A/N: Thanks once again for all of the alerts and reviews! It's really helpful to hear what's working for some and not for others. So please drop me a line and review if you have the chance. For all of you Brittana shippers, let me assure you that I am one too! :) While I do not intend this to be terribly angsty, there does need to be a little drama for this to be interesting, right? :) That means more Lantana for now. But please hold tight and stick with it! I hope to make it all worth it in the end. And to any Landon / Lantana fans, I need to hear some love from you too!

For those of you wondering what Landon looks like, when I write her, I envision a young Xena (yes, I'm old and a geek; for you youngsters out there, google her; she's totally boss). Take that as you will. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. And I am not an astronomer. Please take the constellation stuff with a grain of salt.

Chapter Nine

Santana stood in her matching black bra and underwear and surveyed the clothes strewn about her bed. Everything from skinny jeans, mini-skirts, way too short shorts, halter tops, loose-fitting blouses, and all manner of dresses were haphazardly arranged on the large surface. She'd been planning for her…outing with Landon for the better part of two hours and she still couldn't decide what to wear.

Her mind was as cluttered as her bed and she had difficulty focusing on the task at hand. Santana was a master of projection. People only saw what Santana wanted them to see. They knew only the things Santana wanted them to know. And she used her wardrobe strategically—to gain control and set the stage for what she wanted. The only person who could see past the clothes and make-up and badass exterior was Brittany. A Brittany who at the moment wasn't speaking to her.

Santana sighed and sat down on the bed. She hadn't heard from Brittany since the blonde walked away from her earlier that afternoon and the uncertainty of where they stood only made her upcoming night with Landon all the more nerve-racking.

What am I doing? But she couldn't give herself an answer.

She was going on a date with a girl and that girl wasn't Brittany. This wasn't a scenario Santana had ever imagined. It wasn't something she had ever planned for. Even though she and Brittany had been nothing more than best friends all summer, had done nothing more than cuddle and pinky-link, Santana knew the blonde was hurt by the time she spent with Landon. But she wasn't ready to give Brittany what she needed. And now she was going on a date with another girl.

What am I doing? she repeated with more force, throwing herself back against the bed.

Santana wanted things to be easy with Landon, but thoughts of blonde hair and blue eyes made her decisions anything but easy.

She stood and surveyed the bed again. Her problem was that she didn't know what image she wanted to project to the tall jock—what she wanted Landon to see and what she wanted this night to be. Santana was a master at first dates but only those that had ulterior motives. She used dates to get something else she wanted; the date itself was simply a vehicle to manipulate and scheme. But she didn't know what she wanted from Landon and so this night represented something foreign and new, and she didn't know how to plan for it.

What am I doing?

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

It took Landon far less time to get ready for her date with Santana. She chose dark jeans and a charcoal gray long-sleeved shirt that she rolled up just below the elbow. She topped it off with a skinny black tie loosely fastened at her neck. Although she usually pulled her long hair back into a ponytail, she instead chose to leave it down and let the dark waves settle around her shoulders.

Before she left, she picked up the envelope Ginny left her on the kitchen counter. Landon's parents gave Ginny a monthly stipend for her care of which she was supposed to receive a portion. What Ginny left her, however, always varied. One week she'd get twenty bucks. Another ten. Some weeks she'd get nothing at all. It was always a gamble whether the thin white envelope would be there at all. Luckily, tonight she was surprised by thirty dollars and with what she had saved previously, Landon was sure she'd be able to take Santana out properly.

She grabbed her keys and left the trailer with a spring in her step and a smile on her lips.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Santana finally decided on white skinny jeans and a fitted red top. It was casual but still showed off her body. It said there was effort put into the look but she wasn't pulling out all the stops.

They started the night with dinner at Breadstix and as they settled at opposite sides of a booth Santana looked around the restaurant nervously. This was it. She was sitting across another girl about to have dinner in a very public place where most people brought their dates. What if kids from McKinley were there? What would they see when they looked at her and Landon? What would they assume? Sure, she brought Brittany here at least once a month to get her breadsticks on, but that was different. Everyone knew she and Brittany were friends. They wouldn't give them a second thought, even when they shared one side of the booth and touched and giggled as they dined.

"Hey, these aren't bad," Landon said, waving a breadstick around, catching Santana's attention and bringing her out of her own head.

"What?" Santana wondered if she heard the girl correctly. "Have you never been here before?"

Landon shook her head and continued to munch.

"Have you, like, been living under a rock or something? This place is the shit!"

