Nine Months Ago

She should let her go but she can't. Her arms are firm around the blondes waist even when their lips have parted.

"I really have to go this time." The blonde says. "I'll be back before you know it."

Santana rolls her eyes as Quinn pulls out of her embrace. "Fine go on. Who cares? I'll miss your boobs more than you."

Quinn chuckles a smirk appearing on her girls face, before it disappears too quickly. Her eyebrows furrowed, she ask one last thing. "Call me when you land?"

A reassuring hand brushes a few black strands of her face. "I wouldn't dare not to." She places a chaste kiss on her lips before turning to go.

"I'll miss you." Santana calls to her back.

Quinn turns on her heels. Walking backwards, nodding her head, with a big smile on her face. "I know."

It's day four when she realizes it. Quinn had been gone on her business trip four whole days. The day Quinn left for Arizona Santana came home and had no clue what to do next. Usually now was the time her and Quinn would watch tv, read, or sit and talk enjoying each other being there. When Quinn called that night she picked up on the first ring. Happy to hear her voice again even though it had only been a couple of hours since they had parted.

She tried as much as she could to lose herself in her work. Everyday after was the same. Until Thursday. She'd just settled on the couch, a cup of tea in her hand.

A cup of breakfast tea.

English breakfast tea.

She missed her. Missed her enough to drink what she called "atrocious, overpriced shit" more than once. She knows it's early, probably too early in Phoenix, but she'll try anyway. But when it rings the fourth time she knows she won't pick up and lets out a sigh.

A knock on the door interrupts her wallowing.

"Wheezy." She says once the door is open. "Why are you here?"

"I bought dinner." She says holding up a bag from her and Quinn's favorite Thai place.

"Well I guess you can come in." She says with a roll of her eyes. She wasn't really in the mood for company but she cold definitely eat some pad thai. "Welcome to my bachelor pad."

Mercedes laughs out loud, sitting on the couch. "Girl, you wish."

"What brings Little Miss Diva to town?" Santana says looking through the bag Mercedes had placed on the coffee table.

"I had a layover and someone told me to check on you." She says, watching for the eye roll she knows Santana will send her way and laughs when she does.

"You better be glad Bad Girls Club is on, otherwise I'd kick you out."

"Waiting on a call?"

"No. I'm not sitting around like some sap waiting for my girl to call."

"Okay." Mercedes says, knowing the latter was anything but true.

They sit and eat in silence watching the girls on the screen yell at each other. Mercedes eyes Santana after the third commercial break, usually she's yelling at the screen too. It's what they do. While Mercedes was like Quinn's sister, Santana and Mercedes where friends who sit around and kicked it. Even though they're best friends she didn't know Santana like she knew Quinn, but she knew enough to notice she was acting different. Another scene plays out on the screen before Santana speaks again.

"I really miss her." Her voice is so quiet Mercedes wasn't sure what she said.

"Huh?"

As she scoots back on the couch trying to slow down all the racing thoughts running through her brain. "I miss Quinn."

"It's not like she went to Mars. She's coming back."

"I know." Santana looks at her out of the corner of her eyes. "If you tell anyone this I'll kill you. And I can do it to."

Mercedes rolls her eyes. "I'd like to see your butt try." She let's out a laugh. "Your allowed to miss her. She is your girlfriend."

"This time it's different. The house feels empty." She looks at Mercedes expectantly and only continues her thought once her friend has nodded. "I know she'll be back in like a week but that's too damn long."

"It's like her presence is gone."

"Exactly." Santana says. "I've had "Yo Side of the Bed" on repeat all day."

Mercedes head throws back in laughter. "I'd appreciate if you didn't laugh at my pain. Mercedes."

"Sorry. Imagining you sitting in your feelings listening to Trey Songz..." She burst out laughing again. "I forgot bout him, that song though was good. The whole album."

"Yep. Our neighbors definitely know my name." Santana says after a couple of seconds of silence.

"Oh my, Santana, that's nasty."

"No, it's true. Ask Quinn about the day after we moved in."

Brown eyes side eye Santana. "I'd rather not."

Present Time a Month After the Wedding

"You got some more books from storage?" Santana asked her eyes on the bookshelf next to the telvevision. The whole bottom shelf full of books that were not there the day before.

