Author's note: Well, that last chapter had very mixed reviews. Thank you to everyone who took the time to give me your opinions, the good and the bad. Let's see if this redeems me in your eyes.
Penny shares some sentiments with my best friend near the end. A few of you other lovely people thought it too.
Happy reading!
Chapter Ten
Brittany took a long, hot bath, scrubbing every inch of her skin until she was red. She then lay in her bed for the rest of the afternoon. Santana was in and out of the room, sitting on the edge of her bed and holding her hand as she stared silently at the ceiling. She brought a tray in for supper, but Brittany didn't even move more than to turn her head away and stare out the window for a while.
It grew dark. Mrs. Pierce came in as Santana left with the tray of uneaten food and inquired about her.
She just said, "I'm not feeling well, