Her Smile Heals Me Chapter 12, a glee fanfic

Author's note: I apologize for taking so long to post this chapter. To be honest with you all, this is the second version of chapter 12. I erased the first version, because I was unhappy with the path it was headed. So I threw it out then took several days to rethink and regroup. That said, I hope you continue to enjoy the journey of Her Smile Heals Me.

Her Smile Heals Me (part 12)

by mamatots

Santana had finally drifted into another deep sleep when she heard what sounded like her phone buzzing on the table top again. Through groggy, half-consciousness, she patted around for the sound, finding the cell phone and pulling it to her right ear with a limp hand.

"Hello?" she answered, almost inaudibly.

"Come outside," a voice whispered.

"Quinn?" Santana asked, "I just got back to sleep?"

"Just come outside…," was whispered again.

"Ok," Santana relented, setting the phone back down and easing herself out of bed.

She had no memory of getting there, but she stepped off the front porch and down onto the stone steps, realizing she had forgotten her shoes and hoodie this time. She moved across the driveway which was only half-lit by a motion-detection light affixed to the front of the Berry house, confused when the only car in the driveway belonged to Rachel.

"Quinn?" Santana whispered, looking around the parked car.

Silence.

"It's late, Quinn…this is not funny!" Santana said in a louder but still hushed tone, turning toward the deserted, residential street.

There was sudden movement behind the young Latina as two long arms gently slipped around her from the back, pulling her into an embrace.

"Aaahhh!" Santana startled, turning around instantly to see a very familiar face, "oh my god…Brittany?"

"I scared you…," the blonde said apologetically.

"What are you even doing here?" Santana was very confused, "It's the middle of the night."

"I was worried about you after what happened with your parents today."

"But…your camp…?"

"…can wait a day for me to check on you…shhh…" Brittany put her long index finger up to silence Santana's doubts before pulling her into a deep, exploring kiss.

Santana pulled back to catch her breath, "I've missed you so much, Britt."

"I know, honey…but I've been so proud of you for standing on your own while I've been gone."

"It's been hard…," the brunette looked down at the pavement under her bare feet, seeing that the soft light from the side of the house cast the teens' shadows into the empty part of the driveway, "I don't think I'm strong enough to ever be without you."

Brittany pulled the shorter girl into a tight embrace, resting her chin on the top of Santana's head, "Don't say that…you are stronger than you think you are…with…or without me."

"I don't ever want to find out, ok?"

The two stood a moment in a tight hug as a gentle breeze blew over them. "You're cold…," Brittany said to the Latina, "…you've got goosebumps."

Santana innately shivered once Brittany called attention to her bare arms under her white tank. Her lightweight cotton, pajama shorts provided little more protection.

Brittany moved Santana's raven hair off her exposed shoulder and leaned down to kiss a trail up her neck to behind her ear. She could hear soft moans escape Santana's throat, vibrating under Brittany's continued kisses.

Santana tightened her hold on the blonde's backside, pulling Brittany into her. Their lips met up again, and Santana instantly parted Brittany's lips with her tongue, sliding it deep inside to maneuver around.

Brittany squeezed the Latina even tighter into her, lifting her off the pavement, raising her up to her own height. Santana, caught up in the intensity of their passionate reunion, gave a hop upward at the sensation of being raised off the ground, wrapping her legs around the blonde's waist when Brittany pulled her higher.

Brittany took three steps forward until she could safely set Santana down onto the hood of the car, the brunette's legs dangling down the side, parted by Brittany's body. The two continued to kiss fervently, their hands moving up and down and all around, easily remembering the curves and shapes of each other's bodies. Not able to restrain herself any longer, Brittany reached down and gave a determined tug at the elastic waistband of Santana's pajama bottoms.

The dark-haired beauty lifted her butt as she felt the fabric being taken off her.

"No underwear…?" Brittany paused to ask.

Santana shrugged with a slight grin, "what…? It binds me…you know that."

The tall blonde let the cotton garment fall to the ground, pulling Santana's seated body to the very edge of the hood while kneeling down in front of her. She paused briefly to take in a deep breath of the familiar scent between Santana's thighs, looking up for a slight moment to smile sweetly at the Latina before pressing her face into her wet folds.

