The Arrangement

Disclaimers: I do not own any part of Glee or its characters. This is purely for pleasure I get nothing else for this. I also do not have a beta so all mistakes are my own.

Chapter 3

"As of tonight Santana will be living here with Rachel."

Before he could say anymore the room erupted into chaos.

Jonathon sat back as they all started talking at once.

"Oh hell no!" Santana yelled as her father and mother stood. "This is not part of the deal." "We only have 6 months left with her." They yelled respectively

"Dad you can't do this to them. Let them have this time with their daughter." Hiram said over them all trying to change his mind. Leroy was not happy with this either. "I'm not sure I'm ok with this."

He looked at Rachel who just sat there stunned watching then looked back to the others who were all talking over each other and he could no longer understand anything they said. Standing he slammed a fist on the coffee table. "SILENCE!" he bellowed causing them all to jump and immediately stop talking. "Now sit down and let me finish."

Rachel tried to put a calming hand on Santana's back but she waved her off and sat back down glaring down at her hands to keep from saying anymore. Once they were all settled again Jonathon sat back down as well. "Now that that childish display is out of the way I will remind you all of whom you are dealing with. I will not tolerate that kind of disrespect again. We can have a civilized conversation amongst family."

He took a deep breath then a small drag from his cigar before continuing. "Now, back to the situation at hand, Santana will be living here with Rachel. She will take the extra bedroom in Rachel's quarters. It is separated by the sitting room. I called ahead and the staff has prepared it for her."

Miguel sat forward on a sigh. "With all due respect sir I am not ok with her leaving us before the wedding."

Jonathon just shook his head, "and I am not ok with the fact that you kept them apart this whole time." He gave a disapproving look to all the parents in the room. "I set this up more than five years ago and you were supposed to introduce them and let them finish growing up together. When I sent Rachel here I made sure she had her doctor as well as her betrothed with her but instead of letting them learn about each other you kept them apart. If they had met before leaving New York Santana would already know that Rachel Berry and Rachel Goldstein are not one in the same."

Rachel perked up as he spoke. "This is something I'm not understanding either. We have been together for three years. I have told you all about what has happened at school and who with. Why would you continue to keep this from us?"

Hiram sighed and reached over to take her hand. "We just hoped that her grandfather would come up with the money and he would drop the arrangement giving you the chance to choose for yourself."

Rachel scoffed. "I have had no problem with an arrangement from the get go and you know it. Papa and I have talked about it many times. With my condition I'm ok with him choosing someone for me as long as they can accept me and I can have a real relationship with them."

She looked to Santana. "Is it something you can live with and I want you to be totally honest with me here."

Santana sighed and shook her head. "Your anatomy is not the problem I am having with all of this."

Rachel looked down sadly. "I know it's the Rachel Berry of it all."

Santana nodded slightly, "and the suddenness of it all. I mean all I know about you is what I saw at school but you and your grandfather are telling me that you are not that person. Now I am being forces to live with you and leave my family."

Jonathon took her hand. "I'm not trying to keep you from your family but you two need this time to really get to know each other since your parents took that time away from you and I insist that it be before you wed. Rachel still has a choice in this and if after these next few months she decides that she doesn't want to marry you then she can back out but the consequences to your family remain."

Rachel pulled Santana's hand away from Jonathon. "No Papa, you don't get to tell her that." She looked at Santana's and made sure they had eye contact. She didn't like the fear or tears swimming there. "This is the last time that an out for me will be brought up. I will not be backing out. I will not have you living the next 6 months in fear that your family may still end up on the streets. It's not going to happen. Do you understand me?"

Looking deep into Santana's eyes she implored her to believe her. Eventually Santana nodded slightly and squeezed her hand looking up to Jonathon. "Can I at least have tonight to go home to pack and see my little brother and sisters before I have to move?"

"Only if Rachel stays with you, you are not to be separated from each other for the rest of the summer." Before they could protest he held up a hand. "You don't have to always be in the same room as you will have separated bedrooms but you will be in the same house or at least on the same property. This place is huge. If you leave the house you do it together. Once school starts this can be modified since I know that Santana has Cheerleading and Rachel has her own lessons and things to attend as well as taking different classes at school. Once you are done with your extra-curricular activities you are to be together for the evening until bedtime whether it is out and about or at home."

Rachel sighed but knew it was the best that he would do. "So it's ok if we stay at her parent's house anytime we want as long as I am there too?"

