It starts with a text message. Brittany has no idea what time Santana sent it, but it's waiting for her when she wakes up.

Happy Valentines Day, B.

That's all it says, and it's not even close to being enough. Her plan for today was going to be to simply hide under the covers until the day was over with, she'd been looking forward to carrying out that plan, of sticking her head in the sand and trying not to think about she doesn't get to see her girlfriend on valentines day just because they decided they could handle going to college on different coasts. She's never regretted that decision more than she has right now. Not getting to see each other on what is supposed to be the most romantic day of the year? And after the awesomeness of last years as well? Oh yeah, it was a really stupid decision.

She's dialing Santana's number before she's even aware that she's doing so, not able to resist the urge to speak to her. She's still never been able to get her head around the whole different time zones thing, sure she gets that it's like three hours difference, but it's just that it sometimes slips her mind, as if she still can't understand that Santana is such a distance away from her, and then maybe, just maybe, sometimes she just isn't interested in working out what time it is out in California when all she wants to do is hear Santana's voice. Besides Santana has never yet yelled at her for calling at four in the morning for no real reason whatsoever, and that happens pretty much twice a week at least.

She's however more than a little surprised when the phone is answered on the first ring.

"I know. This really, really sucks."

Despite the tiredness in Santana's voice, Brittany can't help smiling a little. "You been waiting for me to call, San?"

"Maybe."

She swears she can actually hear Santana shrug, can just imagine her attempting to appear indifferent, then failing and breaking into that goofy grin that never fails to make Brittany want nothing more than to kiss her, and then other things, other things that she had promised herself she wasn't allowed to think about today, things that would only lead to her being even more depressed than she was already.

"You're totally smiling like a goof right now, aren't you?"

"Maybe."

"You're kind of a dork, aren't you?"

"Maybe."

"S'okay. I still love you anyway." She regrets the words as soon as they leave her mouth, she knows she should have kept the conversation light, left those words unsaid for one day.

She hears Santana sigh. "God, I hate this. I need to see you."

She hates it too, every single day in fact, and not for the first time she wonders if it's all worth it. Spending four years apart just so neither of them had to give up on their dreams has seemed like the smart choice, but she's been thinking more and more lately that it isn't. And spending the whole day having to watch other couples being all over each other when she doesn't even have a clue when she's next going to get to see her girlfriend, that's something she's not sure she can handle. She sinks down to the floor, her back against her bed. "Worst Valentines Day Ever."

"Pretty much."

"Maybe I can get a flight out there this weekend." She's not quite sure if her bank account can handle that, but isn't that what overdrafts and credit cards are for, for emergencies just like this?

"Britt, come on, we've talked about this. As much as I wanna see you, it's just not practical."

She knows that, she just doesn't much care right now if it means she gets to see Santana. She's about to tell her as much when Santana interrupts her. "Brittany, promise me you aren't going to do anything stupid. Like jump on a plane as soon as I hang up the phone. You have to promise me that."

She really doesn't want to as it's a promise she doesn't want to have to keep.

"Britt, promise me." There's an edge to Santana's voice, a quiet desperation there.

"I promise. Doesn't mean I have to be happy about it though."

Another sigh. "I know. Look, I should let you go get ready for class."

"Not going."

"What? Why not?"

"Because I want to just stay in bed all day and cry over how much I miss my insanely hot girlfriend, and how it's Valentine's Day and I'm not even going to get laid."

"Hey, you're not the only one not getting any, and sitting home moping over it, just ends up making you feel even worse. Trust me on that."

Santana sounds tired again, maybe even a little bit broken. It's been a long time since she's heard her sound like that, thankfully a good long while, but she hates that it's back, hates that her complaining to Santana might be responsible for that. "Okay, San, I'll be good and go to class and even pay attention. Long as you know I'm only doing it for you, and that you totally owe me."

Santana laughs softly. "Okay, I think I can live with that. Now go on, go learn stuff or whatever."

She glances at the clock on her bedside table. "I really do need to go if I'm gonna make my first lecture." She doesn't want to hang up though. She wonders if maybe she should suggest they both skip school and just stay on the phone all day, talking about nothing the way they used to before this separation. She somehow doubts Santana will go for that though, instead will just point out that they can't afford the phone bill that would lead to. Sometimes she hates how Santana always seems so concerned about money lately.

