One Week Later

"Brittany, I don't know if I can do this," I say from the driver's side of my car, gripping the steering wheel until my knuckles turn white.

She gives me a look that says I'm being ridiculous, but I don't think I am. If anything, she is the one being crazy. "San, how are you ever going to get over your fear, if you don't do it," she sighs.

"Yeah, but Britt-"

"San," she warns, "this is for your own good." She reaches over and grabs my hand, stroking over the back of it with her thumb. It calms me down a little bit, but I still really don't want to do this. "I'll be right here with you, okay?"

I let out a huff of air and give her a slight, but determined, nod.

"Alright, let's go," she smiles in excitement.

I take a deep breath to ready myself before I step out of the car. Brittany is going to see really soon that there is nothing to be excited about. I'm almost certain she will never want to see me again after this 'adventure' with me.

As we are walking toward the destination, the anxiety sets in. I can feel my hands clamming up. I try to slow us down, to delay the inevitable, but Brittany pulls me along.

"Britt, please," I stop. Brittany spins around to face me, "I can't do this." I begin to panic. I really don't want to be here. This is so cruel. I don't understand why this is happening to me.

She folds her arms across her chest and gives me that look again. "Yes, you can. Don't you think you are overreacting just a tad?" She ask, pinching her fingers together.

"Absolutely not," I defend myself. "Quinn knows, she witnessed it the last time. I can't believe you guys are making me do this." I whine.

"Well, it's either you get your butt in there, or you starve to death." She mimics Quinn's words from earlier.

"Can you do it? Please? I'll just go wait in the car," I begin walking back to the car.

I make it a few steps before I notice Brittany jogging to catch up with me, "no, no, no," she says. "Come on. If you go in there, I will buy you dinner," she pleas. "I promised Quinn we would do this, if you won't do it for yourself, do it for me?" She smiles sweetly at me. I look away from her and towards the car, debating if I am fast enough to make a run for it and lock myself in the car before she can catch me. Brittany looks pretty fast, so I decide not to risk it. "Hey, look at me," she tilts my chin up with her pointer finger, "I believe in you Santana and I won't abandon you like Quinn did." My eyes snap up to hers, "yeah, she told me the story," she laughs.

I pout at her laughing at such a traumatic event in my past, "s'not funny," I mumble.

"You're right," she reaches out and grabs my hand, smoothing over the back of it with her thumb again. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," I roll my eyes. I take a look around the parking lot. There are so many people here. I look back to Brittany and she has a soft smile playing at her lips.

How could I say no to a face like that? I take a deep breath, turn around to face the building and march toward it with a new sense of purpose.

/

A few minutes into our journey Brittany realizes how serious I was when I said I hate grocery stores. Looking back on the moment (now that we are in the snack food aisle because I had a few aisles to think about this) I do feel a little bad about what I said to the old lady.

I don't even know what really happened, Snixx came out in full force. She was there, I was there. Two of us and one box of Fruit Loops. It wasn't the proudest moment in my life, but no way was I going to make this trip without getting the one thing I really wanted.

Needless to say, Brittany pulled me away from the scene huffing and puffing and screaming out Spanish profanities. Her arms were snaked around my middle and she kept mumbling apologizes to the woman, and to the on lookers. I calmed down, but mostly because the proximity of Brittany was overwhelming me.

Ever since that night of our first date, every time she touched me I was reminded of when she touched me. We haven't done anything since then. It's not her fault though, I have been distant with her. It's not that I want to be. I most definitely want to do things with her again, but I'm afraid. Not of the sex because I think I have watched enough porn to know what to do (unless they are giving me false information, which could be entirely possible) it's because I'm the one that said I wasn't ready for anything serious.

It's only fair to her that I get my shit together first.

Hurting her is the last thing I want.

"I'm sorry," I say to her as I put a bag of chips into the cart.

She looks up at me from the box of cookies she was looking at and asks, "for what?"

"For back there," I say, pointing behind me, "that must have been embarrassing for you."

She shrugs her shoulders and takes a few steps closer to me until she is just inches away from my body. "I knew what I was getting myself into when I brought you here," she assures me. Then she leans closer, her mouth hovering over my ear, "besides," she draws out, "it was kinda hot."