Santana leaned back on her arms, pushing herself into Brittany's oral stimulation, and let out a guttural moan as the blonde licked purposefully at her core. Brittany tightened her hold on the Latina's backside, her fingers gripping into the supple flesh for more stability, continuing to lick and suck at Santana's throbbing clit.

"Ohhhh godddd, Britttt…," escaped more loudly than Santana wanted though she really didn't care at the moment what the surrounding circumstances were. Nothing made much sense to the brunette, but she pushed away any thought other than the current pleasure between her legs.

Knowing she had the very excited Latina right where she wanted, Brittany wrapped her left arm further around Santana's hips, freeing the blonde's right hand to push inside Santana. Brittany moved in and out of the brunette while sucking consistently on her most sensitive spot, intermittently running her tongue along the side of her clit, a sensation Brittany knew Santana enjoyed. As Santana's hips started rotating under Brittany's oral stimulation, the blonde pushed in and out even more forcefully, her hand soaked with Santana's wetness.

Brittany vigorously pumped and sucked and licked up and down without stopping until the Latina suddenly placed her hands on the back of the blonde's head to hold her in one spot. "Don't stop, Britt…pleeeease," Santana moaned out her request, locking her ankles around Brittany's back.

Only a few more determined seconds passed before Santana's hips stilled, and she released her firm hold on the blonde's head, her body quivering hard underneath Brittany's efforts. After Santana's orgasm stopped, Brittany stood up and leaned over the brunette's body with her own, pushing her flatter onto the hood's metal surface. Without taking her fingers out, Brittany kissed Santana hard while starting to move again inside her. As the girls moved around on the car, they could hear the hollowness of the hood popping beneath their weight.

Santana took a breath to say, "Rachel is going to kill me if we dent her hood."

"Worry about that later…," Brittany suggested with a breathy voice, returning her lips to Santana's.

The Latina tightened her arms around the blonde, feeling Brittany's hand move deep inside her, making her entire body sizzle with heat. Santana leaned her head back against the metal and moaned loudly again as Brittany bit at the brunette's hardened nipples through the ribbed cotton of her tank.

"Brrrittt…ohhh goddd…," Santana cried out, not caring at the moment who heard her.

"Feel good, baby?" Brittany whispered into Santana's right ear as she lean further into her.

The heat from Brittany's mouth only intensified the sensation that was overtaking Santana's body, "oh god…fuck me, Brittany!"

"You like that, huh?" Brittany said with an even more determined tone.

"Ohhhh yeessss…harder…please…," Santana begged.

"Santana," a voice said from a distance.

Santana ignored it, pulling Brittany tighter into her and using leverage from the blonde's torso to sit herself up on the hood of the car, feeling Brittany's long fingers curve upward with the better angle, arousing the most powerful spot inside her. Just as Santana was approaching the most fulfilling orgasm she'd ever felt, she felt a hand touch her bare shoulder, shaking her slightly.

"Santana…wake up!" the voice said more forcefully.

The young Latina opened her eyes to see Rachel Berry standing over her. "Good morning…I did knock, I swear…four times."

"Huh…?" Santana sat up and looked around her, instantly feeling a void deep within her soul.

"Are you ok…you're very flushed?"

Santana pulled herself upright and raised her hand to her chest, rubbing subconsciously at the lower part of her neck, feeling the remnants of Brittany's lips on her. "Yeah…I guess."

"I hesitated coming in…after last time…," Rachel assured her with an awkward smile.

The taller brunette pulled her knees up toward her chest, still under the cotton sheet of her bed, trying to remember the details her mind had produced in her vivid dream. Santana flushed deeper, small beads of perspiration quickly forming on her upper lip. She looked up at Rachel, feeling rather vulnerable at the moment, as a massive heat deep from inside her groin began to throb. She thought of the beautiful blonde who had evaporated from her embrace which was replaced now with just an intense emptiness, aching inside her chest.

"Did you need something?" Santana asked the shorter girl, realizing silence was hanging over them.

"Oh, I was just trying to tell you that everybody is having breakfast downstairs," Rachel told her.

"Ok, thanks."

Suspicious, Rachel asked, "Santana…are you sure you are ok?"

"Yeah," the Latina sniffed, trying to hold back the emotions that were threatening to overtake her.

