Brittany couldn't bring herself to prepare for this moment. Just the thought of it made her heart feel like it was being stabbed repeatedly. Instead, she was going to decide what to do on the spot. She wasn't winging it though. She could never do that to her. She was merely going to say what her heart felt in that moment because she knew that would be the closest they would ever get to feeling the extent of her pain. And although speaking openly about this would certainly cause her heart to once again split apart after desperately trying to mend it over and over again, she had to do this. She loved her too much not to.
"Santana was a lot of things to me. She was my wife, my lover, my best friend, and my knight in shining armour. She spent her life protecting me. Making sure I was safe at all times starting from the moment she saved me when I was eight."
Brittany had been hanging out on the swings during lunch when David Karofsky approached her. He shoved her forcefully off the swing and called her stupid for believing in unicorns.
Brittany had started to cry. She was terrified of the bigger boy and hated when people called her stupid.
David stood over the blonde, ready to do more damage when suddenly, and seemingly out nowhere, a small Latina shoved Karofsky away.
"Get lost David! You're just a big fat jerk!"
David was glaring at the young Latina as she matched his glare. Their staring contest was soon broken as his fist met her face. The girl staggered back but soon recovered and lunged towards the boy.
Brittany could only watch on in shock as a stranger fought hard to protect her.
A couple minutes later, a boy she recognized by the name of Noah Puckerman ran towards the group. He went to restrain the girl while his two friends Matt and Mike held back Karofsky.
"Hey, are you okay?" The Latina asked after freeing herself from Puck's grasp.
"Um...yea...thanks so much for saving me! I'm Brittany."
"Santana. Listen, next time anyone makes fun of you, you tell me okay? I'll make sure they never do it again."
Brittany could only nod as she watched Santana walk away to the nurse's office with Puck.
"That was the first of many fights Santana would get into because of me. She was always there for me when someone would call me a name or hit on me. Our high school nurse even had a spare bed reserved for her." Brittany chuckled. "Although personally I always thought she was, Santana officially became my knight in shining armour when we were ten. Back then we were so naive and innocent. The world was a much nicer place and everything was so simple. The stars were always shining bright and we were aiming to uncover all of them. Our hardest decisions were choosing between ice cream flavours and the most pain we felt was from a broken bone."
Brittany and Santana had been on a Disney marathon sleepover that night. The blonde had been resting her head on the brunette's chest until she suddenly jerked her head away and sat upright facing the Latina.
"San?" Brittany asked through her tears.
"What is it Britt? Are you ok? Where does it hurt? Why are you crying?" The Latina frowned. She hated seeing her best friend sad. When Brittany hurt, she hurt too.
"Wh-what if I never find my kn-knight in *sniff* shining armour S-San? No one will be there to p- *sniff* protect me. I-I'll be all alone!"
These Disney movies were definitely getting to Brittany's head Santana thought. She chuckled and hugged the blonde reassuringly.
"Aww...don't worry Britt. I'll be your knight in shining armour."
"Y-you mean it?" Brittany pouted which made Santana instantly melt.
"Y-yea, I do"
"Please don't leave me..."
"Never. I promise. You're stuck with me B, forever and ever."
"She had promised me forever and ever. It had been the only promise she wasn't able to keep..."
Brittany tried her best to choke back her sobs and continued on as
tears streamed down her face.
"We managed to make it through high school and university together. Through the countless slushy attacks and fights, I would be lying if I said it was easy. But we made it. An on the last night of our annual high school alumni musical, Santana had made one of my dreams come true for the very first time.
The annual McKinley High Alumni Musical took place every 5 years after
graduation. The glee club had organized the whole thing. This year's musical was about a knight conquering through any and all obstacles in order to save his princess. Sure it was typical, but everyone loved it. The play was showing for 3 days and the last night was always reserved for friends and family.
