Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the Glee characters.
AN: This chapter takes place the summer before junior year. Quinn shows up, and I try and explain Santana's second voice a bit more.
Chapter Three: Helping Hands
|x|x|x|x||x|x|x|x|
Brittany sat on the edge of her bed. The two duffel bags, filled with a month worth of clothes rested on the carpet by her open door. She should have been more excited. It was a month of no parents, no rules, dancing, and Santana would be right there with her.
Cheer camp.
Brittany couldn't think of what was so cheery about it. Her mother told her it was a gateway into the cool kid zone. Her father told her that it was an opportunity to experience life.
Brittany strained to hear any sound from her empty house. Her dad was at work and her mom had left the night before. A ball formed in her throat from just thinking about it. The sight of the boxes sitting in the hallway caused tears to swell in her blue eyes.
She felt her nails dig into her bare knees as she broke, letting the water slide down her face. The phone next to her went unanswered as it vibrated and chimed. It wasn't long until she felt a familiar warmth settling in her chest. The connection, the feeling that she wasn't alone while everything she knew was being ripped apart, relaxed her heavy breathes.
"Britt? Are you-"
Brittany looked up at her friend with watery eyes.
"Brittany." Santana kneeled in front of her, unsure of what to do for the girl.
"They left and now they're making me leave too."
"You're supposed to have fun at cheer camp." Santana's hands dropped onto Brittany's, stopping them from clawing into her pale knees.
"How?"
The muffled voice that Santana carried with her further quieted her tears. Over the years Brittany learned to accept the voice for what it was. Another part of Santana, a part of her friend that made her feel like the only person in the world that mattered.
"Let me worry about that."
Santana's confident smile was infectious, and despite how bad everything seemed it made her feel a little bit better. Like Brittany still had hope that the future wouldn't suck.
Brittany nodded and let Santana help her up off the bed. Shooting up off the bed, Brittany couldn't help but hug the smaller girl in front of her.
"Thanks Santana."
The girl awkwardly returned the hug after a moment. Santana always seemed shy to be affectionate with her. Which was weird because any time that Brittany did little things like a hug or kiss her cheek, she would feel a flare inside her. It only took her a little while to figure that it was that other part of Santana reacting.
Brittany didn't have the whole concept down yet, but she was learning. Sometimes Santana would say one thing, but then her other voice wouldn't agree. Those were the worst. It sounded like guitar feedback sometimes. And the situations had becoming more and more recent.
So whenever she could, Brittany would give Santana a quick hug just to feel at ease again with her friend and whatever ghost thing was following her. Whatever it was that Santana had, Brittany noticed that only Santana had a second voice, the warm feeling it gave it was tripled when they touched.
"This all your stuff?" Santana pushed Brittany away and had the two duffel bags in her hands. The flare waned, but its soft pulse stayed with Brittany.
One of the bags was much heavier than the other. So much so that it had Santana off balance. "Let me get that one."
"Alright let's go, mama's waiting."
Santana took the lead out of the Pierce home. The walk down her hallway and out the front door seemed nine times longer and made Brittany want to start crying again. Santana reached back and grabbed Brittany's hand, and it was enough to keep the tears at bay.
At the door Santana handed Brittany the keys lying on a note sitting on the small table.
Brittany took the keys and glanced down at the scratched out words her father left her.
BB,
You know your mom and I love you very much. You grew into such a smart, strong, young lady. We're so proud of you. That's why we know you can handle this.
I know everything seems bad, but I know you'll find a light to guide you through.
Love ya baby girl,
Dad
PS, don't forget to lock the door.
"Come on Britts." Santana had the door open, the heat of the summer rolling inside.
Brittany locked the door and followed Santana to the silver Lexus waiting in the driveway. The trunk to the car popped open. Brittany sat her bags next to Santana's in the trunk. The window rolled down and Santana's mother told them to get a move on it.
Brittany climbed into the open door Santana held for her. Once they both were buckled in the back seat, Mrs. Lopez started backing out of the drive way.
"Brittany dear, you have everything right?" The car was already moving down the street, and it made Brittany smile for some reason.
"You two excited?"
"Yeah, mama…" Santana tried to hush her mother.
"Right, I'm just the chauffeur."
