Chapter 6

It had been three weeks. Santana had been taken off the ventilator two weeks ago and last week they had brought her out of her medically induced coma. She was still in a coma but it was no longer medically induced.

Brittany hadn't left the hospital. She had fallen into a routine; she slept at night while Gabriel stayed awake with Santana; she did her homework in the morning when she woke up and Gabriel left; when Mercedes or Quinn were there, she used the employee gym to dance. She needed the outlet; needed to just move.

She had just finished up and was doing cool down stretches when she heard the door open. She didn't pay any attention to the sound; it was the employee gym, after all, and others were coming in and out all the time. She felt a rough hand grab her arm and yank her to her feet.

"Maldita perra! Did you think I wouldn't find you?" Jorge Lopez hissed in Brittany's ear. "You think you can take my daughter and turn her into a tortillera? Think you can destroy mi familia and I won't respond? You're going to regret ever getting in my way."

Brittany felt a spike of adrenaline and forced herself to be calm. She had taken several self-defense classes and she was a second level red belt in Taekwando. She was anti-violence but she wasn't as stupid as people thought. She had one arm and two legs free. Jorge was angry so he would make mistakes. The security cameras were on. She took a deep breath and quickly spun, hooking one of her feet behind Jorge's leg. Because he still had her arm, they both tumbled to the floor but, because she had expected it, she was up in an instant and sitting on his chest; her knees pressing down on his arms.

"I could re-break your nose and no one would blame me. It would be on camera as self defense." Brittany's voice was calm and dead cold. She had never been this angry. Even three weeks ago when she had hit Finn, Kevin, Kyle, and Jorge she had been angry but this was a white-hot, ice-cold rage. She actually scared herself because she wanted this man dead. She forced herself to calm down. She was anti-violence. She didn't like hitting people. Or being angry.

"You know, I used to be afraid of you," Brittany was stalling; she knew hospital security would come down in a minute. "Dr. Jorge Lopez; stern, unfeeling, judgmental, hard. Now? I pity you. See, Santana, she tried to be like you. She couldn't. And she's happier for it. She loves me. She feels things. She's so soft with me. Not so much other people but with me, she is. She's an amazing person and probably the most awesomest girl I know," Brittany paused, still not quite believing her luck. "And she loves me."

She looked into the cold, hard eyes of Jorge Lopez who was struggling to get up and cursing her with every move and breath. "You don't know anything about that, though, do you? You've never really loved anyone. Your son moved over two thousand miles away to get away from you. Santana can't wait to get out of Lima. You had the perfect family. I have no idea why a woman as great as Maribel chooses to stay with you but your kids? They want nothing to do with you. I didn't destroy your family; you did that all on your own. Accept responsibility for your own failings."

The door opened and security came rushing in.

"By the way? I love her more than you ever have or ever will. I didn't take her from you; she walked away from the coldness of your 'perfection' and into the warmth of my love."

With that parting shot, Brittany stood up. "He's all yours, I don't care what happens to him," and headed to the door to go back to Santana.

Xoxoxoxoxo

Quinn and Mercedes were both there when she got up to Santana's room. She waved hello and went right into the bathroom. She needed time to cool off. She was shaking from her confrontation with Jorge. She was proud she was able to protect herself; proud that she stood up to him but was shaking as the reality of what she'd done settled in and the adrenaline wore off. She ran to the toilet and threw up, twice. She rinsed her mouth and started the shower. She stepped in and, as the water hit her, started to cry, then sob, and slid to the floor of the shower stall.

"Brittany?" Quinn came in, her voice laced with concern.

Brittany couldn't answer as the sobs got caught in her throat.

Quinn opened the curtain and stepped into the shower, squatting down to gather Brittany into her arms. "Oh, honey, what happened?" She reached up and turned the water off and grabbed a towel to wrap Brittany in. She helped her up and led her into the room.

"Mercedes, can you ask the guards not to let anyone but Pam in for a few minutes? Then can you call Pam and ask her to get two sets of scrubs sent in?"

Mercedes nodded and Brittany watched as she walked off to do as Quinn asked. She curled into Quinn and held her tightly. She couldn't stop crying and shaking. Everything was just too much. She missed Santana, Jorge attacking her, the coma; every day was one more with no progress. The doctors said there was brain activity. It was just a waiting game until she woke up. If she woke up. God, she had to wake up.

Quinn held her and whispered soothingly into her ear, rubbing circles onto her back to calm her down. As the tears subsided, she felt an overwhelming exhaustion.

"What happened?"

Brittany told her about Jorge catching her in the yoga studio, calling her names, and threatening her.

"What the fuck is wrong with that man?"

"Sounds like a control freak and when he lost control of his kids, he … just plain lost control." Mercedes said simply.

"I don't care," Brittany responded, "I just want him to leave me alone; leave Santana alone."

Pam walked in and saw the two soaking wet girls on the floor. "What's going on?"

Mercedes filled her in while Quinn helped Britt get changed and got herself dried off and into dry clothes.

"We need to bring you clean clothes, Britt. Everything here is dirty. I'll gather it up and take it home."

"Thanks, Quinn," Brittany sighed as they exited the bathroom.

"Brittany, are you okay?" Pam's looked worried. "Do you need to see a doctor?"

Brittany shook her head. "No, he scared me more than anything although I may have a bruise on my bicep later." She shrugged. "Nothing worth worrying about."

"Well, let me worry, then. I'll be lodging a complaint with the administration about his behavior. It is seriously beginning to border on unhinged."

There was a knock at the door. Pam went and answered it. "Is it safe for Gabriel to come in, now?"

Quinn nodded.

Gabriel came in, his faced lined with worry. "Did something happen?" He looked toward his sister's bed. "Is Santana okay?"

"Your father thought attacking Brittany was a good idea." Mercedes snipped.

Gabe's head snapped toward where Brittany and Quinn were seated. "Britt? What happened?" He moved to squat in front of her.

She filled him in on what had happened and watched as his jaw clenched and his brow creased. He took her hands. "I'll talk to him. I haven't seen him or Mami since I got to town; maybe it's time I did."

"Don't do anything stupid, Gabe." Quinn looked at him.

"I won't but it's time I did something. He can't just attack Brittany because Brittany is in love with Santana. Because now he can't control Santana anymore. God! This is why I moved to California! He just insists on controlling every aspect of our lives." He shook his head.

"I promise you, Brittany, Santana will never have to worry about him again. I will do whatever I have to to make sure she never has to deal with him."

"Thanks, Gabe."

There was another knock on the door and Gabe went to answer it. "Ladies? There's a Mr. Rigard here? Says he's Santana's lawyer?"