Rachel and Finn had been playing the lead roles up until the last night. An hour before the curtains rose, Finn suddenly claimed to have a sore throat and Rachel laryngitis even though they all thought she sounded fine. So instead, they put it to a vote which resulted in Santana and Brittany becoming their substitutes. It was no problem since Rachel had made them rehearse so many times; they pretty much
knew each other's lines.
The play had gone perfectly well up until the final song when the knight was to confess his love for the princess. Brittany had been up in her stage balcony while her knight, Sir Santana was going to serenade her from down below.
A piano started playing and soon Brittany realized it wasn't the usual song. She looked down towards the stage and saw Brad at his piano.
Suddenly Santana started to sing
Remember those walls I built
Well, baby they're tumbling down
And they didn't even put up a fight
They didn't even make up a sound
I found a way to let you in
But I never really had a doubt
Standing in the light of your halo
I got my angel now
My god was she beautiful. Even in a princess costume that was once worn by Rachel Berry, she couldn't believe how amazing the blonde looked. Santana had tried to convey everything in her heart through her eyes as she stared at Brittany. This was the woman who suffered through all her shit and stayed with her, the woman who encouraged her to embrace who she was, the woman who pulled her even closer as she pulled away, and the woman who took the time to tear down her walls. This was the woman who she loved more than anything else in the world.
It's like I've been awakened
Every rule I had you breakin'
It's the risk that I'm takin'
I ain't never gonna shut you out
Everywhere I'm looking now
I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo
You know you're my saving grace
You're everything I need and more
It's written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo
Pray it won't fade away
Brittany couldn't move her body. She was rooted to her spot in utter shock and disbelief. The look Santana was sending her was completely mesmerizing. As brown eyes locked with blue, Brittany could feel every single emotion that was coming from her eyes. She felt the Latina's happiness, her anger, her sorrow, her love, and her passion. It was like a tsunami of emotions was coming towards her at full speed. It was unbelievable.
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
Hit me like a ray of sun
Burning through my darkest night
You're the only one that I want
Think I'm addicted to your light
I swore I'd never fall again
But this don't even feel like falling
Gravity can't forget
To pull me back to the ground again
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
Brittany slowly made her way down to Santana with tears streaming down
her face. The Latina cupped her cheek and brushed the tears away with the pad of her thumb. Then she reached for the blonde's hands and held one in each of her own.
"Baby, I love you. I know that I'm a difficult person and I tend to push people out...but you're the only one who took the time to see through my mask and break down my walls. It scares the hell outta me but it doesn't matter because I trust you. I feel safe when I'm with you, I find strength when I'm with you, I find life worth living when I'm with you, and I want to be a better person when I'm with you. I love you Brittany, ever since I got my ass beat for you when we were eight and I will never stop loving you."
Santana let go of her hands, and got down on one knee.
"Remember the promise I made when we were ten?" Brittany nodded as the tears that were previously pooling in her eyes finally overflowed. Santana took out a tiny black velvet box from her costume and held it out onto her palm for Brittany to see. "I said I would be your knight in shining armour forever and ever.
Santana opened the box. Sitting inside was a beautiful diamond ring.
"Well baby, this is the first step to forever."
Santana took a deep breath.
"Brittany Susan Pierce, will you marry me?"
Brittany was speechless. Right here, down on one knee was Santana Lopez, the love of her life. The one who claimed she was too much of a badass to do anything romantic and yet, here she was. Kneeling in front of their friends and family, proposing.
"Baby?"
"I...I...m-marry yes. Uh I mean, yes Santana Lopez, I will marry you!"
Brittany jumped into Santana's arms and kissed her as tears flowed down both their faces. Everyone erupted into cheers and applause but they were too caught up in their kiss to notice. In that moment, the outside world did not exist to them.
"I never figured out how Santana was able to remember every little thing I said to her. It was just a regular school night when I told her I thought our relationship was like a fairytale. It was the best marriage proposal I could ever ask for. The second time Santana had made one of my dreams come true was when we both became mothers."
"Push baby push!" The brunette urged.