I swallow thickly.

See, we have been keeping our distance from each other, but the teasing still happens. We haven't exactly talked about it out loud, but Brittany is a very perceptive person. I think she realized after about the first five times of her literally just putting her hand on my shoulder, back, arm, or whatever and I would find any excuse to do something else, what was going on with me. I am also a perceptive person, usually I just don't care, but I see the hurt flash across her face when I avoid a touch or a kiss.

Brittany leans away from my ear, flashes me a smile, and skips off down the aisle.

I hurry up to catch up with Brittany and we continue shopping. We are almost finished with everything, the only thing left on the list is milk. Turning the aisle I hear a familiar shrill voice.

"What do you mean you don't have organic milk? I can't drink anything else, I get hives."

"I'm sorry miss, we're sold out," the clerk tries to reason.

"Well, be unsold out. Do you have any idea who my father is? He owns half of the Unites States. A monkey could do your job better," she turns to walk away, but stops and quickly turns around and yells, "Not Aspergers."

"Sugar?" Brittany questions as we walk closer to the scene.

Sugar turns around with a surprised look on her face. "Brittany!" She squeals. "I was just trying to buy organic milk, you know, to be healthier, but this guy," she says louder than necessary, "is trying to make me fat."

"I'm sure he is isn't," Brittany insists.

"Well, whatever, I have the best trainer in the world, so I guess I could eat whatever I want." Sugar turns to face me. "Hey, Santana."

"Hey," I say back, not really all that enthused because my mind is still trying to put itself back together after having Brittany hit on me in the middle of the snack aisle.

"Did you do the psychology assignment?" She asks. We were just assigned it yesterday so I shake my head. "Me either, I paid some loser that sits in the front of the class to do it for me. I could totally hook you up if you want?"

"Uh-" I look to Brittany, "that's okay, I think I can manage." Psychology is actually my favorite class. The teacher is super chill and she really knows her stuff.

"So, how are you guys?" Sugar asks, clasping her hands together in front of her face. "How was your d-"

I look over to Brittany again, her eyes widen, "we're good, Sugar, thank you," she says sharply. That was weird. I've never heard that tone from Brittany.

Brittany grabs me by the shoulders and shuffles me away from the scene. Sugar says a quick goodbye to the both of us. "Um, what was that?" I ask when we finally get to the checkout line.

Brittany is loading the food onto the counter, "what was what?" She says innocently.

"That thing with Sugar," I say handing her some food.

"Oh, that? That was nothing," she says quickly.

I look over Brittany. She is moving really fast, almost like she doesn't want to be here anymore, and she is avoiding looking at me.

I get an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach.

/

After the grocery store fiasco, Brittany hasn't really said much of anything. I don't know what's going on with her, maybe I did something wrong? Maybe she senses that I am being a little distant, or it could be the fact that I made it seem like I didn't want us to continue, but that doesn't make sense because she was acting fine until today. I guess it could be something about her mom too.

Whatever the case, I hate the silence that has crept into today.

This is all my fault.

I've always had communication problems. I need to work on that.

Maybe I should start now.

I have been trying to think of something to say to her, but it's hard opening up about things, especially my past 'relationships'. It's not exactly something that I'm proud of, but I do feel like I owe Brittany some sort of explanation.

"Hey Britt?" I ask taping her shoulder with my foot. We have been lying on the couch for the past thirty minutes or so. Quinn is out somewhere and Brittany decided to spend the evening here because Rachel has been practicing nonstop for her audition in that play.

Brittany is laying on her back by my feet.

"Hmm?" She hums, not making any effort to move.

I sit up a little so my weight is resting on my elbows. She looks so sexy right now. She had to borrow one of my hoodies because it was raining on the walk into the apartment. As I am looking down at her, my heart makes a tiny jump in my chest and when she looks at me with those blue eyes that seem to hold all the secrets to the universe in them, I have to have her closer to me. "Come here," I sigh.

Brittany looks down at me before pushing up and scooting across the couch. I pull her into a hug and hold on tight. I just breathe her in for a few moments, burying my face into the crook of her neck.

