Thank you again for all of the reviews, alerts and favorites! They make me smile and keep me writing. I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to end the story because I love Pocahontas but I'm not sure I want to end it the same way the movie does. Any thoughts or opinions?
Disclaimer: I own a microwave but I don't own Glee…or Pocahontas. I also own a cat...
Brittany and Santana sit on the riverbank overlooking the calmly flowing water. The two women have been sitting in a comfortable silence with only a few feet distance between them. Unbeknownst to the other, each woman wishes to close the short distance between them but neither move in fear of scaring the other away. Brittany sits with her legs stretched out in front of her, crossed at the ankles, and leaning back on her elbows. Santana sits cross-legged with Flit quietly fluttering around her. Santana searches her brain for a way to get Brittany talking so she can hear the voice that makes her heart skip a beat. Soon after sitting down, Brittany had removed her helmet and set it on the grass between her and Santana. Santana delicately lifts the helmet off the ground and brings it up to her face.
Brittany has been watching Santana out of the corner of her eye from the moment they sat down; taking in every inch of the Native. From her firm, tan legs to her flat stomach and up to her…Brittany quickly averts her eyes and desperately tries to get her mind off of the beautiful woman sitting way too far away from her. Her eyes slowly begin to drift back to Santana and she laughs when she sees Santana making strange faces in the reflective metal of her helmet. The shape of the helmet distorts Santana's features and depending on what angle she holds the helmet at, her eyes, lips and nose either expand or shrink in size. Santana is still completely focused on making silly faces at herself when she hears her voice. "It's called a helmet," Brittany says now that she's stopped laughing.
Santana looks away from the shining metal and into cerulean blue eyes. Santana swallows down the lump forming in her throat and takes a deep breath. "Helmet," she finally repeats with uncertainty; afraid she has butchered the word with her pronunciation. Her eyes never leaving Brittany's.
Brittany just can't wrap her head around what it is Santana is making her feel. Hoping conversation will keep her mind off the butterflies swarming her stomach Brittany finally pulls her eyes away from the Santana's and turns her head to look out at the river. "So, what river is this?" she asks a little awkwardly.
Santana puts the helmet on her head and playfully shakes her head back and forth slowly, enjoying the way the slightly oversized helmet moves on her head. "Quiyoughcohannock," she replies while still distracted by the helmet.
Brittany turns back to look at her as she plays with Brittany's helmet. "You have most unusual names here. Chicahominy. Quiyough – Quiyoughcohannock," Brittany says. She can't deny how adorable Santana looks wearing her helmet and she giggles when the front of the helmet falls over Santana's eyes. As cute as it is, Brittany immediately misses the chocolate orbs and delicately grabs the front of the helmet, lifting it out of Santana's eyes. "Santana," she says, concluding her small list of unusual names she is learning. Brittany is now sitting cross-legged too, her knees slightly bumping up against Santana's.
Santana is thankful for her darkened skin at this moment because she knows Brittany can't see the fierce blush that creeps up her neck when Brittany says her name. The way she says Santana's name sends goose bumps shooting up her arms and she has to lower her gaze away from Brittany's. Santana removes the helmet from her head and shakes out her hair, still holding the helmet in her lap. "You have the most unusual names too. Brittany Pierce," she says pointedly when she finally finds her voice. She likes the way Brittany's name feels on her tongue and gives a small smile to Brittany. She doesn't fail to notice the way Brittany looks from her eyes down to her full lips and back up to Santana's eyes. She feels her pulse begin to race. Could Brittany feel the butterflies too?
Brittany worries Santana can hear her heart as is hammers away against her ribcage. She just has to know what Santana's lips feel like and she can only hope she isn't going to scare the beautiful Indian away. A small flicker of hope ignites in Brittany's chest when she sees Santana looking at her with a look of want in her eyes. Brittany leans forward, each inch feeling like a mile.
Santana leans forward slightly, her eyes flicker down to Brittany's lips and she knows she has to taste them.