"Aarrgghh holy shit Santana can't you see I'm trying! Jesus Christ it fucking hurts!" The blonde screamed back.
Santana knew how much pain she was in considering a very big object was coming out of her wife's not so big hole.
"Baby I know. Just squeeze my hand."
"Oh my god! I can't do this! I can't! Aaarrrrgghh! Damnit Santana!"
"You can! Trust me baby...just, trust me."
Several of Brittany's screams later, a baby's cry rang throughout the room.
"Congratulations! You are mothers of a very beautiful and healthy boy! Would you like to cut the cord?"
Santana nodded. She was about to cut but winced at the pain that shot through her hand so she switched hands, and finally cut the cord.
The nurse handed the now clean baby over to Brittany while taking Santana for a quick x-ray. Apparently the blonde had squeezed so hard she fractured her wife's hand.
Brittany saw what she had done and immediately felt bad. The whole time she had been screaming at Santana and even broken her hand, but she never left her bed side. She didn't even flinch at Brittany's grasp on her. But to her defense, she was desperately trying to push their
son out of her body.
A while later Santana had come back with a cast on and kissed Brittany's forehead, silently telling her it was ok.
Brittany couldn't stop her tears as she looked down at the boy in her arms. She was finally a mother, and her son was perfect. She wanted to hold onto her son forever and never let go, but she was exhausted from giving birth.
Sensing her wife's exhaustion, Santana took their child from the blonde and took in his face. The boy was beautiful and Santana knew he would be breaking many hearts. He had beautiful brown hair like his mami and blue eyes you could get lost in, just like his mom's.
"What do you want to name him?" Brittany asked sleepily.
Santana kissed her wife on the cheek. "It's up to you baby, but can his middle name be Noah?"
Brittany nodded. After all, Puck had been Santana's best lesbro her entire life.
"Jayden" Brittany whispered.
"Jayden Noah Lopez-Pierce"
"It was one of the best days of my life. Watching Santana look proudly at our new born son, I knew she was going to be a great mother. I just didn't know she would leave us so soon. The next time we went back to the hospital, it was the worst day of my life. It was the day Santana had been shot. I rushed to the ER just in time to catch Santana before her surgery."
"SANTANA!"
"Ma'am I'm sorry but we have to get her to the OR. Please wait in the lobby."
"No, it's ok. Give her a few moments. Everyone else, go prep the OR for me."
"Yes, Dr. Fabray"
"Brittany? Brittany baby please listen to me. Santana got shot and the bullet punctured her lung so we have to get her to the OR immediately."
"Q-Quinn...promise me. Please, I'm begging you. Promise me you will save her. Promise me you will save Santana. I can't live without her."
"...Brittany, I promise you we will do everything we possibly can to save her. Santana's a fighter right? She will try her hardest to get through this. You need to be strong, for her and for Jayden."
-In the OR-
"She's losing a lot of blood, there are bleeders everywhere!"
"I don't care, do what you can!"
"Her BP's dropping"
"Damnit! We have to work faster!"
"It's no use. This one's going to be a goner."
"Who the fuck just said that? You? Good. GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY OR NOW!"
"Dr. Fabray! The patient's vitals are in critical condition."
"Fuck, we have to save her! I promised her wife that we would!"
"She's Coding!"
"Son of a bitch! Give me the paddles. Charge to 250! Ok, 1, 2, 3, Clear!"
Beep...
"Charge to 300! 1, 2, 3, Clear!"
Beep...
"Charge to 400! 1, 2, 3, Clear!"
Beep...
"...Again! Clear!"
Beep...
"Dr. Fabray...Dr. Fabray! Stop! It's over, we lost her. There's nothing else we can do. I'm so sorry, but you have to let her go."
Quinn screamed and thrashed around the OR once everyone else was out.
