I've decided to double up some chapters to make quicken the progress of the story. For this reason the story with be updated on Sundays and Wednesdays; barring any complications from my schedule for work. This chapter written from Brittany's, Santana's and Lily's perspectives. There are flashbacks in this chapter that are unmarked in Brittany's section but separated from current events. Sorry for any confusion, but y'all are smart so I don't think you need to worry to much. Hope you enjoy!
Seven. No One
"When the rain is pouring down and my heart is hurting,
You will always be around, this I know for certain."
- No One, Alicia Keys.
The new week had slowly pressed on and once again it was Saturday. The interaction between Santana and I was minimal after I had brought Santana lunch that one afternoon. The genuine smile that had once graced her face had disappeared. She had swiftly left saying she needed to prepare for a surgery she had later that day as often as the excuse allowed, trying to avoid me.
Today I had spent ten straight minutes staring at the OR board after spending lunch with Santana like I do every Saturday. My attention focused on one slot in particular. Artie was on a ped's case and had a surgery with Santana. It wasn't the thought of Artie and Santana working together that bothered me. It was the fact that I learnt it from the OR board rather than Santana herself.
I must have looked like an idiot just standing there staring at the board not writing, not erasing, just staring. Eventually I left the hospital, only now returning to bring Santana home.
I am sitting down on the bench in front of her locker in the attending's locker room. My gaze is transfixed on the photos plastering her locker door, specifically one photo.
"See I told you I could prove you wrong." She says, giving me a goofy grin as I take a seat next to her on the gigantic beach towel.
"Prove what wrong?" I can't help but raise an eyebrow as she pulls her sunglasses down farther on her nose to reveal her brown eyes.
"That we'd be able to go to Spain, with or without a baby crying." I can help but chuckle as a look of realization crosses her face. I had wanted to visit Spain after seeing one of those travel shows all about the country.
"Well I guess you were right, unfortunately I don't get my sangria." I give her a classic puppy pout before bursting out into giggles.
"Well, we'll have to come back again. We have our whole life ahead of us. And then you have your sangria, you goof. Well we can get you some non-alcoholic sangria if you want." She says. I move closer to her on the towel, putting my arm behind her.
"Uh uh, I don't want non-alcoholic sangria." I answer as she leans back against my shoulder.
"Well what do you want then?" I take the sunglasses off her face so I can see every little detail of her face before I answer her.
I turn my head so that I'm looking her straight in the eye. "To spend the rest of my life with you with our baby crying in the background because they want you to sing them to sleep."
After that moment Santana had wiped out her camera I had given her for first birthday we were together.
"You ready to go?" Santana's voice echoes through the locker room as she pokes her head around the bank of locker's waiting for me to get up.
"I'm ready." I give her the best reassuring smile I can.
"Alright, let's go." She swiftly exits the locker room without another word.
I grab Santana's bag from her locker. As the door shuts behind her I look back at the photo of Santana and I from our trip to Spain. I pull the photo off the locker door, carefully folding it in half. I place my one piece of hope into my jacket pocket. Standing up, I shut her locker door behind me, fully knowing that I've got to hold on to this piece of hope for as long as I can because somehow I'll get my Santana, the love of my life, the perky and absolutely breathtaking person in this photograph back. I may not know when, or how for that matter, but I do know that some way I will get her back.
"Mami!" Lily suddenly rushes into the front porch and begins to almost drag Santana into the kitchen.
"Lils, what are you doing?" Santana looks back at me with a look of utter confusion and almost terror on her face.
I hastily follow them into the kitchen and am taken completely surprise. "Penny, what are you doing here?" I rush over and give my eldest niece a hug.
"Well," Penny gives me a classic Lopez smirk but is unable to say anything more as she is interrupted by Lily who is practically jumping up and down in excitement. I haven't seen her this excited since her sixteenth birthday.
"Are you serious? Mom, Mami, you're kidding me right?" Lily looks as if she's going to wet herself she's that excited like one of my kindergarteners.
