventually be adding a third chapter of dinner with Santana's family so check back =)