Like yesterday, Santana arrived at the station early to avoid Brittany in the locker room.

Their second night together had proved to be a busy one with calls coming in all night. Santana was grateful for that. Ever since she had looked at Brittany's wound in the hallway, something felt different. Santana felt almost nervous around Brittany, which was strange, because she almost never got nervous.

As she dressed, she thought back to how close they had been standing, and how warm Brittany's skin had felt.

"Stop it," Santana told herself.

This was all Tina's fault. If she hadn't opened her big mouth, I wouldn't even be considering...

"No," Santana out loud.

"No what?" came a voice. It was Tina.

"I'm not talking to you," Santana said, as she put on her pants.

"What'd I do?" Tina asked confused.

Santana let out a breath, "Nothing. Never mind."

Tina went to her locker and started getting ready to go home.

"You're in a cranky mood," Tina said.

"I'm sorry," Santana said, "Of course I'm talking to you. This shift always messes me up. How was your day?"

"Good," Tina said, "Oh, we caught one of the robbers."

"What? Really?" Santana asked, surprised.

"Yup," Tina said, "I mean, not me personally but Puck and Mac. They were doing their patrol in a neighborhood and saw this guy trying to climb in a house through a window."

"Are they sure he's part of this ring of robbers?" Santana asked, wanting every detail.

"Pretty sure," Tina said, "He's being questioned by detectives now."

"I hope you're right and he is part of that ring," Santana said, "We need a lead."

"Lead for what?"

Santana turned around to see Brittany standing there.

"Oh, umm, the robberies," Santana managed to say. She was suddenly very aware that she still hadn't buttoned her pants and was wearing a thin tank top.

"They caught someone?" Brittany asked.

"Puck did," Tina said, "Some dude was breaking into a house. They think he's part of the gang or knows something. He's being questioned now."

"That's fantastic!" Brittany said, smiling. She was not only happy they might have a lead, but that it had been Puck who had done the bust.

"It is," Santana said, finishing putting on her pants and reaching for her shirt.

Brittany couldn't help but look at Santana's toned arms reach for her shirt. There was no doubt in her mind that the rest of Santana's body was just as toned. Brittany forced herself to look away and turned to Tina.

"Good shift?" Brittany asked.

"Yes," Tina said, "Oh man, what happened to your head?"

Brittany raised her hand up to her temple, "Beer bottle during a bust last night."

"That fucker," Santana said, her anger returning.

"You OK?" Tina asked, concerned.

"I'm fine," Brittany said, "Just a little bruise and a Band-Aid. I should go get ready. I'll let you guys get dressed.

Brittany smiled and turned to walk down the aisle to her locker. She tried to focus on getting ready and not think about the arms she had just seen.

This is all Puck's fault, she thought.

Brittany quickly glanced at in the direction of Santana and Tina and saw them continue to get ready. Brittany thought back how Santana had inspected her wound yesterday. The close proximity was something she couldn't deny she really liked. More than liked.

Santana quickly glanced at Brittany and saw her open her locker.

"I knew it!" Tina whispered, a smile on her face.

"Knew what?" Santana whispered back.

"Nothing," Tina said and closed her locker.

"What?"

Tina didn't answer and picked up her things, "Have a good shift Santana."

Tina walked down the aisle and wished Brittany the same before heading out the door.

Santana finished up quickly, put her stuff away and closed her locker, "I'll see you out there," she said to Brittany as she left.

Santana was going to wait for Brittany in the patrol car but opted to wait just outside the locker room. She felt like she was waiting for her date to show up.

"Jesus," Santana said in disbelief.

What the hell is wrong with me, she wondered. She had to get Tina's crazy ideas out of her mind. Santana attributed her strange thoughts to the fact that it had a long time since her ex had broken up with her and moved away. Months since she had been in a relationship. There had been women, but that usually lasted a week or two, and never anything serious.

Maybe Tina's right, Santana thought, maybe it's time to start dating again. But not Brittany.

As if on cue, Brittany appeared.

"All set," Brittany said. She had spent a little longer in front of the mirror than usual.

"Let's go," Santana said, leading the way.

Both women walked to the car in silence, each in their own thoughts.

"Do I ever get to drive?" Brittany asked as they arrived at the car.

"Not while you're with me," Santana said with a small smile, "I drive."

Brittany smiled and got in the car.

"I scored very high in my driving tests at the academy," Brittany said as Santana turned on the car and pulled out.

"I'm sure you did," Santana said, "But here, in this car, I'm the driver."

"Ah, OK," Brittany said in a knowing tone.

"OK what?" Santana asked.

"Nothing," Brittany said, her tone teasing.

"There's something," Santana said, enjoying this banter.

"You…you're a control freak," Brittany said.

"I am not!" Santana protested, smiling. She merged into the busy street.

"Then let me drive," Brittany said.

"Not tonight," Santana said.

"Control freak," Brittany said in a very soft voice.

"I heard that," Santana said.

###

For the next two hours, Santana and Brittany mostly talked about work. Santana wanted to make sure that Brittany learned all the procedures of the department and what to expect. Santana had told herself that she wanted to come across as a good teacher, but a big part of her wanted to see Brittany succeed.

"When's your first evaluation?" Santana asked.

"Three months," Brittany said, "I'm trying not to screw up by then."

"You'll be fine," Santana said, "I'll put in a good word for you."

"Gee thanks," Brittany said, with a chuckle.

Before Santana could say anything, they received a call that kept them busy for hours.

At midnight, it was time for lunch.

"I'm slowly getting used to the time change," Brittany said. She took a sip of her coffee.

They had opted to eat at the same diner as last night. Santana ordered a burger and fries, while Brittany opted for French toast and hash browns.

"The best thing is that when you get completely adjusted, you're back on day shifts," Santana said.

"Lovely," Brittany said.

"So you're having breakfast food for lunch?" Santana asked.

"It's technically morning," Brittany said, "So you're the one that's not eating the correct food."

Santana laughed. She couldn't remember the last time she had had fun at work. She had spent so much time tolerating her last partner, Frakes, that she had forgotten what it was like to have a partner she actually liked. Tonight though, despite dealing with a few scum of the earth, she found herself having a good time.

Santana snapped out of her inner thoughts.

"You OK?" Brittany asked, finishing chewing a piece of food.

"Fine," Santana said, "I'm still getting used to the change."

Brittany smiled. Something had changed in her dynamic with Santana. They seemed more comfortable with each other, like two people that had known each other longer than the two weeks since they met.

Brittany again thought about the hallway and touched her temple.

"Does your head hurt?" Santana asked.

"Just a light throb," Brittany said.

"I made sure that bastard got put in the worst holding cell," Santana said.

"Thanks," Brittany said, oddly touched that Santana had done that.

"I fucking hate dealing with drunks," Santana said, "They're the worst."

"I'm starting to see that," Brittany said. She turned her attention to her food.

"What do you like?" Santana suddenly asked.

"What do you mean?" Brittany asked.

"I mean, outside the job," Santana asked, "What do you like to do?"

Brittany swallowed the last of her food and gave Santana a small smile, "Have we moved on to personal questions?"

"I'm sorry," Santana said, wondering why she had even asked that, "I didn't meant to get too personal. I was just…"

"It's OK," Brittany interrupted, "I don't mind. Well, I like hiking, running, watching movies…the regular stuff. Nothing too exciting."

Santana smiled, listening to Brittany list things she herself liked to do, "That sounds plenty exciting. I would have thought you'd say hitting the latest club."

"I love dancing," Brittany said, "And I'm always up for it, but I'm a homebody at heart. How about you? Are you a big party girl?"

Santana let out a laugh, "Hardly. I'm a homebody too. I'd rather stay home than hit the hottest club. If it weren't for Kurt, I'd probably never go out."

It was Brittany's turn to laugh, "I guess we're just a couple of nerds."

"I guess so," Santana said smiling.

Both women were presently surprised at how much they had in common. They finished up their lunch with talk talking about what their life was like out of the uniform.

As they walked out of the diner, Santana was struck by how good a mood she was in suddenly.

Brittany in turn was also struck by how much she had enjoyed her break. If this had been a date, she'd be planing the next one. But it wasn't a date, it was work.

"I do have one work related question for you," Brittany said as they got in the car to go back out on patrol.