Brittany giggled, but the sound died in her throat. Remembering the reason she was being sent away to cheer camp.
A swirl in her stomach caused her to look over to Santana who was digging through her purse. She glanced up to her mother, seeing that the older Lopez was thoroughly distracted with the road, Santana slid into the middle seat with an ipod in her hands.
"I made you a play list."
Brittany let Santana place the tiny speaker in her ear, brushing a lock of hair away. It was a whisper, so that only Brittany could hear her words, "So you don't think about bad stuff."
Brittany gave the girl a weak smile. She didn't know where to file your parents are getting divorced and they sent you to cheer camp to move all of your mom's stuff out of the house, but she supposed that bad stuff worked.
The first song started and Brittany recognized it as one of her favorites. Santana's right pinky finger found her left, and that's how they stayed for the entire two hour ride.
|x|x|x|x||x|x|x|x|
Apparently cheerleading in Lima, Ohio was a big freaking deal.
Like movie big.
As soon as Mrs. Lopez dumped them off at camp they were wrangled into ranks by a freakishly tall woman in a red track suit, who was flanked by two teens dressed in uniforms. Behind her stood a shrunken older woman also sporting a track suit, but looking a lot less intimidating.
"That way mini J-Lo." Santana was shoved into a group of girls that all kinda looked alike. They were all short and had dark hair and skin.
The normally secure feeling that Brittany associated with Santana and her other voice was replaced by blind panic. It was unsettling and Brittany couldn't see through the cluster of girls to make sure Santana wasn't actually freaking out.
"You hear me?" The tall lady was speaking directly to her, but Brittany couldn't focus. "I change my mind. Ditzy blondes, thataway!"
One of the cheerleaders by the crazy lady's side grabbed Brittany's wrist and shoved her into a small group of six girls.
Brittany was yards away from Santana. Far enough not to hear her voice, but close enough to feel that something was wrong.
"Hey, I'm Keyla." One of the girls next to her offered her hand, which was oddly enough covered in a mitten.
Brittany took the hand, not wanting to be rude. "I'm Brittany."
"So cool."
Brittany looked around again for Santana. She couldn't see her, but she did notice that some girls were being told to return home.
"What?" Brittany stopped her search again to talk to the girl.
"We're totally going to be best friends cause we'll both be Cheerios." Keyla was pawing her mittens through her short blonde hair.
"Attention maggots!" Brittany and the rest of her group of now ten whirled around to face the lady in the track suit standing on top of a platform shouting through a bullhorn.
"There will be a number of trials to see which one of you poor excuses for athletes are Junior Cheerio material!"
Keyla vibrated at Brittany's side. The girl was starting to give her the creeps.
"MUSH!" A dead silence fell over the field. Brittany could hear the woman growl from atop her perch. "The bunk houses are the finish line. Run!"
Stomping feet began to stir up dirt. Brittany stood still for a moment, hoping to find Santana, but the crazy girl next to her shoved her and Brittany decided that being as far from Keyla as possible was the best choice for now.
There was a mass of girls in front of her, but as Brittany pushed her way through she caught the glimpse of shiny raven hair that could only belong to Santana. She may or may have not pushed a girl or two to the ground.
Santana was out front, a short blonde girl next to her.
"Santana!" Brittany shouted, her lungs were burning from running but she had to get to Santana.
Santana looked over her shoulder, and smiled. "Come on!" She reached a hand out backwards towards Brittany, urging her forward.
Once their hands locked together Brittany started to slow. "No, we gotta be first Britt!"
Brittany didn't understand why, but there was something in Santana's eyes that made her want to run faster.
They hurried across the field as fast as their legs could take them, there joined hands swinging between them. Reaching the bunk houses there were girls in uniforms waiting. They weren't the first to finish. Santana was fourth to Brittany's fifth, the blonde girl that had kept pace with them stole third from Santana.
The teen in the red cheerleading uniform pushed the sixth girl to finish next to them, and then ushered them to a bunk house.
"Wait here, Coach Sylvester and Rider will be here in a minute. You're all group one." The dark skinned girl quickly moved away.
"What does group one mean?" Brittany questioned to Santana.
The blonde girl who finished third stared at their linked hands, "It means we win I guess."
Brittany felt Santana's grip loosen and her fingers slide away.
