A/N - Here is the next chapter, hope you enjoy. I think I've forgotten to say that I don't own Glee but that's pretty obvious. Thanks again for all the alerts and reviews and for reading in general. Oh, and I think this is going to be 10 chapters in all. Just fyi :)

Chapter 7

Santana finally lugged the final box into their new apartment. Brittany was sprawled on the floor making what appeared to be snow angels on the carpet.

"B, you do know that only works in the snow right? The carpet isn't going to leave a print of your 'angel'." Santana said with a chuckle.

Brittany giggled from the floor, looking up at Santana. Seeing the brunette upside down as she peered down at her just made the blonde laugh harder. "I know San." She said, tilting her head backwards even more to be able to see Santana better. "I'm just claiming this place as our own."

"Claiming?" Santana laughed, plopping herself down on the floor next to her girlfriend. "Didn't our deposit check already claim it for us?"

Brittany shook her head and rolled onto her side, eyeing Santana with a wide smile. "I guess money secures this place for us but it doesn't make it ours San. I'm just getting to know the space a little better. And this place is ours, all ours. It's our first place together!"

Santana smiled and scooted closer to the blonde on the floor. "Yeah, it's all ours B. You are officially my live in girlfriend. That's big, I hope you realize." Santana said with a chuckle.

"Oh yeah." Brittany said with a laugh. "From the girl who wouldn't commit until forced to by threat of bodily harm or no sex ever again, even I can appreciate how huge this occasion is. Santana Lopez has settled down. I'm happy San, you've made me happy. I hope you know how much. I love you a lot."

Santana smiled and leaned closer to press a chaste kiss to Brittany's lips. "I love you a lot too."

"It was totally awesome of your parents to pay for this place for the first six months until we get settled." Brittany said with a content sigh.

Santana pulled Brittany closer to her and pressed another kiss to her cheek. "It was great of them B. We can take this time to figure out what we're going to do with ourselves, other than be a ridiculously happy live in couple. You'll get your break dancing soon and I'll figure out what in the world I'm going to do. Until then…I was thinking of another way we can claim this place as our own."

Brittany smiled at Santana's suggestive tone. "Yeah." She replied breathlessly as Santana began placing kisses down her pale neck. "I think she should claim every room as ours. It only seems fair, wouldn't want the kitchen to feel less important than the bedrooms."

"B," Santana muttered, fumbling with the zipper on the blonde's jeans, "too much talking, not enough claiming."

Brittany giggled. "Yes ma'am."

xxxx

Santana silently led Brittany through the door of the apartment, the same apartment she and Brittany had picked out when first getting settled into the City. Brittany eyed her surroundings.

"San," she said quietly. "I never expected you to still be living in the same place. I thought you would have moved by now."

"Nah." Santana muttered, dropping Brittany's bags in the spare bedroom. "This place has always felt like home. The option to buy came up and I jumped at it. Well, you should at least be comfortable here I guess since you're familiar with it."

Brittany smiled sadly. "I feel like I shouldn't be here. This is your home Santana, I hate to intrude."

"You should have thought of that before you dragged me into the middle of your murder mystery." Santana replied. She was smiling slightly, her voice devoid of any bitterness or anger. Brittany chuckled at her easy tone.

"Good point." She eased herself onto the couch, still stiff and sore from her recent attack. "I-I'm not sure how to thank you for getting me out of there Santana. I can't believe how great you're being with all of this. You seem really serious about your job and now you're just dropping out of this case because I need a place to stay? I don't deserve your help Santana."

The brunette scratched her neck awkwardly and glanced at her feet. "Well, I'm just officially off the case. Puck is still going to keep me updated. And I'm not going to let up on you, now that you're staying here, I fully intend to crack you and get to the real story here. Just giving you a heads up."

Brittany smiled but winced at the pull on her split lip. "So is this like, a battle to see who is the most stubborn? Because I'm totally up to the challenge. I'm like a ninja now; I can totally keep quiet when I have to. You'll see you have no effect on me Detective Lopez."

Santana smiled at their easy banter. "Oh, we'll see about that Ms. Pierce." She caught herself before she sidled up to the blonde, as would have been her custom when they were still together. She cleared her throat awkwardly and looked away. "Why don't you go get yourself cleaned up a bit? You know where the bathroom is. Then I'll order up some dinner for us."

