I know, I know, what took me so long!
Sorry for the delay in updating but I literally wrote this chapter half and hour ago!

Please read and review, all comments are welcome! xx

One Step, Two Steps, Three Steps…

Everyone arrived back within the next twenty minutes. Then, after being filled in on what went on in the demolished room, Mr Schu explained what he thought they should do.

'Mr Schu, isn't that a bit of a weak plan?' Puck said, standing up and pacing the room.

'I know it is Puck, but we cannot stay here another night. We have to leave.'

'I agree with Mr Schu.' Brittany said, gripping onto Santana's hand as the two sat side by side on the couch. Quinn and a few of the others nodding in agreement as their teacher looked around at all of them.

'Alright then, where did you say you found it Mr Schu?' Finn asked, standing up and encouraging everyone else to follow suit.

'It's out through the woods and I think we should go now. I don't want to be out there if it gets too dark and I want all of us to be far away from this place.'

'Couldn't agree more.' Santana winced, standing up as her girlfriend followed, placing a supportive hand under her elbow.

'Are you sure you're alright Santana?' Will put his hand on the Latina's shoulder as she smiled up at him.

'I'm just a bit tired Mr Schu.' She assured him. 'And like you said, we really need to get out of here.'

'Okay then.' He turned around to face the others, looking towards Quinn who stood with Sam. 'What about you Quinn? Does your arm hurt at all?'

'The pain killers have kicked in Mr Schu, I'm fine.' She grinned at him, the numbing feeling of her arm making her feel incredibly odd.

'Right.' Mr Schu walked over to the door. 'No one walk by yourself. Everyone stay close. And I want Puck and Sam to stay with Quinn and Santana. Understand?' Everyone nodded and then they set off.

They were walking down a familiar path, the one from their not so pleasant walk the night before, as the chilly air blew all around them. Santana and Quinn were walking in the middle of the pack, Brittany latched onto the brunettes side as the boys circled them like guards. Mr Schu let the way with Tina and Mike, Finn and Lauren were at the back to help Artie over the rough terrain. 'You okay?' Brittany asked after feeling Santana shiver beside her.

'Yeah, it's just really cold.' She smiled at Brittany, pulling their bodies closer.

'San, you're shivering like it's snowing or something, that's not normal.' Brittany said with a sad voice.

'I know Brit, it's just this place. As soon as we get out I'll be fine.' She tried to assure her girl as much as possible, but she could see the fear in Brittany's eyes. She knew how much all of this was scaring her.

'Okay guys, we're almost there.' Mr Schu called back to them over his shoulder, scanning the area to double check that he was going the right way.

'Yeah, it's just around this corner.' Mike confirmed. 'I remember that big, gnarly tree there Mr Schu.' He pointed to his right, their teacher giving him a nod of approval.

'Everyone alright back there?' Mr Schu called once again. He was met with groans of 'yeah' and 'just about.' Turning back he could see the big football player struggling to lift Artie over some upturned tree roots, Sam dropping off to help him. But apart from that nothing further had happened, no more ghostly presences that is.

'Brit?' Santana whispered.

'Yeah? You okay?' Brittany looked her over, Quinn doing the same from the other side.

'I… maybe. Can you hear that?' She looked up at the girls, her brown orbs filled with panic.

'No, Santana what is it?' Quinn asked, but the brunette shrunk away from her, she just wanted Brittany. She gripped onto the back of the dancer's jacket, bringing their sides even closer than before so that they were joint at the hips. She couldn't look at anywhere apart from the floor, each step she took her legs feeling heavier and heavier.

'Santana talk to me.' Brittany pleaded, feeling her grip tighten.

'He's here.' She replied almost silently, a solitary tear finding its way out of her eye.

'Who? Simon?' Brittany hugged her in tighter, one arm around her shoulder pulling Santana into her body.

'Yeah.' She nodded.

'Honey, how do you know that? We cant hear anything.'

'I can feel him B. He knows we're trying to leave.' Santana said as her teeth clenched together painfully.

'One step, two steps, three steps. You think you can get away?' Santana listened to the words whispering through her head, each one cut through her like a razor, the sound enough to make the hairs on her neck stand up. 'Silly, silly girl…..' His voice faded, Santana shaking more rapidly as her legs finally gave up on her. Her knees buckled and she collapsed into Brittany's arms, her consciousness going with her.

'Woah, Santana!' She shouted, everyone in front stopping and turning around. Brittany looked up at Quinn, who was equally as terrified, and then saw their teacher moving through the crowd. 'San, wake up!' Brittany yelled, shaking her on their way down.

'Brittany, what happened?' He said, helping the blonde set Santana gently on the floor. Her body was still shivering as they looked over her, Brittany's efforts to wake her up failing.

'She said, she said she could hear him, and then she got really cold and started to shake and then she just passed out.' Brittany panted, sniffing and wiping her nose as tears flowed freely.

'Okay Brittany, I need you to calm down okay?' He looked at her on the brink of hyperventilating and tried to calm her. He looked at Mercedes who was just behind the girls and she got what he meant. She bent down and put her hands on Brittany's shoulders, rubbing them comfortingly as she whispered encouraging words into the girls ear. Brittany nodded, and tried to focus on her breathing. After a few minutes of the therapy she relaxed and looked down, focusing on Santana was the most important thing right now, she knew that, so she had to get herself under control.

'Alright?' Mr Schu looked at her.

'Yeah, sorry.' She smiled weakly at him.

'That's okay, now we really need to get moving.' He looked over his shoulder. 'Puck, can you carry her?'

'Yeah Mr Schu, I got her.' He said, Mr Schu patting him on the back as he walked past. Bending down he picked up the small girl in his arms. Her eyes were closed but he could see them moving under her eyelids, her body shaking occasionally either from fear or from the cold.

'Come on then guys, it's just around the corner.' Mr Schu let the way again, Puck following right behind with Santana in his arms and Brittany and Quinn right next to him.

'She'll be okay Brit.' Quinn assured her, the taller girl wiping her tear stained cheeks as they went.

'I'm just scared I guess.' Brittany tried to smile. 'I know she's strong, strongest person I've ever met, but I just….'

'What is it B?' Quinn asked, looking over her friends usually clueless face.

'What if she's not strong enough for this? She cant hit him and I don't think calling him names will make him leave.' Quinn grabbed Brittany's hand with her good arm, gripping onto it tightly.

'She is strong enough Brit.' Quinn nodded, grinning at her.

'But how do you know? Look at her Q.'

'I know Brit, but it's Santana fucking Lopez.' She laughed, Brittany doing the same. 'Nothing will keep her down, not even Sue Sylvester. Who makes this guy look like a little girl. Okay?'

'Yeah, she's gonna kick his ass.' Brittany smiled.

'Damn straight. So for now, lets just focus on getting her, and all of us, out of this place.'

'Thanks Q.' Brittany smiled, pulling the injured girl into a gentle sideways hug.

'No problem.' She winked at her, but then everyone stopped.

'We're here guys.' Mr Schu informed them, Quinn and Brittany looking over what they had found.

'This is it?' Brittany asked, not very confident in their escape route.