Here we go, a new PezBerry. This one does tackle some issues of abuse and homophobia but it's much lighter than my last fic!

Basically set the summer after season 2 and Nationals BUT…Rachel and Finn didn't get back together, so on-stage kiss. New directions still came in 12th (not that it is particularly relevant) and if you need a new reason for that instead of the Finchel kiss let's say it was because they didn't write the songs till the night before and frolicked around New York the whole time instead. Also, Britney and Artie stayed together even after Santana sang songbird (I don't want to live/write in a world where that didn't happen) but after Santana doesn't turn up for Fondue for Two, Britney forgives Artie and they go back to being a couple.

Okay and if you are still with me after that, here's chapter one.

When Santana showed up on Rachel Berry's doorstep at two in the morning, she wasn't sure who was more surprised to see who.

"I didn't have anywhere else to go." the Latina whispered, her eyes cast down at the floor as she half-expected the smaller girl to slam the door in her face.

She could feel Rachel's eyes boring into her, her gaze taking in her quickly blackening eye and busted lip. She knew the singer was probably drawing her own conclusions so Santana stayed quiet as the seconds ticked past.

"My Dad's are asleep, so you need to be quiet."

Santana barely managed to contain the look of shock that flashed across her face and she was almost reluctant to leave the shadow of the porch to enter the Berry house where she knew she wouldn't be able to hide.

"Santana…are you coming?"

The concern in the singer's voice snapped Santana from her trance and she finally stepped over the threshold. She waited for Rachel to shut and lock the door behind her, before following the smaller girl upstairs. As they entered her bedroom, Rachel flicked on the light making the Latina flinch at the brightness.

"Jesus, you're soaked." the petite girl murmured as she grabbed a nearby towel.

"It was raining." Santana replied, her brain numb to the obviousness of her statement as she added "I didn't have a coat."

Rachel frowned as she carefully took the overnight bag the ex-cheerleader was clutching and placed it on her desk. When she turned around again Santana was still stood in the middle of the room, her eyes boring a hole into the floor as she lost herself in her thoughts. Not wanting to riffle through the other girls possession's Rachel picked a spare pair of sweats and a tank from one of her draws and placed it with the towel, holding them out to Santana she offered a smile "Here, you'll catch a cold if you stay like that. My bathroom is just through that door."

Barely raising her stare from the floorboards Santana took the items from Rachel and shuffled her way into the bathroom. Once inside she let out a loud sigh, she couldn't believe her night had turned out like this; hidden away in the bathroom of a girl who obviously hated her. But what choice did she have? No-one else would have taken her; she was still surprised Rachel didn't simply ignore her knock and pretend to still be asleep.

Shucking off her wet clothes Santana let out a loud hiss of pain as she felt her muscles contract sharply. She didn't need to look down to know there was bruising springing up over her torso. Quickly drying herself off she pulled on the borrowed clothing, her mouth curling in a small smile as the sweats hung a few inches too high, before cramming her things into a ball and heading back to the bedroom.

When she re-appeared she threw her things down with her bag and took her first real look at Rachel's room. It was bright that was for sure, and happy, a stark contrast to her own room that rarely saw any of the kind of cheer adorning the singers walls.

"I…um…I brought you an ice-pack." Rachel said, drawing the Latina's attention "For your...erm…face."

It should have been fun to see the normally calm and collected girl flustered but all it did was make Santana feel insanely awkward. Trying to hide her discomfort Santana took a few steps over to the bed and sat next to Rachel, taking the ice-pack she held it to her lip wincing at the pressure.

They sat in silence for a while, Santana alternating the ice between her eye and her lip and Rachel trying desperately to sit still. The Latina was just starting to make a bet with herself over how long Rachel could stay quiet when the singer spoke.

"Are…are you okay?" the singer whispered, her voice tight as she turned to face the other girl "I mean, I know you're hurt…but it's not, you're okay right?"

Santana would be lying if she said she wasn't shocked. She had expected Rachel to quiz her about what happened and why she had turned up so randomly, she was prepared for anger and hostility, but instead the diva was actually showing genuine concern for her. It was weird, twilight zone weird. And for some reason, she kind of felt like she owed the other girl an honest answer but before she could think it through her defensive side sprung into action "Of course I'm fine Berry, seriously…it just a black eye. No big deal."