The tall girl laughed at Santana's shocked, almost disgusted, look. "I just haven't been in Lima too long. But I'm glad you enjoy it. Score one for the most awesome first date ever." She winked and Santana's nerves settled. The jock made everything seem so natural, like nothing they were doing was all that unusual or strange. Santana fed off Landon's self-assuredness and relaxed back into the booth slightly.

"You look great, by the way." Landon smiled and allowed her eyes to settle on the petite brunette in front of her.

"I know." Santana shrugged and Landon laughed, leaning back herself.

"I like you, Lopez. Badass and all sexy. I'm glad we're here."

Santana smiled. "Yea, me too." And to her surprise, she meant it.

They fell into easy conversation after that, both sharing stories of horrendous first dates and clueless boyfriends / girlfriends. Landon gave Santana a run for her money when it came to how many breadsticks each could eat, both falling into fits of laughter after Santana informed the waitress in no uncertain terms what the endless in "endless breadsticks" actually meant.

It was pretty late by the time the two left the restaurant and they decided to forgo a movie. "So," Landon inquired, "this is your first date with a girl, right?"

Santana blushed and nodded.

"Well, then, I feel obligated to represent for all the lesbians out there and make it extra special," she replied as she opened her truck door for Santana and helped her in.

"O-kay," Santana drawled. "What does that mean? You're not getting in my pants if that's the plan." Santana clutched the door handle, ready to jump out if she didn't like Landon's response.

Landon chuckled as she settled behind the wheel. "Of course not, what kind of woman do you think I am?"

Santana simply raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, so maybe I am that kind of woman," she smirked, "but I told you that whether we end up pants-less is totally up to you. So, unless I get the go ahead, I'm perfectly happy having you fully clothed." Landon started up the truck and turned to Santana before pulling out of the lot. "I thought maybe we could sit out and watch the stars for a bit. You know, just relax and talk. No funny business, I promise."

Santana smiled and agreed.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

After about 30 minutes, Santana started to worry. They were on a narrow dirt road surrounded by thick groves of trees and bushes, and although Landon looked like she knew where they were going, Santana wasn't so sure. Her phone service was spotty and she'd hate to be stuck in the middle of nowhere with no way to contact anyone. She turned to Landon and watched the jock maneuver the truck easily through the increasingly encroaching bush. Landon drove a stick and Santana watched the muscles of her forearms bunch and flex as she shifted. She let her eyes travel down to long, sure fingers that held the gearshift securely. Maybe getting lost in the Ohio jungle with Landon might not be so bad after all.

Suddenly, they broke through to a clearing where Landon pulled the truck around, maneuvering so that the truck bed faced out toward the clearing.

"Ready?" Landon asked with a confident smile.

"For what?"

"Come see and find out." Landon jumped out of the truck and grabbed a duffle from the compartment behind the seat.

Hesitantly, Santana left the vehicle and approached the taller girl who was standing at the edge of the clearing that turned into a small cliff overlooking Lima. With its multicolored lights glimmering in the darkness, Lima looked almost beautiful then.

"Oh wow," Santana breathed at the sight. "How'd you find this place?"

"Just driving around one day. I don't like staying indoors too long. Gets to feel claustrophobic." Landon left Santana to enjoy the view as she made her way back to the truck. She pulled two sleeping bags from behind Santana's seat and started laying them out one on top of the other in the truck bed, her duffle having already been placed in a corner.

"Come here." Landon reached out a hand to Santana when the other girl finally turned from the view of the city. She helped Santana up and they settled crossed-legged on the sleeping bags. Landon pulled her duffle over and dumped an array of sweets in front of them. "Dessert!"

Santana smiled at the packages of M&Ms, Kit Kats, Dots, and mini donuts that lay between them. "Very classy," she smirked.

After a few M&Ms and a couple Dots, Santana decided she had had enough and stretched out on her back, gazing up at the stars.

"You sure you don't want anymore," Landon asked, a bit perplexed.

"Nah, I'm good. Not a real sweets person."

"Really? But you keep all that candy in your locker."

Santana turned on her side towards Landon and propped her head up, using her elbow to support herself. "And how would you know that?" She raised an eyebrow.

Landon looked down sheepishly. "I may have sneaked a peek in your locker when you were touching up your make-up. Totally unnecessary, by the way."

"Spying, Landon? Tsk tsk. And here I thought you were one of those upstanding lesbian types." She rolled onto her back. "I'm going to have to rethink this whole awesome first date thing," she teased.