"Yes, Lily, we're serious." I giggle as I reply, wrapping my arms around Santana's waist.
I can't help but chuckle; I could remember the look on Santana's face when her father had given her the same gift for her birthday, only a few details were different. The baby blue T-bird that Santana and I had decided to give to Lily for her 16th birthday had once been hers. She had received it as a gift from her father for getting into medical school and that day also happened to have been her birthday. When she got her she wasn't even close to being as in good shape. Over the next few years I had fixed it up so it was practically brand new; my previous experience with motocross had peaked my interest in cars and soon after I began university I became interested in cars.
"Now, don't ever make me regret giving you my car. This car was like my first child okay? No making out in the back seat, don't forget to check the oil," Her speech is cut of as Lily launches herself towards Santana.
"Always make sure you have an extra gas tank in the trunk, I know. Thank you so much." Lily gives her a kiss on the cheek before letting go and pulling me into a bone breaking, windpipe closing hug. "You two are the best parents ever!"
Santana looks over at me giving me a classic smile. "You're welcome sweetie."
"I was in my Algebra class finishing up some of my work and Mr. Jansen said we had a new student. And what do you know, I look up to find Penny standing there looking down at me." Lily finishes.
"That doesn't really explain what Penny is doing here sweetheart." I reply as Penny lets go and walks over towards Santana and gives her a hug.
"Dad got transferred to New York. Mom wanted a change of scenery, she was tired of the Midwest and wanted to live in the city again. She figured we were all old enough to be able to handle the city. Though I think Jonah's going to be more of a handful here." Penny says with a laugh.
"Is Aunt Reyna here?" I ask Nik who has just strolled into the kitchen to see what all the excitement was about.
"Uh, yeah. She, Penny, and Jude showed up about an hour ago. Lily made everyone lasagne, we were waiting for you two to get home until we started. We're all starving so you all hurry up, please?" Nik chuckles deeply before he gives me a small smirk before exiting the kitchen.
"Where's my little sister?" Reyna pops her head into the kitchen doorway and a genuine smile spreads across Santana's face for the first time since last Saturday afternoon. Reyna stands fully in the doorway as Santana runs over to her jumping into her open arms. "I've missed you little sis." Reyna pulls Santana into the best bear hug she could give her with her small stature. Over the years, Reyna became the big sister Santana had always wanted her to be.
"Right back at you." Santana laughs as Reyna lets go of her. "So where are David and my slightly rowdy nephew?"
"We put the Jonah in swimming lessons to try and help him make friends easier so they're over at the Y now. You'll see them the weekend I'm sure, Santana. But right now I'm starved so can we get some of that delicious lasagne your daughter made because the smell of it is almost enough to make me drool." Reyna chuckles.
"I think that you have a point. Lily, did you use Mom's lasagne recipe?" Santana turns around giving Lily a smirk. Apparently my lasagne was to die for but I didn't have a written recipe until about three years ago when Lily decided she was going to take the time to write out everything I was doing.
"Yes, Mami, I did. I'm just as hungry as Aunt Rey so can we just eat now, talk later?" Lily laughs.
"Sure, sweetie, let's get some of that delicious lasagne." Santana wraps her arm around Lily and Penny's shoulders and usher them into the dining room.
Reyna turns around to begin to enter the dining room. "Reyna," She puts one foot in front of the other. "Rey!" I hiss trying to grab her attention.
She does a complete one-eighty on her heels before stepping back into the room swiftly, "What's with the secrecy, Britt?" Reyna smirks as she leans back against the counter.
"I need to talk to you after supper," Her face changes, the smirk disappearing and being replaced with a look of seriousness. "It's about Santana."
"Hey Rey would you mind coming out to the garage there's been something I've been trying to fix on the old Charger and I'd like a hand if you don't mind." I knew that someday that my bond with Reyna over the both of us being grease monkeys (and gaming nerds) would useful for something other than actually fixing cars.
"Not a problem, Britt. I'll meet you in the garage after we clear up." Reyna gives me an assuring smile.
"You're a guest, well today you are at least, and therefore you're not doing any cleaning up around here. Go on out into the garage with Britt, we'll take care of the dishes right, Lina?" Santana says as she takes the plates from Reyna's hands.
"Right." Lina says. I don't even need to look at her to know there's a smile on her face. Lina never complained about helping with the dishes, it was definitely one of the things she never got from me. I was perfectly fine with doing the cooking but when it came to the dishes I had always left it to Santana and Lina had quickly joined that wagon growing up.
"Fine, you won't get any protest from me." Reyna chuckles as she receives a playful slap on the arm from Santana as she exits into the kitchen. "Lead the way, dork."
Use to my sister-in-law's nickname usage, I nod before quickly heading to the back door leading out to the garage in the back yard. I was hoping that this was going to work. I had become close with Reyna over the years; I can still remember our first trip to Ohio after meeting her.
I was thankful that Santana's bedroom had its own connecting bathroom. I had loved this amenity at home in New York; growing up my room didn't have such a luxury. I never was happy about that considering incidents such as my sister walking in on Santana and I having our occasional morning shower together around a month after we had become an official couple; there was an interesting had afterwards, I don't think I've ever seen Santana more embarrassed into front of my parents.
I had just gotten out of the shower and was still only wearing a towel as I walk out of Santana's en suite. "San, where can I find the hair dryer? I forget where you used to put it"
Santana rolls over in bed, running her fingers through her messy raven hair as she turns to look at me. "It's in the cabinet next to the sink, the one with,"
"The music thingy painted on it." I cut her off realizing what she was about to say. "Thank you." I finish with a smile as I turn around to go back into the bathroom.
"But you don't need." Santana calls out causing me to retreat.
"Why?" I walk over to the bed as Santana scoots over slightly making enough room for me to sit on the edge of the bed. I take a seat next to Santana, putting my hands on either side of her.
"You just don't need it, okay?" Her caramel cheeks begin to blush at her words as she sits up, her face coming less than two inches from mine.
"Come on, just tell me." I grin.
"You always dry hair so that you can you can control it, but I think it looks just a beautiful when you let it dry on it's own, it gives it this hot surfer girl type look, it" Santana begins to ramble causing her to blush more.
I lean in and place my lips on hers for a moment in order to get her to stop. "Didn't I ever tell you that I used to surf when I'd visit my grandparents in Florida? And that you're extremely adorable when you ramble?" I say as I pull away.
I give her a smirk before placing my lips on her once again. I can feel Santana's breathing begin to change as we're surprisingly interrupted.
"We're all going to the lake, are you two coming?" Reyna opens the door but doesn't look inside until now. "Jesus!"
Santana quickly pulls away from me, a look of horror crosses her face. "Reyna!" As she attempts to get out of bed to what I'm assuming is kick her older sister's ass she managed to push me off the bed. As I fall I hold onto my towel for dear life, praying I don't flash my sister-in-law.
"Sorry!" and the slam of Santana's bedroom door is all I hear before Santana continues to follow her sister out of her room yelling as she goes. "Reyna Eleanor Lopez Harrison! You're going to pay! Didn't Abuela teach you your manners, because she sure as hell taught me?"
As I pull myself up off the floor I can't help but chuckle. I loved it when she got mad, well at least when she wasn't being mad at me. There was just something about her tone when she yelled that I couldn't help but love. But something tells me that Santana's sister definitely did not agree with me on that point.
"This isn't about the ole' Charger here, is it?" Reyna says as she leans back against the old 1974 Dodge Charger I was currently working on.
"No, this has nothing to do this the car at all." I say taking a seat on a stool leaning back against the work bench. "This is about Santana. I need your advice, Rey."
"Fire away, Britt." She gives me a reassuring smile.
"Okay, you know how excited she got when she saw you?" I pause as Reyna nods in reply. "That is the longest consecutive amount of time she's been genuinely smiling, genuinely happy, since we've been home."
Reyna's smile dissipates. "She's changing isn't she? She's becoming the person she was after Abuela died isn't she?"
At her words tears are starting to form in my eyes. I hang my head slightly and nod. "She's not Santana anymore, I all have now are a few rare moments where she's happy and they only last for about thirty seconds and then she's gone. She's moody, irrational, and quiet. And that's only in front of me. In front of the kids and at work she's different. It's like she's trying to be her but failing miserably. She may be doing it to hide what she's feeling from the kids but they notice." The tears are now streaming down my face. I quickly bring my hand to my face wiping away the tears. "They look at me as if to ask what is wrong with her and I can't answer them. I, I can't." No matter how much I try and resist I begin to break down in front of my sister-in-law.
"Britt, it's okay." Reyna walks across the garage pulling me into a sisterly hug. "It'll work out."
As I pull away I protest. "No, Rey it's not going to work out. It's getting worse, every day it's getting worse. My ex, the only real ex I ever had, is now living in New York. We're becoming good friends again. Santana and I agreed that we'd all be friends. You know him, Dr. Abrams, Artie. Ever since he's come back Santana's starting to avoid me. I don't know what to do Reyna. I don't know what to do. I need you to tell me what to do."
Reyna places her hands on my shoulders, steadying me. "What is the first thing that you taught Santana; the first thing that changed your relationship?"
"It was, wait, that's definitely not what you're talking about." I chuckle before sniffling.
"That's my sister you're talking about there, Brittany." Reyna makes a face of half disgust half amusement. "So what was it? And it's not what you were just thinking about."
"To talk to me, to not hold things in until they explode like opening a bottle of shaken soda." I can't help my smile, chuckling to myself.
"There you go. So talk to her, Britt. It's the only way to fix this, and deep down you know that. You need to stop being afraid and just talk to her." Reyna gives me a look of reassurance. "Now, stop looking like you were just crying and talk to her. Bring her up stairs and leave the kids to me, I'll keep them downstairs."
"Thank Rey, I honestly don't know what I'd do if Santana and I didn't have you." I chuckle.
"Glad to hear it. Now go talk some sense into that little sister of mine." She chuckles as she gives me a pat on the back as she turns to leave. As she opens the garage door he turns around. "Britt?"
"Yeah, Reyna?"
"I'm glad she found you. You're exactly the type of person she needs. So thanks for being there for her." Reyna proceeds to head back to the house.
As the door shuts I can help but smile, "I'm glad she found me too, Rey."
"Hey Britt, David just called and his car broke down so I won't be able to help you with the carburetor after all." My sister says to Brittany as she enters the living room.
I can't help but notice that Reyna walks closer to her as she enters the room, as if she's trying to hide herself from me. I see her lips begin to move but her words are too quiet for me to hear, I catch bits and pieces. "Just think tonight, think about what you want to tell her." and "Talk to her tomorrow, just don't go to bed angry."
My sister's words cause acid to churn in my stomach, the bile rise in my throat. My heart rate begins to quicken, my hands begin to become clammy.
"Thank for having us, little sis. I'm sure we'll see each again soon enough." Reyna quickly makes her way over to me pulling me into a quick hug. "Come on Penny, Jude, let's go get your father and brother before they start to panic." Reyna chuckles her classic hearty laugh before beginning to usher Penny and Jude out of the living room.
"I'll see you in school tomorrow." Penny says lively; she's clearly excited that she get to see her couin more often. Jude simply nods with a small smile before following his mother and sister.
As soon as they leave the room the fake smile I was wearing disappears from my face. The kids have followed Reyna out of the room so I don't need to put of my "smiley, cheery" façade.
Brittany gives me a small smile. "So how was your surgery on Benjamin today go?" She walks over to the couch taking a seat, patting the spot next to her.
I hate what I've done to her, I hate what we have become; I hate what I've done.
I hesitate before taking a seat next to Brittany. She props her feet up on the ottoman, wrapping her arm around my shoulder. I hesitate before leaning against her. "The surgery went well, there was a bit of bleeding but I got it under control no problem."
I can tell that she's asking about surgery because she doesn't want to do anything to trigger a change in me. The thought of her being careful in her words because she's afraid makes me feel even worse. The nausea starts to set in and my hand begins to shake.
I need get out of here or I'm going to do something I'll regret. I launch myself up off the couch. "I'm exhausted so I'm going to take a small nap. I'll see you when I wake up." I give her a fake smile and swiftly exit the room barely making it to the bathroom fast enough to empty the contents of my stomach into the toilet.
I need it to stop.
"Lily Lopez?" Mr. Edwards calls out my name during attendance.
"Here." I stick up back hand, turning slightly in my seat.
"Andrew Berry?"
"Here." In my peripheral vision I see my best friend practically since birth raises his hand in suit.
Mr. Edwards continues on with the nonsense roll call. I turn around to talk to Drew. "So have you heard much about the new kid?"
Drew and I weren't exactly outcasts but we weren't popular either. It had always been just the two of us, along with whoever strayed into our 'group' for a period of short time. At school the only constant things I ever had was Drew and my grades.
"I haven't heard much to be honest." Drew begins his habit of scratching the back of his neck when he's nervous. "It's a girl, she's in our grade. She's not some preppy bitch by the sounds of it."
I now understand why he's nervous; Drew didn't exactly get Aunt Rach's confidence but once he got to know people he opened up.
"Oh, now I see, I see. Let's just hope she's not as bad as them." I nod my head slightly to a group of my obnoxious classmate. "Just as long as she not as bad as them then I'll be fine."
"Agreed." is all Drew gets to say before being interrupted by Mr. Edwards.
"Okay class, get your notebooks out. We're going to start the next unit." Mr. Edwards gets up out of his seat and heads straight for the whiteboard. "Okay, we're starting off with the molecule structure of DNA."
He doesn't get anything else out as a knock on the door stops him in his tracks. He looks down at his watch. "Right on time." He says almost whispering as he walks over to open the door.
As Mr. Edwards opens the door he reveals a girl I've never seen before. "Come in, there are a few empty seats in the back." He motions to the three empty seats next to Drew and I that have been empty all year.
He walks back towards the whiteboard, giving me and Drew a better look at the new girl. Her hair falling just below her shoulders into subtle copper red loose curls.
"I don't think we're going to have a problem with her, Lils." Drew leans forward and whispers into my ear.
I now take the time to fully take in her presence. She's wearing a form fitting classic Ramones t-shirt over a grey long sleeve t-shirt, black classic fit Levi's and slightly muddy teal Chuck Taylors.
"I'd have to agree with you on that, Berry." I chuckle. "Stop drooling, I'm not even looking at you and I can tell you're drooling."
"Hey! I'm not drooling." He slaps me slightly on the shoulder jokingly.
"Sure, you keep telling yourself that." I can't help but try and stifle my laughter.
"Sure, Lily, I'm sure that you've drooled over a certain someone." Drew chuckles. "But I'll let it go, and for the record I wasn't drooling."
"Um do mind if I sit here?" The new girl from my biology class approaches our lunch table. During lunch I sat with Drew and Penny leaving one empty seat.
I give Drew and Pennyy a quick glance to see their reaction. They were giving me reassuring smiles. "Sure, not a problem." I give the redhead a small smile before taking a bite out of my chicken wrap, chewing quickly in order to be able to speak again. "I'm Lily Lopez" I say taking another bite of my lunch.
"I'm JJ, by the way." She says as she lays her tray down on the table. "Great, I just rhymed that unintentionally, way to make a good impression, J." She laughs shaking her head.
"Don't worry about it." Penny says with a laugh. "I'm Penny Harrison, you're not the only one who's new around here. I moved here last week."
"That is code for if you're going to be asking for directions don't ask her because she's just going to get you lost. I'm Drew Berry. I'm in your biology class." He sticks out his hand for a traditional handshake.
"I'm assuming you get a lot of Drew Barrymore jokes." She lets out a small laugh causing him to blush slightly. "But thanks I'll keep that in mind." She laughs again as she shakes Drew's hand before taking a bite of her classic red apple.
"Yeah, that's what happens when your parents decide to name you after Andrew Lloyd Webber because they saw Phantom of The Opera on their first date and my mother is a complete Broadway fanatic. Growing up guys used to ask me how I could get such good grades if I spent all my time making crappy romantic comedies. At least they were smart enough to know who Drew Barrymore was."
"I know the feeling. My full name is Jaina Jade. My dad is a huge Star Wars fan so he named me after Princess Leia and Han Solo's daughter. But that's classified information that never leaves this table okay? From experience I know not everybody appreciates the Abrams family enthusiasm for all things Star Wars." She looks across the table to each one of our faces for a look of understanding.
Drew raises his right hand. "Scout's honour." We all can't help but at hiss juvenile moment.
"Swear to the force." I say, giving her a shy smile that she quickly returns before speaking again.
"Quick question, it's probably a stupid one but I'm going to ask it none the less."
"Shoot." Penny quickly assures her.
"Is it always so damn wet around here? Not to sound prissy but it's my shoes extremely muddy and it's rotting me." JJ shakes her head before tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.
"Sorry to tell you JJ but it is as you say 'so damn wet' around here sixty percent of the time, twenty percent with just overcast, and the other twenty percent is the lovely thing people from areas like Hawaii and Florida call sunshine at this time of year." I say 'matter of factly.
JJ hangs her head slightly. "You'd think with the proximity of you guys have to the Hamptons and the Jersey Shore you'd have great weather but nope you have a lot more rain making everything muddy as I don't know what." She laughs.
"It gets better in the summer, and it's nice in the winter with all the snow." Drew says, he takes his New York very seriously.
"Well join the club, I'm not much of fan of rain or mud but I'm adjusting. It's slow but I'm getting used to it. Soon enough we'll be just like these two, rain loving New Yorkers." Penny says pointing her thumb at Drew and I with a laugh.
"Let's hope, Penny, let's hope." JJ throws her head back in laughter.
"To NYC." Penny holds up her can of apple juice taking a large swig.
"I'm with you on this one, Pen. To New York." I hold up my own apple juice and follow suit.
Sitting here with Drew, Penny, and JJ somehow made me feel that things were getting better, even if this was only one aspect of my life that was returning to normal I couldn't help but feel grateful.
The rest of the day went fairly fast and was actually the first school day since we've returned from Lima I've enjoyed.
It turns out JJ, Penny, and I all had the last two classes together. Drew was in our last class of the day with us as well. But he was off in his own little word; between staring at Penny and actually paying attention to Mr. Hutchins who was rambling on about the chemical properties of carbon going completely off the class' current topic.
"What was with you in chem class last period?" I ask Drew as I open the door of my baby blue T-bird, the slight rain beginning to wet my hair.
"Nothing, you know that I like chemistry. I thought that after a semester school you'd have noticed that. And the properties of carbon are pretty damn interesting." Drew says almost defensively as he takes his seat as shot gun.
"That's not what I meant, Andrew." I use his full name to let him know I'm serious as I sit in the car pulling the door shut behind me.
"Nik's taking Tommy, Lina, and Maria home right?" I can tell that Drew knows what I'm actually talking about considering he's changing the subject; it's a typical Aunt Quinn move, she's done it so many times over the years when me, Drew and the rest of our 'family' asked awkward or inaproppriate questions such as the one time Lina and Maria asked her where babies came from.
"Drew, don't try and change the subject, but yes Nik's taking your beloved baby sister home. Come on, what is up with you having a hard time keeping your eyes off of my cousin?" I raise my eyebrow
"Don't look at me like that. You look like Aunt Santana when you do that." Drew laughs.
I hit him jokingly. "Well Andrew Berry you look like your mother just spit you out so you haven't got much room to talk. And again you're changing the subject."
"Fine, I'll admit it. I think she's cute, stop making such a big deal out of this." I can see the blush slowly beginning to rise in his cheeks.
