Disclaimers: I do not own the show Glee or any of it's characters. If I did, Santana's character would be developed a lot better.

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Dinner was an awkward affair to say the least. Santana sat in between Brittany and Puck to try and stay as far away from Quinn as she could, and Rachel sat directly across the table between Mr. Shue and Finn, still refusing to make eye contact. Santana rolled her eyes and tried to focus on her menu instead of the diva.

After a few minutes, the waitress came and began taking orders. Santana took a sip of her water as she listed to her fellow glee club members order burgers and fries. The waitress finally got to Santana and the cheerio took one last glance at her menu.

"I'll have a garden salad, no dressing." The waitress still stood there as if expecting the cheerleader to order more. "That's it." Santana clarified annoyed that she had to. The young waitress looked surprised but nodded, blushing with embarrassment and taking Santana's menu. The latina could feel Rachel's eyes on her finally, but this time she was the one who refused to look up and instead focused on a loose thread on the table cloth.

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The conversations around her flowed, but Rachel remained focused on the dark haired cheerio. She was still in awe of what the cheerleader had done. From helping her in the elevator, to standing up for her in the hotel lobby. Rachel was utterly confused. She never expected something like this from anyone, least of all Santana. The latina had spent their entire high school career tormenting her. Why change now? It must be some kind of joke.. that was the only explanation, wasn't it? It just didn't seem that way in the elevator.. when the cheerleader was holding her.. it felt.. well it felt nice, and quite frankly, she missed it. But it must have just been some kind of fluke. The cheerio she knew would never consider touching her let alone playing with her hair. She also sure as hell wouldn't stand up for her. Rachel decided that there was only one possible explanation for this. She didn't know this cheerio as well as she thought she did. The question was, did anybody?

The latina glanced up for a quick moment and Rachel smiled at her gently. The cheerio lifted one corner of her mouth before returning to playing with the tablecloth. Rachel felt the tugging desperate need to make the girl smile, a really smile, not a half-ass one like the one she just witnessed. Rachel racked her brain for any possible ideas before a smile spread across her face.

She scooted her chair forward, as close to the table as she possibly could and reached her foot underneath the table as non-nonchalantly as she could. When she was first met with Santana's foot. She pulled away momentarily, judging the cheerio's reaction. Santana managed to stiffen and relax all in the same second as she slowly raised her gaze to meet Rachel's. Rachel watched as a large grin slowly spread it's way across Santana's face. Rachel unknowingly mirrored the expression as a certain blonde cheerleader at the end of the table watched in complete confusion.

The girls' interaction was interrupted when the waiter appeared with everyone's meals. Santana glanced around at her fellow glee club members as they all dug into their meals before staring down at her plain, unappetizing salad and poking the limp lettuce leaves with her fork. Rachel watched her carefully, her eyes dancing with curiosity before gently pushing over her plate of fries. Santana smiled weakly and shook her head, rejecting the offer. Rachel's head tilted to one side wondering why Santana wouldn't take some of her food when it was so obvious that she had no interest in her own.

'Come on.' Rachel mouthed to her, smiling in encouragement.

Santana was fighting an inner battle. She knew that she shouldn't eat them, coach would kill her if she gained any weight.. but they just looked so... orgasmic. Santana licked her lips and her stomach growled quietly.

Rachel was still watching expectantly so Santana finally gave in, grabbing one of the fries and placing it in her mouth, inwardly melting at the greasy salty delight that she had been denying her body for months.

Rachel looked completely pleased with herself as Santana began to devour the entire plate of fries. Conversations around them flowed naturally as Santana focused on the fries and Rachel focused on Santana, smiling every so often at the faces and noises that Santana would make as she obviously enjoyed the meal.

After awhile everyone was done eating, a few of them leaving back in their chairs and rubbing their hands over their full bellies. Santana on the other hand was hunched over in her seat, her stomach churning and the feel of regret weighing heavily on her shoulders. Do you know how long it would take her to work off all those calories? She shuddered just thinking about it. She couldn't focus on working out right now, eating that was such a mistake.

