Chapter 7 – Leave the night on (Sam Hunt)

After Brittany made her way upstairs to her bedroom, leaving her father with a confused but happy look on his face her mother walked into the room with a concerned one. The older woman looked at her husband and then at the stairs that her daughter had just walked up. "What's going on with her?"

"I haven't the slightest clue but she was talking about marrying some girl." Her father shook his head, still stunned at what he had just witnessed. It had been a very long time since he had seen his daughter come home so about a girl. Normally the only things she came home happy about was dancing and four wheeling.

"Is she drunk again because I told her that no respectable woman goes out to get drunk and gallivant around town."

"She said she hadn't been drinking, it was the first question I asked her. There was something in her eyes that I haven't seen in a long time, that old spark she used to have."

Her mother shook her head. "How many more women is she going to sleep with and run this family's name through the dirt before she gets it Brad."

Brittany's father understood his wife's concerns but they weren't his concerns and he didn't think they should be Brittany's either. "She's growing up darling, she's not the same person she was a few years ago after everything happened. She's working, she's not coming home intoxicated every night and lately she's been a heck of a lot happier. I can only imagine that this girl she was talking has something to do with it."

"She should already have grown up Brad she's not a teenager anymore. She's working five jobs and none of them have anything to do with the education we paid for her to get." Katherine 'Katie' Pierce was as fiery as they came and her husband knew all too well what his wife was like when she got all riled up. It was something he loved about her, something that had always drawn him to his wife but when it came to his daughter he didn't think it was warranted.

"Katie, we can't force her to do something she doesn't want to do. Wouldn't you rather her be happy? Remember when she was just a little girl and she would go out fishing with your father?" Katie nodded at her husbands question, she remembered those days quite well. "Remember how happy she was when she came home, even though she never caught a single fish, at least not one she kept?" Again his wife nodded remembering her the little blonde haired girl that used to come bouncing through the front doors of their home. "It was that look she had in her eye, maybe its only temporary but I missed that glimmer of hope in her eyes."

"She hasn't even brought her home, this one is probably like all the rest, out for money and status. We know nothing about her yet you're going around talking about glimmers of hope."

"She's not a child anymore, we have to respect the decisions she makes, if she brings a girl home and she takes all her money than so be it. That's a lesson she has to learn just as I had to learn it with you. My parents told me the exact same things you are telling me now. I clearly didn't listen to them then and as much as I love ya darlin' I'm not going to listen to it because if I had listened all those years ago I wouldn't be having a conversation with my beautiful wife about our incredible daughter."

For whatever reason something in what Bradley Pierce said struck a chord with his wife. Katie nodded in response with a soft smile on her face as she hugged her husband. Deep down she knew he was right but she never wanted to see her little girl get hurt and no matter how old Brittany got she would always be her little girl.

Upstairs Brittany was still grinning from ear to ear as she stepped out of the shower. Something about Santana made her feel like she was floating. It was a feeling she hadn't felt in a very long time and for the first time in a long time she felt like living for the future not for the past. She looked herself over in the mirror where she took with just her towel wrapped around herself. "You're crazy." She mumbled to her reflection in the mirror as she took in the smile on her face.

She was happy that she had finally gotten to understand Santana a little bit better. To see the woman with her family was so different than when she saw her with friends, even Quinn. There was something lighter about her, something more innocent than the walls she clearly had up to protect herself when she was in public. The thought alone made the butterflies in her stomach well up again. She was entirely different than all the girls she had slept with her during the past few years. She was driven and ambitious for all the right reasons and when her family really needed her she was there. The only thing Brittany couldn't figure out was how a woman like that was single.

She finished dressing herself in pajama's before she got into bed and reached for her phone. Even now that she was lying down she still felt as though she was floating. The smile on her face only grew when she read who the single text on her phone was from.

I felt the need to say goodnight xoxo

Just when Brittany thought her smile couldn't get any bigger it did. Sure she had girls that texted and called her all the time but they weren't Santana. They didn't cause her to feel a million things at once by a simple goodnight message. Turning onto her side Brittany looked through the call log on her phone. When she finally found the name she was looking for she hit the call button.

"Hello?" Came the groggy voice on the other end of the line which once again caused her smile to grow.

"I'm sorry did I wake ya?" She was definitely tired, even she could hear how thick her accent sounded.

"Mmm, no I just got into bed after cleaning up."

Brittany smiled, Santana sounded like she was going to fall asleep at any moment. Only one real thought entered her mind. The image of Santana laying in bed in a pair of shorts and a baggy shirt, her hair slightly a mess from a busy day and the brunettes signature sleepy smile that Brittany was getting used to see whenever she saw Santana late at night. "I couldn't fall asleep without saying goodnight."

