Author's note: Well I've been away from this story a lot longer than I'd planned... So sorry to those of you who've been waiting for this chapter, I've had a ton of personal drama to deal with but I'm back now and I hope it was worth the wait! Enjoy...

Chapter Seven: Interlude

In the days following their fight and subsequent make up, Quinn became aware of subtle changes in her relationship with Santana. Both girls seemed to have developed a newfound confidence in the tenacity of their relationship and their connection was deeper than ever. Over the next few days they were barely apart, although Quinn refused to let Santana make good on her promise to climb through her bedroom window at night, afraid that her girlfriend would slip and fall to her death. Instead, on the nights Quinn couldn't justify sleeping over at Santana's they stayed out as late as possible, and then met up again early the next morning.

On Christmas Eve morning, Quinn found herself hopping impatiently from foot to foot whilst she waited for her mom to leave the house to do some last minute Christmas shopping. Still in her pajamas, barefoot, and with sleep-rumpled hair, Quinn was eliciting some strange glances from her mother as she tried to keep her exasperation at bay; biting her lip to keep from letting her frustration show when her mom suddenly remembered a coupon she wanted to use and began scouring the kitchen for it. Eventually, Judy was ready to leave, kissing Quinn on the forehead with a reproachful glance at her dishevelled appearance.

"You are planning on getting dressed at some point today I hope, Quinnie," she said with a sigh.

"Yes, Mom," Quinn said with a roll of her eyes. "Now, go before you miss the bargains."

She ushered her mom out of the front door and fell back against it with a relieved sigh. She listened to the sound of her mom's car crunching over gravel as she backed out of the driveway, then seconds later her heart almost leapt out of her chest at a frantic pounding on the door.

Santana was inside and in Quinn's arms within moments, kissing her as though they hadn't been together in months rather than just a few hours.

"Nice PJs," Santana chuckled, fingering the worn flannel, as they parted breathlessly, still leaning against the smooth wood of the front door.

"The girl with leaves in her hair does not get to critique my fashion choices," retorted Quinn playfully, gently picking several bits of shrubbery from her girlfriend's locks. Santana pouted.

"I thought your mom was never going to leave," she said with a groan. "I had visions of freezing to death, hiding in your bushes."

"Well, now that you're here, I can think of a few ways to warm you up," Quinn smirked, popping the buttons on Santana's woollen winter coat, and sliding her hands inside.

Stumbling and giggling, unwilling to break contact even for a moment, the girls managed to make it to Quinn's bedroom before completely giving in to their base desires. Santana's clothing lay strewn in a path to Quinn's bed, as Quinn divested her of her many layers of warm winter-wear. With an intensity she hadn't known was possible, Quinn wanted to touch her girlfriend everywhere, her fingers tingling every time they made contact with Santana's soft, smooth skin. Quinn delighted in feeling Santana shiver at her touch and hearing the breathy gasps and moans her caress elicited. She slid her hands beneath Santana's cashmere sweater and tugged impatiently, her lips leaving Santana's to plant a series of feather light kisses on the exposed skin of her stomach. When her tongue dipped into Santana's belly button, she shivered to hear Santana's sharp intake of breath. Then she was pulling Santana's jeans down over her shapely hips, desire making her clumsy as she fumbled with the zipper.

The extent of her need took even Quinn by surprise, but she couldn't get enough of Santana. She marvelled in Santana's curves, in the way she caught her full lower lip between her teeth, at the goose-bumps that peppered her skin in the wake of Quinn's fingertips. She wanted to leave no part of Santana untouched, unexplored, as her hands and mouth trailed over her beautiful girlfriend. Santana's eyes were closed as she lost herself in the sensations of Quinn's caresses.

By the time Quinn ran her fingers up the inside of Santana's left thigh, she was amazed to learn just how ready Santana was for her touch. At the first light stroke, Santana's hips bucked eagerly against her hand and Quinn felt her own breathing hitch at the knowledge that she was the reason for Santana's arousal. As her fingers found the perfect spot, Santana hummed appreciatively and then gasped as Quinn turned up the pace, stroking the bundle of nerves at her center with the pad of her thumb. She continued to place hot, open-mouthed kisses against Santana's bare skin, capturing a nipple and grazing it with her teeth. Santana cursed, and Quinn felt wetness pooling between her own thighs, as Santana's inner walls clenched rhythmically around her fingers. Quinn's body was begging for attention but she wasn't about to let that deter her from her goal. Her lips left her girlfriend's breast to capture her mouth instead, massaging Santana's tongue with her own. With one final curl of her fingers, she felt Santana's muscles tighten with the force of her orgasm.

Breathlessly, Quinn fell back against the pillows, curling against Santana and brushing her damp hair out of her eyes. Santana seemed beyond words for a minute or two and Quinn was content to let her girlfriend take all the time she needed. Finally, Santana's fingertips sneaked beneath the flannel of Quinn's pajama top to rest lightly against her stomach and she laid her head against Quinn's shoulder.

"Where did you learn how to be so good at that?" Santana murmured against the curtain of Quinn's hair. Quinn giggled.

"Natural talent, I guess," she replied, trying to be nonchalant but secretly thrilled at the compliment. "I've been thinking about doing that to you all night. I almost got up and took a cold shower at three o'clock this morning. It was driving me crazy waiting for my mom to leave; all I could think of was how much I wanted to get you naked in my bed..." She trailed off and shivered pleasurably at the thought. "I just want to be with you all the time."