"What's that?"

"How do you get all that hair in that bun," Brittany asked.

Santana laughed for what seemed like the 20th time in the last hour, "I'll show you some time."

Brittany's hear rate speed up at Santana's words.

Realizing what she had said, Santana quickly tried to explain, "I mean, at the station…in the locker room…I can..it's really not that hard."

"I can't wait for the demonstration," Brittany said.

Santana started the car and drove off.

###

It was two in the morning and they had another couple of hours before the end of their shift.

They had received a call to drive by a neighborhood where some insomniac resident had seen "something suspicious."

Santana slowly drove the car through the dimly lit neighborhood.

"What exactly is 'suspicious' anyway?" Brittany asked, her eyes scanning the street.

"They probably saw a cat," Santana said, scanning her side.

Before Brittany could say anymore, she spotted a figure walking in between two houses, "Santana, look."

Santana turned to where Brittany was pointing. A dark figure, standing in between two homes.

"Let's go," Santana said. She put the car in park as she and Brittany got out.

The dark figure turned and as soon as he saw Santana and Brittany, he began to run across the lawn.

Both officers began to chase the figure who had yelled out "RUN!"

Up ahead, another figure began to run. Brittany took off after both as Santana decided to return to the car and chase on the street.

Brittany was an excellent runner. And fast. She was closing the gap between the first suspect and as soon as she got close enough, planned to tackle him down.

In the car, Santana called in their situation. She followed Brittany as she chased the the first figure.

Brittany was not going to let this guy get away. A few more strides and she was close enough to grab the back of his hood.

She knocked him down and both fell on wet grass with an loud thump.

Santana saw that the second figure had disappeared. She stopped the car, and got out to help Brittany.

"STOP MOVING!" Brittany yelled at the man beneath her.

The man tried to elbow her, but Brittany was quicker. She grabbed his arm and swished it behind him.

"AHH!" the man screamed.

Santana got there and saw that Brittany was doing just fine on her own.

"You got him?" Santana asked, a bit out of breath.

"Yeah," Brittany said, her own breath ragged.

Sirens began to be heard in the distance. Residents began to turn on lights.

Back up had arrived.

###

Brittany leaned back against her locker with her eyes closed and let out a breath. She was exhausted.

The guy they had caught was being questioned by detectives in connection with the recent robberies and triple homicide. Santana had managed to get an update, and there was a good possibility that the man Brittany had tackled was indeed part of the triple murder from days ago.

"You were amazing," Santana said. She had quietly walked into the locker room to see Brittany, eyes closed, leaning agains her locker.

Brittany opened her eyes when she heard Santana's soft voice, "I didn't do it alone."

"You were the one who tackled him to the ground," Santana said, "This bust was all you."

"It was both of us," Brittany insisted.

"OK, fine," Santana said with a small smile, "Both of us."

The locker room had a few women all scattered around the room, but Santana and Brittany were alone in their aisle.

They stared at each other for a long moment before Brittany looked away, "I'm so tired."

"Yeah," Santana said, with a small chuckle, "Me too."

Brittany suddenly felt like she needed to get away from Santana. She turned and opened her locker and began to take out her regular clothes.

Santana had tried to look away but couldn't and was glad Brittany had broken eye contact.

"I'll let you get dressed," Santana said and started walking to her own locker.

Both women dressed without so much as a glance at the other. When they were both done, they walked out of the locker room together. At the door Brittany finally spoke.

"Do you want to go get breakfast?" Brittany asked. As much as her brain was telling her to get away from Santana, another part of her didn't want to leave her side just yet.

Santana looked at Brittany who seemed to have a hopeful look in her eyes.

"I'm not hungry," Santana said, despite wanting to say yes, "I'm too tired. I'll see you tonight."

Brittany didn't know why she felt so rejected. If Puck or Quinn had said the same, Brittany would have just accepted the answer and gone home. But from Santana, it felt like a rejection.

"Right, yeah," Brittany said, "I'm tired too."

"Have a good nigh…I mean, day," Santana said with a smile. She turned away and began to walk away.

Brittany decided to exit through the opposite way.

Santana knew she was in trouble. She liked Brittany and not just as a co-worker.

-TBC-