Her stomach heaved momentarily and Santana gagged, immediately excusing herself from the table and rushing towards the bathroom, praying that nobody would follow her. She checked beneath each of the stall doors, making sure the bathroom was completely empty before darting into a stall, not even bothering to lock it before she fell to her knees and continued dry heaving.

The main bathroom door swung open loudly and Santana cupped a hand over her mouth, preventing any loud noises to draw attention to her position.

"Santana?" Rachel's familiar voice called out.

Fuck. It had to be Rachel didn't it. Santana quickly wondered why no one else had bothered to come but quickly pushed the thought aside.

The stall door was pushed open gently and Rachel stood there, a pained expression on her face. "Santana... you're not doing what I think you're doing. Are you? Oh God. This is all my fault. I'm so sorry Santana. I'm so very sorry." Rachel squeaked out.

Santana groaned at the girl's dramatics. "Berry, come on. This is not your fault so stop trying to blame yourself."

"Come on, let's go. Don't do this, we'll leave! I'll take you back to the hotel and we'll get away from everyone and it'll be okay." Rachel rambled on.

"You'll take me back to the hotel huh?" Santana asked flirtatiously, raising her eyebrows to try and lighten the mood.

Rachel flushed a fiery red and scuffed her toe on the tile floor. The light red dusting across the bridge of the diva's nose, Santana decided, was the cutest thing she'd ever seen.

Santana laughed lightly and stood, ignoring the violent churning in the pit of her stomach. "Come on Berry, let's go then."

Rachel just nodded and turned, leading the way out the door and making a beeline towards Mr. Schue, telling him that they were going back and grabbing both of their coats before walking back to Santana.

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The walk back to the hotel down the street was a silent one. Which was awkward because Rachel was never silent. Yet.. there she was, hands in the pockets of her red pea coat, just staring straight ahead with a far off look in her eyes.

That look lasted all the way until they stood in front of the hotel elevator when it was finally replaced with a look of utter fear. Santana took one look at the smaller girl and turned, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the door that lead to the stairs. They would have to climb eight floors but Rachel needed it and Santana knew that.

They made it to the fifth floor before Santana realized that she was still holding Rachel's hand. She dropped it immediately and wiped the sweat on her pant leg, instantly missing the warmth that the girl's hand had provided.

Both girl's still remained silent until they stood in front of their door. Santana pulled out her card key and had the door handle turned when she was stopped by Rachel's hand covering her own. She turned and met the smaller girl's eyes.

"I'm sorry Santana." Rachel said quietly. "For what I said in the elevator, that was uncalled for, and for at dinner.."

"Rachel I-" Santana was cut off by the ringing of her cell phone.

The cheerleader hesitated, glancing between the phone and Rachel before the singer nodded. "I'll be inside." She said simply before walking into the hotel room and leaving Santana alone in the hallway.

"Hello." Santana answered roughly, annoyed at the interruption.

"San." The voice was timid and raw, cracking painfully at the end.

"Naya what's wrong honey?" Santana's heart went into panic mode, pounding inside her chest.

"Mom—Dad—Drunk—Fight – hurt – mommy." Was all that Santana could make out of the now sobbing girl's attempt at a sentence.

"Where are you? Where's mom? Where's he?" Santana seethed through her gritted teeth.

The smaller Lopez sniffed loudly. "We're at home... He left but Mom won't talk to me. I think he hit her really hard San. I don't know what to do. I don't-"

"It's okay Naya, I'll find a way to get home and help okay. Just hang in there for me. Be strong for me. Mommy needs you to be strong." Santana soothed as calmly as she could.

Naya agreed and the line went dead. Hot tears left streaks of burning liquid on Santana's cheeks as she frantically tried to think of a way to get home. Her tears fell as she crashed through the hotel room door, startling Rachel who was sitting on her bed reading a book.

