Forever More
Title: Forever More
Author: kalexico
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 2,001
A/N: Lima General is a fictional hospital.
Warning: Mention of violence.
Summary: Neuro surgeon Quinn Fabray reluctantly takes on transfer resident Santana Lopez. Nobody knows why she transferred and Santana won’t tell. What’s her secret?
_______
Dr. Quinn Fabray straightens her lab coat and turns to the mirror, practising her fake yet genuine-looking smile. As she checks her pockets to make sure she has everything she needs, she wonders why chief Sylvester assigned her this transfer resident again. Sylvester knows Quinn doesn't like working with students because somehow, they always mess up under her watch. Of course Quinn is fully aware that she is employed at a teaching hospital, but so far her family's generous donations have reminded Sylvester to direct students to her colleague, Mike Chang.
But apparently, Sylvester didn't have a choice with this one. Quinn expects this girl to be bratty, if she can go by their talk on the phone. She's getting transferred from the prestiguous New York-Presbyterian to Lima General and won't even explain herself.
Santana Lopez, Quinn thinks to herself as she makes her way to the Chief's office. She hasn't heard the name before, but then she doesn't really keep up with students either. She takes a deep breath before knocking on the door.
Here goes nothing.
"Come in," Chief Sylvester barks, as she usually does.
With a standard bored expression gracing her beautiful features, Quinn walks inside. She immediately notices the young woman already standing there and nearly drops her clipboard.
Holy fuck, she is beautiful.
Focus, Fabray. Focus. You don't like her. You have to teach her. She'll follow you around, nagging all the time, asking questions, expecting to get everything handed to her.
"Chief," she nods.
"Fabray, this is Santana Lopez. She will be your neuro resident. Lopez, this is your attending, Quinn Fabray. Now you two can get the hell out of my office and find someplace else to discuss your expectations."
Lopez looks a bit wary, but not scared. Quinn has to hand it to her - most women her age are terrified of Sue Sylvester.
"Follow me," Quinn says curtly, not even looking at her. She doesn't want to make a fool of herself by staring. Not that she'll admit that to herself.
_______
"So," Quinn says as they sit down in an empty lounge. "Why on Earth did you want to get a transfer to Lima General if you're doing your residency at New York-Presbyterian?"
Santana looks annoyed by the question, but Quinn refuses to care. "I already told you, doctor. That's personal."
Quinn squints her eyes. "What would be personal enough to do that?"
"Why are you working at Lima General when you're known to be one of the best neuro surgeons in this country? I bet there's a bunch of hospitals that could offer you better money."
Touché.
"That's personal," Quinn smirks.
_______
Okay, this is ridiculous, Quinn thinks to herself as Santana exits the dressing room in her light blue scrubs, tying the cap on her head. Nobody should look this hot in scrubs.
Quinn smiles fakely again. "So, today you will be scrubbing in, but only to watch. I'm not letting you touch any of my patients yet."
Santana frowns. "I may be new at this hospital, but I have ample experience in the OR, doctor."
Quinn sets her jaw, ignoring the flutter in her chest at hearing Santana's melodious voice. "As you said, you are new at this hospital. I am your attending. What I say is law to you, understood?"
Santana looks like she's about to protest, but then nods curtly. "Understood."
_______
As she's driving to her abandoned apartment late that night, Quinn is still trying to figure out why Santana would want to do her residency at Lima General. She has her own reasons for not taking up the better offers she gets every single year.
She parks her car and walks up to her apartment, thinking of her mother. It certainly makes her bitter to think that despite everything, she can't just leave her to take care of herself. Despite Judy kicking her out at fifteen for being pregnant, despite Judy taking back her husband and making life a living hell for Quinn, Quinn can't just leave Lima. She's too worried about her mother. She knows that if she was somewhere far away, she'd always feel guilty if something happened to her mom. Being an alcohol and having Parkinson's disease is not a good combination after all.
_______
During the next few weeks, they get into a routine. Quinn would sooner die than admit how much she likes that, though. Santana proves to be a very knowledgeable and skilled resident, almost restoring Quinn's faith in students.
After work, they part ways. Quinn doesn't like going out much and Santana seems to have the sense not to ask Quinn for drinks once she got to know her better. Mike, Quinn's colleague, keeps teasing her about her hot resident. She writes it off to jealousy because he's stuck with a chubby nerd.
But she can't deny that Santana is incredibly hot. When she catches herself thinking that if she wasn't an attending who had promised herself not to like the resident, if they were somewhere else, she might ask Santana out - she banishes the thought immediately.