Landon laughed and stretched out beside her. "Well, I only looked because I wanted to make tonight special. Doesn't that count for anything?" She propped herself on an elbow and looked down at the lounging brunette.

"I suppose that's okay then. But next time just ask me what I like." Santana smiled up at the girl.

After letting their gazes lock for a moment, Landon exhaled deeply and turned onto her back, settling so that their shoulders touched. "So what's up with all the candy then? You're not robbing young children before school, are you?"

Santana swatted the jock on the stomach, her eyes never leaving the star-covered sky. "Brittany likes to have something sweet in the middle of the day. It helps her get through her afternoon classes." She shrugged. "Sometimes she forgets to bring something with her."

Landon crossed her arms behind her head. "That's really nice of you, Santana. She's lucky to have you."

They were silent for a long moment, and Landon hoped she hadn't overstepped her boundaries once again. She really liked Santana. For as much as she joked, Landon really thought the date was going well and she hoped she hadn't ruined it by bringing up the beautiful blonde. While she certainly wondered about Santana and Brittany's relationship, Landon knew better than to push the issue. The jock knew the two were close, like really, really close. But Santana told her she was single and for now Landon would take her at her word.

Landon was pulled away from her thoughts by Santana pointing up into the night sky. "That's Big Bear," she said quietly, tracing a finger from one glittering light to another.

"Show me again."

"That's Ursa Major and there's the big dipper. The handle of the dipper is Big Bear's tail. Then keep moving down the cup," she explained quietly. Landon followed the delicate finger, trying to see what Santana could.

"Show me another."

"You see those three really bright stars there?" Landon nodded. "That's Orion's belt," she pointed. "The Hunter. That's probably the most known constellation because it can be seen from anywhere on earth."

"How do you know all this?"

Santana shrugged. "Brittany likes this stuff. The different people and animals and stories attached to the stars," she drifted off and sighed. "She says that you can never be lonely when the sky's full of friends."

Landon stared up into the night. "She seems really smart," she whispered.

Santana closed her eyes, rubbing a hand across her forehead. "So what brings you to lovely Lima," she redirected, changing the subject abruptly.

"Just didn't work out where I was living before."

"What does that mean? Did your parents move or something?"

Landon didn't say anything for a long moment and Santana wondered if she was going to answer the question. Finally, Landon sighed. "My parents live in Carmel," she answered quietly.

"Why don't you go to Carmel then?" Santana sat up and turned to look at Landon.

Landon rubbed her eyes roughly. "I don't live with them anymore. It's a really long story. Not exactly first date stuff. Can I give you a rain check?" The jock looked up into soft chocolate brown eyes and gave the girl a strained smile.

"Yea, whatever," Santana settled back down. "Although you're assuming you get another date with me. Not many people do, you know."

Landon appreciated the break in the tension and she fell a little more for the girl next to her. They stayed silent, enjoying the warm night and the sparkling stars above. At some point, Landon reached out and grabbed Santana's hand and Santana didn't remove it.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

It was early Saturday morning. Earlier than Santana ever got up on a Saturday (well, unless there was Cheerios practice but it'd been a long time since she had to wake up for one of those). She'd been standing on the Pierce's stoop with a backpack full of snacks for the past 15 minutes, willing herself to ring the bell, call the tall blonde, drive the fuck home, or just do something. She wasn't even sure Brittany was home at this point.

Sighing loudly she finally figured it was time to suck it up and see if her best friend still wanted to spend time with her.

It only took a moment after ringing the bell before Santana was engulfed in a bone-crushing hug. "You're here! And it's early!" Brittany exclaimed pulling the shorter girl to her roughly, her arms circling Santana's waist tightly.

Santana let out a long breath and sunk into the embrace. It was okay. Everything was okay. She smiled into the tall girl's neck, relieved.

"Come on, no one's home so we can take over the family room! Let's go!" Brittany grabbed Santana's hand, pulling her into the house and kicking the door shut behind them.

As expected, Santana was no match for Brittany on the MJ Experience, and the lithe dancer spent the better part of three hours kicking Santana's butt, although the shorter girl tried to keep it close. After a particularly bad beating, however, Santana begged for a break and the two girls decided to take the snacks upstairs and watch some TV in Brittany's room.

They were sprawled out on their stomachs side-by-side on the bed, watching a Jersey Shore marathon and munching on the snacks Santana brought. "So," Brittany started tentatively. Santana knew by the blonde's tone that she wasn't going to like where Brittany was going. "How was your…thing last night?" She didn't look at Santana and instead watched her fingers trace patterns on the bedspread.