"Okay, I'll call you tonight?"

"Yeah, you'd better."

"Love ya."

She hesitates in saying it back, that feeling tugging at her heart again, and Santana has hung up before she does manage to react. She sighs. Today is definitely going to suck.

She's in her first lecture when the next thing happens. So far the day hasn't been as bad as she'd been expecting. She maybe took a little more delight than she probably should in the fact that Caissie was dumped by her boyfriend last night, leaving her room mate prone to bursting into tears every five minutes. It's both keeping her entertained and making her focus her attention on the fact that she at least isn't single, even if it's a long distance relationship. She wonders if maybe Santana has been rubbing off on her lately, though she at least did pretend to be sympathetic, whereas she's certain Santana would have just laughed in Caissie's face.

She's not the only one who finds it a little strange when a UPS man shows up in the middle of the lecture, holding a small cardboard box, and apologizes for interrupting. "Brittany S Pierce? I've got a package for a Brittany S Pierce."

She scrambles down to the front of the room, trying to ignore the death glare her lecturer is shooting in her direction, signs for the package as fast as she can and then carries it back to her seat. She sets it down on the desk in front of her. She can feel everyone's eyes on her, all no doubt wondering why she's suddenly receiving mail in the middle of class, something she's herself would like to know.

It takes another five minutes until the Professor can get everyone's attention back on the blackboard. Everyone except Brittany's anyway as she spends the rest of the lecture simply staring at the box, her mind thinking of all the things it could contain, from a puppy (she hopes it's not a puppy, or any live animal as she can't see any air-holes in the box), to a bomb (she can't hear ticking though so hopefully not a bomb) yet not daring to open it until she's alone.

Once everyone files out at the end of class, once she's sure she's on her own, she tears open the box as fast as she can. She falters slightly when she finally manages to get inside and finds herself staring down at a plush unicorn. She gently lifts it out the box and studies it. Tied around it's neck is a slip of card and she carefully reads the words written there in Santana's handwriting.

Brittany, I once told you that you were the unicorn. Well I still believe that so don't you ever forget it.

When a second UPS guy turns up during her next class, bearing an identical box, she immediately feels herself turn bright red. She'd already received more than the one odd look for being seen holding a cuddly unicorn, but yet she hadn't been able to bring herself to throw him in her bag out of sight, instead she'd simply carried him to class and sat him proudly on her desk, just shrugging at the questioning glance Caissie had given her when she'd sat down beside her.

She's signed for her new package and is back in her seat, waiting for her teacher to regain control and continue trying to teach them something, when Caissie leans over to her. "Aren't you gonna open it?"

She just shakes her head and waits. Somehow she makes it to the end of the lesson, no doubt annoying several people by her constant tapping of a beat on the desk. Caissie refuses to leave however, instead plays the guilt card, how she needs cheering up after getting dumped last night, and that apparently it's Brittany's job to do just that by letting her see what's in the box.

She just looks confused though when they open it to find this one contains a plush dolphin. "I don't get it. How is a dolphin romantic?"

The only answer she gets is Brittany's laughter.

By lunchtime, Brittany can't resist calling Santana any longer. "So just how many more presents am I going to receive today? Because I think my teachers are starting to get a little pissed off by random UPS guys turning up and ruining their lesson plans."

"Well I think you need to tell your teachers to go..."

"Santana." It's a warning, but Brittany has to fight the urge to laugh.

"What? They're just jealous that your girlfriend is obviously way more awesome and badass than theirs."

"I don't think sending me cuddly toys counts as badass, San. Adorkable maybe, but not badass."

"Well excuse me for trying to be all romantic and shit. Guess I know not to bother next year."

This is yet another time she wishes Santana wasn't just on the other end of a telephone line, wishes that she could just wrap her arms around her and squeeze until that pout she's sure she's attempting turns into a smile.

"How many more presents, San?"

"Guess you'll just have to wait and see."

Apparently the answer to her question was three. One package in each of her two afternoon classes, and then she was ambushed by a UPS man while leaving college. She's left wondering if Santana has had her fitted with a GPS chip at some point, it'd explain how these delivery guys have been able to find her all day.

