A/N: This beginning of this chapter is choppy/disjointed on purpose. I hope it makes sense. It was meant to convey Santana's mind set/feelings.
TW: Sexual assault
xoxoxoxoxo
Chapter 23 - Lesbos
She spun around, trying to break the hold on her waist and was met by a woman forcefully pushing her against the fencing near the booth. The woman was taller than Santana, brown hair cut in a shag, brown eyes behind large glasses. That was all Santana had time to notice before the woman was kissing her. Santana froze for a second and then did the only thing she could think to do; she bit down hard on the woman's bottom lip. The taste of copper was on her lips; the woman pulled back, Santana spit the blood at her attacker, and struck out at her opponent as the woman yelled something in … German? … and backhanded Santana across her right cheek. Santana's face and head exploded in pain and the next thing she knew, her hands were captured in one strong hand and pinned above her head and the woman was biting down on her neck and shoulder, her free hand roughly kneading Santana's breast. Santana struggled, trying to kick out and break free; when the woman jammed her knee in between Santana's legs, Santana cried out in pain.
Then the woman was gone and Santana felt herself slipping to the ground, only to be caught up in very familiar arms.
"Britt?"
"I've got you, Santana, you're safe now, baby."
Santana leaned into Brittany; there was a lot of yelling and screaming in a language Santana didn't know. Brittany was looking at her and didn't see the woman coming toward them; Santana pushed Brittany aside and launched herself at the woman, her fist connecting with the woman's throat. The woman reeled back and gasped for air as Santana's grip on reality started to slip and then Brittany's arms were around her again. She was shaking and everything sounded like it was underwater.
"Can we please get her to a doctor?" Brittany's voice was harsh; angry. Santana cringed.
"Baby?" Brittany's voice was soft, so soft.
Santana's shaking got worse until suddenly there was sweatshirt being wrapped around her shoulders and Britt was holding her tightly again.
"I've got you, you're going to be okay."
She was suddenly in the air, in Britt's arms. In a car. In a … hospital? … she was so tired. Her neck hurt. Her boob hurt. Her … between her legs … hurt.
"Baby," Brittany soft voice cut through the haze, "I have to run to the bathroom. They said it might be awhile before you can be seen. Do you want to come with me or will you be okay here?"
Santana looks at her. This is it. Brittany is leaving because Santana cheated on her. "Okay," her voice is just above a whisper.
Brittany kisses the top of her head. "Be right back, I promise," she offers Santana her pinky; Santana clings to it like a lifeline.
And then she's alone. She looks around; watching for a threat but everyone is too wrapped up in their own miseries to pay her any attention.
"Santana Lopez?" Her name is called out. Britt still isn't back. She stands on shaky legs and walks toward the nurse with the heavy accent and kind smile.
"I'll let your friend know what room you're in," she says kindly.
Santana just nods; she knows Britt's not coming back.
She's led into the room and the nurse asks why she's here and Santana looks blankly at her. "I cheated on my girlfriend." Her voice is dull and hoarse.
The nurse looks confused.
Santana takes off her shirt and shows the nurse the bite marks on her shoulder and neck. The nurse gasps and asks Santana to remove her bra. Her left breast is mottled with blooming bruises.
"Are you hurt anywhere else?" The nurse keeps her voice steady and low.
Santana looks at her again and nods, tears beginning to slip free; just a trickle. She holds out her wrists where bruises are forming. She stands up and slips out of her pants and underwear. She can see the bruises forming on the inside of each thigh and above her mound. It hurts, the bruise. It hurts; everything.
The nurse nods and hands Santana a gown, quietly telling her to put it on, then handing her a blanket to ease her shuddering. The trickle becomes a small creek.
She's sitting on the bed. The creek has become a stream, a raging river, until she can't stop the sob that's been caught in her throat from breaking free. She doubles over, pulling her knees to her chest, rocking violently as her world shatters around her.
And then there are arms around her. She struggles before realizing they're familiar. Attached to a familiar scent. She chances a glance up and … Brittany is there. Brittany is holding her and whispering softly.
"I'm so sorry, baby, I didn't know where you were. I'm so sorry it took me so long to get here."
"I thought you left." Santana's voice is deadened. Hollow.
"Why would I leave?" Brittany sounds confused.
"Because …" Santana hesitates, "I cheated on you."
"Oh, honey," Brittany wraps her arms more tightly around Santana. "That's not what happened, my love." She kisses the top of Santana's head.
They're interrupted by a doctor coming in. Santana is tired. The world isn't real anymore. Brittany is talking but the words don't make sense. Santana feels herself slip away.
Xoxoxoxoxo
Brittany had slowed down to look at some original artwork. It was some really cool stuff with a nice use of colors. The abstracts were absolutely beautiful but there was a small picture of multi-colored butterflies that she thought Courtney would absolutely love. She paid for the picture and slipped it into her backpack noticing, for the first time, that Santana isn't with her.
Her stomach clenches as she turns in place searching for the Latina.
A scream of pain pierces the air and Brittany is running; it's Santana.
She rounds the corner of the a stand selling fudge and her blood runs cold; a woman is assaulting a struggling Santana.
Brittany doesn't think about it; she grabs the woman and throws her away from Santana, catching Santana before she can slide to the ground.
"Britt?"
"I've got you, Santana, you're safe now, baby."
Santana leaned into Brittany.
"Stay away from her!"
"Get lost Blondie! I saw her first!"
"I said stay away from her!"
Brittany was watching Santana and was surprised when Santana shoved her aside and launched herself forward. She turned just in time to see Santana's fist connect with the crazy woman's throat. Santana stumbled and Brittany caught her again, holding her tight. Santana was shaking so hard and looking like nothing made sense.
A crowd had formed; a crowd that included Petrina and several security guards.
There were two women talking to the crazy woman in German and what little she could hear caused Brittany's blood to boil.
She looked at Petrina.
"Can we please get her to a doctor?" Brittany knew her voice had come out harsh; she was so pissed. She felt Santana cringe against her.
"Baby?" Brittany quieted her voice, speaking softly to the frightened girl in her arms.
Santana's shaking got worse. Brittany looked around and caught the eye of a woman selling t-shirts and sweatshirts; several quick gestures and she was slipping a sweatshirt around Santana's shoulders.
"I've got you, you're going to be okay."
Brittany looked at Petrina and nodded slightly for Petrina to come closer.
"They're speaking German. Apparently the woman that assaulted Santana does this a lot …" she quickly filled Petrina in on what little she'd heard then deftly lifted Santana into her arms and carried her, bridal style, to a car that Petrina had one of the security people get.
It was a long twenty minute ride to the hospital. Santana was curled in her lap, whimpering a little and still shaking. Pain and shock? Maybe? Brittany wasn't sure but she was worried. She held Santana close and just tried to comfort her.
When they got to the hospital, Brittany sat Santana down in a chair and gave the nurse on duty Santana's name. She was told it would probably be close to an hour before she would be seen. Brittany sighed and walked over to Santana and sat next to her, putting her arm around Santana's shoulder and drawing her close.
Brittany tried to wait until Santana is in a room but, after twenty-five minutes, her bladder will no longer be denied.
"Baby," Brittany says softly, "I have to run to the bathroom. They said it might be awhile before you can be seen. Do you want to come with me or will you be okay here?"
Santana looks at her. "Okay," her voice is just above a whisper.
Brittany kisses the top of her head. "Be right back, I promise," she offers Santana her pinky. Santana grabs on to it tightly. She doesn't like leaving Santana alone; hates it but wetting her pants won't help anyone.
She's gone less than ten minutes.
The sweatshirt she had wrapped around Santana's shoulders is on Santana's vacant chair … but Santana is nowhere to be seen.
"Dammit!" Brittany snatches the sweatshirt up, looks around, and spots the admittance nurse. "Excuse me? Santana Lopez? Do you know where they've taken her?"
The nurse looks at her oddly, then nods her head. "Room 612," she says, pointing the way down the hall.
When Brittany opens the door, Santana is alone; her knees are pulled to her chest and she's sobbing hysterically, rocking violently back and forth.
Brittany drops her backpack and the sweatshirt and is across the room in an instant, wrapping her arms tightly around her beautiful brunette, and whispering her love into Santana's ear. Santana struggles against her briefly before hesitantly glancing up at her.
"I'm so sorry, baby, I didn't know where you were. I'm so sorry it took me so long to get here."
"I thought you left." Santana's eyes are vacant; her voice hollow.
"Why would I leave?" Brittany was confused.
"Because …" Santana hesitates, "I cheated on you."
"Oh, honey," Brittany wraps her arms more tightly around Santana. "That's not what happened, my love." She kisses the top of Santana's head.
The doctor came in then, halting their conversation.
She cleaned and bandaged the bite marks, cleaned and used surgical glue on the gash on Santana's right cheekbone, and examined the bruising on Santana's wrists, breast, mound, and inner thighs. She had a nurse come in and take photographic documentation of the injuries.
Brittany feels Santana's weight against her and looks down. Her eyes are closed, her breathing heavy. She looks up at the doctor.
The doctor takes a deep breath. "Shock, pain, and trauma. She needs rest. Her wounds should heal without complication," the doctor looks sympathetically at Brittany, "the physical wounds, anyway."
Brittany swallows and nods. She knows all too well the difference between physical wounds and emotional ones.
The doctor raises an eyebrow. "The chart indicates that she cheated on her girlfriend?"
Brittany shakes her head, trying not to cry, to stay strong. "I'm her girlfriend. She was assaulted." She gently strokes Santana's hair. "Some woman … thought … I don't know what she thought, honestly."
The doctor nods. "As I said, the physical wounds should heal without complication. If you want, I can send a counselor in."
Brittany thinks for a moment before nodding. She doubts Santana will talk to anyone but there's no harm in trying.
"I'll have one … a woman … sent in. The nurse will come in with discharge instructions for caring for the wounds."
Brittany nods and thanks her as the doctor exits the room.