She didn't need to look at Rachel to see her recoil at the harshness of the words, and she instantly hated herself for snapping at the one person who was helping her.

"Oh, right. Well that's good…I guess."

Santana sighed, if she didn't feel bad before the hurt laced in the diva's words really brought it home "Look, I didn't mean to snap or whatever. It's just been a really, really bad night."

Rachel knew it was the closest to an apology she was going to get, "It's okay."

"Aren't you going to ask me what happened?" Santana queried, her eyes staring back at the floor.

"If I asked, would you tell me?"

Santana let out a bitter laugh as she looked up, she wanted to make a quip, in fact she was expecting her brain to have already formulated some sarcastic response but she came up empty when she met concerned eyes. Faltering, Santana look a deep breath before mumbling "I…It doesn't matter."

"You can trust me you know." Rachel replied as she reached out slowly to take the now melted ice-pack and tossed it in the bin, "I mean, you don't have to tell me but if you wanted to…I'm a good listener, given the chance."

The diva's words hung in the air as Santana studied the other girl. She and Rachel had never been close, hell they had never been anything other than enemies before glee club but they had built a somewhat tenuous friendship over the past year or so. Granted, most of that was spent insulting each other or picking bizarre moments to stick up for the other one but still Santana had to admit the singer had grown on her. After all, there had to be some reason why she came here tonight, some part of her that trusted the singer.

"You won't tell anyone?" Santana suddenly muttered, her body tense as she fought against her natural instinct to flee "I mean if I tell you that…that I'm not okay?"

Rachel shook her head, her face serious and devoid of any hint of the gossip-y drama queen Santana had seen before.

Taking a deep breath Santana focused her gaze across the room and let the words tumble from her mouth "He was so fucking angry Rachel, I mean he gets angry all the time but I've never seen him like that before."

Turning to face the diva she saw the confusion on her face and before Rachel could ask any questions, Santana sighed and with a small grimace she added "My Dad."

Rachel hesitated, her mind spinning as she tried to process what her friend was saying "Wait. Your Dad did this to you?"

Santana nodded, she could feel tears sliding down her cheeks and wiping them away she let out a defeated sigh "It's never been this bad before-"

"That's not an excuse Santana." Rachel half-shouted her mind whirling at the fact this wasn't even a one off but her voice dropping to a calmer level as she saw the other girl flinch. Trying to calm her anger the singer bit her lip, "What happened?"

Santana shrugged, she was trying so hard to keep herself together that she could feel her fingernails burying themselves in the palms of her hands. It was only when Rachel reached over to clasp them with her own that the Latina relaxed. She let the smaller girl unfurl her fists and felt her shoulders sag as Rachel laced their fingers together, "It was my fault."

"What? How can you even think that Santana-"

"No. I didn't mean it like that. I…" the Latina trailed off as she looked up at confused eyes. She knew there was no turning back from the truth now but she hadn't exactly prepared to spill her story to anyone, with a shake of her head Santana mumbled, "I left my sketch pad out and he saw…some things I drew."

"You draw?" Rachel blurted out, before realising that wasn't really the important part.

The Latina nodded, a tiny smile flicking across her face "Yeah, it's the one of the few things I'm actually good at. I was working on something when Mercedes called about our duet next week and I got distracted and I completely forgot I left it on the table. I wasn't even expecting him to be home so early, I thought he had the night-shift, but when I came back downstairs he was there."

Rachel edged herself closer, trying to offer comfort as the other girl fell quiet, "What were you drawing?"

Santana paused, her brain a mass of panic as she debated how much of the truth she was willing to share. She didn't weigh up her options for long before deciding to bite the bullet; after all she was increasingly sure it was the worst kept secret in the glee club any way.

"A girl." Santana whispered, her voice barely carrying across the stillness of the room, "The whole fucking book was girls. I mean it wasn't…it just sketches."

Rachel felt tears springing to her eyes as she watched the normally stoic girl crumble before her.