Now she's left holding a plush duck, a single red rose and her latest package, in addition to the dolphin and unicorn from earlier. She's just wondering how she's going to get all of this back to her dorm when Caissie catches up to her, easily scooping the cuddly toys out of her hands, leaving her just holding the rose. She nods down to the box at her feet. "Come on then. Let's see what's in box number five."

Brittany hands her the rose and opens the box. She frowns when all that is inside it is a single sheet of paper. Brittany and Santana's Infinite Playlist 2.0. A list of songs follows, some she recognises (Songbird, Landslide, Me Against The Music), some she doesn't but she knows she'll be looking up the lyrics to those later tonight.

Well she finally looks up, she finds Caissie rolling her eyes at her. "Jesus, I swear you two couldn't be any more cheesier."

Brittany shrugs. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

"Okay, that's it. As my room mate, it's your job to come help me drown my sorrows over the fact that I got dumped the day before Valentines and we're starting now."

She wonders if that's like a written law or something, part of the room mate agreement maybe. She makes a mental note to ask Santana about that the next time they talk. "But..."

"No, no buts. Besides, not like you've got anything better to do tonight."

She supposes Caissie has a point there.

Caissie won't even let her go home to change which is slightly annoying. Even more annoying is that Caissie has driven them to a bar but now is refusing to let Brittany drink, instead plying her with soft drinks. She keeps saying it's because she's decided Brittany is going to be the designated driver for the evening. However the fact that the bar is only three blocks away from their dorm, tells her that might not be completely the truth.

She's even more confused when after only being there for an hour, Caissie is suddenly dragging them back home. Then once they make it to their apartment, once Brittany has unlocked the door with her arms full as Caissie can't find her keys all of a sudden, Caissie places a hand on her arm to stop her from going inside.

"Well I've gotta go. If I'm late for dinner with Chip then I won't be getting lucky tonight."

Brittany frowns at her. "But you broke up with Chip." She wonders if Caissie had been knocking back more drinks than she'd realised in that hour at the bar but Caissie just grins at her.

"Oh honey, there's a reason I'm a drama major." And just like that she skips off down the stairs, leaving Brittany more confused than ever. She shakes it off though, puts it down to just her roommate's strange habits and enters the apartment. However, she comes to a dead stop just inside the door.

The whole of their living room is covered in candles, like every single surface, so many that she's pretty sure she wouldn't be able to count all of them if she tried. She's hit with the smell of something she's fairly certain is chicken based cooking in the kitchen. She softly closes the door behind her and walks over to the sofa, gently placing her valentines gifts down. There's yet another box sitting on the dining room table. She slowly walks over to it. This one has no address label. She stares down at it, suddenly more than a little nervous.

"Hey."

She has to take a breath before she can bring herself to turn around. When she does she finds Santana leaning against the doorway to her bedroom. She might only be wearing a Stanford hoodie and jeans, but Brittany's never found her more beautiful. She's not sure if it's the candles, or the fact that she hasn't seen her in weeks, or maybe Santana's just doing that thing where she looks hotter every time she sees her that she does every so often, like it's some kind of superpower or something. Either way she doesn't really care. She swallows. "Am I dreaming?"

Santana laughs and that's all it takes for Brittany to cross the room, wrapping one arm around her waist, her hand sliding down to grip her ass, the other arm settling around Santana's neck. She carries them backwards until she has Santana pressed against the wall and then crashes their lips together.

Brittany's not sure how long they stay like that, kissing slow, long and deep, she doesn't plan on ever stopping but her body apparently needs oxygen and eventually doesn't give her a choice in the matter. She pulls away, resting her forehead against Santana's. "Hey."

Santana had her eyes closed, but they flutter open now. "Hey yourself. That was quite the hello."

"When did you...I mean how..." She trails off, not even sure if it matters why or how Santana is here, just that she is.

"I flew in late last night."

"You were already in New York when I called you this morning?"

"Yeah."

"And you couldn't have told me that? You waited all day to see me?"

"I wanted to surprise you. I also knew you'd cut class if you knew."

"Well duh. Spending the day with you would have been way more awesome than college."

"That's exactly the reason I didn't tell you. I don't want you skipping school to spend time with me."

"Erm, San? Aren't you skipping school to be here with me?"