Before Brittany could ask any more questions a red golf cart swooped in carrying the two women with track suits and the two cheerleaders from before.
"Ah, my champions." The tall blonde woman ripped her mirrored aviators from her face. "Being the coach of the high school squad I normally don't speak to junior Cheerios, but I do have to sow my seeds early to reap a bountiful harvest later."
Brittany's mouth dropped open. Was the woman talking to them? The way she was staring at them made her feel uncomfortable, and from the feeling in her chest so did Santana.
The tall woman stalked closer. "Who came in first?"
A tall, thin, meek looking girl raised her hand. "Nope. I can smell your urine from here."
The older woman stepped around the golf cart. "Sue I can pick my own captain."
"I severely doubt that. What happened last year?"
The blonde girl standing next to Santana took a step forward. "While the Cheerios claimed another National Title, the Junior Cheerios lost at regionals."
Brittany saw the tall woman stiffen and turn on her heels glaring at the blonde girl next to Santana, causing Santana to grab Brittany's arm.
"And who are you?"
"Lu-Quinn. Quinn Fabray."
The woman, Sue, pointed down at Quinn. "Julie this is your captain."
"Alright fine, you done?"
"I will be once I terrify a few more girls." With that the woman climbed back into the golf cart and sped away, the two cheerleaders almost missing their ride.
"Ok girls, I'm Coach Rider. That was Coach Sylvester." The older woman regarded Quinn for a moment. "But it seems some of you are already acquainted."
Brittany watched the blonde girl shuffle her feet in the dirt.
"The six of you are in bunk house one. Go grab your things and put them away. Then go into the mess hall."
Quinn was the first to start off, adding a quick "come on girls".
Brittany frowned, but it disappeared with the touch of Santana's hand in hers. Santana was following after the blonde girl, their captain apparently, even though the voice was giving her the feeling that Santana didn't really want to.
|x|x|x|x||x|x|x|x|
The Junior Cheerio summer camp wasn't anything like a movie, unless it aired on the History Channel and was a scary boring documentary about Cambodian death camps.
Brittany had been able to take the overly physical trials Coach Rider placed on them. Santana had been doing well too, in fact, everybody in her bunk house, Quinn, Jessica, Amber, and Tara, were placing at the top of every one of Sue's Trials.
But it wasn't the physical exhaustion that made Brittany feel like she was about to step into a gas chamber. No. It was that at the end of the day, as she laid her head on the lumpy pillow and Santana climbed into the bed above hers, that Brittany lost her distractions.
During the hours that the moon would swim through the clouds, Brittany couldn't focus on burning in her legs. She couldn't follow Santana and Quinn around the mess hall. She couldn't talk to anyone. All Brittany could do at night was think.
Think about her home, and how it was being destroyed. Every minute spent laughing, another box had moved out.
Brittany opened her eyes, straining to keep from crying as she had been the past two weeks.
There wasn't much light filtering through the windows of the small bunk house. Everything was cloaked shadows. Brittany could feel that Santana was asleep lying above her in the bunk bed. Soft snores, one rather loud coming from Quinn's blonde head, were Brittany's clues that the rest of the girls were all asleep. She could chance a few quiet sobs without someone thinking she was a big baby.
Brittany felt a hiccupping sob pop from her throat. She bit her hand to keep quiet. Only Santana knew what was going on, and the girl had been doing her best not to bring it up. To keep all the conversations clear of family.
A second cry bounced off the walls of the bunk house. What kind of family did she even have now? A dad and a mom that lived somewhere else?
Brittany rolled on her side, facing the wall and let her thoughts race through what kind of man her mom would choose to live with.
The bed dipping behind her startled her. She spun around, finding Santana's bed tussled hair sitting on the side of her bed. Normally Brittany would have been able to tell, would have felt, that Santana was awake. She wiped her tears from her cheek and blamed them.
"What's wrong Britt?" She whispered as to not wake up anyone else.
"A bad dream I guess."
"What was it? You know the monsters are only in your head." Santana had a small smile, normally it would have fixed everything. But these monsters were real.
"Never mind. I'm fine, go back to sleep San." Brittany rolled back to face the wall, hoping that Santana would take the hint and leave her to cry in peace.