"Aren't you going to say it then?"

"If I say it now though it means I have to let you sleep and I'm being selfish cause I'm not ready to say it yet." Normally Brittany said things like that to girls in order to get them into bed or for the fun of it but there was nothing but sincerity in her voice as she spoke those words to Santana.

"You're slightly adorable."

"Only slightly?"

A small chuckle. "Yes, only slightly. I have to make sure you still work towards something."

"Believe me when I say there is a lot for me to work towards and I plan on doing just that." Brittany rolled her eyes at herself, she was far too tired to be having any sort of conversation right now yet here she was over sharing with a girl she had more than a severe crush on.

"What are your plans for tomorrow night?"

The blonde thought for a second about what day tomorrow was and mentally went over what job she had to be at. "Working all day sadly, and I have to work at the bar tomorrow night."

"Always so busy." She could hear the smile through the phone. Most people found it obnoxious that she worked so much but Santana seemed to understand.

"Gots to pay the bills and make bank so I can take this really pretty girl out."

"Oh, pretty girl? Better be careful the pretty ones are always trouble."

Brittany knew just how true that was, Santana was definitely going to be and was trouble for her. In only a short period of time the other woman had made a mess of her in the best possible way. "I should let you get some sleep, thank you again for today.

"Your welcome and goodnight Brittany."

Unlike the first time Brittany had ever said goodnight to Santana she finally got to say it properly. "Goodnight Santana, get a good nights sleep." She hung up the phone and fell asleep with a smile on her face that she couldn't even remotely contain.

One Week Later

"Hey beautiful, how are you?" Brittany smiled as she finally got a chance to answer her phone.

"I'm good, and you?" The simple sound of Santana's voice made Brittany smile a little more. There was something about the other woman's voice that made her weak in the knees, the velvety smoothness with a hint of rasp was a sound she could listen to forever.

"Much better now, this beautiful girl just called me."

"Did you want me to let you go so you can talk to her?"

Brittany let out a laugh that sent a shiver through Santana even over the phone. "Nah it's all good I'll get back to her later, beggars can't be choosers. So to what do I owe the pleasure of getting a call from Santana Lopez."

"I was wondering what you were up too tonight?"

Brittany closed her eyes and thought for a minute. "Tonight is… Friday so I have work at the bar.

"Look at you being all busy and productive, it's a good thing I find hard work attractive."

"So you think I'm attractive?"

Santana laughed and rolled her eyes. "I said hard work is attractive, difference. How would you feel about coffee tomorrow?"

"I would love too except I have this family function thang I can't get out of but if it's done early, or I leave early how about a midnight walk and that coffee?"

"Sounds perfect, oh and Britt, try and enjoy time with your family, they may piss you off but they're still your family."

"Thanks, I'll try."

Eight hours later Santana looked over herself once more in the mirror and smoothed out her shirt. Brittany had been right she really didn't have a lot of clothes here and it was at that moment that she would have killed for her Louboutins and a form fitting red dress but for now this would have to do.

She took a deep breath as she took one last look at herself in the mirror. It had been a really long time since she had been any sort of nervous about meeting someone, even though the person she was meeting had no idea she was coming. In actuality maybe that's what it really was. When it was just her and Brittany, Brittany was the sweet southern girl that had given her a ride home in the pouring rain and then there had been the other times when Brittany was someone she really didn't like. It was spinning her mind around in circles trying to find out which one was the real Brittany. Sure people had different sides of themselves, people were complicated and Santana understood that but it seemed like Brittany had two entirely different personas.

Twenty minutes later Santana found herself pulling into Stanley's. Unlike the last time she had found herself at the bar it wasn't raining and she wasn't in dire need of assistance. The line up wasn't as long as the either but it apparently wouldn't have mattered because once the security guard saw her he let her in right away. She figured it had something to do with Brittany so she just shook her head and made her way through the crowded bar. When she walked up to the bar Brittany was nowhere to be found. Finding an empty bar stool she sat down and waited until Tina turned around.

"Hi girlie! What can I get ya?"

"Hey Tina. Red wine, doesn't matter what it is."

"Coming right up, Brittany is on her break, she'll be back shortly." Tina winked at her before she moved to the other side of the bar to pour Santana her glass of wine.

Two minutes later Santana turned around in her chair when she heard the glass being put down on the bar. "Hi pretty girl." The grin that took over her features from just those three words was astounding.

"Hi yourself." She smiled as she took a sip of her wine.

