Author's Note: Congrats to noflow for winning last chapter's trivia challenge. :) The answer was the Dianna Agron/Sebastian Stan rumor.

This chapter's trivia question: reference to a Brittany line from the show?

Day 3

When Brittany feels the brightness of the always welcome sun seep through her eyelids, she stretches her arms and flutters her eyes open. The birds are chirping outside her window, the trees are rustling under the soft breeze, and the sun's warming everything up. She almost feels as if she could break into song.

And she does.

Singing Disney songs in the morning had somehow become a hobby of hers.

A glance at her clock tells her it's already nine. She had slept in. But no worries—her days as of late have all been relaxed and lazy in the best way possible. And these slow days have only been memorable because of Santana and her cute plans.

Speak of the devil. Brittany's cellphone rings mere moments after she wakes up, and to say that Brittany is surprised by the sender of the text is an understatement.

Santana: Good morning, Britts. It's lovely out, isn't it?

Brittany: Where is my Santana?

Santana: What?

Brittany: Trying to abduct me was enough. Give Santana back to me.

Santana: B, it's Santana…

Brittany: Oh. Why are you up so early? Are you okay?

Santana: I'm fine. Stop worrying, Britt. I just wanted to say good morning.

Brittany: Good morning, San. :) And you're right. It is beautiful outside today.

Santana: I know. Made me think of you.

Brittany's fingers freeze on her keypad. What does that even mean? Before she can come up with a witty response, though, Santana sends her another text.

Santana: Hey, I gotta go, Britts. I'll call you later, okay?

Brittany: Okay.

Brittany: I miss you.

Santana: Miss you, too. For reals now—bye!

Brittany: Bye! :D

Santana chuckles to herself as she tucks her phone back into her jeans. My Santana… She likes the sound of that.

Brittany checks her phone for probably the hundredth time that day. No messages, no missed calls, nothing.

Santana did say she would call her later, and she did say the night before that she had something planned for today. But, as it appears, it is not so. The day's almost over anyway. The last bits of sunlight are disappearing under the dark clouds, and the moon's beginning to shine through the greyness.

Brittany heaves another sigh and flops onto her bed. Lord Tubbington gives her a bored look. Great. Even her cat thinks she's pathetic.

She should have known. The whole thing has always been a joke to Santana anyway.

Stupid breadsticks.

Santana smiles to herself. This is an excellent plan if she does say so herself. Never mind it took her an entire day to get it together. It's all going to be worth it because Britt will love it. Santana can already imagine her face. Her lips will curl into that cute smile, her nose will crinkle just the tiniest bit, and those beautiful eyes will glimmer with genuine happiness—the kind that only Brittany has, the kind that makes Santana want to smile along with her.

And of course Santana's going to get her breadsticks.

Because that's what this whole thing's always been about. Breadsticks. Santana nods to herself once. Yep, breadsticks.

When Brittany's phone rings, Brittany doesn't even bother to crack a smile. Four hours ago she might have.

"Hello?" Brittany answers dryly, only rolling her eyes at the caller ID.

"Hey, Britts."

"Hi."

"Is everything alright? You sound kind of tired."

Brittany huffs. "Yes. Everything's fine."

"Oh…okay," Santana says unsurely. "Well—"

"You said you'd call."

Santana grins to herself. "And here I am calling."

"Do you think this is funny?"

"I mean, I guess it's a little bit funny."

"Do you have anything to say, Santana? 'Cause I'm hanging up now."

"Wait, hold on, Britt-Britt." Santana glances up at the glowing window. It's dark out tonight. "Don't hang up."

"What do you want?"

There's some scuffling, and suddenly the ambience on Santana's end sounds strangely distant.

"Santana…? Am I on speakerphone?"

"Look out your window, Britt."

And that's when the gentle strums of an acoustic guitar floats through the phone. As Brittany squints her eyes in confusion, she quickly shuffles over to her window, pulling it up and sticking her head out.