"Santana what's-" Rachel froze at the sight of the latina. "What's wrong?" The singer stood.

"My dad, he hurt my mom, and I need-" She drew in a shuddering breath. "I need to help her, I need to help my sister. I-I gotta get back." Santana's stomach clenched and she heaved, covering her mouth with her hand and darting to the bathroom, emptying the contents of her stomach into the porcelain bowl.

The cheerio could faintly hear the sound of Rachel talking to someone as she wretched some more, gripping the sides of the seat. After a few minutes and her stomach repeatedly clenching despite there being anything within it, Santana stood, facing the mirror and rinsing her mouth out with water and the complimentary hotel mouth wash.

When she looked up at the mirror she was met with Rachel's reflection. The girl stood staring at her from the doorway. Their eye contact through the mirror was steady for a minute before the shorter girl spoke. "I called my fathers, they're already headed to your house to pick up your sister and your mom."

Santana visibly relaxed, knowing that they would at least be safe. "Thank you." She said quietly, her words etched with sincerity. Rachel simply nodded, watching the other girl warily. "What?" Santana questioned.

"You can't go Santana, we need you. We won't have enough members otherwise. I assure you, your family is in good hands with my fathers. Please at least consider staying."

Santana knew the team needed her, but her family needed her too. Which one was she supposed to choose?

"Two days Berry, then if they need me, I'm gone. Glee club or no glee club."

Rachel seemed shocked by the cheerio's answer but nodded curtly. "Do you need anything else?"

"No." Santana said quickly. She would not accept sympathy from anybody, let alone Rachel Berry.

"Alright. Well I'm going to bed then, and I suggest you do too. We have an early practice tomorrow before preliminaries."

Santana nodded and watched the girl's reflection disappear. She scrubbed her face, removing the rivers of mascara running down her face and thoroughly brushed her teeth... twice.. before exiting the bathroom. The singer was already in bed, facing the wall so the cheerio couldn't tell if she was sleeping or not. Santana climbed into her bed, pulling the covers to her chin and begging sleep to come. Eventually.. it did.

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Her parents were there, screaming at each other but Santana couldn't hear any sounds. She looked around and saw Naya, she was carefully peaking around the living room corner. Santana watched as her father stepped forward, raising his fist and swinging, a sickening crack echoing through the room as the fist connected with her mother's jaw. Santana lunged at her father but she was held back by some invisible force. She desperately pulled but it still held her back, not allowing her to go to her mother's aid. She watched as her mom crumpled to the ground. She watched as her dad pulled his foot back, swinging a black boot in the direction of the woman on the ground.

"Mom!" Santana jolted awake, sitting up abruptly, her scream dying on her lips. Suddenly there was a body behind her and warm, comforting arms holding her tight and rocking slightly as sobs ripped through the latina's body. She knew it was Rachel, it had to be. But the question was why? Why was the girl helping her. After everything she had done and said, she definitely didn't deserve it.

After awhile, her sobs quieted but the gentle rocking continued. Rachel had began humming quietly, a soothing tune that Santana could not place. Santana's eyes drifted shut against her will until she felt the warmth surrounding her leave.

"Rachel." Santana called, barely above a whisper. "Please don't go." She begged.

There was no movement for over a minute and Santana sighed, laying down and letting a few new tears flood her eyes. She sniffled and the warmth returned. Rachel's body pressing against Santana's back, the diva's arm draped loosely over the latina's waist. Her warm breath prickling the skit at the back on Santana's neck.

Santana breathed in deeply, inhaling the scene of the girl. She smelled faintly of roses, it fit her perfectly. Santana sighed once more, this time in content as she allowed the smaller girl to hold her, both of the girls drifting off to sleep.

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Andd that's it. Sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I'll try and get the next one up a lot sooner!