*Brittany's POV*

Brittany was at a crossroads. Not metaphorically, but literally, she was looking at three different hallways she could choose and had no idea which direction to take. Santana had about a thirty second head start so she could be halfway to the car park by now. Brittany had long legs and she knew she would probably be able to catch the girl, she just didn't know which way to run.

She grabbed her phone out of her pocket and dialled the number she knew so well.

"Hello?"

"Santana! Where are you?"

"Honey?"

"Santana you have to tell me where you are I'm coming to find you."

"Sweetie, I'm at work what are you talking about?"

"But I just saw you run out of class and I'm trying to find you!"

"Brittany, it's Mum. You called the wrong number. And why aren't you in class?"

"Oh. Um... School assignment. Have to go finish it now. Bye!"

Brittany flipped the phone shut. Whoops. Maybe she should start using the address book instead of dialling by memory. It wasn't exactly the first time this had happened. She tried the right number this time and predictably it rang out to voicemail.

Brittany wracked her brain to think of where the girl might have gone. Inspiration struck and she took the left corridor, finding the room she was after and bursting through the door with a crash. A girl of about 13 stood at the bathroom counter, jumping a mile at Brittany's sudden intrusion, eyes wide with alarm as she swivelled around to face the door.

"Is Santana Lopez in here?" Brittany demanded forcefully. She didn't know why she was talking like that, probably because the girl had looked so guilty that it made Brittany feel like she was in one of those detective shows her Dad always watched. The girl shook her head speechlessly.

Returning to the corridor, Brittany could only think of one other place significant enough that Santana might have gone. Sure enough when she jogged down out on to the football pitch, at the other end of the stadium she could see a lone figure sitting beneath the bleachers.

"Hey." Brittany said quietly, approaching Santana who had her back against one of the supports, her knee's tucked tightly to her chest. The other girl glanced up, scowled and fixed her attention back on the cement.

"How did you find me?"

"You brought me here that time I accidentally called the English teacher Mum and all the boys were laughing at me and it made me cry, remember? You told me it was the place you came to be alone."

Santana simply grunted in response.

"San, you have to know that..."

"Why aren't you back in Glee club with Foureyes" She spat out the word out like it was a foul taste in her mouth.

"I... Because I wanted to be here with you."

"Well I want to be alone so you can leave now."

Brittany blinked at the harsh tone and scuffed her foot lightly, feeling suddenly nervous. She almost always did what Santana said, but this time she really didn't want to leave.

"Please don't be mad. I know Puck was a jerk but it's okay because I don't think Artie knew what..."

"Artie? Artie? You think I give a shit what he knows? Hell if he hasn't worked it out by now it's his own damn fault. And anyway you picked him remember? So why don't you run on back to Mr Suspenders and his gang of merry losers and just leave me alone."

Brittany hesitated, trying to think of the best way to express what she wanted to say. Word's didn't flow as easily for her as they did for most people, especially when she knew she had something really important to say and she had to get it right.

Seeing Brittany hesitate the brunette jumped to her feet, glowering in a way that had made the average student of McKinley High crumble in fear on many occasions. But never in her life had she seen that look directed at her.

"S-San?" Brittany was afraid. Not because Santana eyes in that moment looked like they could start fires, but because those eyes had never held anything but love when they looked at Brittany before.

"I think it's pretty clear where your loyalties lie Brittany, so if you're not going to leave then I will."

Santana pushed passed Brittany, her shoulder brushed her friends, almost as though she had wanted to shove the taller girl but hadn't the heart to go through with it.

"Santana please. Please." Brittany choked on the last word, desperation and panic taking over as she watched her best friend walking away.

Santana froze rigidly where she stood several steps away, back still to Brittany.

"San I... I want... Don't leave me."

Santana didn't move or say a word, simply stood there with her arms pinned to her sides and shoulders tensed. Brittany noticed her foot twitch slightly, like it was dying to inch away.

Brittany rushed forward and flung herself into Santana's back, wrapping her arms firmly around her best friends waist terrified that if she let go Santana would walk away and leave her alone.

"Brit, what are you doing? Get off me."

"No." Brittany pouted knowing that Santana had never been able to resist it when she did. Of course now that she thought about it Santana couldn't see her face right now.

"Brittany I'm serious, you made your choice, you don't get to feel bad when I walk away any more ok? You walked away from me first so would you just," She jerked forward, wrenching herself out of Brittany's reach, "Leave me alone!"

Without even turning back to look at the blonde girl, Santana stepped forward at tried to leave in the direction of school again when with a sudden jerk her arm wrenched her body backwards and nearly toppled her to the floor.

She looked down incredulously to see a pinkie wrapped firmly around her own, so tightly that the knuckles were starting to go white. As Santana's eyes travelled up to meet her own, Brittany stared unblinkingly back, hoping that they would express the words she couldn't articulate.

"No Santana, I'm sick of this! You hurt me first. You made me feel like nobody would want me, and then Artie was there... and he made me feel good again. But it's not fair, you're angry with me and it's making me sad." Blue eyes started welling up as they looked intently into brown, "You told me you'd never let anyone hurt me. But it's you. You're the one hurting me."

Santana swallowed, gulping back the lump in her throat at the truth in her best friends' words and that overprotective instinct that the sight of tears in those baby blue eyes always seemed to ignite.

"Brit..." Santana flung herself bodily into Brittany's arms, crushing their bodies together like it had been a lifetime and not weeks that they had been apart. Even as she held her best friend close, she could hear the hitch in the smaller girls breathing, which she knew from experience meant the Santana was trying to hold back tears.

They shakily pulled apart, Brittany cocking her head to the side as she watched the myriad of emotions crossing her friends face. Ok, maybe Brittany wasn't exactly an A+ student, but emotions, or Santana's at least, were something she understood intimately. And right now Santana was scared.

"Brit. I meant what I said that day. But I'm hurting too, I hurt every time I see you with... him. Because it should be me. It should always have been me... I'm sorry."

"I know."

"You know what?" Santana tilted her head in confusion.

"It should be you. I want it to be you."

They looked at each other, neither speaking or moving, just absorbing the meaning of the words that were now hanging in the air.

"But you're with him still." It wasn't a question.

"I... maybe." She avoided Santana's eyes. She didn't want to hurt Artie, she just wanted Santana more. She reflected for a moment on just how much simpler life would be if she understood it like she understood dancing. A simple round off back handspring followed by a double flip always worked in dance class. But that probably wouldn't apply to this situation, Brittany thought forlornly.

"But do you... I mean... you want to be with me?" Brittany nodded. "More than him?" Another nod. "But you don't want to hurt him?" Brittany nodded again, this time looking away so she didn't have to see the sadness in her best friends' eyes.

"Hey," Santana reached out and took Brittany's hand holding it like it was glass, turning it over and linking a pinkie with her own. "We'll work this out. Ok?"

Brittany stared back into Santana's face, reading sadness across her features. But there was something else there now, something bubbling up that hadn't been there moments ago. Hope.

"Ok. I trust you."

Authors Note: I was going to make this all angsty and then today was so beautiful and I just couldn't do it. Honestly let me know if you want me to continue or not, it's all for the people who wanted more so if you're content I'll leave it. I live to serve.