When the weight on the bed shifted Brittany thought Santana was climbing back up to her bed. When a single arm draped over her waist, Brittany rolled to face the girl who was getting more comfortable on their shared pillow.
"Sant-"
Santana silenced Brittany with a single finger gently pressed to her lips.
"Britt. I know you're sad." The finger drifted away to settle between the two girls. "I would be to. But you can't change it. You have to stop thinking about it."
Brittany frowned. She was just supposed to take it lying down? Let her family be ripped apart more than it already was?
"I can't Santana. It's all I have to think about."
Santana pouted and wrapped her arms around Brittany in a hug. Brittany felt fresh tears trail down the side of her nose and onto Santana's arm. Brittany squeezed Santana like a life sized teddy bear. The combination of Santana's warm skin and her second voice soothing her, lifted Brittany's spirits high enough to stop crying.
Brittany was so focused on the murmurs of Santana's second voice, that she didn't catch what the girl was saying into her neck.
"I said." Santana pulled back, staying close enough for Brittany eyes to cross. "Just think about me."
Brittany felt the need to question, but Santana shook her head.
"I'm your best friend. It's my job to make you happy, right?" She paused, so Brittany nodded for her to continue.
"So just think about me…" Brittany watched Santana as the girl spoke. The girl's eyes traced over Brittany's face, resting on her lips and flicking back up to Brittany's blue ones. "And you'll be thinking happy thoughts."
Brittany felt like she couldn't catch her breath. She couldn't tell if it was because Santana was so close, or the normal warmth that accompanied the girl in Brittany's chest felt like a twenty pound brick.
"Just think about you…"
Whatever was causing her lungs to deflate was defiantly tied to the tiny smirk that Santana had sported.
Santana surely did make her feel happy. Like the happiest person in the world. Especially now, all things considered. Brittany wasn't really thinking anything past the twinkle in Santana's brown eyes. So when Santana leaned forward and pressed her lips against Brittany, she didn't know how to respond. Out of shock she froze and waited for Santana.
Santana's soft touch was gone in the same instant.
Brittany looked down to the girl in her arms, clearly on the verge of panic. Santana struggled to back out of Brittany's hold.
"Britt I'm sorry. I… You just-"
Santana stammered. The other voice didn't sound as apologetic. Honestly Brittany didn't mind the kiss so much. If Brittany had any idea of how to settle the tension, she was going to side with the voice and not Santana's panicked words.
Tightening her hold on Santana, Brittany captured the girl's lips with her own. She felt Santana melt against her for a second, and then push her gently away.
"No, Britt we're-"
Brittany raised her hand to cup Santana's warm cheek. "I thought you said you'd make me happy."
"I will, just not… Like this."
Brittany could hear the competing arguments, and she wondered if Santana could hear her other voice too. Santana's words were really lacking conviction, so Brittany decided to venture further, kissing the corner of Santana's mouth.
"Do you not like this?" Brittany asked against Santana's skin, not giving her time to respond, Brittany kissed the girl's full bottom lip.
Brittany had watched plenty of movies. She's even kissed a few boys at parties on a dare. But nothing like this. She had no idea of what she was doing, but Santana seemed to be enjoying it. Santana's hands were clenching on her shoulders, until they came to rest on Brittany's neck under her ears. She felt Santana's tongue flick over her lip, causing her to gasp twice. Once from the feeling and a second from Santana pushing forward and sliding her tongue over Brittany's own.
Santana shifted closer against Brittany, pressing her chest into Brittany's. Brittany head swam, even more dizzy now. The tingle Brittany had felt when they would hold hands had escalated into an electric current. It sparked through Santana's mouth and into her own.
In her ears Brittany heard Santana making little whimpers. Sounds that Brittany immediately wanted to hear again. Brittany had never felt this need before, but she was willing to do almost anything to make Santana shiver in her arms.
A loud animal like snore sprang them apart. Brittany strained her eyes in the shadows to see if any of the other girls were awake.
"Shit…"
Brittany watched Santana roll off the side of the bed.
"Where are you going?"
Santana quirked her eyebrows, and pointed to the bunk bed over Brittany's.
"Will…" Brittany realized that continuing kissing was probably not the best of ideas. Quinn's snore was evidence enough. "Will you sleep with me?"