Santana didn't respond right away but her fingers continued to trace patterns on the soft skin of Quinn's stomach.

"I've been thinking," Santana said finally, her voice low and hesitant, "about when we go back to New York. I can't stand being away from you either. I know I didn't give you an answer about us living together but I think I'm ready. I think we're ready. Staying over isn't enough any more."

"You mean it?" Quinn asked happily, her mind flooded with images of the two of them eating breakfast in bed on Sunday mornings and making love on rainy afternoons, of doing their homework together and cuddling on the couch watching TV. "Do you think Rachel and Kurt will be okay with you moving out?" Santana snorted.

"I think they'll live, Q," she chuckled. "I kind of imposed myself on them in the first place. They'll probably be glad to have me out of the way. Rachel was always on my case about using all the hot water and neat-freak Hummel would freak out if I left dirty dishes in the sink for more than thirty seconds."

"You're not selling yourself as a roommate very well," Quinn said drily. "I'm no fan of cold showers or dirty dishes either. But I think Rachel and Kurt will miss you more than you think. They've changed since you've been living with them… and you've changed too."

"Changed how?" Santana was genuinely curious.

"You're more…" Quinn racked her brain for the right words, "you."

Santana laughed. "That Ivy League education is doing wonders for your vocabulary, Q."

"I mean, it's like you're finally comfortable in your own skin," Quinn tried to explain. "When we were in high school, the way you used to act, you were trying to keep everyone at arm's length. You wouldn't let anyone get too close… even Brittany. But the last six months, watching you with Rachel and Kurt, you're so… free." She paused and sighed. "I'm sorry, I'm not explaining this very well."

"I understand," Santana replied softly, "and you're right, but that has more to do with you than with Berry and Lady Hummel. You still don't get it, do you? I love you. You make me happy."

Quinn blushed and snuggled closer to her girlfriend, revelling in the warmth of her body, the softness of her curves, and the fluttery sensations on her skin as Santana continued to draw lazy circles with the pads of her fingers.

"So, what do you want to do today?" Santana asked, after several moments of comfortable silence.

"This," Quinn murmured contentedly, and Santana chuckled.

"As much as I'd love to spend all day in bed with you, your mom will come home at some point and I don't think she'd be too happy to find us like this." Quinn groaned in response and buried her head against Santana's shoulder, causing her girlfriend to laugh and give her an affectionate shove. "Come on, Q, let's get you in the shower and dressed and then we can go get something to eat. I'm starving."

Quinn pouted but she allowed Santana to nudge her off the bed and towards the bathroom. Santana lay back against the pillows and giggled at Quinn's glare. Once in the bathroom, Quinn turned on the shower and waited for the hot water to come through before starting to undress. As she slipped the last button through the hole, soft hands covered hers and Santana pressed up against her back, nuzzling at her ear.

"You didn't think I was going to let you shower alone, did you?" she whispered throatily, as she divested Quinn of her pajama top. "I'm a very big believer in water conservation."

Quinn laughed. "I'm not sure your roommates would agree with that statement," she said, gasping as Santana's hands covered her breasts and squeezed gently.

"My old roommates," Santana corrected, and Quinn felt another little thrill at the thought of waking up next to Santana every morning, of all the showers they could take together just like this one.

Santana eased Quinn's pajama pants over her hips and nudged her into the shower, continuing to mould her slender frame to Quinn's back as her hands explored and caressed Quinn's body… Needless to say, they had used up all of the hot water by the time they finally made it out of the bathroom.

Their interlude in the shower had given Quinn an appetite to match Santana's so the girls headed out for brunch, then spent a pleasant afternoon driving around the neighborhood, looking at all the Christmas lights. Santana dropped Quinn home just before six so that she could go to church with her mom.

Both girls were quiet as Santana pulled her car into Quinn's driveway, and Santana held tight to Quinn's hand, interlocking their fingers.

"I wish you could stay over tonight," Quinn said softly with a rueful smile.

"Me too," Santana agreed, "but in another week we'll be back in New York, and then we won't have to be apart at all."

"I can't wait," Quinn murmured, to herself as much as to Santana. She sighed. "Maybe I could skip church and we could spend a few more hours together?"

"Your mom would be pissed," Santana said, shaking her head. "And I have about twenty relatives coming over for dinner – if I'm not there, I won't be able to live with you in New York because my mom will have killed me and buried me under the hydrangeas."

"Is your Abuela going to be there?" Quinn asked curiously. Santana nodded, and her hand tensed in Quinn's. "I don't know if she'll talk to me though," Santana admitted, swallowing hard as she tried to keep at lid on her emotions. "She still hasn't said a word to me since I came out to her, but it's got to be a good sign that she's coming to dinner, don't you think?"

"I do," Quinn replied thoughtfully. "I'll pray for it in church," she offered and Santana beamed.

"You're amazing, you know that?" she whispered, her dark eyes shining. Quinn grinned back at her.

"I know," she said and Santana laughed. "But you're pretty amazing too." She chanced a quick kiss to Santana's lips, praying that her mom wouldn't have heard the car pull up and be looking out the window, wondering what was taking her so long to reach the house. "I'll call you later, okay?" she said, stroking Santana's cheek. "Go be amazing, and your Abuela won't be able to resist you… and if she does, it's her loss." With one final squeeze of her girlfriend's hand, she slipped gracefully out of the car and skipped to the front porch where she stood and watched Santana reverse down the driveway and head off down the street, waiting until her taillights disappeared before turning and heading into the house.