Sitting back he took his wife's hand. "Of course, I told you I don't want to keep her from her family I just want you both together as much as possible." Rachel nodded and Santana deflated back into her seat not at all happy with this arrangement. "Ok, the other thing is that Barbra will be staying for the summer."

Rachel perked up looking at her, "Really?"

Barbra smiled. "Yes dear, I want to get to know Santana too not only because I am to train her but because she is to be yours. We also need to plan your wedding and I assume that you would both like a say in that."

Rachel nodded enthusiastically and Santana mumbles under her breath. "At least I get a say in something."

No one but Rachel heard her and she gave her a sympathetic smile. "It will be so nice to have you around this summer. I haven't got to spend any real time with you in forever."

Barbra chuckled. "I know baby that's one of my biggest reasons for staying."

Jonathon smiled and stood. "Ok now that that is all taken care of is there anything else we need to discuss before I head out to the airport?"

They all shake their heads but Rachel looks to Barbra. "Did you bring it or do I need to have Papa send it to me?"

Barbra smiled. "I brought it. It's in my purse baby."

Rachel smiles and looks over to her grandfather. "I don't have anything else right now but I do need you to call me later in the week when you have a moment. I have some ideas about that proposal you sent me. The only day I will be unavailable will be Thursday. Noah, Mike and I will be on the track most of the day."

He smiled and stood. "Will do angel, now you and Grammy walk me out." They all stood and he gave Hiram and Leroy kisses on their foreheads and shook hands with Santana's parents. Turning to Santana he pulled her in for a hug. "Give her a chance, she may surprise you. There is no reason for either of you to be miserable."

Santana just smiled slightly as he pulled away. "I'll try."

After walking Jonathon out Rachel returned to the den and move right to Santana. "Grammy went on up, she said she's tired and will see you all later. I need to speak with Santana for a moment please."

With that she took her arm and guided her across the hall to the study they had talked in earlier. When the door closed Santana spun to glare at her. "What do you want?"

Rachel sighed. "For one you can check the attitude. It's not attractive." Santana looked ready to slap her but she pushed on. "Second I wanted to discuss with you what you wanted to do tonight without everyone listening. I can pack an overnight bag and we can stay at your parents. I'll just go to the guest room or something and let you have the evening with your family. Tomorrow we can pack up your stuff you want to take and bring here."

Standing there she just stared at Rachel trying to work the things she knew about her in her head while trying to figure out why she was being so nice about all of this. "What's your angle?"

Rachel just looked at her confused. "What do you mean? My angle for what exactly?"

Santana scoffed, "Don't play dumb with me Berry, it's not attractive. What is your angle? Why are you being nice and so accepting of this? You can't stand me on my best day."

She just shook her head sadly. "I don't have an angle Santana. I have no more choice in all of this than you do. I meant what I said. I will not change my mind and not marry you. I won't put that on you or your family. The way I see it we are stuck with each other for the rest of our lives so we better figure out a way to do that without fighting all the time and killing each other."

She moved away from her and Santana just studied her movements as she paced. Even the way she carried herself was nothing like she was used to. She shook out of her musings and concentrated on what Rachel was saying. "Right now I understand that you need at least the night with your family and I'm trying to give you that. I need to be here the rest of the week so we can't stay longer but next week my dad and daddy are leaving on a business trip and we can spend the whole week with your family if you want. Once my dads get back and things settle a bit we can start talking to Grammy about wedding plans."

Rachel stopped pacing and moved back to her taking her hands. "I don't dislike you Santana, I never did. I dislike your actions sometimes and the way you treated me but we kind of became quasi friends throughout the last few years and I care about you." Taking a breath she clears her thoughts. "So, does that plan sound ok to you or would you prefer to do something else?"

Santana sighed resigned to her fate. "It sounds fine but can I go up with you while you pack your bags. I'd kind of like to see what my room looks like before I decide what I want to bring."

She just shrugs and drops one of her hands pulling her out of the room by the other. "Sure, I'll give you a quick tour of our wing then tomorrow I'll give you the full tour of the house."

When they came out of the room everyone else was in the foyer. Maribel took Santana into her arms trying not to cry. "It's ok Mami, we're coming to the house tonight and Rachel said we can stay again next week too while her dads are out of town. You'll get to see me a lot."

Maribel turned grateful eyes to Rachel. "Thank you."