Rachel smiled, "Ok…well, hurry down then…my dad made pancakes for everyone!"

"Who is ready for another round of pancakes?" Trey asked as he stepped out of the kitchen. The dark, handsome man had on an apron with marquee signs from various classic Broadway musicals and a white hand towel thrown casually over his left shoulder. He motioned with the silver spatula in his right hand, "Finn…you want a few more?"

"Yes…thanks!" the baby-faced, teen responded as he chewed, "…these are awesome!"

"Finn, sweetie…don't talk with your mouth full," Rachel gently reminded him, wiping a glob of syrup off his chin with her napkin.

"Sorry…," Finn said, looking back down at his plate.

"That's ok, Rachel…let Finn enjoy his breakfast…," Daniel told her, closing his newspaper to reach for his coffee cup, "…he'll need strength to help your dad and me with our errands today."

"Finn, we really do appreciate you volunteering the use of your truck," Trey added.

"No problem!" Finn smiled, wiping at his face again.

Santana came into the dining room and quietly pulled out a chair on the opposite side of the table from Rachel and Finn. She sat down with one knee pulled up next to her body, picking up a silver fork from next to the plate and absent-mindedly stabbing at her cloth napkin.

"Good morning, Santana…," Daniel said to her in a cheerful voice, looking over the top of his newspaper, "How about a hot cup of coffee to get you moving?"

"Yeah…thanks," she responded, putting down the fork and reaching for the white container of coffee, pouring it into her flowered cup.

Trey appeared again with another serving plate, telling the young Latina, "…you're just in time…hot off the griddle!"

"Thanks…," she said as he placed two of the golden brown, round cakes onto her flowered plate.

"Butter?" Finn asked across the table.

"No thanks," Santana replied. She had not been able to shake the void she was feeling after having seen Brittany so vividly in her dream. She just wanted to fast forward the remaining two weeks until her love was home again.

"Finn, you did remember that you still have to pick up your tux before 4pm today?" Rachel asked him.

"Yes, Rach…I'll pick it up while your dad and I are out," the handsome teen rolled his eyes, setting his glass of orange juice back on the table.

"You're wearing a tux tonight, Finn?" Santana asked in a surprised tone.

"The Tonys are black tie, Santana…," Rachel reminded her, "…all the men will be in tuxes."

"Oh, you were serious about that…?" the taller brunette clarified, picking up one of her dry pancakes and taking a big bite.

"Yes…we're all dressing up, San…," Rachel told her.

"Kurt and Blaine are very excited about it," Finn added

"Yay…," Rachel clapped playfully, "…even Quinn and Mercedes agreed to join us…it's going to be so much fun!"

"You are going to be there tonight, aren't you, honey?" Trey asked her directly, sitting down at the other end from Daniel.

"Well…I don't have anything formal to wear," Santana sounded defeated. She had not shown much interest in the Tony party tradition as the Berrys finalized the details over the last couple of weeks, but secretly, she actually was looking forward to being part of this year's festivities.

"Perhaps Quinn would have something you could wear…let's call her," Rachel suggested.

"Why don't you just wear your prom dress? That's what Rachel's wearing…," Finn volunteered with a dopey shrug as he put his last fork full of pancakes in his mouth.

Rachel and her dads' heads all turned quickly in his direction, their eyes wide.

"Finn…," Rachel said under her breath, scolding him for his insensitivity.

"What…?" he asked, unaware of his faux pas, wiping at his face with his cloth napkin, "I thought the red looked good on her."

All their heads then turned toward Santana. She looked like a deer caught in headlights as all the color and expression drained from her face. The Latina swallowed hard and set her pancake back down on the plate.

"It got ruined that night…," she said softly, her voice shaking with emotion.

"Santana…I'm sure we could work in a trip to the mall today," Trey said quickly, trying to push through the awkwardness hanging over the table, "I love any opportunity to shop!"

"That's ok…I just won't go…," Santana stood and left the room abruptly.

"Santana…wait!" Rachel jumped up to follow her.

Daniel grabbed her by the forearm to stop her, "…just let her go right now, sweetheart."

"What did I say?" Finn asked again in confusion.