Brittany nodded and slipped silently past the brunette and down the hall toward the bathroom.

xxxx

The two passed the night quietly over Chinese takeout. Brittany was exhausted and retreated to the spare bedroom fairly early.

"Thanks again Santana." She said softly, stopping in the living room doorway. "I think I might actually be able to sleep tonight. I feel safe here."

Santana smiled and gave a small nod before the blonde disappeared. She however, was fairly certain sleep would not come easily for her that night. Brittany was spending the night in their apartment for the first time in almost ten years. Try as she might, Santana couldn't stop her mind from wandering to other nights the two had shared in that very apartment. Sighing, Santana pulled a beer out of the refrigerator and retreated to lock herself into her own bedroom for the night.

xxxx

The following morning, Santana woke to the smell of heaven. Not at all a morning person, she sleepily stumbled her way out to the kitchen and gawked at the sight. Her kitchen had been destroyed. Dishes were covering every available space and there was a substance on the ceiling that looked suspiciously like eggs. But it smelled wonderful.

"Brittany?" Santana croaked in shock at the sight of the blonde dishing the breakfast food out onto two plates. Brittany turned and gave her a bright smile.

"Good morning San. Here, I have coffee for you. I know you can't really even say your own name first thing in the morning without coffee. I made it extra strong, just for you."

Brittany almost immediately placed a steaming hot cup of coffee into Santana's waiting hands and giggled at the brunette's speechlessness.

"Oh God," Santana muttered, after taking a few sips of the warm liquid. "This is perfect. I can't even make my own coffee to taste this good. I'm impressed."

Brittany smiled widely again. "I told you I learned to cook a few things. Coffee being one of them."

Santana chuckled at Brittany's idea of 'cooking' coffee but let it slide. She was not about to complain about the perfection in front of her. It was only after the caffeine had enough time to hit her system that Santana was finally awake enough to actually look at the woman sitting across the kitchen table.

Brittany was dressed in a tank top and pair of sweatpants she borrowed from Santana. Her hair was pulled back in a loose pony and for the first time since being reunited, Santana thought she looked almost back to her old self.

The sight of Brittany sitting in her kitchen, in her clothes once again dredged up a flood of memories. A top priority for the day would most definitely be to locate some of Brittany's own clothes. The sight in front of her was simply too tempting.

"Sorry about the mess." Brittany said sheepishly after a few minutes of silence. "I promise I'll clean up. Even the stuff on the ceiling."

Santana chuckled. "It's ok. But how did you manage to get egg on the ceiling?"

Brittany scratched her head before tilting it to the side, staring up at the mess. "I have no idea. Stuff just tends to happen to me."

"Very true." Santana muttered with a frown.

Santana helped Brittany clean the mess in the kitchen and more than once had to restrain herself from reaching for the blonde. It almost seemed like old times as they laughed at everything and nothing.

When the two reached for the same dish at the same time and their hands met, both froze. Santana turned and for the first time realized just how closely the two were standing. She could feel Brittany's warm breath on her cheek.

"I, um, I think I should go clean myself up." Brittany whispered. "I got flour and stuff all…I'm gonna go." She turned and fled from the kitchen and when the bathroom door finally clicked closed, Santana let out the breath she had been holding.

Santana listened as the water started up in the bathroom. She then sank down into one of the kitchen chairs and buried her head in her arms and briefly wondered what in the hell she was thinking bringing her ex girlfriend home to live with her. This was going to be bad, she was certain.

A knock at the front door of the apartment caused her to snap her head up. Santana hopped up from the table and after glancing down the hall toward the bathroom, headed to the door. Puck slipped in and glanced around almost nervously.

"What's up Puckerman?"

"Brittany here yet?" He asked, again glancing around.

Santana nodded. "She's cleaning up in the bathroom. As…awkward as it might with her here, I can at least rest knowing she's safe. They really beat the shit out of her Puck."

Puck sighed and dropped a folder onto the kitchen table, along with the GPS ankle bracelet for Brittany to wear. "Well, apparently this isn't the first time she's taken a beating or been hospitalized for an injury of some sort. In fact, she's probably used to it."

Santana felt the air leave her lungs in a rush as she looked over the documents in front of her.

xxxx

Brittany slipped quietly into the kitchen clad in the borrowed t-shirt and sweatpants Santana provided yet again. Her hair was damp and hanging over her shoulders limply. Puck was standing by the sink with his arms crossed tightly over his chest while Santana was slumped over the papers on the table.