"Fuck you Santana! Fuck you! Why didn't you fight harder? You can't leave Brittany all alone! What about Jayden? And who's going to keep Puck in line? Your family needs you! Hell, I need you too! I didn't fucking become a doctor just so you could die in my hands you asshole! GET THE FUCK UP SANTANA. FUCKING GET UP NOW OR SO HELP ME I WILL GET RACHEL IN HERE!"
Quinn's anger subsided as sobs took over her body. She finally let her tears flow down freely as she sunk down onto the floor of the OR with her head in her hands.
"Please Santana...please, get up. How could you just leave everyone like this? We all need you Santana. What will we do without you?
The single note being played by Santana's heart monitor answered Quinn, as it echoed throughout the OR.
Beep...
By now Puck had come to the hospital and was cradling Brittany in his arms. Rachel had come to pick Jayden up because Brittany didn't want to have him dealing with this stuff.
When Quinn finally came through the double doors of the OR unable to look Brittany in the eye, she knew she had lost Santana forever. She broke down and screamed in Puck's arms as he restrained her while desperately trying to accept the fact that his best friend was dead.
"Who knew we would make it this far together. Through preschool, elementary school, high school, university, marriage, and even until the birth of our first child. I spent every moment of my life with her. I loved you so much Santana, and will never stop loving you. A life without you beside me, encouraging me, and guiding me along doesn't seem like a life at all. This wasn't the way it was supposed to end. You were supposed to be my knight in shining armour and I was your damsel in distress. What happened to our fairytale Santana? What happened to our happily ever after?
Brittany looked around the room. Everyone had tears in their eyes. Even Sue Sylvester who no one thought had a heart and David Karofsky who had fought with the Latina several times. With her own tears flowing down, Brittany took one last look at Santana lying peacefully in her coffin, and walked away.
-5 years later-
"Hey baby! I missed you" Brittany said as she approached Santana's gravestone.
"Did you miss me? ...Yea I thought so" The blonde chuckled.
The blonde sighed. "It's been five years already baby. Five years without you and I still miss you so much."
"But guess what! Jayden has a girlfriend now. He also has the same landing strip on his head like his godfather. I know I know, calm down honey. I think you would approve. Well...considering it's the girl you saved, the girl who caused you to get shot while you were off duty. If it weren't for you shielding her from the bullet, you would still be with me right now. A part of me has always blamed her for your death but I knew it wasn't her fault the bank robber decided to choose a hostage and chose her. Even after getting shot, I can't believe you managed to knock the robber unconscious. You were always amazing. I never understood why you risked your life for her, until she approached me after your funeral.
"Um...excuse me but are you Mrs. Lopez-Pierce?"
Brittany cried even harder at the mention of her last name. She could only weakly nod, not even bothering to lift her head up.
"I'm so sorry...but I'm the girl your wife saved. I'm forever in debt to you and your family. I know I can't do anything to help you or possibly make you feel better, but I do hope that you know I'm grateful for what she did. She saved my life without even knowing who I am or even what my name is. I'm so sorry that it had to cost her life."
Brittany finally looked up. She was furious. She wanted to see what about this girl convinced her wife to throw herself in front of her and take the bullet instead.
Her anger instantly subsided when she locked eyes with the girl. What she saw hit her like a bag of bricks to the face.
Standing right in front of her, was a teenage Brittany.
"In that moment, I understood baby. The girl looked exactly like I did when I was a teenager. Seeing her now still brings back many painful memories, but I know our son is happy with her and that's enough for me. You know, Jayden and her are kind of like the teenage version of us actually. Clearly he got his taste of women from you." The blonde chuckled.
For a long time, Brittany just sat their staring at Santana's gravestone as memories flooded through her brain.
Two hours later, she got up to leave but turned back once more.
"You know, you did keep your promise to protect me forever and ever after all, because I know you're always watching over me. And baby, when I finally get to see you again, that will be our happily ever after."
A/N: Thanks for reading! The song i used was Halo by Beyonce and the line "The stars were always shining bright and we were aiming to uncover all of them" is actually lyrics from a song. It's called Silver Birch by the Hiatus.