"Really? Prom night?" Rachel asked him, and seeing no mental recognition, added, "…the rape, Finn."

"I'm really sorry…I forgot," Finn genuinely offered.

"Well, she hasn't…," Rachel retorted with a harsh tone.

"I'm soooo nervous," Austin Royle said as he approached Brittany.

The attractive blonde was seated on the floor of a side hallway outside the Interlochen auditorium. Her long legs were outstretched in front of her, and she was bent over, stretching her muscles.

"Aren't you nervous?" he asked, pulling down the black vest of his costume.

"I'm excited actually…," Brittany responded, moving her duffle bag out of the walkway, "…I'm feeling pretty relaxed."

The slender boy walked over to peek through a side door of the auditorium. "Oh my god…even my brother and his girlfriend are sitting out there with my parents and grandparents," he told her with a big gulp of nervous energy, "…Not helping!"

"It's sweet that they're all here to support you…how far did they drive?" she inquired.

"Not far…we live in the next town over…though Kayla's from Ohio, down near Lima actually."

"Fifteen minutes until places, ladies and gentlemen!" Ms. Mack announced loudly to the young dancers who flitted back and forth down the hallway.

"Aaahhh! No going back, I guess!" Austin said dramatically.

"You'll do fine, Austin…," Brittany assured him, "…you made a lot of progress the last couple of days…and you know both routines backwards and forwards."

"Thank you again for all your help," he told her, kneeling down next to her.

"No problem…it's been fun," Brittany smiled at him, "…just remember, lift with your legs, ok?"

"Well, if ever I can repay you…just let me know."

Brittany stood up and leaned down to grab her bag, hearing a buzzing sound from inside. Unzipping it and pulling out her cell phone, she answered, "Hello?"

"Britt? It's me."

"Hey, honey…you just caught me…we're about to have our first graded performance," Brittany said as she stepped away from the group of teens.

"Good luck to you," Santana said mildly, "I know you'll be the best one out there."

"Is everything ok? You sound really down."

"Yeah, no worries…I'm just really missing you," Santana tried to cover how upset she was feeling.

"I miss you too, sweetheart…," the blonde assured her, "…hey, I'm really sorry I didn't get a chance to call you last night, but we were rehearsing until late."

"It's ok," Santana bit her lip to keep herself from crying. She wanted Brittany to enjoy her time at the camp and not to spend her effort worrying about the crap that was happening in Lima.

"Your meeting went well though, right?"

"Yeah, it was fine…everything's fine here," Santana lied.

"I do miss you, Santana…so much," Brittany paused, "…You would tell me if you're struggling again…right?"

"Right."

"Don't be sad, ok…I'll be home soon."

"FIVE minutes everyone…Group A is up first," Ms. Mack yelled down the hallway.

"Oh, that's me, hon…I've gotta go, ok?"

"Knock 'em dead, babe," Santana said with a little more enthusiasm, "I love you."

"I love you too…," Brittany said quickly as she hung up.

Santana locked the screen of her phone and sat down on the floor next to her bed, wiping at her wet eyes. There was a soft knock on the bedroom door.

"Come in," she said, barely loud enough to carry through the wood of the door.

"Hey…," Rachel walked in cautiously, "…I'm really sorry about Finn."

"He's an idiot," Santana couldn't cover her hurt feelings.

"Yeah…he really is sometimes, isn't he?"

Rachel sat down on the floor beside Santana, and the girls shared a small chuckle.

"I really want you to come tonight…please say you will," Rachel tried to coax.

"I want to, but I don't want to feel out of place."

"You won't…I already called Quinn…she's bringing over some options," Rachel said excitedly.

Santana couldn't contain her emotion any longer, fresh tears escaping from her dark brown eyes, "I never in a million years thought I'd be crying over some dumb party your family is hosting." The Latina laughed quietly at herself.

Rachel took Santana's hand in hers and squeezed it tightly, and said, smiling, "…some dumb party ourfamily is hosting."

Santana adjusted the white headphone in her right ear and looked down at the iPod in her hand, skipping the next three queued songs until the screen lit up with The Writer, by Ellie Goulding. She turned up the volume and let the song play as she looked out the passenger side window:

You wait for a silence
I wait for a word
Lying next to your frame
Girl unobserved
You change your position
You're changing me
Casting these shadows
Where they shouldn't be

We're interrupted
By the heat of the sun
Trying to prevent
What's already begun
You're just a body
I can smell your skin
And when I feel it
You're wearing thin

But I've got a plan
Why don't you be the artist
And make me out of clay?
Why don't you be the writer
Decide the words I say?
Cause I'd rather pretend
I'll still be there at the end
Only it's too hard to ask
Won't you try to help me?

Sat on your sofa
It's all broken springs
This isn't the place for
Those violin strings
I try out a smile
And I aim it at you
You must have missed it
You always do

"What…?" Santana pulled out her left earpiece as she turned to look at the driver.

"I said I heard a great joke the other day…want to hear it?" Burt Hummel said with a smile as he drove Santana home from work Monday evening.

"Sure…," Santana said with a sigh, pulling out her other earpiece but looking down at the book in her lap.

"So this guy goes to his wife's doctor and tells him, 'Doc, I'm pretty sure she's losing her hearing…she hasn't responded to anything I've said for two months now, but I know she's pretty sensitive about it, so what should I do?'…and the doctor tells him, 'Ok, you need to test this to see how bad it is…go home and ask her a question standing about 30 feet away, if she doesn't hear you then step closer to about 15 feet away, if she still doesn't hear you then walk right up next to her and ask her again'…," Burt launched into one of his typical jokes, "Have you heard this one before?"

"No…," Santana answered, continuing to read.

"Ok, so the guy goes home, right? He sees his wife in the kitchen making dinner, so he remembers the doctor's advice and calls out to her from the living room, 'Hey, honey…what's for dinner?'…no response…so he walks to the doorway of the kitchen and sees she's got her back to him, so he asks loudly again, 'Honey, what are we having for dinner?'…still, nothing…zilch…so he walks up right behind her and asks her loudly, right in her ear, 'Honey! What is for dinner?'…and the wife turns around and says right in his face, 'For the third time, Ed – we're having chicken!'…," Burt erupted in laughter at his own joke, looking over at his passenger, "…get it? 'We're having chicken'."

"Yeah…I got it, Burt…chicken," the young brunette told him, completely unamused.

"You've been very quiet all day today, kid…what gives?" Burt said as he slowed his truck to turn onto Meadow Creek.

"Nothing," Santana told him. She dog-eared the page of the book she was reading and closed it.

"Kurt said you guys had fun at the Berrys' little shindig last night."

"Yeah…we did," Santana confirmed.

"Ok…you're sure then?" Burt questioned, as he stopped the truck in front of the Berry driveway, putting it into park.

"Yeah…everything's cool."

"Well…if you decide there's something on your mind that you want to talk about…I'm a good listener."

"Thanks, Burt…I'll see you tomorrow morning," Santana gave him a half-smile as she opened the passenger door and slid out, closing it behind her. She was so distant in her thoughts that she did not even notice an unknown, silver Honda parked in the driveway behind Daniel's black Audi.

Without even turning to wave back at him, Santana opened the unlocked front door and moved inside toward the stairs. As she passed the living room, she heard called out to her, "Santana…could you come here please?"

The Latina backed up to the opening of the contemporary-clad living room. Seated on the suede, beige couch, across from Daniel Berry, was ADA Eric Cole.

"Hi, Santana…," ADA Cole said politely.

"Hi…," Santana answered cautiously.

"Honey, why don't you sit down a moment, ok?" Daniel suggested, motioning toward the other portion of the sectional couch.

Santana walk closer to them, but said, "I might have grease on me…I wouldn't want to get it on the couch."

"Oh, well…in that case…," Eric stood up, "I stopped by to discuss today's hearing with you."

"Isn't that unusual…for a district attorney to make a house call?" Santana said sarcastically, her suspicion rising.

Daniel stood as well, taking a step toward the teenager, "Santana…the hearing didn't go as anticipated."

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"The assigned judge was changed at the last minute…we're uncertain as to Judge Bradford's…affiliation…with David Karofsky's father…but I assure you…we will be looking into it immediately," Eric tried to explain.

Santana looked to Rachel's father for clarification, "I don't know what he's saying…what affiliation? What happened at the hearing, Daniel?"

"Judge Bradford released David on bail…," Eric revealed, "…to be held in home-confinement of course."

"What? Karofsky's out? How is that possible…he's just going to take off again…," Santana immediately panicked.

"Santana…calm down…he will be monitored 24/7 by a tracker on his ankle…he will not even be able to take a piss without us knowing about it…," the ADA tried to assure her.

"Eric…," Daniel looked over at his colleague, tilting his head toward Santana to subtly remind the ADA he was talking to a young girl.

"Sorry…but I don't want you to feel unsafe for one moment, ok?"

"Unsafe? Seriously…?" Santana's voice rose in the small room, "Do you realize what that monster did to me? Yeah, I feel unsafe…but worse…it's fucking unfair!"

"Santana…," Daniel tried to interject in order to calm her.

"Daniel…why didn't you do anything to keep his ass in jail?" Santana demanded.

"Santana, Daniel had no more control over this outcome than my office had," Eric defended.

"EXACTLY! You all should have fought harder…How is it fair that ever since that asshole held me down on the ground and brutally raped me that he has been walking around McKinley…then hanging out in Texas…and now he gets to kick back in the comfort of his own home? This is complete shit!" Santana screamed at the two men before turning to race out of the room.

"Santana!" Daniel yelled after her.

"Just leave me alone…," she cried as she ran up the staircase.

Santana darted around the corner of the upstairs hallway, throwing open her bedroom door and sitting down on the side of her bed to collect her emotions. She felt her heart thumping hard inside her chest and her breathing becoming tighter. Images of prom night flashed in her mind so fast that the room started spinning around her. Oh god…nooooo…please stop, she heard her screams from that night echoing inside her head. Santana pulled out her cell phone from the side pocket of her jeans, and with her right hand gripping at her tightening chest, she fumbled to dial Brittany with her left.

Please answer…please answer…please answer…please, she internally begged.

"Hi, this is Brittany…I can't take your call…." Santana hung up the phone without leaving a message.

Fuck…where are you? I need you, Britt…Santana's thoughts were whirling inside her brain. She needed something quickly to settle herself. She opened the drawer on the bedside table and pulled out her prescription bottle for Xanax, popping off the top and tilting the brown bottle until a couple of the pills fell out into the palm of her hand. She paused a moment, contemplating that if one usually helped then two would probably help faster. She threw them both into her mouth without much more thought and swallowed hard.

The two pills caught in the dryness of her tightening throat, so she set the bottle on the side table and moved toward her closet to search for her backpack. She leaned down to search the floor, finding the pack under a pile of dirty clothes and a pair of black boots. Santana stood back up to unzip it, but the sudden movement made her feel even more lightheaded. As she steadied herself a moment with a hand on the closet door, images of Karofsky on top of her, drunk and breathing heavily in her face, were still overwhelming her senses.

Santana dug into the backpack until she found what she had hidden there a few days earlier, pulling out a half-empty pint of Jack Daniels that Puck gave her last week.

She moved back to the bed and sat down, coughing on the powdery residue from the lingering pills that was in the back of her throat. She unscrewed the top of the glass bottle and took a huge swallow of liquid, washing down the two pills. Santana sat quietly for a moment, trying to fortify her mind against Karofsky's sensory assault. Her breathing was still shallow, and her head was starting to pound under the lack of oxygen. She grabbed the pill bottle again and shook out what she intended to be one more Xanax, hoping to speed up the calming process. Though under the chaos of her emotions, she wasn't entirely sure…it could have easily been two or three more.

Santana threw the pills into her mouth and rinsed them down with another large swig of Jack. As the warm alcohol moved through her body, Santana leaned back against her headboard. She stretched her slender legs out in front of her while taking another long drink, emptying the bottle. Slowly, she felt her entire being relax, and the room seemed to become smaller as she lay there. As her mind became foggy, a certain kind of peace fell over her, and she felt lightweight enough that she might actually float right off the bed. She lifted her head, but it felt too heavy to balance so she quickly leaned it back against the headboard.

Santana heard a singing voice in the distance. Confused she tried hard to focus her eyes on her surroundings. Who's singing? She laughed out loud. It's pretty. The Latina glanced down at the bedside table through glossy vision, realizing finally that the singing was coming from her phone.