"He took one look and he lost it. He started ripping it apart, he was screaming and swearing at me, and then he stormed up the stairs and started tearing my room apart too." Santana swallowed hard as she turned away to stare at the floor again, "I got this leaflet from Miss Pillsbury You're Gay and That's Okay, and I knew it was stupid to keep it but I never thought he'd find it. As soon as he saw it, it was like he wasn't even thinking anymore…he just started hitting me and I couldn't stop him…"

"Jesus, San…" Rachel whispered as she wrapped an arm around the trembling girl.

"When he finally stopped he told me to get my things and get the hell out of his house. I only grabbed a few things before he dragged me down the stairs and literally threw me out." Santana continued as she let the tears fall, "He took my car keys so I couldn't drive anywhere, he took all of my cards and the money I had in my purse. He smashed my phone into fucking pieces."

The Latina paused as she looked up at the other girl, she could barely see through her own tears to make out Rachel's expression, "When I left…I didn't know where to go. I couldn't face going to see Brittany knowing she was probably with Artie, Puck is permanently attached to Lauren and hasn't spoken to me in months, Quinn hates me along with the rest of the club and then…I just…I came here. And I don't even know why, god knows I've given you enough reason to hate me without adding this fucking mess of a night-"

"Santana, it's okay. Stop." Rachel interrupted as the Latina began to panic. Holding the girl closer she ran a hand through the girl's hair in an attempt to calm her, "I'm glad you came to me. I know we've had our…issues in the past, but I don't hate you and there is no way you should be alone right now or in some scummy motel somewhere."

"I wouldn't have been able to pay for a room anyway. I thought about-" Santana sighed as the enormity of the situation weighed down on her, "About that homeless shelter over on Baker Street, and I mean it's totally still an option. I know it's asking a lot of you, to let me stay here tonight, especially after everything-"

Rachel shook her head, "No. No shelters, you're staying here and that's final."

"You're sure?"

"Yes." Rachel replied slightly exasperated, "There was never a choice."

Santana nodded, a slight smile passing over her tired features. She knew Rachel probably wanted to make some speech about glee club being a family, and that had it been any other situation she would have, but the Latina was grateful she managed to contain herself. The last thing Santana needed was to be reminded about what families are supposed to do after her own father kicked her out.

"Okay, well now that's decided it's getting late and I think we both need some sleep."

The Latina nodded, with the last of her energy she lifted herself from the bed and grabbed one of the cushions, "Sounds good, you got a blanket?"

Rachel frowned, "For what?"

"For sleeping?" Santana replied in confusion, before shrugging off her own question. She didn't want to put the diva out any more than she had so with a half-smile she eyed up a place on the floor, "You know what, don't worry I'll be cool down here."

Rachel shook her head as she quickly grabbed back the pillow from a surprised Santana, "You are not sleeping on the floor. Guests do not sleep on the floor, especially ones who are carrying injuries."

"So, couch?" Santana asked, gesturing to the door.

Again Rachel shook her head, though this time she let out a laugh as she pointed in the opposite direction, "There's plenty of room in my bed."

Santana hesitated as she stared at the double bed she had been sat on moments before, she had to admit it did look ridiculously comfortable and she did not want to be alone right now, "You really don't have to do that, seriously I'll be fine on the floor."

Deciding against trying to talk her way around the stubborn Latina Rachel took the more direct approach, with a slight roll of her eyes she smiled and reached out to take the other girl's hand and gently pulled her towards the bed. As soon as she was close enough the singer shot her a signature Rachel Berry look and was pleasantly surprised when Santana smiled and slipped under the covers.

Once they were both comfortable Rachel leant over and clicked off her bedside light, as she waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkness she felt Santana begin to tremble next to her. Not wanting to push the other girl Rachel bit her lip as she waited, a few minutes ticked past before she heard the unmistakable sounds of tears. She knew Santana was trying to hide it, the way her breath caught every so often, it was clear she was fighting to stay quiet.

"Santana." Rachel murmured, her voice softly breaking through the quiet, as she made her decision and reached out to wrap an arm around the crying girl, "Come here."

For the second time that night Santana fell gratefully into open arms, and as she curled her body around the smaller girl's she let the tears come. She could hear Rachel whispering soothing words in her ear, one of her hands running through her long hair as the other clutched her in a close embrace. When the tears finally stopped Santana couldn't bring herself to move away and when Rachel made no sign for her to move either the Latina allowed herself to relax as sleep took over.