The bus ride back to Lima was an out of body experience for Santana. She was in the thick of it, pushing everyone she could get to up the steps as Mr. Schue started the old, tired engine. It had to make it back, it just had to. Once they were rolling though, Santana couldn’t do anything but stare out of the window, desperately hoping to catch a glimpse of the girl she loved--Brittany. Fellow glee clubbers gently asked her where Brittany was, and Santana all but bit their heads off. They didn’t get to say her name.
Lima was still Lima, and even though their was a nervous energy in the air, it was still untouched. At least, that’s what everyone was thankfully realizing as the bus made its rounds to drop everyone off. But Santana disagreed. It would never be home again if Brittany didn’t come back to it. Her parent’s were at a medical conference in Illinois, so Santana didn’t even bother having Mr. Schue drive to her house, instead getting dropped off at Brittany’s place to wait.
She stepped across the familiar flat stones that led around Brittany’s house to the swing where they spent so much of their time together. After sleepovers they would bring their bowls of cereal out there to enjoy the morning together. Brittany taught her all about the birds that flitted by, spending time on their swinging tree before flying somewhere new. She braided her hair there, Brittany wished on dandelions there, she kissed her there, and Santana fell in love with her there, and now Brittany had sworn to meet her in this exact spot. Time didn’t exist. The sun would only rise when her girl was back and safe, but Santana had no idea when that would be.
