Chapter 15
The days that followed were an endless loop of exhaustion and frustration for both Brittany and Santana. Kol’s methods of training had only grown more intense, and the weight of his expectations hung over them like a suffocating fog. Santana, though used to harsh lessons, felt herself pushed to the edge. She had been through many trials in her life, but this, this relentless pace, this constant strain, was something else. Her body, her mind, were both rebelling, but the stakes were too high to stop.
Brittany wasn’t faring much better. Magic, a power she had never even known she possessed, was something she could barely control. Every spell, every incantation, felt like she was reaching for something just beyond her grasp. When Kol’s impatience reached its peak, it was as if the world around her had come crashing down. The pressure from Kol’s demands had nearly broken her, but in the midst of chaos, Hayley had been there to guide her back from the brink, offering calm when everything inside Brittany was screaming for release.
Now, a few days later, as the tension between them and Kol simmered beneath the surface, Brittany and Santana found a moment of quiet. The exhaustion was still there, their bodies and minds still weary, but there was something else too; a recognition of the bond they shared, something that hadn’t been lost despite everything that had happened.
They sat together in the corner of the room, away from the others. Brittany’s legs were tucked beneath her, her head resting against the wall as Santana leaned against her side. The silence between them was comfortable, but there was a heaviness, an unspoken weight, lingering between them. Santana had never been one to talk about her feelings, especially not with Brittany, not after everything that had happened. But today felt different.
"I never should've broken up with you," Santana said, her voice low but steady, her fingers playing absently with the hem of her shirt. "I did it to protect you. To keep you safe from all of this. I thought if I was with you, if you stayed with me, it’d only drag you down into this world. I didn’t want that for you."
Brittany turned her head, her bright blue eyes locking onto Santana’s face, her expression full of understanding. She had heard the words before, but hearing them now, after everything, felt different. It felt like a confession of sorts. Santana had always been the one to hide behind walls, to push people away, even if it was for their own good. But Brittany knew better. She knew that Santana had always cared, even when she pushed her away.
"I know," Brittany replied softly, her hand finding Santana’s and gently squeezing it. "I know you were trying to protect me. But you don’t have to. I’ve always wanted to be with you, Santana. Even when you walked away, even when you told me it was for the best, I still loved you. I still do."
Santana looked away for a moment, her throat tight. There were so many things she had never said, so many feelings she had buried deep. "But I was a vampire," she continued, her voice cracking slightly. "I didn’t want you to have to live in that world, to be stuck with someone like me. You deserved better than that."
Brittany smiled softly, her thumb brushing over Santana’s hand as she met her gaze again. "I don’t care what you are, Santana. You could be a vampire, a ghost, a demon, or hell, even a crocodile. I’d still love you to the moon and back. That’s never going to change."
Santana’s chest tightened, her heart aching at the sincerity in Brittany’s words. She had never felt so exposed, so vulnerable. The truth was that she had feared the very thing Brittany was now saying; that she would never be enough, that the dark parts of her would eventually push Brittany away. But hearing those words, feeling the warmth of Brittany’s hand in hers, made everything feel a little less impossible.
"I should’ve never pushed you away," Santana whispered, her voice full of regret. "I never wanted to hurt you. I just… I was scared. I thought that if I left, you’d be safe. But I didn’t realize how much I needed you. I still need you."
Brittany’s eyes softened, her heart swelling with a tenderness she had longed to feel again. She leaned her head against Santana’s, their shoulders touching, their fingers still entwined.
"It wasn’t easy," Brittany admitted, her voice quiet but honest. "When you left, I felt like I was alone. All my friends had gone off to college, and I was stuck here, trying to figure out who I was without you. It was hard, Santana. Really hard."
Santana turned her head, her brow furrowing as she looked at Brittany in confusion. "You were never alone. You had your friends, your family—"
Brittany shook her head softly. "Not in the way I needed. You were my best friend in the Glee Club, the one who always had my back. When you left, it felt like everything was falling apart. I didn’t know how to handle it. I didn’t know how to be okay without you."
Santana’s chest tightened, her grip on Brittany’s hand tightening as well. "I’m sorry," she whispered, her voice full of sincerity. "I didn’t mean to leave you like that. I thought I was doing the right thing. But I see now… I should’ve stayed. I should’ve fought for us."
"You don’t have to apologize," Brittany said softly, her voice gentle. "We both made mistakes. But we’re here now, and that’s what matters."
Santana let out a long breath, feeling the weight of her guilt start to lift, even just a little. "I promise, Brittany. I’m never going to leave you again. Not like that. I won’t make the same mistake twice."
Brittany smiled, her heart lighter than it had been in a long time. "I know," she whispered. "And I’m not going anywhere, either."
They sat in silence for a moment, the tension between them finally dissipating. For the first time in what felt like forever, they were at peace with each other. There was no more fear, no more regret. Just the quiet, unspoken understanding that they would always be there for each other, no matter what.
And then, as if on cue, a loud explosion shook the ground beneath them, the sound echoing through the room and rattling the windows. The quiet moment shattered, replaced by the urgent sense that something was terribly wrong.
Brittany and Santana immediately sprang to their feet, their hands instinctively reaching for each other. The noise was deafening, and their hearts raced as the world outside seemed to explode in chaos. What had just happened? What was going on?
Marcel’s voice rang out from the hallway, filled with urgency. "Get to the courtyard, now!"
Santana and Brittany exchanged a glance, the unspoken communication between them clear. They didn’t need to say anything; they were already running, side by side, toward the danger that awaited them outside.
Whatever had caused that explosion, they were ready to face it together.