Chicago

They laughed as they stumbled through the door.

"That was the best thing ever!" Rachel sang, falling onto the bed.

"I know!" Santana yelled, jumping on next to her. "I can't believe we won! That was fucking awesome!"

"Whoop!" Rachel threw her arms in the air and kicked up her legs. Santana laughed and shrieked along and rolled over to face her. As the giggles subsided Santana smiled at Rachel.

"It was amazing. You were amazing."

"Thanks. You were pretty terrific yourself."

"Bitch, please." She laughed, lying down. "I owned that shit. As usual."

Rachel giggled and rolled over to face her. "I always knew we would be here."

Santana arched a perfect eyebrow at her. "Us? On your bed?"

"No, silly!" Rachel laughed, swatting her playfully. "On stage. Performing. Winning."

"Oh. Yeah. Well, obviously you would go there." Santana leaned up on her elbow, moving her face closer to Rachel. "I, on the other hand, always knew we would end up here. On your bed."

"Stop messing around, Santana." She giggled and lay back down.

"I am not messing around, Rachel." Santana leaned in closer and rested her hand on Rachel's stomach. "I've kind of got a huge crush on you." She smiled.

Rachel stopped laughing and looked up at her. "What?"

Santana smiled again. "I'm serious. For a while now." She began running her finger up and down Rachel's stomach, lengthening the movement with each stroke. "Ever since you sang…"

"Stop it!" Rachel pushed her hand away and sat up quickly. "Please, Santana, I'm not in the mood for your games tonight. I thought we were having such a lovely evening. I thought we were getting really close."

"We are!" Santana sat up and took her hand. "Come on, Rach, lie back down. Just go with it."

"No!" Rachel jumped up and stood in the middle of the room. "Santana, I don't know what you are hoping to achieve with this little charade but I have had enough." She put her hands on her hips and looked at the floor. "Please leave."

"I'm not playing, Rachel." Santana said softly. "I'm serious. I really like you." She stood up and moved in front of Rachel, taking her hands in hers and holding them in front of her. "Really, really like you."

"Please stop." Rachel whispered, feeling the tears well up in her eyes and desperately trying not to cry. "Santana, you're drunk."

Santana shrugged. "Not unusual. Doesn't change anything." She moved in closer and softly kissed Rachel's jawline, moving her hands to her waist.

"Stop it." Rachel whispered, sounding anything but certain. "Please stop."

Feeling a break in Rachel's resistance Santana moved her kisses up to her earlobe and slowly down her throat, moving her body closer.

"Santana. Stop." Rachel pushed her away gently. "I have a boyfriend."

Santana scoffed and took a step back, folding her arms. "What, Frankenteen? The man with less moves than a constipated bowel?"

"Yes." She replied, Santana's rude comment helping her to regain her composure. "And I love him very much." She smoothed her skirt down and willed the fluttering in her stomach to subside. "I think it's time you left." She held her head up and somehow managed to maintain eye contact with Santana for the first time since she had started stroking her stomach.

Santana held her stare for a moment before rolling her eyes and heading for the door. "Whatever. I'm out."

Rachel lay in her bed, her mind in a whirl. She loved Finn. She loved him. She was in love with him. They were happy. Finally. So why had Santana's actions affected her so deeply? And why had she not stopped her sooner?

And why had she said boyfriend and not fiancee?

She reached for her phone, desperate to take her mind off the situation. She logged on to the National's website and looked through the pictures they had uploaded from tonight's performance. They looked fantastic. All of them. She smiled at the pictures of her in the middle of her solo. She laughed at Finn's goofy expression. Then she stopped. Santana. The photographer had caught her at an unbelievable angle. The flash in her eyes, the sexy smirk playing on her lips…

"Rachel, get a hold of yourself." She dropped her phone into her lap and rubbed her eyes. She had to control this situation. Fast.

Hi Santana. Look, I'm sorry. I was rude to you and I shouldn't have been. I had a little too much to drink and I didn't handle it well. Please accept my apology.

No big deal. I misread it. Thought you would be into it. - S

Well, I hope the situation is clear now. I am in love with Finn. I hope that our friendship will continue. I very much enjoyed your company this evening.

I can come back if you like ;) - S

Goodnight, Santana.

The next morning Santana groaned as she sat up, a monster headache brewing. More than that, the events of last night came screaming back and she rubbed at her temples in a vague effort to erase the embarrassing memory.

She had told Rachel she liked her. Why? For the love of God, what had she expected to gain from it?

"Pendeja." She cursed softly to herself, dragging herself out of bed and into the shower.

It was going to be a long trip back to Lima.