Santana shuffled her feet, clearly at odds with herself. One side Brittany could hear quiet clear, and it was adamant that Santana get in bed with her. The other side, whatever was going on in Santana's head, she wasn't privy too.
"I just don't want to be alone San."
Santana sighed and moved back beside Brittany in bed, this time under the thin sheets with her. "Happy now?"
"Will you hold me?" Brittany knew she was pushing, but so far pushing had been getting her really awesome things. Like kissing Santana, which was probably the most awesome thing she'd done at camp.
Santana rolled her eyes and nodded.
They'd been in similar positions. Sleepovers usually meant falling asleep on the couch with Santana pressed against Brittany's back. Now after Brittany had a growth spurt, Santana felt more like a tiny monkey clinging on her back. But after years of sleeping together, Brittany was used to the positions. That, and Brittany never felt more comfortable than she did with Santana holding her.
Though what did kissing change?
Brittany didn't know the answer. She figured that Santana didn't know either. From the way Santana's second voice reacted, everything seemed fine, if not better.
Just as that passed through Brittany's mind, she remembered her family. Her mother and father, and how nothing could be fine. Santana shifted against her back. Brittany could feel Santana's nose pressing on her neck and a deep breath.
"Nighty Britt."
"Night San."
Brittany would just have to trust Santana.
|x|x|x|x||x|x|x|x|
Brittany opened her eyes to a purple sky, low clouds blotting out the sun. She was lying in a shallow, cool pool of water, and as she stood up she felt like she was falling off a cliff. Once her head steadied, Brittany took in her surroundings.
The air was heavy, thick almost, and Brittany decided that it was the fog's affect. There was a large ornate door standing at the far side of the pool. Between herself and the door was a ashy dead tree. Other than those two things nothing was around her.
Brittany started towards the door. The water splashed around her feet, but she couldn't feel her pants getting wet. Looking upward at the dark tree's branches, Brittany could see that it wasn't dead. The massive branches reached out into smaller ones with tiny green budding leaves.
"Don't worry, it will bloom soon enough."
Brittany snapped her head down to a man, short stature with long dark hair, leaning against the trunk of the tree.
"Where did you come from?" Brittany hadn't seen him before, she figured she was alone.
"I followed you here." The man pushed off of the tree and moved towards her, his feet hovering over the water.
"I don't understand." Brittany stepped backwards from the man. She felt a strange pull to the man. It was a similar feeling when Santana would come near her, but this was definitely not Santana.
"We're always together."
"I don't know who you are!" Brittany turned to run.
The door was a good distance away, but she had to get away from this man. Her second step failed her, falling face first into the pool. The water splashing around her but rolled off her like sand. Brittany tried to push herself up, but she fumbled once more.
Two hands, too small to be the man's, grasped her shoulders and helped her up. Santana was standing before her now. The man seemingly disappeared.
"Santana! We have to get out of here, there's a creepy dude hanging around."
"Enna, you're safe."
"Who? What are you talking about?" Santana released her hold on Brittany and walked back to the tree.
"That was your name, when I first found you." Santana sat at the base of the tree where the man had been standing before.
"Santana you're not making any sense."
"I've never witnessed a soul and mind converging as they have in your body."
"Santana, please you're scaring me."
Santana stood, as she did her body glowed and morphed into another body. Brittany's mouth hung open as she watched her friend change into an old woman with pale skin and red hair.
"Do you not recognize my older forms?"
Brittany shook her head, she wasn't sure of what was standing before her, but she did know that she had no idea what was going on.
"I suppose you're not completely connected then. Perhaps with time…"
The old woman changed back into Santana. Brittany took another step back, closer to the door. She had to get away from this thing.
"Don't be frightened." Santana came closer. "What is your name?"
"Brit-Brittany."
"And I am Santana now?"
"You've always been Santana."
Santana's eyes shone with a smile playing on her lips. "I suppose to Brittany I have. To Enna I was Ronan. I didn't know our names would have changed. It's interesting though."
"I don't know what you're talking about. Did you steal Santana's body?"
"No." Brittany watched the girl circle around her, as if for the first time. "More so Santana's body stole me."
Brittany narrowed her eyes at the body snatcher. How dare they insult Santana, when she wasn't even here.