"It was fine. Really, Brittany, it wasn't a big deal." Santana tried to shrug it off.

"What did you guys do?" Brittany may not be what most would consider book smart, but she knew people, she knew Santana most of all, and she had one heck of an imagination. That combination meant that Brittany spent most of the previous night plagued by images of what Santana usually did on dates, and the later the evening got the more graphic the images became. She wasn't sure if she really wanted to know what happened between Santana and Landon, but she had to stop her imagination from creating the details for her. She had to know what the girls did or hopefully didn't do.

"Just dinner."

Brittany sighed and sat up, crossing her legs and looking down at her fingers in her lap. She promised herself she wouldn't be intimate with Santana until Santana was ready to be open about who she was and who she was with. She knew she pushed too hard with her Fondue for Two prom proposal, and she broke her own heart in the process. That had to be punishment enough for being too eager, didn't it?

But she knew better now and she was giving Santana the time and space she seemed to need. Now though, now Santana was running from her and she didn't know what to do to make her stop. She thought time was the answer but now she didn't know much of it she had.

"What are you doing, Santana?" she breathed, finally daring to look at the other girl.

Santana rolled over and mimicked Brittany's position on the bed. "I don't know what you mean," she tried to deflect, not meeting the other girl's gaze.

"Yes, you do. Don't," Brittany hesitated. "Don't lie to me," she finished softly.

"I'm not!" Santana reached out and took Brittany's hands and the blonde let her hold them. "I'm not. I don't know what you want me to say." She paused, trying to determine the best way to placate the blonde. "I don't know what you're thinking, but," she paused again, "she's not a bad person, Britt." Brittany rolled her eyes. "She's not. I don't know why you don't like her but-"

Brittany pulled her hands away and stood up quickly. "You don't know! You have no idea why I have…issues with her? Really, Santana?" She moved to lean against her desk and crossed her arms over her chest.

Dark blue eyes bore into Santana and the brunette had to look away. "It's nothing, Britt," she said quietly. "We're friends."

"Like we're friends?" Brittany countered quickly.

"God, no!" Her eyes flashed toward Brittany in frustration but the fire dissipated quickly. She sighed and moved to sit at the edge of the bed, letting her legs dangle off the side. She looked down at her feet. "You know what you mean to me," she said softly.

Brittany hugged herself tightly. "Did you sleep with her?"

Santana could barely hear the question it was spoken so softly, but once it registered the small brunette leapt to her feet. "Of course not! How could you think that?" She started pacing in front of the blonde. "It was just dinner. Nothing happened!" she couldn't help raising her voice. She was scared and unsure and for Santana that meant reacting loudly, angrily.

"Well what am I supposed to think?" Brittany responded with equal irritation. She was so frustrated. God, this girl could make her so angry sometimes.

"Britt, I don't know what to tell you. Nothing happened." She stopped her pacing in front of the dancer and walked up close. "It's not a big deal, okay? Don't make it a big deal," Santana pleaded. She reached out tentatively, placing her hand gently on Brittany's crossed arms. "Can we…can we just have a good day today? I promised today would be just us. Let's…let's make it just us, okay?" Her deep brown eyes searched out for vivid blue. "Please Britt-Britt."

Brittany finally raised her eyes to meet Santana's. They were so soft, so warm, so pleading. It was a Santana reserved only for her, at least it had been. Brittany shook herself from the thought. As angry and frustrated as she was with Santana, she just couldn't resist the small girl when she looked at her like that. She sighed loudly and nodded.

Santana didn't waste a second before gathering the dancer in her arms. She pulled her in tightly and whispered, "it's going to be okay," softly in Brittany's ear. She ran her hands up and down the tall girl's back. "Everything's going to be okay." And in that moment, Santana didn't know which one of them she was trying to convince.

They spent the rest of the night in strained silence. Santana tried to engage the blonde in easy conversation but was only met with one-word answers and curt nods. When they got ready for bed, Santana opened her arms to the tall girl and Brittany settled in them without speaking.

Brittany curled her long body around the small girl, resting her head in the crook of the brunette's neck. She breathed Santana in, wanting to imprint her scent in her own body, wanting to make the brunette part of her. Santana just needed time, she told herself, and willed herself to believe it.

A/N: Okay, I don't think that's too angsty, is it? :) Let me know what you think! If you review or PM me, I'll try to soothe whatever fears you may have and also take in your suggestions.

Just a heads up on updating: I'll be on a trip for the next two weeks and won't be able to update until I return. I'll update as soon as I can when I get home. Hopefully you don't lose interest! :) Love you all!