"Maybe." Quinn says as they lay entangled on the couch, her head on Santana' chest, eyes slowly closing. "How could you tell?"

"Did you go by yourself?"

"Maybe."

"Quinn." Santana exclaims.

"I obviously am fine. I didn't get killed."

"But you could have, it's sketchy as hell down there. Please tell me you at least went during the day?"

"I did." Tucking her head closer to where Santana's heart lie, she sighs at the comfort of her wife's soft body beneath hers and one of her arms around her, while her one hand ran through her hair. "I'm tired. How about we sleep out here tonight?"

"Uh. How about no. Remember last time? My back was messed up for weeks."

"Mhm." She does remember as she starts to slip into sleep. Like clockwork though she remembers their conversation from dinner. "What did you want to talk about earlier?" She murmurs only to feel Santana stiffen beneath her.

She's silent for so long Quinn almost thought she had fallen asleep.

"Britt is moving up here."

Quinn's eyes blink open, not sure if she heard correctly. "Here?"

"Yeah. Her dance company has an affiliate up here."

Quinn pushes up wide awake and only stares as Santana continues. "I told her they could stay here until they found a place. You know how it can get."

Santana sees hazel eyes ignite with fire as Quinn moves off her swiftly.

The thought is absurd. Quinn's head wants to explode, she wants to use her words but she can't. She knows the words she wants to say right now would only make things worse. Would only hurt Santana. But she can't help but think how much of an idiot she is being right now. She knows they need to talk, but she can't right now, instead she wordlessly goes to their bedroom locking the door behind her.

Taking deep breathes, counting to ten, imagining a serene beach scene, none of it is working. Her frustration continues to simmer. The door rattles before she hears Santana.

"Quinn, open the door."

She eyes the door again before she sits in the chair next to the window where she averts her gaze to the Vancouver skyline. "Don't ignore me. Let's talk about this."

Quinn stays quiet as Santana continues to try to persuade her to open the door, its at least been fifteen minutes when she finally her's the brunette sigh and her footsteps retreating. In that moment she releases a breath she didn't even realize she was holding.

It's a couple minutes later when she hears the door rattling again. Santana had always been persistent. If she wanted something, oh best believe she was going to get it. Quinn's eyebrows furrow as she watches the door handle fall out of place, right before Santana pushes open the door.

Santana lets out a deep breath and despite her anger and confusion Quinn wants to smile. Standing there hair fallen in her wide eyes and screwdriver in her hand, she doesn't look anything less than adorable. She quickly remembers why the door was locked in the first place and stands to move past Santana.

The brunette stops her in her tracks, grabbing her hand and looking into her eyes. "Let me go Santana."

"No, Quinn. We are going to talk about this. You're going to tell me why your mad and I'm going to try to understand. That is what you do in a relationship."

"Interesting."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Santana ask exasperated.

"So we are in a relationship now?" Quinn ask, trying to take her hand out of Santana's but the brunette won't budge.

"Is that what this about, not telling them back home we're married?" She follows Quinn's eyes with her own as her hazel ones start to look away. "Quinn I've never denied the fact that we're together. That we're still together. They know that."

She's only met with silence, and stormy hazel eyes as she softens her voice. "The reason I didn't want to tell anyone we're married is because I know how they are with you. And you with them. I didn't want them judging you. Us. Shit Q, how many times do I have to tell you I choose you." She takes a breath, trying to reign in her emotions. "It was her fucking wedding day Quinn. I didn't want to steal her shine. Because despite it all we were once in that position too, but I left her at the alter for you. And I am so glad I did. I choose you every fucking day. And I will continue to until the only thing still intact are my boobs."

The tears in Quinn's eyes cloud her vision as she tries to find her voice. She tries to blink back the tears as Santana moves closer. "I know that." She says, as evenly as she can. "But you're Santana and she's Brittany."

"And you're my wife. The woman I vowed to be with. The only woman I want to be with."

Hearing Santana's declarations was like rain over the fire raging in her. She doesn't say anything but not because she's angry, she's not anymore. She doesn't say anything because she doesn't need to. She nods when Santana ask if she gets it, if she understands, believes her. Santana's arms engulf her in the familiar motion, squeezing her gently.

"Please don't shut me out, Q. Best believe I will always find my way back in."

A/N: Just wanted to say thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favorites.