Back at Santana's place, Santana and Max took the couch with Brittany sitting opposite them in a small purple chair that happened to be Santana's favorite. Santana was about to make small talk realizing the silence would get awkward very soon when Max woke up with a screeching cry that left Santana with tears in her eyes and Brittany explaining that he was hungry. Santana unhooked Max and handed him to Brittany suddenly feeling very uncomfortable in her own living room.
"Oh ok, um so you can feed him in the bedroom or if you want to watch TV while you do it you can stay in the living room and I'll go hang out in the bedroom," Santana started handing Brittany the remote control and heading for the bedroom when Brittany stopped her.
"Do you need anything Britt? I don't really know how that works, but I have towels and there are pillows on the couch. Do you want a drink?" Santana was visibly flustered while starting to pace her own living room.
"No, no Santana you can stay in here with us. It's ok, I'm used to it. I have to do this in front of people all the time. Here, here's the remote you pick something, just please, please stay in here with us and stop pacing." Santana reluctantly took the remote and prayed for something distracting to be on while taking her place back on the couch. She refused to look anywhere but the TV and after a good five minutes of channel surfing, Brittany begged Santana to just pick something. She settled on a cooking show and they both made small talk regarding the weird ingredients.
"Hey San?" Brittany whispered after a few minutes. "Yes," Santana answered without turning her head. "You can look you know, its ok. You can look at me." Santana slowly turned her head making sure to look no further down than Brittany's chin.
"Ok, see I'm looking at you." Santana huffed.
Brittany chuckled and shook her head, "yeah ok San you are looking at me." Suddenly Max let out another cry and instinctively Santana looked down at him. Her breath caught in her throat and time stopped.
"I said you could look but not stare silly," Brittany's voice shook Santana out of her trance.
"What? Oh, I'm sorry Britt, it's just I don't know, he just looks so content and peaceful and" Santana paused "and what San?" Brittany asked with a sparkle in her eye.
"And it's just really beautiful is all; you know the whole baby thing. It's just beautiful."
Santana stood up and walked into the kitchen to collect her thoughts. She did think it was a beautiful sight, but what she was really thinking about was how she hadn't seen Brittany naked in ten years and just seeing even part of the silky skin on her chest sent Santana reeling.
"Hey San, are you getting a drink? Can I have some water please?" Brittany called out from the other room.
"Sure, Britt, be right there," She walked in to find Brittany redressed and Max sleeping on the couch surrounded by throw pillows.
"He won't sleep like that all night, obviously he could roll off the couch but for now that's ok, right?" Brittany looked to Santana for an answer.
"Yeah, it's perfect. Do you want to take a shower or something?" Santana needed a few minutes alone and seeing as she invited Brittany and Max to sleep over, her options were few and far between at this moment.
"Yes! That would be great will you watch him while I'm in there? He should sleep through. If he wakes up try burping him again or check his diaper. Sometimes he just likes to be walked around. He likes it when I sing to him, he really loves Journey!" Santana laughed at Brittany's comment and watched her once best friend, once girlfriend, once everything, bounce into the bathroom.
"Towels are under the sink you can use anything in there," Santana yelled to a closed bathroom door.
About five minutes into Brittany's shower Max started to fuss a bit. "Come on little man, just hang out until your mom comes back," Santana pleaded with him to no avail. His fussing turned into crying, which turned into screaming. Santana picked him up and did everything Brittany told her about. She tried to burp him, which did nothing but cause an unholy amount of drool to drip down her arm; she checked his diaper, which was dry as a bone. "Only one option left little buddy you asked for it. It's Aunty Tana Sing-A-Long Time".
She tried to think of calming songs but the only thing that kept popping into her head was Songbird, "that song is only for your mom, I'm sorry little guy. That's her song". She settled on Romeo and Juliet by Dire Straights. She didn't notice Brittany was out of the bathroom, Brittany of course hearing Santana singing didn't want to ruin the moment and stood silently outside the doorway. Santana's voice hadn't changed much since High School; in fact if anything it was a bit smokier which made Brittany a little weak in the knees. She couldn't believe she was standing there watching Santana singing to Max. Her Santana, singing to her Max. Santana finished her song and placed a once again sleeping Max in his little nook on the couch.
"Thank you, Santana," Santana spun around to see Brittany standing in the doorway in only a towel. "Really, San, thank you," Brittany said adjusting the already short towel.
"It was nothing, he woke up but he didn't burp and he was dry so I just started singing and he seemed to like it. We could have used him as a judge during Nationals Junior year right!" Santana cracked herself up with that joke but Brittany just stood there with a small smile on her face.
"Yes, thank you for singing to him, but thank you for buying me dinner and for getting Max's wet clothes off and for letting us stay here and for still being you," Brittany shrugged at Santana while saying the last part but Santana knew what she meant. She knew Brittany was thanking her for putting everything in the past aside for at least tonight and taking care of her again just like she always had. Santana nodded, she knew exactly what Brittany was saying and it felt good.
Brittany went into the bedroom to change into her pajamas, while Santana stared at Max sleeping on the couch. "I still can't believe this is Brittany's baby," she shook her head clear and went to straighten up the kitchen. By the time she got back, Brittany had moved Max onto the floor surrounded by pillows and was making up the couch for herself.
"No, Britt, you've been sleeping in a hotel and you are probably tired, you take the bedroom. I've passed out on this couch plenty of times and remind me tomorrow to pick up a bassinet. For, you know, if Max ever wants to stay over again, just in case, or something," Santana offered awkwardly.
"Ok San, but I'm not kicking you out of your own bed. We are already imposing," Brittany said settling into the couch.
Santana was not allowing Brittany to sleep on the couch so she took measures into her own hands. In one quick swoop she pulled the blanket and sheets off the couch causing Brittany to fall on the floor with a soft thud. Santana was too busy laughing at Brittany's shocked face to notice the quick swipe to the back of the knees which caused her to fall just as hard. Brittany jumped on Santana and the two of them proceeded to roll around the floor pulling hair, pinching arms and generally acting like giddy little kids, miraculously neither waking nor tumbling on Max. Santana finally conceded, out of breath and giggly.
"Well, now that I have won this battle, it means I get to choose where I sleep. I choose," Brittany was cut off by Santana's plea for Brittany to take the bedroom. Brittany continued, "before I was so rudely interrupted I was going to choose the bedroom, but on one condition," Brittany was once again interrupted by Santana.
"Britt I don't think it's a good idea for us to share the bed. I mean I just...," This time it was Brittany who interrupted.
"Santana. Stop interrupting me. I was not going to suggest we share the bed but I'm glad I know where you stand on that. I was going to say my one condition was that you have to make me chocolate chip pancakes and fresh orange juice tomorrow morning," Brittany said with a bit more attitude than she planned.
Santana tried to explain what she meant, but Brittany didn't want to hear it anymore. She declared her sleepiness and shut the bedroom door. Santana didn't want to bother her anymore and felt comfortable sleeping in the room with Max so she shut the light and went to sleep.