Title: Working the Pole: The Prologue
Author: Annette
Feedback address: newbie_2u@livejournal.com
Date in Calendar: 11 December 2011
Fandom: Glee
Pairing: Rachel/Santana
Rating: 13
Word Count: 1,224
Summary: Rachel always knew she was a little bit psychic but she had to admit she was surprised to find that Santana Lopez did in fact end up working the pole.
Season/Spoilers: Minor Season 2
Advertisement: Part of the FSAC:DD11

Disclaimer: "Glee", the characters and situations depicted are the property of Ryan Murphy Productions, Twentieth Century Fox Television, and Fox Network. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes. Previously unrecognized characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. This site is in no way affiliated with "Glee", Fox, or any representatives of the actors.

Author's Disclaimer: I don’t own them… if I did the girls would kiss on the lips not just the boys. This story is not intended for profit but simply to test my ability to create something I am happy with and that others might enjoy. Glee and its characters are the property of Ryan Murphy and Fox Broadcasting Company. No infringement intended.

Author's Notes: This story is for all of the Pezberry fans out there. This is my OTP and although I am currently very displeased with the handling of Santana and her forced outing, I refuse to take it out on the actors or their characters. The only way to remedy this is through fiction and so I give you my take on these two complex characters. I want to turn this into a verse and hope to continue this story line.

Beta:

Working the Pole

The Brooklyn Queens Expressway was moving along nicely and the brunette in the back of the Towne Car could not be more pleased. Rachel Berry had been away from her beloved New York for the past 18 months filming her first movie role in Los Angeles. The premier was scheduled for mid-summer, and although it was an amazing and exhausting experience, she was glad to be home. The brunette stared intently out the window watching the familiar scenery pass by and looked forward to the next few weeks of downtime before starting work on Anything Goes at the Sondheim.

Suddenly the car began to slow before coming to a complete stop, and Rachel sighed as she sat waiting to start moving again. She turned to her right and glanced out the window and her jaw dropped as she was met with the larger than life image of a female firefighter, a half-naked female firefighter. Rachel’s eyes moved from the toned abs of the image up over the sports bra-clad breasts to full luscious lips and smoldering, dark eyes. Recognition caused the diva to gasp and pull her view back to take in the face of none other than Santana Lopez!

She had no idea how long she sat staring at the image on the billboard and so she jolted when the car suddenly began moving again. Oh my, she looks amazing! The brunette thought to herself. I wonder if she’s a model, she’s certainly pretty enough. I can’t believe I have no idea what the billboard was advertising since I was too busy ogling my old high school nemesis’ body. Rachel just had to chuckle at the thought.

She and Santana had parted ways on good terms after an eventful senior year. Her thoughts turned to the past and all of the times the Latina had insulted her wardrobe, her features and her romantic choices. She remembered the few times she had attempted to retaliate, in particular the time she had told the girl that she’d probably end up working on a pole. Maybe I wasn’t so far off base with that statement! I mean the woman on the billboard certainly filled the bill for teasingly sensual as did the girl I remember from high school, and a billboard on the BQE means the establishment is likely a well-respected gentleman’s club.

The brunette’s thought were interrupted by the sound of her cell phone ringing so she reached into her bag to retrieve it checking the caller ID before answering.

“Hello Jenn.” The diva greeted brightly. Jenn Webster had been Rachel’s agent/manager for the past four years and she trusted her implicitly to handle her affairs. She seemed to have an innate sense of the brunette’s tastes and had found her roles that were perfect for her as well as being pivotal to her quickly advancing career.

“Hey Rachel, how close to home are you?” The agent queried, sounding a bit flustered.

Rachel’s brow furrowed in concern at the sound of her agent’s voice. “Jenn, is something wrong?” She waited a beat for an answer, and was met with silence. “I’m about ten minutes from my doorstep, so whatever it is that has you so frazzled you have about five minutes to tell me and another five to tell me how you fixed it.”

“Ugh, I guess I might as well just say it.” Jenn sighed and continued. “The tenant who was renting your home hasn’t moved out yet.”

“What! How is that possible! If they signed a rental contract then you can have them physically removed.” Rachel was beyond annoyed at this. The tenant was supposed to be out last week and the home was to be thoroughly cleaned before she got back. “I’m almost there, I’m beyond exhausted and I just can’t deal with this.”

“I know, and I’m sorry but I was just informed yesterday and have been trying to find a place for her to stay when she gets released from the hospital.” Jenn explained, “She was in an accident and no one knew about it until the cleaning crew called me to say that they were finished and I went there to check it out and saw all of her things were still there.”

“Oh, I see.” Rachel instantly sobered at the thought. “When will she be released from the hospital?”

“She’ll be in there for another week.”

“Can’t we have her things moved to wherever she had planned to go?” It’s not that Rachel didn’t feel for the woman, but it was never her intention to have a roommate, she only rented her home out of necessity as it made more sense than to leave it empty.

“The apartment she was going to move to rented the unit when she didn’t show.”

“Oh, that’s unfortunate.” Rachel chewed her lip as she contemplated her next statement. “Does she have any family?”

Jenn sighed. “We checked into that and it appears her parents were killed in a car crash and she’s estranged from her grandmother. She has a few friends in Lima but none of them are able to take her in on such short notice. Her coworkers are also willing but unable at the moment. There’s no one else.”

“Wait, did you say Lima, as in Lima Ohio?”

“Yes. Oh, that’s right, you’re from Lima! Maybe you know her; I think she’s around your age. Her name is Santana Lopez.”

The phone fell from numb fingers as Rachel tried to process what she had just heard.

“Rachel! Rachel!” Jen shouted into the phone worried about the brunette now she’d laid all of this on her. She was trying to soften the blow by telling Rachel before she got to the house and it backfired on her spectacularly. She sighed in relief as she saw the Towne Car pulling up the street. She waited by the curb and flung the door open before the driver had even turned off the ignition. Slipping into the back of the car, she was met with a sobbing diva who immediately flung herself into the red head’s arms.

“I’m so sorry Rachel.” Jenn whispered as she soothed the brunette. “Come on. Let’s get you inside and settled.”

Jenn thanked whoever was up there watching over them that there were no paps hanging around. This story would be hard enough to spin but seeing a distraught Rachel Berry returning from her first movie role would just open the floodgates to all sorts of speculation.

The familiar surroundings of her home calmed Rachel and she excused herself to the powder room to freshen up. In the meantime, Jenn grabbed a pair of wine glasses and opened a bottle letting it breathe while waiting for Rachel to return.

Rachel was still trying to regain her composure but then she would think about Santana being hurt and alone and it would bring tears to her eyes. She needed to find out just what had happened to her old frienemy, to make sure that she was alright and to prepare to welcome her into her home. She had no idea what she was getting into but she couldn’t turn her back on the woman. Decision made she returned to her agent in the living room to make plans for visiting the Latina and preparing her home for a long-term guest.

Fini for now…