"Hellooo…?" Santana slurred as she put the phone to her ear.

"Santana?" Brittany wasn't sure who was at the other end.

"Yeah."

"You sound weird."

"Who is this?"

"Brittany...what's going on?"

"Brittany's not here."

"No, I'm Brittany…your girlfriend?" the blonde's concern was mounting.

"Okay."

"I had a missed call from you?" Brittany reminded the brunette.

"I called you?" Santana words were slurring more and more.

"Santana – where are you?"

Santana tried to lift her head again to look around her, but her head instantly fell back against the headboard, "Oww." She laughed out loud more at the sound it made than any pain her body might feel currently.

"Santana?" Brittany tried again, "Where are you and what are you doing?"

"I'm flying, Britt."

"Santana…is anybody there with you?" Brittany was panicked at this point.

Silence.

"Santana…?" the blonde's voice rising with her fright, "…SANTANA?"

Santana's eyelids slowly closed as unconsciousness overtook her.

"I don't know yet, Britt…I just got here," Quinn said as she entered through double, glass doors, "Let me find out what's going on, and I'll call you back…yes, I promise."

Quinn put her phone into the small pocket on the front of her khaki skirt as she rounded the corner leading to what she remembered were the emergency rooms. She immediately saw Rachel standing at the entrance to one of the urgent care rooms.

"What is going on?" Quinn asked the shorter girl as she walked up to her.

Rachel turned and wrapped her arms around the blonde, squeezing tightly and crying into her shoulder.

"I don't understand what happened…," Quinn said.

Rachel pulled back and wiped at her runny nose with a crumpled tissue she had in her hand. "She overdosed…I heard them say they're pumping her stomach."

"Oh my god, Rach…why would she do this?"

"I don't know…I mean, she's been really upset the last few days…," the brunette remembered, "…but she seemed alright last night, didn't you think?"

"Did you hear if they said she'd be okay?"

"My dad got to her pretty fast after Brittany called me…she was unconscious so he called 911."

"Brittany called me too…she's going insane."

"Yeah, I met my dad here so I haven't had a chance to call her back."

"Where is he now…does he know anything?"

"He's filling out some paperwork."

A young man in dark blue scrubs pushed open the swinging double doors, running right into the teens. "Girls, you can't stand there…you need to move into the waiting area."

"But we need to know if she is going to be alright…" Rachel trailed off under her emotions.

"Are you family?"

"Yes," Quinn answered without hesitation.

The young nurse looked at them with a raised eyebrow of suspicion.

"I'm her sister…," Rachel added confidently.

"Step over here…," the young man motioned them to the side, out of the doorway, "She's going to be in a lot of discomfort for the next couple of days…but we were able to pump everything out of her…and she's conscious…so that's good."

"Oh, thank god," Quinn was relieved.

"She should be fine…physically anyway…but that's off the record…you need to wait for the doctor to speak to your family, ok?"

"Yes, thank you so much…," Rachel said to him with a smile.

"Now please move to the waiting area," he said before he left down the hallway.

Rachel and Quinn paused in front of the double doors to look in at Santana who was laying on a gurney as three other medical staff moved around her. The girls turned to walk down the hall toward the lobby but saw Dr. Lopez walking toward them at a quickened pace. Close behind him was Daniel Berry, trying to keep up with the taller man.

"Hector, stop…this is not going to help Santana," Daniel called out ahead of him.

"You clearly haven't helped her, have you Daniel?" Dr. Lopez said loudly.

"She was only with my family because you threw her out like a piece of garbage," Daniel stated bluntly.

Santana's father stopped abruptly and turned to face Daniel as he caught up to him. The two men stood toe to toe next to Quinn and Rachel who watched with wide eyes.

"I am sick of your accusations!"

"She is a child…you don't get to pick and choose when you want to parent her."

"She is MY child…and I will discipline her as I see fit."

"The way you see fit is not discipline…it is abandonment."

"Who the hell are you to be the moral compass here?"

"What does that mean?"

"Look, I don't care what you choose to do in the privacy of your own house…but your lifestyle is clearly a detriment to my daughter."