"San?"

Santana's head snapped up. Brittany searched Santana's face. It was clear she was upset about something. The brunette stood up slowly from the table and made her way to stand directly in front of Brittany. The blonde's eyes widened in surprise when Santana threw her arms around her and pulled her in for a tight hug.

"I'm so sorry Brittany." Santana said softly. She pulled away slightly but kept her hands on Brittany's shoulders. "I think maybe I understand now."

Brittany tensed and shook Santana's hands off. She stepped around the brunette and moved to the table to see just what had upset Santana.

"Are these…my medical records?" Brittany whispered.

Santana stepped closer and placed a hand on her back gently. "Yeah, we just got them. You've been hospitalized twice in the last two years B. And both times, Jackson is the one who brought you in. The first time, according to the records, he told the nurses you had been mugged. And the second time, just three months ago, his excuse was that you fell down some stairs? Come on Brittany. It was Jackson wasn't it?"

"No." Brittany muttered. "We were mugged and I fell down the stairs."

"Then where is the police report Brittany?" Puck cut in. "I've dug up everything I can find on you and there's no trace that you ever filed a criminal complaint for being jumped in an alley like that dude claimed."

"I didn't see the guy. I couldn't ID him so what was the point in a police report?"

Santana scoffed. "Convenient that you were the only one with any injuries. What, did Jackson just let this creep wail on you without stepping in to help? Or was it Jackson doing the wailing? And what about the stairs B? Awfully convenient that Jackson was yet again the only witness."

"I fell." Santana had to strain to make out Brittany's words her voice was so quiet.

"Brittany," Santana replied gently. "Did he know you were pregnant? When he shoved you down the stairs, did he know? Is that why he pushed you, he didn't want the baby? You lost the baby because of him didn't you?"

Brittany's lower lip began to tremble and her eyes filled with tears as she dropped wearily into a chair. "He knew. But he wanted the baby, he did! I'm sure he wanted the baby. Who wouldn't want a baby…"

"Then what," Santana asked, scooting closer. "He just couldn't control himself when he was angry? What made him so angry that he pushed you down the stairs?"

"I-I didn't say that. I didn't say he pushed me Santana. You're putting words into my mouth." Brittany cried. She wiped at her cheeks and winced at the still-tender bruises there. She stood shakily to her feet. "Please Santana, can you just leave it alone?"

"No." Santana said firmly. "No, I can't. I'm going to talk to Mike Chang today; maybe he'll actually talk to me since you won't. Now, Brittany, you have to wear this GPS ankle bracelet and Puck, you stay here and keep an eye on her. I'll be back."

xxxx

Santana eyed the coffee shop, looking for her old friend. Mike smiled sadly and waved. She nodded and moved toward his table in the back.

"Hello Santana." He said softly. He was just the same as she remembered. Sweet disposition, tall and lean, warm smile. Santana smiled.

"Hey Mike."

They sat in silence for a few moments, not sure where to begin. Santana cleared her throat awkwardly and pulled Brittany's file from her bag.

"I suppose you know why I'm here." She said softly.

Mike nodded slightly, a sad look on his face. "You want to know what I know about Brittany and Jackson."

"More than just that." Santana said firmly. "Absolutely, I want to know everything about their relationship. But I also want to know what Brittany's life has been like these last ten years."

"Yeah, well, why should I tell you anything?" Mike says, eying her suspiciously. "You just want to get a conviction. You think you've got your killer. That's all that you people care about."

Santana leaned forward across the table, her gaze unwavering. "That's not true. I want to help her, honest to God. The Brittany I know…the Brittany I loved, she's no killer. I know he hurt her. I have medical records. I just can't get her to open up to me. She's hiding something, I know it."

Mike stared at the table. "I tried to tell her he wasn't good for her. I don't think she cared though. She didn't even try to convince anyone she loved him. But he wasn't the kind of guy she could get rid of easily. I think she tried to break if off with him but that resulted in her first hospital visit."

Santana felt her fists clench at the thought of Brittany with someone who could hurt her like that. "The mugging as Jackson called it?" At Mike's sad nod, Santana continued. "Why won't she talk to me? I can help her! But there's nothing I can do if she won't talk to me. Quinn could help her, she could reduce the charge if we could just get her to admit that he was beating her and she was protecting herself. We could help her if she would just let us."

