Author's Note: Hey ya all :D I'm back with a new chapter! It was actually really difficult to write and I hope you don't mind all the rowing stuff coming up...I just want to take the opportunity to get you some insight of the sport, too :)

Now enjoy and let me know what you think! :)

Disclaimer: I sadly don't own the Glee characters used in this story...

Chapter 2

It was 6 AM again. Santana was on her way to morning practice. She was glad it was Saturday. Every Saturday morning they would go out on the water to practice their Women's Eight. Her new team was complete and now it was time to form a unit out of them with her on top.

She still didn't know what to think about Brittany though. Those blue eyes followed her into her dreams and woke her up more than once. The only thing she knew was that she couldn't lose control again. She just can't.

When she arrived at Sue's office she was 10 minutes early. She ran way faster than usual but enjoyed the pain in her lungs when she tried to catch her breath. No, she wouldn't lose control so easily; she can find different ways to keep her mind focused.

"You are early." Sue didn't look up. She could hear Santana breath heavily. "Stop breathing I can't hear myself think."

Santana rolled her eyes before taking a deep breath to calm down. "I came here to get the list of my crew and practice schedule for today."

Without another word Sue handed her the lists, still not looking up from her morning paper.

"Thanks." Santana muttered more to herself than Sue and left to prepare everything at the boat house.

Sue cut three more girls from their first team to get 12 for the upcoming season. The second team rowed in the second league but got out on the water with the first team for practice and to simulate races.

"Good morning Santana. I assume you have the list for todays practice. I'm curious about the girls Sue cut and are now joining me and my amazing team."

Rachel. God, Santana just couldn't stand her. Especially in the morning. Did she mention that she loved the peace a morning could bring? Yeah well, the peace is over when the small brunette is around. She speaks way too loud, too much and also tries to get her spot as cox in the first team.

Santana ignored the small girl and went to the lockers to get her cox box. She got the box and the headset that came with it. You see, a Coxed Eight is about 23 feet long and even so she has a very powerful voice she can't possibly be heard by her bow crew. To help her out she has her cox box. Four speakers are installed in the boat which she connects with her cox box and headset.

"Santana!" Rachel was still standing beside her waiting for the list.

"Okay hobbit, let me tell you something important here. You…" She narrowed her eyes at the small girl while starting to hover over her slightly. "You are on the second team. Why are you on the second team? Because you are not good enough! Why am I captain of the first team? Well, I'm great if not better than great! So stop talking to me and making demands while I prepare for MY team to practice and win a championship." She paused a moment. "Got it?"

Rachel knew Santana since they were in highschool. They were on rivaling teams back then and Rachel learned to just ignore the intimidation coming from the Latina. Two can play this game. "If you are so great, then why did you lose the championship last year?" She smirked at the anger in the Latinas eyes.

Before Santana could say anything more their rowing teams came in. With a deep breath and another glare at Rachel, Santana turned around to step up to the girls.

The first girl she saw was Brittany. They locked eyes for a second. Blue eyes sparkling and a beaming smile on the new girls face. Santana remained stoic. I can't lose control. Focus!

"Shut up!" Santana said loudly and the girls immediately obliged. She smirked inwardly but her face remained blank. "Before we start our practice today I'll tell you the final draw."

Some whispers were heard but by seeing the unamused scowl on their captains face they soon stopped. Everybody listened.

"There were still 3 of you to cut from our first team this season." She looked around before continuing. "Sarah, Hanna and Becca you are going to regret not giving it your best yesterday and join the hobbit and the rest of the second team." She felt kinda bad for them, especially Becca because she was part of her first team last year and knew with her graduating after this season she lost her chance at winning the championship. Santana didn't show any of that sympathy though.

Without looking in the girls eyes and seeing the disappointment she moved on. "Now, congrats to you girls for making the team this year." She heard cheers but soon cut the crap. "Better stop cheering now. Save it for AFTER we win the trophy. I will tell you our starting team now. The 4 remaining are practicing in the Coxless Four. The season starts in 3 month. You can change my mind by practicing hard but the last word will be Sue's."

The girls nodded. She found determination on their faces. It was great but not enough. She knew that soon the real characters will show and present her the fighters she needed to win. "Alright, Women's Eight starting at bow. One – Sugar." The girl screeched and jumped up and down.

Santana raised an eyebrow but continued. "Two – Quinn." She heard something like 'I can't believe coach Sue is going through with it.' but ignored it. "Our engine room will be filled with Tina on 3, Tracey on 4, Big Brenda on 5."

"Don't call me that!" Big Brenda got her nickname as soon as she stepped foot in the boat house her first day at Stanford. Sue wasn't very creative there. Brenda was big but very athletic and they didn't need to think twice to put her on 5.

"Better watch your mouth Brenda!" Santana suddenly felt Brittany's eyes on her and looked to her. She saw a small smile at the corner of the blonde's lips. Santana just rolled her eyes. Of course Brittany would notice she removed the 'big' before Brenda's name. "Completing my engine is Simone on 6. Stern are Marley and Brittany with Brittany as stroke."

The four remaining girls looked down at their feet but Santana couldn't care less. "Sammy you are in charge of your boat for today. Get Gabby on 1, Sina on 2 and Maria on 3." It was actually a pretty close call for Sammy. The blonde was starting last year but got sick early in the preparation for this season. She was not quite there yet and Santana tried to make sure Sammy knew she still got a shot by nodding respectfully at her. Sammy nodded back, she understood.

Before they got on the water Sue came down and shortly told them the plan for todays practice. Afterwards they ran a mile, stretching halfway, to warm up.

"Get the oars down and meet me at the boat in 5!" Santana went on to register them in the logbook before putting on her headset and waiting at the boat.

When the girls came back they positioned themselves at the boat to take it down to the water. "Hands on –" Santana waited a second until every girl had a grip on the boat. "Lift!"

Her crew lifted the boat carefully out of the trestle and held it above their heads until they were standing in the middle of the long hall filled with other boats. It was a close fit so they had to be careful not to hit the oarlock of the other boats.

"Right, left – on shoulders down – Down!" The crew parted to carry the boat on their shoulders. The port side crew stepping out right since they were facing stern and the starboard crew stepping out left.

With that done they moved out of the boat house and down to the landing-stage. When the girls positioned themselves on the landing-stage the water on their right-hand side Santana continued. "Over head – Lift!" Another second later. "On right hip down – Down!"

The girls moved a little closer to the edge waiting for the next command of their cox. "Boat into the water – put it down!"

With the boat in the water the girls got their respective oars and Santana docked in her cox box and waiting for the girls to finish. "Come on girls, get moving!" Everyone moved too slow. Santana was completely focused on her task of commanding the crew around but when she prepared to get into the boat, one foot already in, the other still standing on the landing-stage, she remembered something. Something really important. Brittany was going to be on stroke. There won't be a way to escape her looks.

"We are ready Santana." The blonde whispered so only the Latina could here.

She shook herself to get back to her task, being a little bit grateful for the blonde's wake-up call…or whisper. She cleared her throat before her next command. "Get ready to get in the boat – on foot in – " she waited for everyone to copy her position and taking their oar into one hand. "In together – Push!" She shouted so everyone could hear her when they got in. She had yet to connect the wire of her headset since it was too short when she was standing.

They took a few small strokes to get away from the landing-stage to make room for the other boats to get out on the water, too. She put the wire of her headset into the cox box and turned it on, testing the volume until getting the thumbs up from Quinn and Sugar. "Count down!"

She waited until everyone found their perfect setting for the shoes and then finally heard the countdown starting in bow. "1 ready, 2 ready, 3 ready…"

When only Brittany was left she finally looked her into the eyes. The blonde smiled. "8 ready."

Santana nodded holding back a smile of her own. That was not how it was going to go down. Brittany was her stroke and nothing more.

They started with a warm up. Bow first, without sliding forward with their seat and with a vertical blade, stroke was next and then everyone together. They continued with quarter, half and three quarter distance on their rails until they moved fully forward.

They had some balance problems at first since it was new for Quinn to be bow crew but soon she adjusted just fine. Time for Santana to get more power and concentration on the perfect technique. "Alright ladies, there are only 15 miles for you to row today so get some power in here!"

Her tone was anything but nice but she had to get them to listen somehow. "Everyone together! Let the boat run, rest and prepare for the next stroke!"

"Tell them to pull themselves in with their feet." Brittany spoke quietly but looked Santana right in the eyes. She scowled but Brittany spoke up again. "I can feel them rolling in, I feel like I'm the only one rowing Santana."

The way the blonde said her name always made her shudder. She sighed. The blonde was right and she knew it. "Pull yourselves in with your feet! End the stroke with your upper body, lever, stretch your arms out, hands over the knees first…" She looked at Brittany who just nodded for her to continue. "Put your upper body in the slightly forward position before you start pulling in with your feet! It's not that hard!"

Brittany giggled at that. Santana just rolled her eyes.

At some point Sue joined them with a motorboat and let out several insults before turning around to check on the others. Santana found herself in her element again. Right now nothing could hurt her. Her crew seemed to get the hang of it. More often than not she gave them the rhythm anyways. They had to get in sync after all. "Legs – Thrust – Lever – Pull – Legs – Thrust – Lever – Pull…Let the boat run girls…Feel it floating above the water!"

Brittany continued to let Santana know when she felt the crew being out of sync or not pulling in the right way. She found herself feeling more at ease with the blonde in front of her with every stroke they took and definitely more at ease than with Quinn on stroke. Maybe this arrangement could work out after all.

They were nearly done with their 15 miles, maybe 3 left, when Brittany spoke up again. "So tell me about you."

Santana's eyes were wide. What did Brittany just ask her? She switched her cox box off before saying anything. "Brittany, we are practicing! Concentrate on the task at hand and not on my personal life which is none of your goddam business anyway!" She said in a low voice, scowling.

The blonde's lips turned downwards and she looked at her foot stretcher before nodding slightly.

Satisfied Santana turned her cox box back on and scolded Simone for the thousands time to keep her hands on one level and not pushing down the handle before dropping her blade into the water.

Santana forgot about Brittany's question quite fast by focusing on the other girls. It didn't take them long to be back and Santana was kinda glad for it. "Easy oars!" Everyone stopped, holding their blades parallel to the water, not touching it yet. Santana loved the feeling of a perfectly balanced boat floating over the water.

"Blades down – Drop!" The girls dropped their blades. "Port side stop – Stop!" With that they turned slightly left. When they stopped she continued. "Turn over red – half slide - Go!"

They turned about 180° and with Santana's great skills as cox they were just two strokes away from the landing-stage. They made fast work of getting the boat out and into some trestles. The bow crew was responsible for washing the boat to which Santana smirked since she knows how much Quinn hates it. The rest brought back the oars while Santana signed out of the logbook and put the cox box back in the locker.

After they put the boat back in the boat house they gathered for a short meeting. Sue joined them to give them a piece of her mind. "Well, that was horrible." Everyone groaned. "My grandma would have been faster than you today and she is dead! Next week you are going to row in Coxless Four for afternoon practice. Morning practice involves running, weights and ergometer." She stared at them and waited for complains. When she received none she turned to Santana. "Sandbags, make sure to make them regret todays joke of a practice!"

Santana nodded and waited for Sue to walk away. She then addressed her team. "Alright. Now let's get this session analyzed." She motioned for the girls to follow her into the small room attached to the boats hall.

A few mattings lay around to stretch and everyone just went for it except Brittany. She instead had a frown on her face. Santana was curious what the blonde's problem was and was about to speak up but Brittany beat her to it. "What are you doing?"

Everyone looked confused at the girl. "It's called stretching!" Quinn rolled her eyes.

"Q!" Santana scowled but was stopped from saying anything else when she saw Brittany taking a step forward, closer to her teammates.

"Obviously." She said slowly and cocking her head to the side. Santana had to admit she looked kinda cute doing it but there was something threatening about the blonde what made the Latinas heart pick up a few beats. "But who told you to do that?"

Now Santana was really interested where this was going. Quinn stood up and walked up to the blonde. "It's common sense blondie! We get in here, we stretch. That's how it's done."

"You are blonde, too, you know?" Santana had to hold a hand in front of her mouth so nobody heard her small laugh. Brittany was witty, she liked it.

Quinn rolled her eyes ones more but when she didn't have a comeback she sat back down and started stretching again.

"Get up!" Brittany commanded. Wow, that was hot. Santana hold her breath looking at the blonde's perfect body combined with her suddenly very confident posture. "All of you. Get. Up." Everyone except for Quinn did as they were told. Brittany then turned to Santana while stepping in the new formed line. "What do you want us to do captain?"

Santana now understood. Brittany saw Santana in charge and that wasn't supposed to stop once they were back from the water. Looking in the blonde's eyes however made her frown. They were blank. They didn't sparkle like before. Slowly she straightened her posture and addressed the girls. "Brittany is right." She glared ad Quinn and dared her to stand up like the rest. After a small glare fest Quinn got up with a huff. "I'm in charge here; I'm the one to tell you what to do! The only one above me is Sue! As soon as you come to practice, until the very second I dismiss you, you do as I command. Are we clear?"

"Yes!" All the girls nodded. Quinn on the other hand just shook her head in disbelieve.

"Now get down and stretch while I tell you all your horrible mistakes from today's practice once again!"

Nobody said another word except when Santana told them to after that. She dismissed them 15 minutes later, mentally exhausted from todays practice. She was glad to get some time for herself now.

She entered the gym and started to row like a maniac on the ergometer. Just like the previous day, as soon as she turned to the weights Brittany joined her. Without saying a word she helped her through her routine and joining her once again for the finish on the ergometer.

Santana had to admit, she wanted Brittany to say something. Ever since she shut her up rudely on the water Brittany has been silent, well except for the small outburst in the stretching room.

When the blonde didn't say anything she thought that was it for today. The previous day Brittany left right after Santana's workout but not so today. Santana felt her follow her into the locker room and slowly turned around once she was inside.

She gasped at the close proximity. The face of the taller girl just inches from her own. She swallowed loudly, her heart beating erratically in her chest. Santana looked all over the blondes face. The pale skin, the slight reddish color of her cheeks from the workout, she even could make out some cute freckles over the bridge of her nose. Then she looked at the thin pink lips, which looked really soft before finally meeting deep blue eyes staring right back at her.

Neither one of the girls said anything at first. Santana was afraid to move. She felt slightly uncomfortable but still so good and so hot. Then she saw the blonde slowly move even closer. Was she about to…?

Santana felt a warm breath close to her ear, she didn't even realize that she closed her eyes when she shuddered at the feeling of the blonde's lips so close to her skin. "I'm not done with you yet…"

She had to shut her mouth really tight when she felt a moan building up in her throat. It felt so good to have someone close to her, she felt dizzy, but then the feeling was gone. Santana opened her eyes confused and saw the retreating figure of Brittany. Soon after the door shut and Santana was alone. Just her heavy breathing was heard in the empty locker room. What just happened?