Brittany is a genius hugger.

I place a lingering kiss to the spot when Brittany's neck meets her shoulder. She sighs and leans further into me, her hands grasping tighter at my back, which only gives me more confidence. My lips keep moving and sucking on her neck until I hear a moan escape from her mouth when I graze over her pulse point.

Brittany's arches her neck back allowing me more space to work. I take this opportunity to push her back with my body, so that I am laying down on top of her. Brittany's legs wrap around my waist, pulling me closer to her.

I know I have been trying to avoid this very situation for the past week or so, but that's the problem. We haven't been this close since the last time and now I can't remember why I thought it was a good idea, or even necessary, to keep myself away from her. She just feels so damn good.

My hands sneak under the sweatshirt she is wearing, tracing over her ribs, while hers grasp the sides of my face, pulling me up to meet her mouth. She wastes no time in pushing her tongue past my lips. Our tongues battle for a few moments, neither one of us wanting to let the other win. I finally have to pull away when the feeling to do more gets overwhelming. I look down at Brittany, her flushed cheeks and heaving chest. She is so sexy right now, well she's sexy all the time, but right now, under me, I am so turned on.

She reaches forward with one of her hands, brushing some hair behind my ear and leans up to places a gently kiss upon my lips. What I was going to tell her, before I practically mauled her, is threatening to spill from my lips, but it never comes out. I just felt like I had to do something to show Brittany that I still want her in this way.

Brittany just pulls me forward, so that I can lay on top of her. I rest my head on her chest. Brittany reaches up behind me and grabs the blanket that is draped across the back of the couch. She wraps her arms around me and places a kiss to the top of my head.

Even though we didn't say anything, I feel like we had a full conversation. As my eyes are fluttering shut, I hear Brittany speak.

"I'm not going anywhere, Santana" she whispers and pulls me closer to her.

/

What the hell was that?

It sounded like someone snapping at me. I turn around to find Brittany sitting on the edge of the bathroom sink, wearing a smirk. It's kind of hazy around her and all I can see is her face.

I start walking toward the bathroom to get a better look. There is fog emanating from the room. The closer I get the more Brittany's smirk grows.

I hear the snapping again and turn around to find... Lord Tubbington? Laying on my desk chair. I wonder when he got here? And where the hell did Brittany go? And why does lord Tubbington have a cigar hanging out of his mouth?

Hmm, maybe Brittany wasn't joking about him smoking.

I hear singing coming from down the hall, so I follow the noise. It's getting louder and louder as I walk down the hall, that voice could only belong to... Mercedes? She is using a stalk of broccoli as a microphone, dancing around like she owns the place.

What is she doing here?

Just as I am about to ask her, I hear another snapping noise, then a second later my name is being called from down the hall.

I definitely know that voice, as I make my way back down the hall, I turn the corner into the bathroom, the clouds of steam blocking my vision from Brittany.

"Britt?" I call out, hoping she will answer me. She doesn't. So I call her name again.

"In here," I hear called from behind me.

I turn around quickly and almost faint at the sight. The breath gets caught in my throat when my eyes are met with Brittany. A very naked Brittany.

I am frozen to my spot at the door.

"You gonna just stand there, or are you going to come help me out over here?" She husks.

My eyes widen as she runs a hand down her toned abs teasing just above her center. She smirks at me again, summoning me forward with her other hand.

I begin walking toward her. Slowly, trying to calm my beating heart. Brittany sits up on her knees and crawls toward the end of the bed. She reaches forward, grabbing a fist full of my shirt and bunching it up around the collar as she pulls me forward. I fall forward, a little less gracefully than I would have liked, my hands finding purchase on her hips to steady myself.

"Like what you see?" She says.

I lick my lips while looking down at Brittany's beautiful body.

"Definitely," I sigh.

Brittany lifts up her eyebrows. Still grabbing the collar of my shirt, she pulls me forward on to the mattress. She scoots back toward the top, pulling me with her. Brittany falls back, her body hitting the sheets below her with a soft thud.