"Santana's a good person. She wouldn't do that." Brittany grabbed the girl's shoulder to stop her from circling her.
As soon as Brittany's finger tips landed on the girl's skin she felt it. It was the same feeling she had with Santana. The same electric pulse she felt while kissing Santana that left a lingering tingle. Brittany pulled back her hand, staring down confusedly.
"You always seek the truth. At least that has yet to change."
"Please tell me what's going on. Where's Santana?"
"I'm not sure I should. But I can not deny you." The girl was glowing again, this time changing into a ball of flickering red light.
"I do not know the word for what I am. But I live within your Santana, as I have the others."
"You're a light?"
"If that makes sense to you, then yes. I am however incomplete."
"Do you need to find your missing piece?" Brittany reached out to brush through the glimmering light. Was this going to be a quest, like she had read about in books?
"No, I have already found it. It is in you. The light inside you completes me as I complete it. For that reason we have traveled with each other for all time. We separate, but we always find our way back."
Brittany thought that maybe light was the wrong word. It seemed too weak for what was before her. "Wait. Are you Santana's soul?"
"I have lived in many bodies. Your Santana is my most recent; I do not know the names of the others. There have been so many."
Brittany nodded and touched the light again, feeling the familiar warmth that accompanied Santana. Then it all came together for her.
"Are you Santana's second voice?"
"I'm not sure what you mean."
Brittany smirked. At least she wasn't the only one confused here. "I think you are."
Brittany had no idea what she was supposed to do with this information. All these years she had been hearing Santana's soul calling out. What would Santana say to her now? Brittany frowned, she'd probably call her crazy and disown her.
"May I ask why your Santana refuses me?"
"What do you want?"
"To be with you."
Brittany startled awake from sudden movement and the voices of her bunk mates.
"It's not weird!" Santana was standing beside their shared bed shouting at Tara.
"You don't see anyone else sleeping together." Tara hopped down from her bunk bed and onto the wood flooring of the cabin.
Brittany climbed out of bed, ready to stand beside Santana for whatever fight was going down.
Before Santana had a chance to scream again, Quinn joined in to their defense. "Just because you don't have any friends doesn't mean we all don't."
"And do you spoon with all your friends Quinn?"
Brittany bit her lip. So apparently everyone woke up and found Santana curled around her. Santana was not going to be a happy camper today, considering she doesn't like to hug Brittany when other people can see.
"If the mood strikes me, then yeah. Why? You jealous of Brittany?" Quinn stood at the door, ending her argument with Tara. "Let's get breakfast."
Santana hesitated, so Brittany grabbed her wrist and pulled her along to follow Quinn out of the cabin and to the mess hall.
Brittany's felt every twig and pebble as they walked in silence to the cafeteria. None of them remembered to put on shoes and for some reason it made Brittany smile. Since Brittany had met Quinn she thought that she was a prestigious snob, but apparently she had her nice days.
"Thanks Quinn."
"For what?"
"Yeah for what Brittany?" Santana uncrossed her arms to hold the door open for them.
"For sticking up for us."
Santana whispered in Brittany's ear. "Britt drop it."
"What's wrong with Quinn being our friend?"
Quinn turned around in line smiling at Santana. "Yeah why can't we be friends?"
"I didn't say that."
Brittany collected the two girls in her arms, squeezing them together in a hug. "See we're all friends now."
Santana and Quinn pushed her off of them with quiet laughter. They collected their food without much talk and sat at one of the tables. Brittany wondered if she should tell Santana about her dream, but the last time she tried to talk about Santana's second voice she looked at Brittany like she had two heads.
If Brittany tried to tell Santana that she could feel Santana's soul, Santana would probably never talk to her again. She'd have to wait for the right time.
Quinn dropped her spoon onto her tray. "So you guys seem pretty cool."
Brittany tilted her head. Of course she and Santana were cool.
"What are you getting at?"
Brittany watched Quinn smirk at them from across the table.
"I have this plan, but I'm gonna need your help."
"What is it?"
"How would you like to rule the school?"
Brittany grinned and looked at Santana, who had her own grin. Brittany knew that Quinn had something hidden in her sleeve, and was more than happy to help.
|x|x|x|x||x|x|x|x|
TBC
AN: Let me know about things and stuff. Next chapter is high school Brittana.