Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.

A/n: R&R, thanks

Chapter 8: Stick to your own kind

The next morning, Rachel was working at the shop like always. Last night had turned out worse than she thought it would. When she had returned at Mrs Bercoran's house, the woman was waiting for her and their talk didn't end well… For the better part of the day, the girl had tried to hide in the back-shop but after a while, Abigail needed her help to serve the customers.

The diva was refilling a jar of candy when Dr Quinn stepped into the shop. The blonde scanned around the place before locking eyes with Rachel. The Doctor nodded to the brunette and pretended to look for something to buy as she waited for Mrs Bercoran to look the other way. When the older woman was busy helping a client, she approached the diva and quietly greeted her. "Hello, Michelle."

"Good Morning." The brunette greeted back as she glanced warily at Abigail. "What can I do for you?"

Mary grabbed one of the candies as she leaned forward and whispered. "Santiago is outside, in the back alley. He needs to talk to you."

The petite girl sighed. She wanted to see the Latina but it wasn't really a good time. "Can't it wait? I can't leave the shop."

"He said it's urgent." Dr Quinn shrugged. "I will keep your mother busy but don't stay too long."

Rachel nodded before grabbing some empty boxes - her only excuse to leave the store- and quietly making her way to the back of the shop. After making sure no one was looking, she discreetly made her way to the back alley. Santana smiled at her like she had never did before and unconsciously, it made her feel better. "Hello, Santana. I can't stay too long. How are you?"

"I feel like shit!" The Latina exclaimed. "I could barely sleep because of my ribs but I used the time to think about all the things I know about time travelling. And I thought about the movie 'Back to the future 3'. When Marty travelled back in time to save Doc?"

The Jewish girl crinkled her nose. "Who?"

The tan girl blinked. "Marthy Mc Fly and Dr Emmett Brown?" Seeing Rachel wasn't reacting, she added. "The dolorean? Oh my god, why am I not even surprised. There's no singing in it, of course you haven't watch it."

"I don't only watch musicals, you know." Rachel replied tiredly.

"Well they're surely not good movies if you don't know this classic." The raven-haired girl waited for the girl's comeback but when Rachel didn't argue, she frowned. Something was off but she decided to continue. "Anyway, you said the picture was taken not a long time before the fire? What if we have been sent here to save Michelle and Santiago?"

"Maybe…" The smaller girl answered absentmindedly.

Santana's frown deepened. "Okay what's up?" She crossed her arms, annoyed that her revelation wasn't taken seriously. "You're not talking and you're barely listening, it's weird."

"It's nothing really." The brunette lied. She knew that if she started talking, she would breakdown in tears and she didn't want that, especially not in front of Santana, despite the fact that the girl cried in her arms the night before.

"Bullshit!" The Latina studied the girl more closely and noticed a light bruise on face. "Oh my god…" On an impulse, she reached out and lightly cupped the diva's cheek. "Who did this to you?"

"It's…" The diva brought her hand to her mouth to muffle the sob coming out of it. She had tried to hold it together but the soft touch of Santana was too much to handle. "Abigail was waiting for me last night. Since we arrived, she had always seemed like a calm woman but she started shouting at me as soon as I stepped inside the house. She…She slapped me and said that I had to stop with my 'revolutionary speeches', that she had been too kind with me since my 'father' died and maybe should have set more limits." She took a deep breath, accepting the handkerchief Santana handed to her to wipe her tears away. "She also said I'd better accept Cole's offer to marry me, well, you know, Michelle because now people think I'm a whore who sleeps with Mexicans…"

The tan girl puffed some air. "Well, fuck…" She squeezed the diva's shoulder. "You don't have to stay there either, we can find a place for you until we figure out what to do to go back in our time. At least now we know we are Santiago and Michelle for a reason." She paused a minute to think. "Maybe the best thing would be to leave town. If we're just not around for the fire then they won't be killed after by Cole. So I say we just leave."

"Maybe you're right."

"We'll find a way, I promise." Santana tried to reassure the girl.

"Don't make promises that you can't keep. How do you know we'll be able to leave?" Rachel mumbled all downcast.

"I don't promise things often so when I do, I mean it, okay?" The raven-haired girl said softer than she expected. Even though she wouldn't say it at loud, it was somehow breaking her heart to see the girl so sad and discouraged. "Just trust me."

The petite girl scoffed, finally making eye contact with her. "Why would I? You said it yourself, we're not friends and you hate me."

The Latina sighed wearily. "Well maybe after all this shit, we're kind of friends so I won't leave you here." She hesitantly stepped forward and hugged the girl.

Rachel smiled, letting herself enjoy this show of affection before teasing. "I thought you didn't like hugging me?"

Santana scoffed. "Shut up and enjoy it, it won't happen everyday, midget." The diva giggled lightly against her and it weirdly made her happy.

Soon after, Rachel went back into the shop while Santana waited for Mary. She was still trying to process everything that had happened to them. It was downright crazy but the most disturbing thing was how her dynamic with Rachel had changed. She still had a hard time wrapping her mind around it.

Once the blonde joined Santana, they started making their way toward the doctor's practice.

"I can't believe this is happening, fuck, is everyone batshit crazy in this town?" The Latina said as she kicked a few little stones on the ground. "I mean we were just talking and dancing, and she's not even with that douche, can't people mind their own business?! Okay, she might not be my favourite person in the world but I guess since we arrived she's pretty okay and she was all supportive and shit yesterday. She stepped in front of me as if a midget could stop the troll, but still these things matter to me, you know. I'd never thought she'd have the guts to do this shit, let alone break into the newspaper office with me but she did, so I guess behind her 'I'm sweet and innocent' persona, she can be a bit badass too." Santana sighed. "I just want to go home and Li…" She scrunched eyes up, not quite being able to remember where her family was supposed to be from. "Tijuana might not be great but it's still better than here and at this rate, I don't know how long I'm gonna be able to keep my cool before going postal on everyone." She didn't know why she was telling the girl all that, but she needed to vent and since the real Quinn wasn't here, she would have to make with her understudy from the old west.

Dr Quinn stared at her as they kept walking. "I am not sure I fully understand everything you're saying and you are acting strangely but…" She paused, looking around her as if she feared people were listening. "We are friends, right? We don't judge each other unlike almost all the people in this town but… What's going on? What are you doing, Santiago? You told me there was something different about Michelle and you felt bound to her but you never said more. Since when are you two together? And are you ready to risk everything for her?"

The Latina frowned. "What? We're not…"

"All I'm saying is…" Mary cut her off. "I will support your decision, no matter what but be careful. You angered a few people last night…"

"Whatever. I don't care about them." The tan girl scoffed. She waited until they were inside the practice before talking again. "We need to leave town, can you help us?" They couldn't stay in this town anymore, not just to save Michelle and Santiago but also to save themselves from trouble. Once away from this place, they would just have to wait long enough for the fire to happen and then they would be free to go home. Back in Lima, she would hunt down whoever was responsible for all this and make them regret it badly.

"Are you sure that's the best solution?" The blonde questioned. "You might not be able to come back later."

"As if we would want to come back in this joint!" Santana exclaimed. "Yes, Mary, I'm sure. I thought about it all night, it's the only way." She ran her hand through her hair. "I plan to sneak inside the ranch to get some stuff for the road and as soon as we're ready, we'll leave."

"Just the two of you?" Dr Quinn asked and got a nod in return. "Okay then, this is going to be a messy ride but I'll help you as much as I can." She promised. "Besides … I love challenges." She smiled at the Latina.

In the afternoon, Rachel received the visit from Cole at the shop. She had tried to hide in the back-shop as soon as the man walked in but Abigail asked her to serve a customer at the same time. Once she was done with the client, Cole leaned against the counter as she stood behind it.

"I never had my dance yesterday." The tall man stated.

The diva sorted a few papers on the counter to busy her hands. She was too exhausted to have another fight with someone she wasn't even related to. "Maybe it has something to do with that fact that you punched Santiago Cruz and left the scene like a criminal."

"You were supposed to dance with me, not him. Now people are talking about you two. What is going on, Michelle?"

The brunette sighed wearily. "Nothing is going on. Santiago and I are just friends." She had a feeling people would have been talking about what happened but now she had the confirmation. It would make things even more complicated.

Cole frowned confused. "Then why did he say…"

"To make you angry." The petite girl said matter-of-factly.

"You're lying." The boy said through gritted teeth. "Stick to your own kind, Michelle."

In any other moment, Rachel would have laughed about this comment, or sing, especially since Santiago's mother was named Anita but here, she could feel her anger rise. "Santiago and I are just friends, just like you and me if you remember." She locked eyes with him. "The color of your skin shouldn't determine your value. Santiago is a better man than half the men in this town." She had read some things in Michelle's journals and it seemed like behind his cold exterior, Santiago was a sweet man.

"Stop with this nonsense, it will get you in trouble. And stay away from the Cruz boy, he's trouble." Cole warned angrily. "He's fooling around with this woman who thinks she can do a man's job and…"

"Cole." Rachel cut him off. She knew Mrs Bercoran was watching them from the corner of her eye and expected her to be all sweet but she didn't care. She didn't want to talk to these people anymore and she couldn't even storm out of the place. "I have to work so unless you need something from the shop, this talk will have to wait." She snapped.

The man seemed surprised by her tone but didn't answer. He nodded goodbye to Abigail before leaving without a word.

The next couple of days, Santana gathered food and supplies to leave town. She knew she had to go to the ranch to get money and clothes but she was dreading the moment. Luckily for her, she had noticed after her time at the ranch that Ricardo tended to go to the saloon in the middle of the week to catch up with the new gossip in town so it was the perfect opportunity to go to Santiago's house without fear of stumbling across the man.

Since the Latina still had her horse, she decided to ride it all the way to the barn and do the rest on foot. Once at the Ranch, she made sure no one was around before stepping inside the house. First, she rushed to Santiago's room, taking everything that could be useful before making her way to the kitchen to 'steal' some food.

Santana was sure the house was empty so she didn't bother checking before stepping inside the kitchen. She should know better though because as soon as she was inside the room, she came face to face with Santiago's mother. She froze.

"Santiago!" Anita exclaimed, moving forward and hugging her tightly. "Te extrañé, bebe."

"I…" The raven-haired girl quickly broke the embrace. 'SHIT!' The Latina thought. "I'm not supposed to be here…" She didn't want the woman to say something to her husband about her visit.

"Lo sé, mijo, lo sé… but you know your father, deep down he wants you to come back home, he's just too proud to say it."

"I'm not staying, I just needed a few things…" The former cheerleader trailed off, she needed to leave and soon, this wasn't the plan.

"Why?" Mrs Cruz frowned. "Where are you going?"

"Nowhere." Santana lied, no one but Mary was supposed to know about her plan, not until they were far away from this town.

The older Latina looked at her son closely. "Is this about the Bercoran lady?" Anita asked. Santana opened her mouth to deny but the woman raised her hand to stop her. "You don't have to say a word, a mother knows those things. I saw you change right in front of me, it was like you were lost and suddenly she was there and you found the light… You are a good man, you deserve to be happy and I know your father will disapprove but if she's the one, then you have my blessing. Estoy orgulloso de ti hijo, remember that."

Even though Santana wanted to say that there was nothing going on with Rachel, well, no Michelle, she didn't have it in her heart. Right now, the woman reminded her of her own mom and how she missed her. Instead, she smiled. "Gracias, mami."

Mrs Cruz squeezed the girl's shoulder. "I have a feeling I won't see you so soon and there is something I want you to have. Please, wait here."

Santana nodded and waited until the woman left the room to grab some food from the cabinet. She was just finishing putting everything in her bag when Anita entered the kitchen with a small wooden box in hand.

Santiago's mother opened the box to reveal a small gold ring. On the outside was engraved 'our love' and inside 'will travel through time.' The woman grabbed Santana's hand and put the box in it. "It belonged to my great grand mother and was passed from generation to generation. I want you to give it to Michelle."

The latina's eyes went wide in surprise. This was too much, the woman thought she was Santiago and she couldn't accept this gift, it was a part of the Anita's heritage and it wasn't hers to have or Rachels. "What? No I can't. It's really not what you…"

"Escucha me." Mrs Cruz cut her off. "I don't have a daughter but if she's the one you want, I'd be happy if she could wear it…"

"Really, I can't…" The former cheerleader tried to give the box back.

"It's not up for discussion. Por favor, take it." Anita insisted.

The raven-haired girl sighed. Again, it wasn't what she had planned. She was supposed to get in, get some stuff and leave without seeing anyone. It was clear she couldn't say no but she would have to find a way to get it back inside the house before they went back to the future. "Alright…"

"Good. Now go." Mrs Cruz hugged her tightly before pushing her toward the door. When Santana looked at her, the woman smiled. "Just go, I won't say anything to your father."

The Latina put the box into her pocket and rushed outside the house. At least she was able to get what she needed before leaving town…