"What brings you here? I know it can't be for the live music." Brittany smirked as the band on stage started playing another Johnny Cash cover. Her eyes never left Santana's.

"There happens to be this really sweet bartender that works here, thought I'd drop by and pay her a visit to thank her for putting up with my family the other day."

Brittany was thankful for the dark lighting as she felt her cheeks warm up at the other woman's comment. Santana may not have known it but Brittany knew she spend as much time as Santana wanted with her and her family. "No need for thanks lil lady, I had an amazing time. It was surprisingly relaxing seeing as though I was meeting your family."

"Brit, you practically already knew all of them."

Brittany laughed at the truth in Santana's comment. "True, small towns for ya, but I had never met them as a friend of their daughter's before." Once the word friend left the blondes mouth she hoped Santana hadn't heard the hitch in her voice. Santana wasn't just her friend but Brittany didn't want to push anything, she knew Santana was still somewhat weary of her and she completely understood why.

"So since we may or may not get to have coffee tomorrow I thought why not take a shot in the dark. Literally since its like pitch black outside, doesn't anyone know that streetlights were invented like forever ago? Sorry rambling, anyways, I was wondering if you maybe wanted to do something after your shift tonight. Even if it's something small since I know you're probably tired."

"Are you asking me out on a date?"

Santana nodded with a smile. "A midnight date of your choosing, I'm from the city that never sleeps remember and they pretty much close the entire town up after the sun goes down here so we gotta make our own fun. Seeing as I have no idea what kind of fun that is, I thought I'd give you creative freedom."

"I think I have some things in mind."

"Perfect. Did you want me to follow you home when you're done to drop your truck off?"

Brittany shook her head. "No, I'll leave it here and pick it up later. I take it that means you're driving? Should I be worried, I know all about how you city folk drive." Santana smiled at her and turned around in her chair to watch the band.

Shaking her head Brittany went to serve a few more customers before Tina grabbed her and pulled her aside. "You really like her don't you?" Brittany said nothing, the smile on her face giving her away. "I don't know that I have ever seen you like this, I missed this Brittany."

"Funny Quinn said the same thing."

"I really like her too, I see why Quinn used to talk about her all the time. She's good for you, so don't screw it up and before you make a comment you always screw it up when you get scared and that girl is not going to take any bullshit."

Two hours later Santana sat and watched Brittany clean up around the bar. The jukebox was playing quietly in the corner of the room and it was clear Brittany couldn't help but dance as she cleaned. Santana was positive the other woman didn't even realize she was doing it and it made the sight in front of her all the more endearing.

With a slight laugh Santana got up and grabbed a cloth off the bar. She walked over to where Brittany was humming to herself. "Let me help." Santana grabbed the beer bottle on the table and handing it to the blonde before she wiped the table down.

"You really don't have too." Brittany grinned as she moved the bottles to the recycling bin. Turning back around she saw that Santana had already cleaned off two more tables. "How are you doing that so fast?"

"I bartended back in my day. It was a good way to make extra money in college. Plus have you seen these legs, they work wonders for getting me tips." Brittany didn't hesitate to take the opportunity to take in Santana's appearance. She could definitely see why those legs had magic tip making powers.

"I can see that. You look amazing by the way. As soon as you walked in everyone noticed, believe me."

Santana stopped wiping down the table and looked up. "You were on your break when I walked it."

Brittany rubbed the back of her neck nervously. "Yeah I was but I was sitting over there." She pointed to the back door. "For some reason it's like I can always feel when you enter a room. I told you before you make my heart speed up, it wasn't a line then and it isn't now."

"Oh really?" Santana slowly walked towards her with a devilish grin on her face. All Brittany could do was nod her head. "Better be careful then, wouldn't want you to have a heart attack." She whispered in her ear and Brittany felt a tingling sensation take over her entire body when Santana's lips grazed her ear. "Tables are clean, I'll meet you outside?" All Brittany could do was nod as she watched Santana wave goodbye to Tina and walk out the door.

"That girl is going to be the death of me." Tina simply laughed and finished counting the till.

"Go on and get out of here, I got this."

"You sure?" It was Tina's turn to nod. "Thank you."

Tina shook her head and rolled her eyes. "You're the boss here even though you don't act like it."

Brittany laughed as she opened the door and walked towards Santana's car. Opening the passenger side door she got in and was surprised by the country music that was playing. Without saying a word she put on her seatbelt and gave Santana a knowing look.

"What?" Brittany raised an eyebrow and looked at Santana and the radio. "I don't mind country music, plus I know you like it."

"What happened to the rnb you had in here before?"

