Long Way Home

'Santana are you okay?' Quinn asked.

'Yeah, but you wont be if you keep asking me that.' She grinned at the blonde, who laughed back at her, sending pain coursing through her arm. She was sitting in the passengers seat holding her left wrist, it had gone all weird, like it wasn't her hand anymore. 'How's the wrist?' Santana asked, looking over at the blonde with worried eyes.

'It hurts but it's okay,' she smiled, and looked out of the window. This was the most sunshine they had seen for over a week, Quinn will never take the sun for granted again.

Santana didn't really know where they were going. She didn't even know if they were heading in the right direction for home. They could maybe find a gas station or another town and call for help, but that town they were just in was so strange. There were no people and as they drove out they didn't see a school or a police station or anything. It was deserted, which was probably Doug's plan, keep them somewhere isolated, hard to escape from. She was also driving very slowly, in the off chance that she did pass out without feeling anything beforehand, at least she couldn't roll them at twenty miles an hour.

'San?' Quinn looked back at her. 'You were telling us that your dad…' She paused, 'about what he used to do sometimes.'

'Yeah, what about it?' Santana kept her eyes on the road, not liking where this was going.

'Did he ever do it to you?' And Quinn was surprised that Santana's facial expression didn't change, almost as if she knew the question was coming. 'Yeah,' she replied, 'yeah he did, but it wasn't that bad.'

'Is that why you seem to handle pain better than me.' She joked, wincing as the movement of the van caused her wrist to bend, and the kicks to the stomach she took were starting to sting.

'I learned to numb it out, I guess.' Santana still kept her eyes fixed to the road, but Quinn saw a tear fall from her eyes.

'Santana, I'm so sorry.'

'Why? It wasn't your fault Q.' She smiled at her, taking her eyes off of the road for about a second, before concentrating again. Quinn studied her arms, and her face. She was thinner, and Quinn thought she was already too thin before all of this. Her arms were covered in bruises, and the blood had dried around her wrists from pulling on her restraints. Quinn though about how she would have not been able to do that, to pull and pull until she made herself bleed. She couldn't imagine what Santana's home life had been like before her father left.

'I know, but I was supposed to be your friend. I could have helped.'

'Thanks Q, but the only reason B knew was because she saw it happen.'

'When?' Quinn asked, keeping the conversation flowing to keep Santana awake.

'About four years ago, I think. B was at my place and dad came home in the middle of the day. The hospital had suspended him for coming to work drunk, and when he saw that I was at home and skipping school,' She exhaled. 'Lets just say he let me have it.'

'Oh my God, why didn't you call the police?'

'Mum wouldn't let me, she loved him and I loved her so it was kind of a never-ending circle of everyone just doing nothing about it.' She laughed, it turning into a cough shortly after, and Quinn fumbled around behind them with her right hand.

'Here, drink this.' She said, taking the lid off of a bottle of water and handing it to the brunette.

'Thanks,' She handed it back and Quinn drank herself, feeling every drop slide down her aching insides.

'But it's over now right?'

'Yeah,' And she saw Santana genuinely smile. 'Mum finally kicked him out, got a restraining order. He cant come within ten miles of us without going to prison.'

'That's good.'

'Yeah.' Santana squinted her eyes. 'What's that?' Quinn followed her gaze, looking at a small house on the side of the road. There was nothing else but desert for miles, so they had to stop and check it out. Santana pulled the van up to the side of the road, not worried about parking because they hadn't seen another car since they left Doug. 'Stay here.' Quinn said, as she got out to have a look around.

'No way!' Santana called, hurrying after the blonde, grabbing a hold of her non-broken wrist. 'We stick together okay. I don't care how quick this search is going to be.' Quinn smiled and nodded. It literally was a shed, and a small phone box, on the side of the road.

'Phone box?' Quinn said out loud, as her eyes laid upon it and the two girls went cautiously over to it.

Santana picked up the receiver and put it to her ear, 'No dial tone,' she stated, pressing all of the buttons in the hope of making something happen. 'Shit!' She said, slamming the phone back down.

'San come on,' Quinn pulled the back of her shirt and they circled around the shed. No windows. Only a door.

'So,' Santana said, 'you want to go in first or shall I?'

'I'll do it,' Quinn said, pushing Santana behind her and then they slowly walked up to the door. Quinn grabbed the handle and pulled, not sure what they were expecting to find but it was still a good idea to be cautious. The door swung open to reveal, a port-o-potty. An old fashioned one but still.

'Well, this is..' Quinn started.

'Great.' Santana finished, getting an odd look from the blonde. 'What? I really need to go. Once a day with Doug watching didn't really do it for me.' Quinn laughed, but couldn't help but agree.

'Fine, you first but be quick. I don't want to risk Doug finding us again.'

'Got ya.' Santana said, as they went one after the other to the toilet and then climbed back into the van.

'You want me to try driving? I can make it work if you're tired?' Quinn said as she and Santana faced each other sitting in the parked van.

'No, I'm good. You haven't slept either, why don't you get some rest and maybe we can swap at some point?'

'No, no I'm good to.' Quinn said unconvincingly.

'Oh, you really think I'll crash don't you!'

'Well, you did crash your car three weeks after you got it.' She said, then added; 'and again, right after it was fixed.' Santana smiled.

'Good point.' She admitted, 'Fine. Stay awake and keep me alert. Maybe we could talk about you and Sammy.' She chuckled, 'you really think his lips are cute?'

'Very funny. Now drive.'