Their faces are so close they feel each other's warm breath against their faces. Their noses are brushing and Brittany leans in to close the gap between them when a sudden noise abruptly forces them to pull away from each other. Both girls are taking in ragged breaths at sudden separation. Confusion and disappointment is felt by each woman, neither understanding the strong attraction each feels for the other.
Brittany looks to see where the noise came from and sees a familiar looking tail poking out of her satchel. Grabbing onto the ringed tail, Brittany pulls the raccoon out from the satchel. "Hey! Is this bottomless pit a friend of yours?" she asks, looking to Santana.
Relieved that Brittany isn't running away after their almost kiss Santana laughs at her furry friends antics. "Meeko!" she scolds playfully as she takes him out of Brittany's hand. Meeko obligingly sits in Santana's lap like a domesticated cat and stares unblinkingly up at Brittany, a piece of uneaten biscuit sticking out of his mouth.
Brittany releases a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding when Santana smiles at her. "Well, how do you do, Meeko?" she asks the raccoon. Brittany holds a pale hand out to the small animal and laughs at the exchange of looks between Meeko and Santana. Meeko looks up at Santana and Santana looks down at Meeko, shrugging her shoulders in a way that says 'I don't know what you're supposed to do with her hand either.' Sensing neither animal nor stunning Indian know what to do with her outstretched hand, Brittany tries to explain. "It's all right, it's just a handshake. Here let me show you," she says, now directing her attention at Santana.
Baffled by why the woman in front of her continues to hold her hand out, Santana tilts her head to the left slightly, looks Brittany straight in the eyes and says, "Nothing's happening."
Wholeheartedly amused by Santana's seriousness and confusion, Brittany shakes her head and laughs. "No, no, I need your hand first," Brittany explains. A wide smile crosses her face when Santana sticks her hand out without any sort of hesitation. Gently taking Santana's right hand in her left, Brittany demonstrates a handshake. "It's how we say hello," she responds when she sees the strange look Santana is giving her.
Finally understanding the meaning of the handshake Santana pulls her hand out of Brittany's grasp, immediately feeling the coldness from where Brittany's hand had just been touching, and sits back on her knees. Santana lifts her right arm and moves it from left to right in an arch-like shape and explains her movements to Brittany. "This is how we say hello; Wingapo."
Brittany too moves until she is sitting back on her knees, her butt resting on her heels, and mimics Santana's hand motions. "Wingapo," she repeats.
Nodding, Santana repeats the motion but this time she says, "And how we say goodbye; Ana."
Before Santana finishes making the arch motion, Brittany reaches forward and rests her palm up against Santana's. Looking Santana in the eyes, Brittany makes Santana's hand gesture again, never breaking contact with Santana's palm and says, "I like hello better." Both girls blush at Brittany's flirtatiousness when she intertwines olive-skinned fingers with her own and playfully winks at Santana. Seemingly out of nowhere, Flit appears and pecks at Brittany's fingers. After forcing Brittany to let go of Santana's hand, Flit begins to flutter back and forth in front of Brittany's face. Leaning back on her hands, Brittany begrudgingly says, "Yeah, I remember you."
Feeling like he has made his disapproval clear, Flit flies over and lands on Santana's outstretched index finger. "Flit just doesn't like strangers," she says bashfully, embarrassed by her winged friends behavior.
Not wanting to see Santana uncomfortable, Brittany quickly tries to comfort her. Cautiously extending a finger towards the vicious hummingbird, Brittany lightly pets Flit's wing. "But I'm not a stranger anymore," she says once she finally gets Santana to look at her again. Sensing the attraction between the two women Flit pecks at Brittany's finger. "Agh, stubborn little fellow, isn't he?" Brittany says as she retracts her finger away from Flit.
"Very stubborn," Santana replies as she glares at Flit.
During their exchange with Flit, Meeko snuck over to Brittany's satchel in search of more delicious snacks. Back inside the satchel, Meeko comes across a strange circular object and decides it may be worth a shot to try and eat.