Santana smiled as she pulled out of the driveway. "It's still in here but tonight feels more like a country night. Speaking of, where am I driving too?"

"I know a place where we can do some dancing, it doesn't close until 4:30 because you and those Levi's make me want to dance."

"Works for me. You just tell me where I'm going and we'll get there eventually." Santana smiled at Brittany before turning her attention back to the road, the only lights guiding her were her cars high beams. Sometime just after that she felt Brittany's hand take her own and lace their fingers together before resting them on Brittany's lap.

Her body felt like it was buzzing, the way Brittany's hand were placed on her hip bones pulling them together as they swayed to the music. The place was crowded but in her mind her and Brittany were the only ones in the room. As the song changed Brittany spun her around so they were face to face. Their eyes locked as Brittany pulled her a little closer, her arms resting on Brittany's shoulders. Even though she was in heels she was still a tiny bit shorter than her blonde counterpart.

They spent the rest of the night dancing until they had to clear out of the bar. Neither of them had picked up a drink but they both felt intoxicated as Brittany chased Santana back to her car. When she caught up to her she picked her up and spun her around. Both of them continued to laugh as they finished walking to the car hand in hand.

The sky was clear and the air was warm without being over bearing. Neither woman wanted to call it a night but there really wasn't anywhere for them to go. As Santana drove down the empty back roads Brittany watched the speedometer continue to go up. Instead of telling Santana to slow down she turned the radio up and started singing causing Santana to sing a long with her, though nothing could be heard over the radio.

"I'm not even remotely tired." Brittany said as she kissed the back of Santana's hand.

"Me either but you have that family thing tomorrow."

Brittany shrugged. "If you could see yourself and the way you move in those jeans you'd understand where I'm coming from."

"Good thing I don't have any plans to take you home just yet then." Brittany raised an eyebrow before looking out the window to try and see where Santana was taking her. She could honestly say she had no idea and she was perfectly okay with that.

Fifteen minutes later Santana pulled onto a dirt road. Brittany still had no idea where they were but it was clear Santana did. "Come on, let's go." Brittany watched Santana get out of the car causing her to do the same. She followed the woman walking in front of her through the bush, entirely unsure of what was going on. At last Santana grabbed a hold of her hand and tugged her the final bit out of the bush. In front of them was a large pond that was lit by nothing but the moon. A small canoe was tied to a post and Brittany watched as Santana untied it and waved for Brittany to get closer. "Well get on in."

"What is this?"

"My papaw's old stomping ground, family property, Quinn and I used to come out here all the time when we were younger when we got tired of getting in trouble because everyone in town told everyone everything."

Brittany smiled as she remembered the stories Quinn would tell her about her and her best friend and the crazy things they would do as kids. "I swear girl if you bust out some fishing poles I may marry you right here on the spot."

Santana let out a loud laugh and shook her head as she took got into the canoe and handed Brittany an oar. "No fishing poles, sorry guess we won't be getting married today."

"Mhmm, not today but someday but there is another question I'd like to ask you." The tone in Brittany's voice definitely got Santana's attention.

"What's up?"

Brittany took a deep breath, she was nervous and she didn't know why. Maybe it had to do with the fact that she hadn't asked anyone this question in a really long time, or maybe it was her uncertainty of what Santana's answer was going to be. "Well, I was wondering if we could make things official, put a title on things. Santana will you be my girlfriend, officially?"

The question caught Santana off guard, she hadn't been asked that question since she had been in high school. No one really asked anyone that anymore, after a certain point in time it just sort was assumed. Of course she wanted nothing more than to be official with Brittany so that all the slimy girls around town would get the hint and back but she was also realistic.

"You know at some point that I am going back to New York right?" Brittany nodded, it was something she had thought about more times than she liked to admit. The blonde reached her hand out for Santana to take before pulling the woman into her lap.

"I know and I don't know what that will mean for us but what I do know is that I haven't felt this way in a very long time, maybe ever. Whatever happens, happens but tonight I just want to leave the night on and take life as it comes but I'd like to do it with you. I'm tired of running around town with random girls and never really feeling anything. I like the way I feel with you and I don't want to stop feeling it anytime soon." Brittany wanted to say more but all the thoughts she had swirling around in her head vanished the moment she felt Santana's lips on hers. A soft moan slipped out as she wrapped her arms around Santana's waist pulling the other woman closer as she parted her lips as the kiss deepened. She definitely did not want this night to end and it was most certainly a night she was going to remember for a very long time. From the dancing to the smell of the air and most of all the way Santana's lips felt on hers and the shivers she got as Santana's finger tips ran across the back of her neck.

TBC…