She just smiles shyly. "Whatever makes her happy. I don't want to keep her from you and I have no problem staying at your home anytime she wants to see you. I need to pack for the night and Santana wants to see her space upstairs. I have my car so I'll drive us over in a little while."

After say their goodbyes to the Lopez's Rachel turned to her dads. "You guys can go ahead and head up or whatever yourselves. We'll see you tomorrow afternoon when we come back."

She was still not ok with how their parents had dealt with the whole situation and she didn't really want to spend any more time with her dads then necessary for the moment. Taking Santana's hand she led her upstairs pointing out the bathroom, library and a few other trivial rooms. They turned to the left down a long corridor and Rachel pointed out a few rooms.

She moved to the left and opened a door. "This is my home gym, it has pretty much everything in it that you could need but if it's missing something you want just let me know and we'll get it."

Santana looked around the room in awe and shook her head. "This has everything I would ever use. Normally I run out side or in the summer I swim but this works too."

Guiding her out of the room Rachel smiled. "We have an indoor and outdoor pool so you can still swim and if you run the edge of the grounds behind the house it's almost a mile exactly. Feel free to do whatever you like. I usually workout with free weights and the elliptical then run or swim which ever sounds better that day."

Moving across the hall she opened another door. "This is my music room. You are welcome to use any of the instruments except for the guitars in the case. Those are my autographed ones."

Santana came through the door and gasped at the baby grand piano in the middle of the floor. "My god it's beautiful."

Rachel smiled and sat down on the bench. "Do you want to play it?"

Santana came around the piano just staring at it. "I really shouldn't, we need to go it's getting late."

Rachel pats the bench beside her. "We can finish the tour tomorrow. Come, play for me."

Conceding quickly Santana sat and started playing a few scales eventually moving into a beautiful piece Rachel had never heard before. It was hauntingly beautiful and could bring tears to your eyes. Rachel smiled as she watched Santana play with her eyes closed totally lost in the music.

When the song ended Santana opened her eyes and smiled. "Thank you. I take it that this part of 'Rachel Berry' is not a lie."

Rachel chuckled shaking her head. "No, I love music. Playing it, singing it, listening to it, writing it. The only part of the act that is not real in regards to music is that I don't want to be on Broadway. I plan on attending NYU in Tisch's Recorded music program along with some business classes. I want to start up my own label writing and producing my own music."

Santana looked taken aback. "You'd really give up performing?"

She shrugged and started playing idly with the keys in front of her. "I mean I like performing but for me it's the music itself that I love. 'Rachel Berry' needed applause to live. I just need the music or a good dance to a lovely song. It's more about the process and outcome that really gets me. I love to start a tune on the piano or guitar that just grows and evolves as I add words to it."

She just continued to play lost in her thoughts and the music as Santana just watched her lose herself. "Some of my greatest memories in glee are of when I wrote that song for Regionals last year then you helped me with the musical arrangement for it. Did I ever tell you that the song Light Up The World the was something I wrote that I just happened to have on my iPad then you and I put it to music and it was awesome."

Santana smiled, those were some of her favorite glee memories too. "No, you never told me that. Would you laugh at me if I told you that's what I wanted to do with my life too?"

Rachel stopped playing and fully turned to her. "Absolutely not, I'd say let's do it together. I mean we have to get married and stuff so why not combine our talents and do it together. You are better at the musical arrangements than I am and I seem to be better at the lyrics. I think we'd make an amazing team."

She thought for a moment then smirked. "Fine but we are not calling our company anything Berry related."

Rachel threw her head back and laughed. "Ok, deal. I'd be happy if no one ever called me that again but I still have to get through this coming school year with it."

"How does that work with school transcripts and stuff?"

She just shrugged. "My papa talked to Figgins when they enrolled me. I'm not sure what was said but my official records say Goldstein on them. When the teachers give out my grades he transfers them to my official transcripts. When I graduate my diploma will say Goldstein."

Santana sighed looking at the clock on the wall. "It's getting late and Mami will be wondering where we're at. We better get your bag and head out. You can show me the rest of our wing and my room tomorrow."

Rachel stood with a nod and pulled her up with her. "Ok let's get out of here."

After throwing a few things in a bag she and Santana were off to her parent's house. Rachel knew that the fights with this gorgeous girl were far from over and they had a lot to figure out still but she was kind of hopeful for the future now where she hadn't been before. It wasn't going to be easy she was sure, but it should be one hell of a ride.

A/N: Chapter 3 down. Let me know what you think so far.