Brittany hears Meeko scratching around inside her satchel and watches as Meeko runs away with her compass. "Hey!" Brittany yells at Meeko.
Completely frustrated by her tiny friends' antics, Santana is starting to get angry. "Meeko! Come back here!" she yells at the raccoon as he retreats to a nearby rock.
Not wanting Santana to get mad, Brittany shrugs off the animal's behavior. "Don't worry, he can't hurt it," she reassuringly says to Santana. From his spot a short distance away, Meeko bites at the compass but when that fails, he resorts to hitting it against the rock. "Hey, what are you doing?" Brittany exclaims as she tries to crawl while reaching for the raccoon. Meeko quickly escapes Brittany's hands and scales a large sycamore tree.
"Meeko bring that back," Santana calls up at the mischievous raccoon. She stands up and prepares to climb the tree, knowing she will feel bad if Meeko breaks something that belongs to Brittany.
Brittany sees Santana make her way over to the tree and before Santana can begin to climb, Brittany interrupts. "No, no it's all right," she assures Santana. "He can keep it. Call it a gift," she calls up to the raccoon, sarcasm dripping off her tongue. Brittany settles back on the soft ground underneath her and lies on her side, her head leaning on her left hand.
Happy her furry friends have found a way to distract themselves from interrupting her time with Brittany, Santana plops down next to Brittany's head. "What was that?" she curiously asks the blonde.
Feeling a little more bold than usual, Brittany repositions herself so her head now rests on Santana's lap. Blonde hair fans out over Santana's legs and Brittany revels in the feeling of Santana's skin against her head and neck. Closing her eyes, Brittany responds "My compass."
Usually Santana would immediately push someone away if they invaded her personal space like that. But like everything else she feels when looks at Brittany, something stops her from pushing Brittany's head out of her lap. "Compass?" she questions. She observes how peaceful Brittany looks with her head in Santana's lap and before she realizes what she's doing, Santana begins to run her fingers through Brittany's silky hair.
Softly humming in approval as Santana strokes her fingers through blonde hair, Brittany slowly begins to explain the compass. "It tells you how to find your way when you get lost." Still sitting in the security of the tree limb, Meeko begins to hit the compass against the rough bark. Santana cringes at the sound, still worried that Brittany will change her mind about being ok with Meeko taking her compass. Brittany can feel Santana's leg muscles stiffen when she cringes so Brittany removes her left hand from where it was resting on her stomach, and gently places it on Santana's thigh. "It's all right, I'll get another one in London," Brittany says, hoping she isn't overstepping any boundaries with her hand on Santana's thigh.
Thankful that Brittany's eyes are still closed, Santana feels her face flush when she feels Brittany's cool hand touch her skin. She knows Brittany is trying to reassure her that she isn't mad about her compass but Santana just can't help but wonder 'How can so simple a gesture feel so intimate?' Maybe that almost kiss is affecting her more than she realized. Not wanting the conversation to end, Santana asks, "London? Is that your village?"
Laughing, Brittany replies "Yes, it's a very big village."
"What's it like?" Santana asks, honestly wanting to know where Brittany came from.
Brittany's eyes pop open at the thought of London and she immediately sits up and turns to face Santana. Santana stays cross-legged and Brittany mimics her position. Brittany animatedly begins to tell Santana about London and moves her hands around excitedly as she talks. "Well, it's got streets filled with carriages and bridges over the rivers and buildings as tall as trees." Santana smiles widely when she sees how excited Brittany is. Caught up in the wonderful stories Brittany is telling her, Santana can't help but want to see where it is that Brittany came from. "I'd like to see those things," Santana wistfully says.
"You will," Brittany says with a nod of her head.
Curious as to how she could ever see such buildings and roads, Santana asks "how?"
"We're going to build them here. We'll show your people how to use this land properly. How to make the most of it," Brittany says with a smile.
The smile that is gracing Santana's plump lips falters and her brow furrows. "Make the most of it?" she asks, wondering if she is just taking Brittany's comments the wrong way.