Santana grows more confident, cheeky even. Sometimes, she even flirts with Quinn. Pretends to wipe some dust off her lab coat, or straighten it without Quinn's permission. Anyone else would be slapped away, but somehow, Quinn can't even get mad at Santana for doing it. And boy, does she look hot in scrubs.
_______
One day, Santana comes out of the dressing room, struggling with her cap. Her hands are shaking so much she can't tie the ribbons.
"Need some help there, Lopez?"
Santana blushes as she nods. She seems nervous, jittery. Quinn goes to stand behind her to tie the cap, the smell of Santana's shampoo filling her nostrils. She bites her lip and has to suppress a moan. Santana is so close. That perfect body of hers is so damn close. She could just wrap her arms around her waist, slide her hands up and cup her tits, or reach between her legs and - stop it, Fabray.
She needs to get laid. But not tonight. She has to visit her mother and she knows she won't feel like going out after that.
_______
Quinn has just dropped down on her couch and she frowns when her phone rings. Being a surgeon doesn't leave her much of a social life and the few friends she had gave up on her a long time ago. Her frown grows even deeper when she sees the caller ID. Santana Lopez.
"Quinn Fabray speaking."
"Doctor - I'm so sorry for calling you this late at night, but it's an emergency," Santana says. She sounds out of breath and - although Quinn finds it hard to believe - scared.
"Lopez, are you alright? What's going on?"
"Can you give me your address? I'll explain once we get there."
"We?"
"I have my mother and my younger brother with me. I'm sorry, but I don't know who else to call. We really can't stay here."
Still confused, Quinn gives Santana the address. Just to be sure, she grabs a pillow and blanket to throw on the couch and checks to see if her guest room is ready to be used. One of them will have to sleep in Quinn's bed. She wants to scowl at the thought that it will most likely be Santana, but it makes her blush instead. She ignores the fact that she could give her double bed to them and sleep on the couch herself. She tells herself it's because she doesn't want strangers alone in her bedroom.
The doorbell rings and Quinn buzzes them in. When they come upstairs, all three of them look disheveled and she instantly notices the bruises on the older woman and the younger boy accompanying Santana. The boy looks arout 16 years old. Quinn ushers them in and gets them all a glass of water before returning to the living room.
"Lopez, what's going on here?"
Santana hesitates an casts a look at who Quinn assumes to be her mother. "Tell her, mija," the older woman says, her voice strained.
Santana takes a swig from her glass of water, closes her eyes for a moment and then nods. "So you wonder why I decided to ask for a transfer to Lima General. I guess I'll have to tell you now. My father is... not a very nice man."
Quinn frowns. "Go on."
"He... he's always been a bit... he's always had a short fuse. I've inherited my temper from him, sadly enough. He's very fickle, too. He has violent mood swings and gets very aggressive. He's not afraid to use his hands, if you know what I mean. When I went off to medical school, I talked myself through leaving mom and Diego behind with him. I told myself that once I became a surgeon, I'd make sure to be the best and I'd get them out of there. I'd get them far away. But a few weeks before my transfer, Diego called me and told me how bad it had gotten. I requested my transfer here to stay with them, but it's not safe anymore. We don't have any family in town - only my abuela lived in Lima and she died a few years ago. The friends we had were chased away by my father's behaviour. Tonight, he was more violent than ever and I knew I had to get us out. I'm so sorry for calling you so late, but we have nowhere to go. I had to leave everything there, so I couldn't take us to a hotel."
"That's horrible, Santana. I have some contacts at the local shelters, I'll find help for you. You can stay here, of course. I can only offer a couch and a single bed in the guest room, though. So one of you is going to have to sleep in my bed, if you don't mind."
"I know you best - I'll sleep in your room. If you don't mind, that is."
"Of course not."
_______
Quinn takes a deep breath. All of this is a lot to take in - and for a few seconds, she thinks it's more than she can handle. But then she peeps through the door and sees Santana tying her head in a bun, looking so defeated and exhausted. Quinn knows what it's like not being able to protect your own family. She makes up her mind. She is going to do this.
That night, Santana falls asleep quickly. Quinn battles with herself for a second, but then decides to give in and wraps her arms around Santana, pressing her lips softly against her neck. She doesn't know what will come in the morning, but she hopes that Santana will allow her to help. Allow her to explore these feelings. Allow Quinn to love her.