"That's different. Once I explained there'd been a family emergency and I had to take the rest of the week off, they were surprisingly fine with it."

"What family emergency?"

Santana shrugs, biting down on her bottom lip slightly. "My girlfriend needed to get her mack on?"

"And you told them this?"

"Actually no. I told them my grandfather died."

"But your grandfather died when you were seven."

"Yeah, but they don't know that."

Brittany kisses her again, first on the lips, then starts trailing kisses along her jawline, working her way up towards her earlobe, then back down before claiming her mouth once more.

"Can't believe you're actually here."

"That mean I'm forgiven for making you wait all day?"

"Maybe." She finally pulls away. "Depends on what you've got cooking in that kitchen."

"Ah, well that's another surprise."

"Seriously? You've not given me enough surprises for one day?"

"Still have a couple more in me, I think. But for now you think you can keep your hands off me long enough for me to go check on the food?"

"Not making any promises." She does let go of Santana though, lets her head into the kitchen, though she does follow behind her.

"Your bitch of a room mate was supposed to keep you away for another hour or so. That was the deal, then she sends me a text to say she was bringing you home. I wanted to get dressed up for you and have dinner ready. Last time I ask her for her help."

"I think she got bored of babysitting me and had better things to do." While Santana busies herself at the oven, Brittany slides up to sit on the kitchen counter, content just to watch her. "I don't like the idea of you two plotting behind my back. It makes me nervous. I think I liked it better when you hated her."

"I still do hate her, but it was a necessary evil, babe."

She sneaks a glance over at the box, sitting on the table. She's sure it's calling out to her to open it. "I didn't say thank you."

"For what, Britt-Britt?"

"For the presents."

Santana turns around and offers her a shy smile. "It's no big deal. I just, I wanted to give you something I guess, show you I can do the whole cheesy lovefest things every now and then, you know?"

"And you showed you're kinda awesome at it." She again looks over at the box.

She turns back just in time to catch Santana rolling her eyes. "You can open it, you know?"

She's off the counter and over at the table before Santana even finishes that sentence. She has the box open in record time, she's become something of an expert at getting inside these things. Inside the box this time is a much smaller one. She opens it to find a Pandora charm bracelet, one charm already attached. A dolphin.

She feels arms sliding around her waist, and a soft kiss being placed on the back of her neck.

She leans back into the embrace. "You're never gonna let me forget the whole gay shark thing, are you?"

Santana places another kiss and Brittany can feel her smile against her skin. "Nope."

She turns around in her arms, pulling Santana into a hug until she has her held flush against her. "San, I love it. Thank you."

They're soon kissing again. This time Santana's the one to pull away, gesturing towards the kitchen. "As much as I want nothing more right now than to get my sweet lady kisses on, I really don't want to spoil the evening by burning your building down." She slips away from Brittany and disappears back over to the cooker. Brittany takes a long look around the room and can't help thinking that in that case, maybe all the candles were not the best of ideas.

She follows after Santana again but this time stays hovering in the doorway. "I didn't get you anything." She'd been having trouble deciding on what to get her, nothing seeming like it was good enough to send cross country, and this had just made her upset over the whole Valentines thing, so she'd just left it. Something she regrets now.

"Not important. I don't need you to buy me presents. You've already given me everything I ever wanted."

"Okay, who are you and what have you done with Santana? The real Santana would be expecting bling."

"Yeah but this way you'll owe me and have to get me something extra awesome when it's my birthday,"

"What if there's something I can give you today that's even better than bling though?" She moves to stand behind Santana, wrapping her arms around her waist.

"And what's that?"

She kisses a path from Santana's neck up towards her ear. "Multiple orgasms."

Santana shivers against her. "How about we skip dinner?"

Later that night, she wakes up suddenly, though she isn't sure why. Santana is still passed out beside her. Whilst her exhaustion is most likely caused by jet lag and by planning all this, Brittany likes to think that at least part of it is due to her performance tonight. She slides carefully from under Santana and reaches for her phone off the bedside table. She types out a quick text.

Thank you for lying to me and for smuggling my girlfriend into our apartment.

It buzzes back almost straight away.

Not gonna apologize as sure it was worth it, right?

Brittany glances over at her sleeping girlfriend and types her reply.

Best Valentines Day Ever!