Noticing Santana's sudden change, Brittany worries that she has said something wrong. She tries again with "Yes, we'll build roads and decent houses and—"
Now Santana knows she wasn't taking Brittany's comments the wrong way and is insulted. "Our houses are fine," she says, anger starting to take over her thoughts.
Brittany doesn't understand what it is that she has said to make Santana so upset. "You think that only because you don't know any better," she tries to reason. Santana's eyes narrow into slits and she pushes herself up to her feet and turns to go back to her canoe. From behind her she can hear Brittany, "Wait a minute, don't take it—"Flit, as usual, appears out of nowhere and begins to peck at Brittany's hair and face. "Hey, hey, wait! Wait!" she calls out to Santana and grabs her by the wrist when Brittany catches up with her. Santana turns around when she feels Brittany grab her and prepares to fight her way out of Brittany's grasp. But Santana immediately stops struggling when she meets Brittany's eyes, desperately pleading with her to listen. "There's so much we can teach you," Brittany says when she has Santana's attention. "We've improved the lives of savages all over the world." The moment the word left her mouth, she knew she had said something wrong and her eyes widen with regret.
"Savages?" Santana half screams and half cries. She can feel her heart breaking as she realizes what Brittany thinks of her kind. Santana rips her wrist out of Brittany's grasp and makes her way into her canoe. She has just started to paddle when Brittany runs out in front of the canoe.
Brittany knows she has said something wrong and can't bear knowing she has upset Santana. Finally halting Santana's canoe, Brittany furiously shakes her head and tries to reason with her. "Not that you're a savage," she says.
Still hurt by Brittany's words, Santana sarcastically responds, "Just my people."
Brittany is fighting to keep the canoe from moving as Santana tries to paddle. "No, listen, that's not what I meant. Let me explain—"she tries.
Not wanting Brittany see how upset being called a savage made her, Santana uses the paddle to splash water into Brittany's face and yells, "Let go!"
Looking Santana in the eye with an unwavering gaze, Brittany fiercely whispers "No, I won't let you go." Staring into the clear waters of Brittany's eyes, Santana can see something in her eyes as she says this. "Please don't do this. Don't leave," Brittany pleads with Santana. "'Savage' is just a word. You know? A term for…people who um…people who are uncivilized," Brittany looks in Santana's almond eyes and silently pleads for Santana to understand what she is trying to say.
"Like me," Santana says. She wants to believe that Brittany isn't trying to upset her or insult her but she just can't let go the thought that Brittany looks down at her because of where she comes from.
Still holding onto the front of the canoe with her right hand, Brittany treads through the shallow water and stands next to where Santana is sitting. Placing her left hand cautiously on Santana's arm, she racks her brain for anything she can say to make Santana understand. "No. when, when I say uncivilized, what I mean is…is…"
"What you mean is, not like you," Santana interrupts when she sees Brittany struggling for words. Santana gracefully climbs out of her canoe and pulls it back onto the riverbank. The sun is beginning to set and the water flowing through the river is beginning to cool down. Brittany walks beside her as Santana makes her way to where Brittany's helmet and musket sit; the purples and oranges of the approaching sunset reflecting off the metal. Santana takes Brittany's hands in her own and pulls Brittany to sit with her on a low-hanging tree branch, and prepares to tell Brittany of an old rhyme her elders created when referring to the dangerous White Men invading other tribes. "Listen carefully Brittany," Santana says, still holding Brittany's hands. When Brittany nods Santana gives her a reassuring smile and begins:
You think I'm an ignorant savage
And you've been so many places; I guess it must be so
But still I cannot see
If the savage one is me
Santana takes this moment to break her gaze away from Brittany's and indicates to the musket lying on the ground a few feet away from them.
How can there be so much that you don't know?
Brittany looks down ashamedly at her feet, but looks back up when she feels Santana squeeze her hands.
You don't know
Santana gives Brittany a small smile.