"You have no idea what goes on inside my house, and there is more to me and my family than just a 'lifestyle'…but you need to face the truth that there are multiple reasons your daughter is in that room right now," Daniel was so angry he was turning red, "Perhaps if she had the loving support of her parents then she would be better able to deal with her feelings that led to this."

"Gentlemen, please…," an older woman from inside the room stuck out her head to say, "…you are upsetting the patient."

Dr. Lopez pushed past the nurse to enter the room, saying loudly, "…What have you done to yourself, Santana?"

Santana felt a soft touch run along the side of her face before she slowly opened her eyes. The room around her was dark except for the unnatural blue glow of the florescent lamp above her hospital bed. She felt disoriented from sleeping, but when she turned her head, she saw a very familiar face.

"Brittany?"

"Hi…," she responded softly, "I've been watching you sleep."

Santana closed her eyes tightly, unsure if she was dreaming again. She opened them quickly, anticipating the same disappointment she felt Sunday morning, but Brittany was still sitting next to her bed.

"Are you real?"

The tall blonde let out a small laugh, "I'm pretty sure."

Santana tried to raise her hand to reach for Brittany, but her wrist caught mid-air, unable to move any further. Santana looked down, remembering that her wrists were tethered to the railings of the bed.

"My father's orders…," she said bitterly.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart," Brittany pushed her hand through the slit of the railing and took Santana's hand.

Santana squeezed her fingers around Brittany's, tears falling down her pale face, "You really are here."

"Yeah…," Brittany leaned over and kissed the Latina on her dry lips, "I'm here."

"How did you get here? You should be in Michigan."

"I got a ride with a friend's brother…I'm here until he drives back on Friday."

"No, Britt…you shouldn't miss any of your camp!"

"Don't stress, ok…I talked to my instructor and told her I had a family emergency…she said as long as I know the routine by Sunday's performance then she had no objection to me coming home."

"Do your parents know you're in town?"

"Well…that's a whole other worry…I'm hoping to get back to camp before they discover I left."

"I'm so sorry…I hate this."

"Why did you do it, Tan…I would have come home if I knew things were that bad for you."

"I didn't…I keep telling everyone it was an accident."

"But you took the pills, didn't you?"

"It was an accident…I didn't mean to take that many…," the brunette started crying uncontrollably, "I didn't try to kill myself, Britt…I swear it."

Brittany pulled Santana as close to her as the straps would allow, "shhh…I believe you."

"I wish my parents did…I've totally screwed myself now, Britt…my father's sending me away to some recovery camp," Santana said through her tears, "I'm just so scared…I don't even know what I'm supposed to be recovering from."

"You know what…fuck them…," Brittany said with a determined tone, reaching down to unbuckle the padded restraints and freeing Santana's arms, "Let's get out here."

"What?" Santana was unsure of this side of Brittany.

"Are you feeling strong enough to walk?"

"Yeah," Santana rubbed at the pain in her wrists.

Brittany reached across Santana to the other side of the bed and turned off the IV machine. "Are you sure about this?"

Santana nodded.

Brittany had watched Santana's nurses change out enough of her IV lines when she was in the hospital the last time, so she confidently pulled out the plastic tubing from the connector in Santana's hand, tossing it to the side.

"You're most definitely sure?" Brittany asked once more, not sure if she was trying to convince Santana or herself.

"Do it."

Brittany peeled off the clear tape from the brunette's hand and placed her thumb firmly on her skin as she slowly pulled out the needle. She stood quickly and searched the room for Santana's clothes, finding nothing but a pair of beige, hospital slippers. "Here…put these on."

Santana slid out of the bed and put the slippers on her bare feet while Brittany unzipped the backpack she was traveling with to pull out a change of her own clothes.

"Get dressed quickly…," the blonde instructed, tossing the clothes to her, "I'm going to check the hallway."

"No, Britt…I don't want you to get in any more trouble because of me…just wait until I leave then tell them you don't know where I went."

"No way…we're in this together…," Brittany gave her a big smile, her blue eyes bright with firm resolve, "…no regrets, right?"

"No regrets…," Santana smiled back at her.

Author's note: Well, I must confess I'm as nervous about what might happen in Chapter 13 as you might be right now. Please let me know what you think so far. Your feedback and encouragement has been invaluable to me. I appreciate each and every one of you. Thank you, KB