"Brittany has tried her hardest to be independent these last years." Mike said. "She hasn't had an easy time of it, trying to support herself and cover Hailey's tuition. Tina and I helped when we could but…"

"Did you know she was pregnant?" Santana asked. Mike's wince gave her the answer she needed. "Did you know Jackson was hurting her?"

Mike looked almost sick. "She never would really talk about it so she never actually admitted anything. And I never actually saw him hurt her myself but come on, what else could it be? But she finally stopped even trying to deny it.

I saw his temper enough times to know without a doubt he was capable of hurting her. And Tina and I tried to convince her to get away from him. We even threatened to go to the police ourselves but she begged us not to. She wouldn't even let us tell Hailey. When Brittany doesn't want to talk, she can be just about as stubborn as anyone I've ever met.

Tina and I even tried to talk to Jackson but when Britt found out, it just upset her. She didn't talk to us for a week. And no way could we just leave her alone with that guy so we apologized and promised to stay out of it. It wasn't until three months ago, after she lost the baby, that Brittany finally admitted that she had to get away from him. I think even he knew it was over after that."

"Did she say anything about how she was going to get away from him?" Santana asked, almost afraid of the answer. "If she said anything about buying a gun or getting rid of him-"

"I wouldn't tell you." Mike cut in. "She didn't. But I wouldn't tell you if she did. If you ask me, he deserved what he got."

"Would you and Tina be willing to testify about any of this?"

Mike nodded. "Or course. We're Brittany's friends, we want to help her. Tina's been a mess since she found out Brittany was arrested. If Brittany did kill Jackson, he forced her to do it."

Santana nodded. "So how is Tina? I heard you two were married, congratulations. I was always pulling for the Asian fusion." She said with a smile.

Mike chuckled. "Thanks. We're doing pretty well. I own a dance studio and Tina teaches there. Brittany too. In fact the kids have really been missing her, she's great with them."

Santana smiled, picturing the blonde teaching hip-hop to kids. "I bet she is. Listen, I don't want too many people to know about this but, Brittany is staying with me. Quinn managed to get her out of jail so she's at my place right now with Puck. Obviously, Puck and I still have some work to do and Brittany can't be left alone and I'd really rather she not leave the apartment either. Do you think maybe you and Tina could help out? You know, just keep her company while I'm out now and then?"

"Absolutely, we'd be happy to help." Mike replied. "We can come over whenever you need."

"Great. I really appreciate it. Why don't you both come over tonight? I'm sure Brittany will be glad to see you. I'll see if Quinn can come too and I'm sure Puck will be up for it."

"It'll be a regular high school reunion." Mike said with a smile. "We'll be there."

xxxx

Santana found Quinn easily. The blonde could almost always be found in her office working if she wasn't in court. Quinn didn't even look up as Santana slumped into a chair across from her desk.

"How's it going?" Quinn asked smoothly, finally placing her pen down and glancing up from the file she was working on. "Anything new develop that I should know about?

"She was pregnant. He hurt her and she lost the baby. That was three months ago."

"Oh God." Quinn whispered. "Santana, if Brittany has been planning this for three months, it was clearly premeditated. No judge in the world would agree to a reduction if she was planning this for three months."

"That's what you're taking away from this?" Santana asked incredulously. "Our friend was dating a monster who got her pregnant and then shoved her down a flight of stairs and made her miscarry. And all you're thinking about is premeditation?"

If Quinn was fazed by Santana's rant, she didn't show it. "Santana, one of us has to keep a level and professional head about this. Does it make me sick that Brittany had to suffer through this? Absolutely. But does it put yet another twist in this shit storm that could convince a judge that Brittany had planned this out months in advance? Yeah, it does. Three months ago he causes her to lose a baby, three weeks ago she's on tape buying a gun. You have to understand that there are going to be problems getting past all this."

Santana jumped up from the chair and began to pace. "But what about the baby? I have hospital records Quinn; he put her in the hospital twice. And Mike Chang is willing to testify about Jackson's temper and that Brittany was trying to get away from him. He forced her hand Quinn!"

Quinn nodded calmly. It was beginning to grate on Santana's nerves just how calm Quinn could appear. The blonde poured a drink from her decanter and slid it across the desk to Santana.

"Santana, I promise you, I'm going to do everything I can to help her. I promise."

Santana stared into Quinn's hazel eyes and felt slightly more at ease. She nodded. And then she downed the drink in one quick gulp.