"Well, I think that it's cute. So I'm not going to make a big deal out of this but can I ask you one question?" I turn the keys in the ignition before turning my head to look him in the eye.
"Bring it on, Lopez." Drew throws his military messenger bag back over the seat, landing on the back seat.
"Are you actually going to do anything about you thinking she's cute or are you just going to continue with the longing glances and never ask her out?"
"I don't know, Lily. Now can I ask you a question?"
"Whatever, Drew." I put my classic red curtain colored JanSport backpack on the back seat next to Drew's bag.
"Is that JJ?"
Drew points to an average height hooded figure. I notice a small amount of red hair from under the hood and the teal converse shoes she was wearing.
"I'm pretty sure that's her." I can't help but notice that the slight rain from earlier has turned into something pretty close to a down pour.
"Do you think we should ask her if she wants a ride? She's getting sogged out there."
"I think we should." I start the car and check for traffic before pulling up to the curb in front of JJ. I roll down my window, giving her a smile. "Hey there, Abrams! Want a ride?"
JJ snaps out of her daydream-like state. "You have no idea!" She yells over sound of the rain.
As JJ opens the back door I pull my book bag to the other side of the seat atop of Drew's, making enough room for her to sit in. "How come you were standing out in the rain, making yourself look like a wet dog, Jay?" Drew laughs as JJ shuts the door behind her.
"My dad must have got called into work and forgot to call me to tell me to catch the bus. He can be slightly forgetful when it comes to these things. He probably called my brother who forgot to tell me, more thank likely." JJ laughs as she throws back her hood.
"So where we headed?" I chuckle.
"I don't know if you know the place but," JJ pauses for a second to buckle her seat belt. "Mount Sinai."
"Here it is, the legendary Mount Sinai Hospital." I say with a laugh as I pull into the hospital.
"Woah, it's a lot bigger and nicer than I expected." I can see the look of what I'd classify as awe on JJ's face in the rear view mirror as I shut off the car. "Why are you shutting off the car?" She asks with a chuckle.
"I decided to visit our parent's since we're here." I say smiling.
"Well I'm glad that you guys can help me out so I don't get lost." JJ puts up her hood with a small smirk before opening up the car door and running out into the rain.
"Come on, Drew. We better not let her get lost." I chuckle before following JJ, Drew into the shelter from the storm that is Mount Sinai.
"So where are we headed?" Drew asks JJ as we shake off the rain.
"I thought you were the one who knew your way around here?" She chuckles, raising her eyebrow.
"That's not what I meant, JJ. I meant what wing. Derm, OB, what?"
"Surgical."
"Seriously?"
"Seriously, my dad's a surgeon."
"Join the club. Our parents are surgeons as well." I smirk.
"In that case, lead the way."
"Hey JJ, I'm going to see if my mother knows where your dad is." I say as we enter the surgical wing.
"Alright, my dad's Dr. Artie Abrams."
"Got it." I say, noticing my mother standing at the nurses' station checking over a chart. "Hey Ma."
"Lily?" My mother's raven curls bounce slightly as she looks up from her chart. "Mija, what are you doing here?"
"Drew and I are dropping off a friend from school." I nod in the direction of Drew and JJ. "You wouldn't happen to know who and where Dr. Abrams is would you?"
"I'm right here." A firm yet calm voice answers from behind me.
As the voice speaks I can help but the smile on my mother's face falters. My stomach is beginning churn. Something is going on. I may not know what it is but there's a reason why my mother, the cheeriest person I know which includes my sister who is almost exactly like her, has a fake smile on her face; a fake smile that falters at the sound of my friend's father.
"Artie" My mother's voice is quiet and the sort of calm that puts people on their guard, scares them even.
"Santana."
*Author's Note: I am aware of the writer and producer JJ Abrams but JJ's name is just a coincidence I noticed after I had finished this chapter and I truly didn't want to change it; she is clearly not named after him, as seen in this chapter. Just thought y'all would ask about that so I figured I'd tune you in here. Thanks again for reading! (: