Chapter 2: (Reflect) Developments

A.N. I changed my mind. Not slow burn. It's a three shot so one more chapter after this one.

- Jessica

Song(s): (Reflect) Developments by Hands Like Houses and The House You Built by Hands Like Houses

O O O

Being stuck between Lucy Quinn Fabray and Brittany Susan Pierce is like being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Brittany is a rock. She's her rock. She holds Santana together, and keeps her strong.

Quinn is a hard place. She is strong on her own, she's also abrasive and tries to tear Santana apart every chance she gets. Unfortunately, Quinn just so happens to be Santana's hard place.

And, for Santana, well she's the one stuck in between them.

O O O

She's really not sure why they are currently sitting in on a Glee meeting. All she really knows is that Quinn is totally owning her audition song, and Rachel and Puck who couldn't be any closer, look completely scared and apologetic.

Before Santana knows it the song is over and all to soon for her Brittany is pulling out of her arms for her turn.

She does an extremely provocative dance to Britney Spears' Toxic. And it totally would have turned her on if Brittany was her soul mate. But she's not and it scares her.

Santana absent-mindedly rubs at the tattoo on her chest. It burns and she knows exactly why.

Quinn's birthday is in a couple of days and she's going to find out about her Soulmate. She's going to find out it's Santana.

Santana has been through a lot. As a young girl she lost her beloved Abuelo to lung cancer. But she knows from the smell in the air and the twitch in her knee that a shit storm is brewing. And it's going to be a lot harder to endure than losing her grandfather ever was. She's just not sure who it's going to rain down on.

O O O

Quinn stalked down the hall with a fierce glare and a menacing smirk. Sometimes she wonders if she's a masochist. What she's about to do is totally going to ruin any chance of her maybe having a friendship with Rachel, but then she remembered the heartbreak. And suddenly she doesn't care anymore.

She spotted Rachel right where she normally is after 4th period.

She Makes sure to get every last drop of the blue slush on to Rachel's shivering form before she walked off again.

"Blue's a good color on you, Manhands." Quinn says off handedly over her shoulder. Missing Rachel's look of shock and hurt.

Quinn chuckled evilly.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

O O O

Quinn came to an abrupt stop as she walked out of her 6th period. Puck was standing right in way obviously looking pissed.

"What do you want, Fuckerman?" She rolled her eyes.

"Why are you messing with, Rachel." He asked still blocking her way.

"Cause it's Tuesday." She deadpanned.

"Back off, Quinn. This is why Rachel left you so easily. Your unlikable. No, your unlovable." He insisted poking her in the chest.

"Oh fuck off, Man Whore. Leave me alone and go play with your hobbit." She fumed. She had hoped he didn't see the look of pure pain on her face when that last word left his mouth.

He grunted but walked away.

Quinn sighed, giving up on her last period and just cutting straight to home.

As soon as she got there she stormed in and up the steps only to flop on to her bed and sob.

Was it true?

Was she really unlovable?

O O O

Quinn was woken up with a wobbly shake. She looked up startled. Her mom looked back at her with glassy eyes.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Quinn asked as she looked at her alarm clock. It was only 4.45 in the evening. Her mother was not supposed to be home.

"Your father's coming for dinner, Quinnie. Can you make him his favorite dish? I have too much of a headache to do it." Her mother asked, her words slightly slurred.

"But m-" Quinn tried.

"Thanks, Quinnie. Be ready in an hour." Her mother called as she left through room.

Quinn sighed. Nothing ever goes her way.

She knows why her father is here. He comes once a week so him and her mother don't die of separation anxiety. It's odd and she has no idea how one can live without the other when they both know of each other, but this how it's been since she can remember.

She's scared that this is how her and her Soulmate are going to end up since Quinn is so obviously unlovable.

O O O

February 24th. 6.30 a.m. Santana huffed nervously as she soaked in the shower.

It was Quinn's 18th birthday and she surely would be finding her Soulmate out soon.

She's not sure what to expect. She knows for a fact that Quinn isn't going to run out of her house from across the street, bound into her house and jump into her arms. It's unrealistic.

Santana finally gets out the shower when she notices she's starting to prune.

As she put on the last of her cheerios uniform her phone rung. It startled her. The only person who calls her this early in the morning is Quinn, more than likely warning of a rampaging Coach Sylvester.

Her hammering heart slowed down drastically upon witnessing Brittany's smiling face.

"Hey, Britt Britt." She said, cheerily grabbing her bag and heading towards her car.

"Uh, Hi, San." Brittany said way less cheerily.

"What's wrong, Britt." Santana asked concerned.

"You didn't send me a Happy Birthday text."

"What do you mean, Brittany? Your birthday isn't until next month." Santana said urgently. She panicked. If today was Britt's birthday then that would mean-

"You're not my mate, San. Why didn't you tell me?" Brittany was on the verge of tears. Santana didn't have an answer. She had forgotten both blondes had the same birthday, she was so focused on Quinn.

"I'm sorry, Britt Britt. I just didn't know how."

"Well now I've done it for you. You need to be with your mate. And I need to be with mine. I hope you and Quinn are happy together." With that the blonde hung up. Leaving a shocked, teary-eyed brunette on the other end, in her car, on her own.

Santana thought for a minute. Brittany was right. She needed to be with her mate.

First, she just needed to convince Quinn of the same thing.

O O O

Quinn could feel the name etch it's self into her skin, while she slept. Just above her hip bone on her right side. She smiled slightly when it tickled a little. She is mainly just glad that it didn't burn like her mom's did.

Quinn walked down the hall quietly, none of the bravado that she had been putting on the past couple of weeks.

Nobody wished her a Happy Birthday but it didn't bother her.

She woke up at 3 am not able to fall back asleep. Out of pure impatience Quinn peeled down the top of her sleep shorts, right where she knew that tattoo would be.

Her breath hitched upon recognition. It was upside down but she could still read the cursive. It was sharp and edgy just like the owner of the name.

Santana Alessandra Lopez

Quinn smiled, she actually didn't know the latina's middle name. Quinn had took her word when she said she didn't have one. Quinn didn't know why Santana would hide such a beautiful name.

Quinn paused her tracing of the tattoo as soon as she noticed she was doing it. What was she doing? She was supposed to be pining after, Rachel.

But, in all honesty. She had no idea where she thought it was going to get her. Most bullies end up homeless or in jail. And at this rate that's exactly where she was going.

Maybe, Noah was right about everything?

That thought didn't sit comfortably in her head. Puck being right. Eww. It was something she simply will not put.

Quinn looked down at the tattoo one more time. She would make it up to Rachel and show Santana that she wasn't completely hopeless.

Quinn thought back to the apology she had planned for Rachel. It wasn't much. It was really just her saying she was sorry, but it would be a lot to get those words out. She hated admitting she was wrong.

Quinn walked into her first period and sat towards the back. She thought of what she gonna need to say to Santana. Quinn knew her birthday was a couple weeks ago. And she's not surprised the Latina didn't say anything, considering she was halfway up Brittany's ass all the time. But today is her birthday also and she's probably already cut Santana loose.

Suddenly, a wave of possessiveness and dread comes over Quinn. What if Brittany is still stringing her along. She can't do that. Santana is Quinn's. It says so on her hip.

If Quinn's being honest with herself, she's had a crush on Santana ever since they were six. Then, Brittany came along and more or less ruined it. Santana was so attached Quinn just assumed they were endgame. And yeah, maybe Quinn got a little petty with all the trying to be number one in everything thing, but that was mainly more about her dad and less about Santana.

The truth is, Quinn hates cheerios. That's why she quit in the first place, and why she will quit again when Coach comes back.

It's starting to seem like, Quinn needs to apologize to everyone.

But, first things first, apologize to, Rachel.

Then she'll claim Santana as her own.

O O O

Santana sat at the cheerios lunch table. She thought seeing Artie and Brittany together would make her want to run into the nearest bathroom and cry. Instead, she was rather happy for them. She still wishes she had someone to do those cute couple things with but, she wasn't longing after Britt.

Her tattoo burns her a little as if to say, 'remember me?', and she does.

She's actually had a crush on Quinn since they were six. Then, Brittany came along, she was new and shiny, and she knows it sounds bad, but she more or less forgot about Quinn and was blinded by her infatuation completely.

Santana is still slightly peeved at, Quinn for basically putting her last in everything, but with a tiny apology she'll forgive her.

O O O

Santana walked out of her last period toward her locker, for the last if her stuff so she could leave.

Just as she gets there, she's pushed against it and before she can react, there is a pair of soft but firm lips on hers.

She can feel everybody staring at them and she should probably check to see who it is, but she has a sneaking suspicion she knows. Then, they wrap their arms around her and squeeze her ass, and she kind of doesn't care anymore.

It took a little bit of effort, especially after they started sucking on her neck, but she finally pulled away.

Quinn is staring at her with a mischievous smirk, hair all messed, and lips swollen. Santana stared back at her.

"What was that for?"

"I don't know, felt like the right thing to do. You know? Cause we're soulmates and everything." Quinn shrugged, her cheeks flushing pink. Santana giggled at Quinn's embarrassment. There was an awkward silence between the two.

"I'm sorry." They blurted at the same time.

"What are you sorry for?" Quinn asked.

"For abandoning you. For not telling you, you were my soul mate right away." Santana answered, she did feel bad about both. Though, the second one she felt was a little justified." What are you sorry for?"

Quinn shrugged again. "For constantly putting you last. And for practically molesting you a couple of minutes ago."

"Quinn it's fine. Just next time, make sure I get a good look at your face, so I don't punch you in the gut. You got lucky this time."

Quinn smiled.

"How about we start over? I'm, Quinn and I'm your mate."

"I'm, Santana and I'm your mate, too." They shook hands, and laughed.

"Oh wait, what about Britt?" Santana shrugged.

"We broke up this morning. She's with Artie. And, yes I'm okay."

"So it wouldn't be completely inappropriate to ask you out to dinner tonight?" Quinn asked.

"Of course not. I'd love to go out to dinner with you." Quinn smiled.

"Great. I'll pick you up at 7."

"I'll see you then, Quinn. I gotta go." Before she stalked off, Santana kissed her on the cheek.

And for the first time in weeks, Quinn went home happy.