Author's Note. Okay this just came to me as I was on a certain forum late last night and the debate about how Bartie would end was brought up. I hadn't intended to make a real story out of it but this is where it took me. Hope you guys like it. And before any one bites my head off, the Artie characterization is CANON. Go watch Audition and shut it:)


Every day was the same now for Brittany. She had fallen into a routine and even though it wasn't perfect, it worked for her.

At least, that's what she'd been telling herself for the past 4 months.

Brittany was so confused. And not in the normal way confused like when she was in math class or when people tried to explain that there were no "m's" in the letter "r." This hurt. Her whole body ached and although she knew what was wrong, she couldn't fix it.

She'd been feeling this way for weeks and slowly it had all come bubbling to the surface. The little utopia she'd created to hide from the reality of her true pain had begun to crumble around her.

Being with Artie had started out so well and she had truly been happy in the beginning. Artie provided her with the tender attention that she hadn't realized she'd wanted and needed until day Mr. Schuester assigned the Duets project. It was that day that she decided she wanted to be with Santana. She desperately wanted sex to be dating and Brittany knew that if she could get Santana to sing with her, she'd feel it too.

After Santana crushed all the hope she had for eternal sweet lady kisses, she'd turned to Artie since he too was nursing a broken heart. She never gave up on Santana, but she needed a distraction and Artie was just that. Brittany had never intended to sleep with Artie, but he seemed so sad and Santana said that sex could make ANYONE feel better. She knew what he was feeling and she had wanted to help him. She understood his pain.

Because of this connection, this kindred sorrow, eventually the two formed a bond and that's how she got to this difficult place.

At first Artie would sing to her, and shower her with love and affection which made Brittany forget, if only momentarily, the true object of her desires. He was always trying to make her smile, but lately all the attention had stopped. That's why for the last 2 months, she found herself curled into the corner of Artie's couch, while he sat in the opposite corner, his gaze fixed on the TV in front of him. Brittany didn't understand Halo, or why Artie thought she liked watching him play it.

Sure the first few times it had been intriguing enough, but Brittany didn't get the point so she quickly lost interest, not that Artie noticed. Or maybe he just didn't care.

"Artie…Artiiiiiiieeeeeeeee" Brittany whined from her position on the sofa.

"Woman, I am playing Halo. This better be good," Artie snapped back as he reluctantly hit pause and turned his attention to his girlfriend.

Brittany, shocked that he had actually listened to her, scooted closer to him on the couch.

"Can't we do something else?" she said still inching forward. "You can't think of anything else you'd wanna do right now?" Brittany almost purred as she began to stroke Artie's arm for good measure.

"Britts, you know I'd love too, but I promised I would get this level sorted out today. Brian's counting on me," Artie explained, not even looking upset about turning Brittany down.

The blonde rolled her eyes and returned to her previous spot at the other end of the sofa. "I don't even understand why it matters. Just because some guy who lives in Idaho can't figure out this stupid game, you're not gonna get all up on this?"

Artie scoffed at his girlfriend's choice of words, "'All up on this?' you've been hanging around Santana too much lately."

Brittany lowered her voice and mumbled, mostly to herself, "Not nearly enough if you ask me."

"What? Did you say something Britt?"

"Nope. Not a thing."

At that Artie resumed furiously playing his game and Brittany let her mind wander. It wasn't uncommon on afternoons like this one for her to let herself revisit the many moments that she and Santana had spent in her bedroom.

She smiled to herself as the whispering memory of the brunettes touch carried her away.


Should I continue?