Chapter 24
Disclaimer: I don't own glee or this story
Taylor heard the gunshots and froze as tears began to stream out of her eyes. "No." She shook her head quickly. Skylar jumped from the noise and clutched to Taylor, staring up at her sister. "Shhhh." Taylor quickly shushed her when Skylar's face turned to a frown, a sign she was going to start crying as her pacifier fell out of her mouth. Taylor picked it up quickly and stuck it back in, rubbing her little sister's back.
She quietly got out of the bathtub and quickly picked up Skylar, who clutched to her neck, she tiptoed over to the linen closet and set her on the floor in the corner, she then piled sheets around her. "You have to stay quiet."
"Tay." Skylar shook her head quickly when her older sister set her down, quickly lifting her arms wanting Taylor to hold her again. "You have to stay here, and stay quiet." Taylor whispered, wiping her eyes. She looked around the bathroom and saw one of Skylar's stuffed animals and handed it to her. She then pulled towels and sheets from a top shelf and surrounded Skylar with them, hiding her but leaving space around her mouth. She then closed the closet door and tip-toed over to hide under the sink, grabbing a bottle of spray bleach and holding it tightly, ready to spray it on someone. She fumbled with Santana's phone and made a phone call.
Brittany woke up from cell phone ringing and blindly reached for it, she opened her eyes enough to see it was Santana's cell phone calling, she glanced at the time and frowned.
"Hello?" She quickly answered. "Santana?" She sat up when she heard faint whimpers coming through the phone.
"Santana?" She called out louder to answer. "Taylor?! Santana!"
Taylor, who was holding Santana's cell phone tightly, wiped her eyes, the cell phone shaking in her hand. She opened her mouth to speak but heard Brittany hang up before the phone rang again with Brittany calling back.
Santana opened her eyes, her hands still shaking, she saw the two holes she shot into the wall, missing the intruder and exhaled shakingly. She took a few tentative steps towards the stairwell as sirens began to surround the house, and the red and blue lights of emergency vehicles illuminated the living room.
"Stop!" A loud voice bellowed.
Santana backed up slowly so she was leaning on her bedroom door, in her mind protecting her girls by blocking the door. She heard footsteps ascend up the stairwell and sniffled, wiping her face with his forearm before raising her gun again.
I have to protect my girls, I have to. I'll die for them right now. She thought to herself, tears streaming down her face. I will die for my girls if I have to, I can't let anything happen to them.
Brittany got out of bed and began to pace the room as she listened to Santana's cell phone ring over and over. "Dammit, answer, someone please answer."
She hung up and tried calling the house but received the busy signal. She threw her phone down and began to get dressed quickly, and decided she needed to fly home immediately. She picked up her cell phone again and sat down on the couch in her suite. "Answer, answer, answer." She chanted softly to herself as she called Santana's cell phone again.
She heard the line click but was met with the small soft whimpers from earlier. "Santana!" Brittany began to yell hoping to get the attention of someone on the other end.
"Momma." Taylor whispered. "We need help."
"Maam, drop the gun, please." The police requested, his hands in the air.
Santana sniffled and shook her head. "How do I know you're a cop and not one of the robbers?"
"I'm Officer Bennett, from the 7th district precinct. My badge number is 145247." He stepped closer. "I know you have two little girls hidden somewhere, keeping them safe." He added as another officer walked upstairs.
"We got them Bennett." The woman stated, stopping in her tracks when she saw the gun. "Dr. Lopez?"
Santana glanced at the officer and visibly relaxed. "Stephanie?"
"Yeah, it's me." The female cop nodded, "put the gun down, we have the robbers in the back of another's squad car, we caught them trying to run out of the house."
Santana lowered her gun. "They're gone?"
"They are apprehended." Officer Bennett assures her.
Santana nodded, then turned and ran into her bedroom. She quickly moved the furniture from in front of the bathroom door and ran to the bathtub, her heart stopping when she didn't see her daughters.
"Taylor!" Santana yelled.
The cabinet opened slowly as Taylor peeped out. "Mami?"
"Come here, baby." Santana nodded through tears bending down as Taylor ran into her arms, hiding her face in Santana's chest. "Where's Sky?" She then asked quickly.
"I hid her." Taylor ran over to the closet and grabbed Skylar, who scowled at her and handed her to Santana, just as Santana's cell phone rang again, Brittany's name flashing on the ID.
Hello? Santana asked quickly, tears still streaming down her face as she pulled Taylor and Skylar into her lap, the officers giving her the time to calm down with her daughters.
Santana, baby what's going on? Brittany rushed out. Your cell called me and I heard from whimpers, and I'm freaking out.
We just had a home invasion, someone broke in.
What?! I'm coming home right now.
Thanks, I need you here right now.
Did the cops catch the robbers or are they still out there?
They got them.
I want you to stay in a hotel tonight, please.
Okay, I have to talk to the cops so I'll call you back, get a flight and text me your info.
Santana stood up, kissing Skylar on the cheek and grabbing Taylor's hand as they made their way downstairs to the living room, where she talked to the officers, recanting everything that happened that night, she also noted the car she saw lurking around the house that morning, and how she noticed the tire tracks in the driveway before going to bed. After giving her account to the officers and waiting for the detective to board up the front window that was broken, Santana ran upstairs and packed bags for the three of them, before locking up the house and getting everyone in her truck. The police followed her out of the driveway and down the street at her request, wanting to make sure she wasn't followed.
"Where are we going?" Taylor asked from the back seat, where she was holding Skylar's hand, the baby in and out of sleep.
"Somewhere safe." Santana assured her.
"Is momma going to be safe?" Taylor asked quietly.
"She's safe, Tay." Santana nodded as she turned down a residential neighborhood and into a driveway. She parked and grabbed their bags out of the front seat, looking around nervously before nodding to Taylor she could jump out and grab Skylar, kissing her on the forehead and rubbing her back.
Santana rang the doorbell a few times and waited until the door opened, where Quinn was standing. "Santana?"
"We were robbed, someone just broke in..." She stuttered, as tears filled her eyes.
"Come in." Quinn ushered her in quickly, hugging Taylor, asking her if she was okay quietly.
"We just need to stay here tonight, Q, I know you work early, so I'll get up early and..."
"Stop." Quinn sighed. "Don't explain or anything, okay, babe. You and your girls are more than welcome to stay."
Santana mouthed a silent thank you. "Same guest room for them?"
Quinn nodded, grabbing Taylor's hand and going up the stairs with them. "Get them settled and calmed down."
Santana went to the bathroom and ran a warm bath for her daughters, Skylar holding onto her leg. "Bath?" She asked her mother, looking up at her tiredly.
"Si, let's take a bath, so we feel better." She nodded to Skylar, knowing she would sleep and relax better after a warm bath. "Do you want to get in with your sister?"
"Okay."
Once Taylor got undressed she sat in the tub as Santana lifted Skylar in, setting her on Taylor's lap, since the water was a little high. She then grabbed a washcloth and ran the warm water over her daughter's backs and arms, humming softly to them. "Thank you for taking care of Skylar, that was great thinking to hide her, Tay." Santana smiled at Taylor. "I know you must have been so scared, but you took care of your sister and that was really brave of you."
"I wanted to make sure she was safe, but I was really worried about you, I heard the gunshots." Taylor frowned, her eyes turning red.
Santana saw Skylar falling asleep and grabbed a towel to lift her out, before handing one to Taylor. "Get out, Tay."
Taylor nodded as Santana rubbed her back when she stood up and kept it there until they reached the bedroom where Taylor quickly got dressed as Santana dried Skylar off and diapered her before slipping footed pajamas on her. She laid Skylar down in the middle of the bed, before sitting on the edge and pulling Taylor in her lap, hugging her tightly.
"We will talk about the gunshots tomorrow, okay?" Santana told her as Taylor turned to straddle her, holding her tightly. "Do you understand what happened tonight?" Santana asked, rubbing Taylor's back.
"Yes."
"Okay." Santana began to rock side to side as Taylor clutched to her, tears streaming out of her eyes.
"Why would someone try to take our stuff?" Taylor rasped. "I don't want or need nice things if it means people break into our house. I can have normal things."
"I don't know Tay, I wish I knew, but I don't know, baby." Santana whispered, running her fingers through her hair. "Can you lay down with your sister, I need to make some more calls, then I'm going to come and sleep with you in a little bit."
"Okay." Taylor nodded, crawling off of Santana's lap and snuggling behind Skylar.
Santana pulled the covers over them and kissed all over their faces before opening the door wide and heading downstairs where Quinn was sitting on the couch, reading a book. She sat down close to Quinn, collapsed in tears in her lap, Quinn quickly holding her, trying to calm her down. "You're safe now, the girls are safe now." She cooed to her over and over.
"Brittany just texted me and she's boarding her plane, she's using the company plane I think."