I'm hovering over her, watching her eyes shine yet darken with desire. I lean in, her lips part, and her neck arches back in anticipation. The air in the room is growing thick. I can feel the wetness pooling between my legs.

I'm inching closer and closer, just a breath away. Her breath is mixing with mine, she breathes in as I breath out.

Suddenly there is a crash.

/

My eyes snap open.

I look up to the ceiling, my chest heaving up and down. I don't know if it's from the sudden noise, or from being incredibly turned on.

"Dammit," I hear whisper yelled from somewhere.

I snap my head to the source of the noise and see Quinn lying on the floor with a stack of magazines scattered around her.

Brittany is still sleeping beside me, so I try to be quiet.

"Quinn," I whisper, "what the hell?"

"S-Santana," she stammers, "um, hi," she smiles up at me guiltily.

Brittany shuffles closer to me, mumbling something under her breath. I can't help the smile that spreads across my face, but then I remember Quinn, and I remember my dream, and I remember a naked Brittany... Underneath me.

A shiver runs through my body. I feel myself pinching my legs together beneath the covers.

"What were you doing?" I ask narrowing my eyes at her.

"Nothing," she says lightly. Quinn looks really guilt though and Quinn never looks guilty. She has a brilliant poker face.

"You're lying," I say with my eyes still narrowed.

"Mmm," Brittany moans next to me. "San, who are you talking to?" She mumbles. One of her hands snake around my around my neck. She buries her face there and begins kissing my neck.

My eyes widen and I clear my throat. Quinn just smiles from her spot on the floor. "Uh- Britt?" I manage to get out. I am still turned on from my dream and having Brittany kiss my neck definitely isn't helping to cool me off.

"Hmm?" She hums.

"Um- Quinn is here."

Brittany's body freezes, she slowly peels herself away from me and turns to peer over her shoulder. Quinn gives her a little wave. Brittany just nods her head in her direction before turning back to face me.

"Santana? Uh- has Quinn been watching us sleep?"

"I don't know, Britt?" I blink a few times. "Maybe she's not really there."

Quinn gives me a curious look, but doesn't say anything.

"Well..." Brittany starts, "if she's not here, we can make out, right?" She finishes, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Okay, goodbye," Quinn shoots up and sprints toward her bedroom, leaving Brittany and I on the couch laughing hysterically.

"Who knew you were so evil," I coo playfully. "I knew this nice girl stuff was all just an act."

"Oh yeah, I can be very bad," she husks. Brittany begins kissing my neck again. My eyes fall closed at the sudden, but not unwelcome, contact. Her fingers are toying with the hem of my shirt until she reaches under, lightly scratching the skin underneath.

"Mmm, Britt," I try to get her attention. Except it sounds more like a moan, which only encourages her to continue. She starts to suck harder and I'm almost certain that will leave a mark. Her mouth moves up to my ear, taking the lobe between her teeth and gently pulling. This time a moan actually does escape my lips.

It's getting too hot too fast and although I would love to continue making out with Brittany, Quinn is right down the hall. She already interrupted my sexy times once today, we better not make it two.

"Britt," I say stronger this time.

"Yes?" She answers, but makes no effort to stop.

I giggle a little before lightly pushing on her shoulder, "Quinn," is all I say.

She stops, pulls her head back and has a look on her face like she wants to continue, but is deciding if she should or not. "Okay- yeah -sorry." She finally says. She starts getting up from the couch. "I should- I should probably get back to the apartment. Rachel gets all worried if I'm out too late." She says quickly.

I take a quick glance at the clock on the TV stand, it's only six o clock in the afternoon.

"Britt, it's not even that late," I say through a laugh.

Brittany stops gathering her things from the chair and takes a deep breath, "yeah, I have to finish homework and stuff," she tries, except we spent all afternoon yesterday doing our homework together.

"Britt," I sigh, "what's going on?" I ask concerned. "Did I do something?" I look down. Maybe I did do something.

Her face softens at that, "what? No, no you didn't do anything." She shakes her head, walking back over to the couch to take a seat next to me. Brittany takes both of my hands in hers and rubs her thumbs over the back of them. "Santana, I'm gonna be honest with you here." My stomach drops at her words. "If I stay here, I'm afraid I won't be able to keep my hands off you. I know you are still sorting everything out in your head, and that's fine, I'm glad you are, it's just I don't want to ruin anything by doing something you won't be comfortable with."