Santana smiles up at her as she continues strumming a very familiar looking guitar that makes her look even tinier than usual. With a wink, she begins to sing. "You're a part-time lover and a full time friend. The monkey on your back is the latest trend. I don't see what anyone can see in anyone else but you…"

A grin slowly crosses Brittany's face as she takes her phone off her ear, enjoying every note drifting out of Santana's lips.

When Santana finally finishes the song, she opens her arms and shrugs.

Brittany laughs, more to herself than anything. "I love Juno," she says.

Santana cocks her head and places a hand behind her ear. "I can't hear you," she calls up to Brittany.

Brittany smiles and tries again. "I love Juno!" she yells.

"I know," Santana tells her with a grin.

Brittany rocks on her heels and sends Santana a flirtatious smile. Then she beckons Santana up with a waggle of her index finger.

Santana smirks as she starts to expertly climb the tree outside Brittany's house. Years and years of practice have made the task easy as pie—even with a guitar hanging off her shoulder. When Santana's finally high enough to look Brittany straight in the eyes, Brittany extends her hand, prepared to tug Santana in as usual.

Santana takes her hand but, instead of making a move for the window, she cranes her neck and leaves a gentle kiss on the back of Brittany's hand. She lets her lips linger in place as she glances up at Brittany, finding her as red as a tomato. She chuckles as she lifts her head up again. God, if she could just kiss those pink ears and those rosy cheeks…

Brittany coughs awkwardly, and Santana quickly lets go of her hand. "Here," Santana says as she hands Brittany the guitar, "put this inside, and I'll come in myself." Brittany nods and takes the instrument while Santana worms her way through the window.

She hops into Brittany's room and jumps onto the bed right away. "Sorry I took so long to call," Santana says as she bounces on the bed. "I spent the whole day learning how to play that song." Santana pouts when she lifts up her hands and shows Brittany her calloused fingers.

Instinctively, Brittany takes the hands into her own and rubs gently at the tips. "Does it hurt?" she asks.

Santana shrugs. "Nah, not really." And with that, she pulls her hands away from Brittany, using them as a pillow instead as she lies down on the bed.

"Where'd you get the guitar anyway?" Brittany asks.

"Puck."

"Oh." Brittany raises her eyebrows. "How did you get him to give it to you?"

"I asked."

"Really? And?"

"And…" Santana rolls her eyes. "He said no."

"Did you ask nicely?"

"Yes."

Brittany crosses her arms over her chest. "Really?"

Sighing, Santana mumbles, "No."

"Hmm."

"Fine! I just took it, okay?"

"Santana!"

"Whatever. I'll give it back first thing tomorrow."

Brittany shakes her head disapprovingly, but Santana just grins at her. "Besides, you liked it," Santana says.

Brittany opens her mouth to protest, but Santana cuts her off. "In fact," Santana says smugly, "you loved it."

Brittany purses her lips but gives in at last. "Fine, I did."

"And that's all that matters." Santana pats the empty space next to her. "C'mere, Britt-Britt."

Brittany looks away with a small smile before padding over to Santana and flinging herself onto the bed. "Are you staying the night, San?" she asks softly.

Santana turns to look at her. "Do you want me to?"

Brittany gazes back into those brown eyes, only inches away from her. "Yeah."

"Okay."

"Belle's so stupid," Santana mutters. "If she had just listened to the Beast, she wouldn't have gotten herself into so much trouble."

Brittany frowns, having always been sympathetic to Belle. "Belle's not stupid, Santana…"

"But she is! I mean—" Santana shuts up when she feels Brittany's body shift. She glances up from where her head is rested on Brittany's shoulder and notices Brittany's pout.

"Belle's smart," Brittany insists. "She reads…and stuff."

"I know, Britt-Britt," Santana says in a soothing voice, "I know." She starts brushing her thumb reassuringly against Brittany's stomach, where she had previously laid her hand.

"Do you think I'm stupid, Santana?" Brittany asks quietly.