"Yeah she is." Santana sniffled. "The president of the company is letting her use it." Santana sat up quickly and moved a little ways away from Quinn, wiping her eyes harshly.
"Drop the tough act around me, at least for tonight." Quinn told her. "It's okay to cry and be vulnerable and weak. You're not in the operating room, I'm not a patient and don't need the stone face from you."
Santana leaned forward and held her head in her hands. "I fucked up Quinn, I forgot to set the alarm."
"What?"
"We have an alarm, it has the glass breaking detector, the security lights are supposed to come on and that alarm should sound, and it calls the police right away. I didn't fuckin arm it." She groaned.
Quinn scooted closer to her and wrapped her arm around her. "It was late, you were tired..."
"It's no excuse!" Santana screamed, standing up and kicking air. "My damn negligence put my daughters in danger." She added. "I fucked up."
Quinn stood up and stared at Santana.
"Do you know how embarrassing it was to tell the cops that?" She said softly.
Quinn moved closer and opened her arms to her again. "If you are anything, you aren't a negligent person, doctor, or parent." She rubbed her back slowly. "You're high on emotion right now, and shaken up, go get in bed with your girls. You need to calm down."
Santana nodded as she ran her fingers through her hair, tousling it around. "Thanks again, Quinn. I didn't want to go to a hotel, you know? I wanted the girls to feel comfortable."
"I'm glad all three of you feel comfortable here." Quinn nodded.
Santana smiled as best she could at her before walking upstairs and slipping on a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt. She cuddled close behind Taylor, wrapping her arms around her to rest on Skylar's stomach as the events of the night played over and over in her head.
8am
Santana sat against the head of the bed, Skylar in her lap, holding a stuffed animal, Taylor cuddled in her side while the three of them watched a cartoon when Brittany came running up the stairs and into the room.
"Santana." Brittany managed to get out as she ran over to her and kissed her deeply before kissing Taylor and Skylar. "I was a mess the entire flight. I was so scared." She added, grabbing Skylar, who was reaching for her. "Are you three okay?"
"Physically, they're fine." Santana whispered. "Emotionally and mentally is a different thing."
"Mami was so brave." Taylor smiled, glancing at Santana. "She hid us in the bathtub, but then I hid Sky in the closet." She added proudly.
"Good job." Brittany gave her a high five. "Aunt Q is making pancakes for everyone, why don't you take Skylar downstairs to get one so I can talk to mami for a few minutes."
Taylor nodded and jumped out of bed, she kissed Brittany on the cheek and grabbed Skylar, who frowned but relaxed when Brittany rubbed her back, and left the room. Brittany stood and closed the door before laying down in the bed, pulling Santana on top of her. After a few moments of being safe in Brittany's arms, Santana began to shake with tears.
"It's over now, Santana." Brittany reminded her, stroking her hair. "It's over, you kept our girls safe, you protected them. You thought quickly, baby."
"I forgot the alarm." Santana began to sob, a heart wrenching sob that made Brittany's eyes start to water as she started to feel Santana's guilt.
"Shhhhhh, I don't care about that, Santana. I don't blame you, for anything." Brittany assured her as she hugged her as tight as she could. "I don't blame you." She moved Santana's hair out of her face. "I don't blame you, look at me." Santana finally lifted her eyes to look at Brittany's. "I don't blame you." She repeated again.
Brittany held Santana as she cried, really cried, letting out all of her fear from the events of the night, and dumping them onto Brittany, who was more than willing to take the load. Santana eventually fell asleep, Brittany continued to rub her back and pepper kisses to her face when Taylor came in with a pancake on a plate.
"Momma, Aunt Q said to bring this to you." Taylor told her.
Brittany looked at her daughter and smiled at the syrup on the side of her mouth and down the front of her. "Mami is asleep, so help me out." She opened her mouth wide and waited for Taylor to hold the pancake up to her, so she could take a bite. "I heard you were super brave."
Taylor nodded, holding the pancake up to Brittany again. "I had the bleach bottle ready to spray their eyes, bleach can blind you, that's what my teacher said, and it burns."
Brittany continued chewing before nodding. "Quick thinking, I like that you are able to do critical thinking like that on your feet, so that was you that called me last night?"
Taylor held the pancake up again as Santana exhaled and shifted in Brittany's arms, turning to face a different direction, which was away from Taylor. "Yeah, mami told me a safe word, and if she yelled it out to call Aunt Quinn and the police, but I panicked when I heard the gunshots."
"Gunshots?" Brittany asked quickly.
"There were two." Taylor explained. "They were close together, mami said we would discuss them this morning."
"Okay." Brittany ate the last bite of the pancake and winked at her daughter. "Thanks for breakfast, keep your sister happy and entertained until we come downstairs okay? Ask Aunt Quinn if she'll put on a video for you and Skylar."
Ten minutes later Quinn knocked on the bedroom door before opening it. "Oh, you're asleep, sorry."
"I'm awake, what's up?" Brittany asked.
"I was wondering if I should call Taylor's school and let them know she's not coming?" Quinn asked, knowing she could make calls on her behalf since she was listed as her emergency contact.
Brittany saw Santana's phone and reached for it,she scrolled through the call log quickly and shook her head. "Santana called this morning, but thanks. I want Santana to get a little more sleep, then we'll be out of your hair, do you mind watching the girls for a little bit or do you have to get to work?"
"I was going to work from home today, so it's not a big deal. I actually bought Skylar some puzzles to keep here so I was going to put one together with her." Quinn smiled.
"Thanks again, Q." Brittany told her. "For everything."
"You're welcome." Quinn replied, closing the door.
Brittany moved Santana off of her and pulled her jeans off as Santana jolted awake. "I'm right here." She replied quickly when she saw Santana begin to frantically look around the room.
Santana sighed in relief. "The girls?"
"Are downstairs with Quinn." Brittany told her as she moved to get under the covers, patting the space in front of her. Santana moved to cuddle close to her.
"I should go check on them." Santana shook her head.
"No, I need you to relax and lay right here." Brittany told her. "Let's go to Arizona tonight, we can get the window fixed this afternoon and fly out this evening, you were coming with the girls tomorrow anyways. I know you won't feel comfortable in our house tonight, so let's start the vacation early."
"Okay." Santana nodded. "I have the girls' bags already packed anyways."
"I want you to sleep for another hour then we'll head to the house." Brittany told her.
Santana handed the repair man a check for repairing the windows that were broken in the living room, before waving goodbye to him. Brittany carried their luggage downstairs and set the suitcases down by the door. She watched Santana double lock the door before looking at Skylar, who was sitting on the floor watching a movie, an applesauce pouch in her hand.
"Taylor!" Santana yelled. "Let's go, baby, get your iPad." Taylor came running down the stairs. "I'm ready."
"Get your sister's coat on please." Brittany told her as she turned the TV off, Skylar glaring at her in response.
"Sky Sky." The baby snapped, pointing to the TV.
"You can watch a movie on momma's ipad on the plane." Brittany told her as she slipped her boots on her.
Santana looked around the living room, checking the windows and closing the blinds before grabbing her own coat.
"It's hot in Arizona, right?" Taylor asked, setting Skylar on the floor, after zipping her coat up.
"Si." Santana nodded.
"Then why can't we wear shorts?"
Brittany frowned. "We are still in New York, where it's snowing." She raised an eyebrow at her daughter.
"Oh yeah." Taylor laughed as Santana shook her head.
"Silly rabbit." She teased her daughter. "Got everything? We will be gone for over a week."
"Yes mami." Taylor nodded.
"Yes mami." Skylar mimicked while laughing.
"Arizona is so beautiful." Santana exhaled as she leaned back on the bench at the park they were at. Taylor was pushing Skylar in the swing a few feet to the side of them. After landing in Arizona, Brittany took them to dinner at a bistro she ate at the other day and enjoyed, before suggesting they do something fun, which meant the girls got to pick, and Skylar wanted to swing.
"I know, I love the weather. It's December, and 75 degrees." Brittany laughed, lifting her iced green tea and taking a sip.
"I could definitely get used to weather like this year round." Santana laughed.
"I'm glad you feel that way, because I was offered a job here." Brittany blurted out.
"What?" Santana turned to face her quickly. "Seriously?"
"Vice President of Marketing for the Western Division." Brittany nodded. "I haven't given them an answer yet, of course...but..."
"When would we have to move?" Santana asked softly.
"The position goes into effect on January 4." Brittany told her.
"That's like 2 weeks from now." Santana frowned.
"I know."
"What do you want to do?" Santana asked.
"What's best for the family?" Brittany replied.
Santana thought for a minute while smiling at her wife. "Take the job."
"Are you serious?"
"Yes, I can transfer to a new hospital." Santana nodded. "We have a sister hospital down here, I can put in a transfer and if it doesn't go through then I can apply at some hospitals. I have outstanding credentials, so I'm not worried about finding work.:"
"So we're moving?"
"We're moving." Santana nodded.
Thoughts?