I worry my lip between my teeth for a moment, trying to find something to say. I decide to just take the route Brittany did, honesty. " I know what you mean, it's been really hard not kissing you this week. I'm gonna be honest with you too," I swallow, "I don't want to think I'm using you because I'm not, not at all." Brittany stares at me with a confused expression. "I use to use people for sex, I did it because it was a distraction. I was trying to prove to myself that I wasn't gay, that I wasn't actually lonely. I don't want that with you because you make me feel- amazing." I shrug. "But I also don't want hurt you because I always mess the important things up. I run away. Look at what happened with my family. I can't- I won't- do that to you."

Brittany just smiles at me like I said the greatest thing on the planet. Before her face turns more serious, "So, Quinn," she starts, "does she-does she know about us?" She asks carefully. "I mean- I know you told her you are gay, but," she stops, pulling her lips into her mouth.

"Well, if she didn't before, she does now," I sigh.

Brittany tucks her chin to her chest looking a little ashamed. The image looks heartbreaking, "I'm really sorry," she mutters. "I really didn't know she was there."

"Britt," I laugh, "I was only kidding." I smile, but Brittany is still looking down. "Britt," I say softly. She slowly lifts up her head and looks at me through her lashes. "Quinn knows. I told her."

Brittany's lips twitch slightly, but she still doesn't smile. "You told her?" She asks, her voice small and unsure.

"Mhmm," I nod and smile.

"So," she scoots closer to me. She slides an arm around my waist and pulls me down, so we are lying down again. "I can make out with you in front of her then?" Her voice drops and so does the pit of my stomach.

"Well, you can definitely make out with me," I say feeling better about everything now that I told Brittany why I didn't want to before, "but I really don't think Quinn would appreciate that, plus," I add, "she might get too turned on."

"Hmm," Brittany giggles. "Are we talking about Quinn, or you," she says while pulling me into her.

"Uh- both?" I shrug with a smile playing at my lips.

My phone goes off on the coffee table behind Brittany, I sigh before leaning over her to quickly grab it. It says I have a new text from Quinn. I swipe my thumb across the screen and a picture of Brittany and I sleeping in each other's arms comes up. I can't help the smile that stretches across my face, so that's what Quinn was doing.

Another text come a few moments later.

Quinn- Brittany and Santana, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G.

My face heats up, what are we in second grade?

"What's that?" Brittany asks trying to peek over to see the message.

I bring the phone quickly to my chest. "N-nothing," I say dismissively. "Quinn just sent me a picture of us sleeping together, well not sleeping together, just- you know- sleeping."

"Aww, can I see it?" Brittany asks excitedly. "Please," she puffs out her lower lip and I'm pretty sure she knows I can't say no to that face.

I roll my eyes at her adorableness, "okay," I feign annoyance.

I click the picture so that's all she can see and not the text message.

"Aww, San look at you," she takes the phone to get a better look. "You look like a little puppy."

I frown because I like to think I look more threatening than a puppy, even if I am asleep.

"Is someone embarrassed?" Brittany laughs while poking me in the sides, I squirm a little to get away.

"W-what? No," I stutter out. I am still recovering from my sexy Brittany dream and her this close with her hands on me, engulfing your senses, is only adding fuel to the fire.

"Liar," she says like she can read my thoughts. I just shake my head a her in response. "Hey, you know what we could do? To freak Quinn out?" There is an evil glint to her eyes.

"What," I ask carefully, yet intrigued.

"We should send her a picture of us kissing," she says as she bites her lower lip.

I know Quinn, and that will surely cause her to flip out.

"You evil genius," I smirk at Brittany. I unlock my phone and get to the camera app. I turn my head to find Brittany with her eyes closed and lips puckered up and waiting for a kiss. I press a quick kiss to her lips and quickly pull back.

She peeks open one eye, "you get it?" She asks.

"No, that was just a practice one."