"No," Santana firmly tells her.

"Really?"

"Do I ever lie to you?"

Brittany thinks about it for a second, then shakes her head.

Santana smiles. "Exactly."

Brittany smiles back at her as she slides her hand over to Santana's.

Santana glances down at the hand draped over hers before she watches for Brittany's expression. Brittany's eyes are unsure, but she still grins at Santana. Santana turns back to the television, slipping her fingers into Brittany's along the way.

Brittany smiles to herself, and they continue watching the movie.

Santana can't remember a time Brittany didn't cry when the Beast turns back into a prince and kisses Belle. Tonight is no exception as silent tears stream down Brittany's pretty face.

Santana chuckles into Brittany's arm, and Brittany gazes down at her with sad eyes. "It's not funny, San," she whines.

"I don't think it's funny. I just… You're such a kindhearted person, Brittany."

Brittany blinks back some tears, uncomprehending. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Never mind."

"It's just that they love each other, so much. How much must you love someone to overlook the fact that they're not even human?"

"I don't know."

"I mean, I love Lord Tubbington, but that's different. It's not that kind of love."

"What kind of love?"

"True love. Soulmates love. The best kind of love." Brittany wipes another tear from her eye. "How do you even find love like that?"

"I love you, Britt," Santana says with a shrug. "I don't know if it's as much as that, but I love you."

Brittany smiles down at her. "I love you, too."

"Like…are you in love with me or is it just a best friends type of thing?"

Brittany stares at Santana incredulously. "Really, Santana?"

Santana looks embarrassed now. "Just wanted to make sure, you know. I've got breadsticks waiting for me," she explains with a half-hearted laugh.

When Brittany doesn't respond, Santana clears her throat and says, "Best friends love is totally cool, too. I mean, it's great. Yeah."

Brittany just shakes her head and turns her attention back to the movie again. Of course Santana had to ruin the moment. It's Santana after all.

Santana looks guiltily at Brittany and immediately starts racking her brain for ways to make up for her insensitivity. Again.

When the movie ends, Brittany turns the television off right away and flips off the light switch. She turns her back to Santana and tries to sleep. God knows it won't be easy. It's never easy when she's pissed at Santana.

Santana just gazes at Brittany's back dejectedly. She hates seeing Brittany like that. More than she dislikes the idea of someone being angry at her, she dislikes the idea of Brittany being all sad and mopey. See, Brittany's not an angry person. In fact, she's one of the happiest people Santana knows. And when she is angry, she's just sad inside. Brittany can't deal with being angry. Santana knows that.

Tentatively, Santana reaches her hand out to Brittany. At first, she just lets her fingers graze Brittany's back. When Brittany doesn't react, she lays her whole palm down. Gently, she slides her hand up to Brittany's shoulder and wriggles her body closer to Brittany's. "Britt," she whispers, unsure if Brittany's actually awake, "I do love you. Just wanted you to know."

With a sigh, she begins to turn her body away, but then a hand holds hers in place. Santana looks back again and sees Brittany's hand on top of hers. She glances up at Brittany, immediately meeting her blue eyes. They're not as radiant as usual, but there's no trace of anger in them either.

Santana gives Brittany a small smile, thankful for Brittany's forgiveness yet angry at herself for always needing it.

Perhaps Brittany sees the guilt in Santana's eyes. Perhaps she doesn't. Either way, she flips her body over and leans into Santana, leaving a peck on her cheek.

Santana's eyes widen in surprise at the sweet gesture, but when Brittany pulls back and looks into her eyes again, Santana just smiles back knowingly. And because Santana knows that if anyone in the room were to deserve such a compassionate kiss, it would be Brittany, Santana slowly reaches over as well and—God, do those lips look kissable—shifts just a bit to leave a kiss at the corner of Brittany's mouth.

After lingering a second too long, Santana starts backing away only to catch that endearing grin appear on Brittany's face.

And before she even knows it, her lips are back on Brittany—right on the mouth this time.