She couldn't, she didn't, she wouldn't believe it. She had known Santana since they were youngsters, they had met in preschool and on the fifth day Brittany gave Santana a promise ring, a promise that they'd always be friends no matter what. They both shared the same insecurities the night before they entered High School. When Santana voiced interest in joining the Cheerios, Brittany had joined with her. They shared their first kiss at some drunken party, they both brushed it off as showing the guys a good time, but deep down they both knew they enjoyed it. They started having sex soon afterwards, sometimes with guys, but mainly with each other, in the bathroom, at Santana's house, at Brittany's. They couldn't get enough of it, of each other.
Through it all they were still Santana and Brittany. They graduated High School, just like they entered it, together. They both realized that College was their big step, but when they found out they were just an hour away from each other, they rejoiced in the positives, not the negatives. Their sophomore year of College they looked for a place half way between each other, and moved in. By Senior year, Santana had given Brittany a promise ring, a ring that not only symbolized how Santana felt about her, but no matter how far they are from each other, the ring, the almost identical ring from their preschool years, would bring them together. They had spent many years together, in bliss, and sometimes in heartache, but the ring was always their anchor to each other. Because no matter what came their way they knew, deep down in their hearts that it was just a bump in a very long happy, healthy road.
It was on this day, 25 years after they had met, that Santana gave Brittany the bad news, she had found out that she had cancer. Brittany didn't believe it, she couldn't believe it. Santana approached her and comforted her, but to no avail. It just couldn't be true. Santana was always there for her, she couldn't imagine a day when she wouldn't be. They fought, the fight wasn't about being angry, Brittany didn't want to enter a world where Santana Lopez wouldn't be there supporting her, loving her or being with her, and Santana Lopez never wanted to let go of the one person in her life that had always made sense.
They made up. They almost always did.
"I don't want to live in a world, where you aren't there to laugh at my stupid jokes San. I can't even think about what it would be like. We've always been there for each other."
Santana nodded holding Brittany's hand. "I'll always be here Britt, even if I'm not." She paused wiping a tear from her eye. "I love you."
Brittany embraced her in a tight hug. "I love you Santana. I always have, you know that." Santana nodded.
Santana was still weepy eyed and smiled back at Brittany. "Hey baby, we'll still be together." She pulled out the ring that Brittany had given her 25 years earlier. "No matter what happens, we'll always be together. What we have is real, it always has been." Brittany kissed Santana, put on a proud face, and hugged her rocking back and forth.
Santana had the ring on when she was hospitalized. Brittany never left her side, even performing Songbird for good ole times. The night before she passed, all they did was hold hands and hum along to their favorite songs and as Brittany fell asleep keeping a tight hold on Santana's hand, Santana whispered softly in her ear, I love you Britt-Britt, forever.
Brittany woke up and cried. She cried. Then she cried some more.
She picked herself up and moved on, or she tried to at least. She smiled when she had to, and laughed when she felt it was right. She cried on the days she missed Santana the most, but throughout it all, she never took her ring off.
In the Eulogy at Santana's wedding, she mentioned how close and connected they both were, how Santana was an amazing person and that she would be missed by all. She mentioned the heartache that she herself felt, and how she felt that a part of her soul had been ripped out completely.
Maybe someday she'd truly move on, but she knew that no matter where they were, no matter what ever happened, the ring somehow made Brittany feel safe, and that Santana was right around the corner. She ended the Eulogy with a few simple words, "I know she's never coming back, and I know we were blessed to have so many years together, but a part of her is always with me, she was my best friend for so many years, and my soulmate for many more years."
She would cherish it for the rest of her life.
And whenever Songbird came on the radio, she no longer wept, but was reminded that one day they would be reunited.