She closes her eyes again and waits for me expectantly. This time I have the camera ready, I lean in, one eye peaking at the camera to make sure we are both in the frame while I press my lips to hers again. I don't pull back, even after I get the shot as I become too consumed by Brittany's mouth once again on my own.

I can't really explain what it is about kissing Brittany that is so different from anyone else you have kissed.

I could probably put it down to the fact that she is a woman, but that wouldn't be accurate because I've kissed a few girls in high school on a drunken dare, but it didn't feel like this.

It didn't make my insides fill with excitement, or my heart beat ten times faster. So, I put it down to the simple fact that it feels this amazing simply because its Brittany.

Brittany pulls back from the kiss. I whimper a little at the loss of contact, but she takes the phone from my hands and looks at the picture.

"Oh," she breathes out, "I'm gonna need a copy of this."

I take the phone from her and look at the picture yourself. I have to admit we look really good together. Even in the picture, I can see how crazy happy she makes me. No wonder Quinn knew how i felt about her before I told her. I wonder if it is that obvious to the rest of the world.

It probably is.

I scroll down to Quinn's name and attach the picture.

"Now," I say stretching out a bit, "we wait."

A few minutes later Quinn text back with a message that reads 'gross, now I'm gonna have that burned in my mind all day.'

Brittany and I bust out laughing, she takes my phone again and types a short message. She hands it back to me and I read what she wrote. It just says 'you're welcome."

Brittany leaves a few hours later. After I say goodbye I come in and find Quinn sitting at the kitchen table reading a book. I go and grab an apple from the refrigerator and go sit on the opposite side of the table.

"So, are you two dating yet?" Quinn asks without looking up from her book.

"Quinn," you sigh loudly. "Did we not just have this conversation a few days ago?" You ask exhausted.

"Yeah, but santan-"

"Look, I like her. A lot, but I can't change overnight. I wanna do this right, for once."

"Well look at you being all mature. You know, I never thought I'd see the day." She jokes. "You better make her yours soon though, or someone might snatch her up."

"Oh, that's comforting," I say sarcastically. "Brittany knows how I feel though. We're getting there."

"Hmm," Quinn hums out. "Just don't let what other people think affect you, you two are something special. I just know it." It's quiet for a few moments. Quinn is reading her book and I am thinking about what she just said to me. "So, are you coming to my art exhibit?" She asks casually.

I know it's a big deal to Quinn, she has been working on this project for the better part of a year. "I wouldn't miss it," I say back.

"Good," she says while turning a page, "you should take Brittany as your date." She smirks.

I roll my eyes, but the more I think about it the more brilliant the idea sounds. I don't think I have ever asked anyone out on a date before. This sounds like a pretty good idea though, maybe I could take her out to dinner this time.

/

I'm lying in bed later that night just staring at the picture of me and Brittany kissing. It makes my heart flutter in the best way possible.

As I am staring at the picture, my phone vibrates in my hand.

It scares me, so I almost end up dropping it on my face. It's a text from Brittany.

Britt-Guess what my background is?

I smile down at my phone.

-I don't know, a unicorn?

Britt-ah, good guess but no. It's us! Well us laying on the couch, I don't know how I feel about having us kissing on display for everyone to see.

-us, huh?

It has a good ring to it.

Britt- yep!

I set my phone down on the bed and put my arms underneath my head. I have been thinking about what Quinn said earlier about asking Brittany to be my girlfriend. I don't know. I definitely want her to be, but what if she doesn't? I feel like we just need to take baby steps with this.

Now I won't be able to see her until Wednesday because she is busy with work and school. Something about Sugar wanting to do a fitness challenge or something, so she is requiring Brittany's services for five hour sessions.

It's fine though, it will give me some much needed time to think about this whole thing and a clever way to ask her out to Quinn's showcase.

I feel my phone vibrate next to my arm.

Britt-goodnight you sexy thang ;)

I'm pretty sure Brittany can cure cancer with the words that leave her mouth.

-goodnight Britt :)


I have re-written this chapter about three times and I still don't like the way it turned out. I guess it was just one of those chapters.

I hope you guys liked it though.

I would like to say thank you to those of you who read and review.

Please, let me know what you think.

:)