You think you own whatever land you land on
The earth is just a dead thing you can claim
But I know every rock and tree and creature
Has a life, has a spirit, has a name
You think the only people who are people
Are the people who look and think like you
Santana looks down at the stark contrast of skin tones of their intertwined hands
But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger
Santana hops down off the branch and pulls Brittany with her as they begin walking into an untamed section of the forest.
You'll learn things you never knew you never knew
Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue-corn moon?
The sun has set and the girls look up at the twinkling stars above them.
Or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned?
Santana looks over at Brittany and gives her a silly Cheshire cat grin.
Can you sing with all the voices of the mountain?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?
Come run the hidden pine trails of the forest
Santana begins to run through one of the many trails made by her tribe, a smiling Brittany at her side.
Come taste the sun-sweet berries of the earth
Come roll in all the riches all around you
And for once, never wonder what they're worth
The rainstorm and the river are my brothers
The heron and the otter are my friends
And we are all connected to each other
In a circle, in a hoop that never ends
How high does the sycamore grow?
If you cut it down, then you'll never know
And you'll never hear the wolf cry to the blue-corn moon
For whether we are white or copper-skinned
With one hand still intertwined with Santana's, Brittany lifts her other hand and gently presses it to the sun-kissed skin of Santana's cheek. Santana leans into the delicate touch and feels a shiver run up her spine when Brittany's thumb begins to stroke her caramel skin.
We need to sing with all the voices of the mountain
We need to paint with all the colors of the wind
You can own the earth and still
All you'll own is earth until
You can paint with all the colors of the wind
The two women once again find themselves only separated by a hair's width. Their noses brush and both smile at the anticipation of finally kissing. Santana feels her eyelids flutter shut and waits. Brittany watches as Santana closes her eyes and taking one final breath, presses her lips forward. When Santana feels Brittany's smooth lips touch hers, her legs practically give out. Brittany has her arms wrapped around Santana's thin waist and pulls her tighter to her body. They break apart, barely, and open their eyes; chocolate mixing with cerulean. They both smile and Brittany playfully nudges Santana's nose with her own before leaning in to recapture Santana's intoxicating lips. The kiss is gentle and both girls wish for it to deepen, but before it can Santana suddenly pulls away.
Brittany begrudgingly opens her eyes when she feels Santana pull away and furrow her brow in confusion. Santana is looking nervously over Brittany's shoulder and looks as though she isn't even breathing. "What is it?" Brittany carefully asks a very disturbed looking Santana.
"The drums," Santana shakily answers. "They mean trouble," she says when she finally meets Brittany's gaze. Brittany looks at Santana with concern and confusion when Santana pushes herself out of Brittany's grasp. "I shouldn't be here," Santana says, barely above a whisper, as her gaze keeps shifting from the forest back to Brittany. Finally, Santana takes a few steps away from Brittany and swiftly turns to head back to her canoe.
Brittany takes a step forward to try and close the uncomfortable distance between her and Santana. Brittany reaches out and gently takes Santana's arm. "I want to see you again," Brittany says, trying to stop Santana from leaving.
Shaking her head, Santana can feel the tears stinging at the back of her eyes. She doesn't want to leave Brittany, but she knows she must get back to her tribe. "I can't," the whispers as she finally pulls her arm out of Brittany's grasp.
Brittany can feel her heart breaking as Santana moves farther and farther away from her and Brittany calls out once more. "Please, don't leave," she says her eyes pleading with Santana.
Santana must make a decision. She takes a step closer to Brittany, but stops and shivers when a gust of wind blows past her. Wrapping her arms tightly around her body, Santana looks into Brittany's eyes one last time and backs away as she says, "I'm sorry. I have to go."
Before Brittany can even blink, Santana has disappeared into the night. Tears begin to fall from her cloudy blue eyes and streak down her cheek. Brittany feels her heart shattering as she stands alone under a sycamore tree in the dead of night.
I'm really not happy with this chapter but I wanted to have something posted today. I know the Colors of the Wind part is really cheesy but I felt like the song itself is really important to the story as a whole so I kept it. Please don't hate me for the horrible cheesiness of it.