Prologue

Santana looks at Rachel and, finally confident that they are alone after all, seizes the opportunity to talk to Rachel about something that has been bothering her all afternoon.

"Okay. Look, now that we're alone, I want to talk to you about what I found in your bathroom trashcan underneath some wadded up tissue paper, the used cotton swabs and the soiled acne wipes," Santana says, rushing so that Rachel doesn't have a chance to interrupt her. Santana acts tough and carefree but she still remembers how badly she handled things last time. Quinn was her friend and Santana wasn't there like she should have been. She remembers how this same issue changed Quinn's life so drastically that you wouldn't believe it had been the same girl. Even though sometimes Rachel annoys the living hell out of her, she doesn't want Rachel to change who she is because of this.

"An item which, unless Lady Hummel's actually been a lady all these years, could have an only been yours."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Rachel says as calmly as she can. Still she can feel the sting of tears forming in her eyes and her heart begins to pound in her chest. She curses herself for being so stupid. She should have gotten rid of the damn test while she had a moment alone. She would have if it didn't mean having to see it again. She just wanted it all to go away.

"Rachel," Santana starts, lookingat this once so innocent young girl in disbelief. "You're really not gonna tell me about the stick?"

Rachel takes a deep breath, trying to get her emotions under control. As soon as she breaks even a little, she knows she won't be able to stop and Santana will know for sure.

"You had no right!" she says, trying to pin the blame for all this on Santana. Her voice breaks on the last word, choked with the tears that won't stop from rising.

"Rachel, I'm your friend. You can trust me. Just tell me what's going on?" Santana replies. She sits there and watches as Rachel's face crumples and then Rachel begins to sob, raising her hand to cover her face. Santana already saw the test, she knew what it said, knew what was coming. Still, having it in her face, seeing the despair in Rachel's eyes, she just can't process it all. Rachel melts forwards and Santana shifts to wrap her arms around her, hugging her tightly like a mother or a sister would.

"Oh God," Santana whispers to herself, and then, because what else is there to say right to her friend she repeats "You're gonna be okay. It's okay. It's gonna be okay."

/ / /

Santana was the one to convince her to go to the clinic, although Rachel knew it was something she'd have to do sooner rather than later.

"Seriously," Santana had said later in the evening, waiting until after Rachel had showered and been given the chance to calm down. "You've got to go and see a proper doctor. I mean, even you aren't Finn-naïve, you know home tests can sometimes be wrong. And if it is accurate, even more reason for you to go!"

As she shuts the door to the doctor's office behind her and walks down the hall towards the waiting room she struggles to stay composed. She's made up her mind about it all, if she tells Santana she knows it will lead to her having to tell the father, and then it will make her confused about her decision. Besides, it's only a little lie. Rachel steps out into the waiting room where Santana sits, flipping through a magazine. She remembers when they found out Quinn was pregnant, how different things were. She never thought she'd be in a place like this with Santana. Never thought that Quinn and Santana might be people she'd come to rely upon herself. She especially never thought she would say that she does love them, even Santana. With a short sigh she knows that she's making the right choice by lying. It won't hurt anyone.

Santana hears a sigh and looks up, quickly dropping the magazine and leaping up off the lounge. She doesn't know what to expect from Rachel but all she really wants is for it to be what is best for Rachel right now. She know Rachel deserves to be happy.

"False alarm," Rachel says and Santana relaxes just a little. "Thank god! I'm so happy. I'm so glad this is all over with," Rachel quickly adds, hugging Santana tightly. Santana smiles, happy that this time things have worked out better for her friend.

"Thank you for taking me here today," Rachel says, releasing Santana and takes a step back. She takes a quick moment to check Santana believes her story and then says "Alright. I'm gonna go to class."

Rachel is about to leave, she needs a lot of time to herself before she has to face the next few days, but Santana isn't satisfied just yet.

"Woah! Hey, that's it? That's all you have to say about this?" Santana says, and Rachel begs her to just let it go.

"The doctor gave me the all clear, what else is there?" Rachel finally replies, trying to play dumb. She hopes that Santana hasn't already figured out she's lying, even though a tiny little part of her wants Santana to know because a tiny part of her is scared about her decision. Of course, her actress inside tells her that she has thought through this plan, that even while she deals with the inner turmoil of her soul, she is a born actress and even Santana isn't that good.

"Rachel, you can't just blow past this like nothing ever happened! This is a wake-up call! This is an opportunity for you to take a hard look at the choices you're making and where your life is heading," Santana tells her. Rachel can see there is more and waits for the inevitable insult to grace Santana's lips. On queue Santana adds "Starting with Donkey Face."

/ / /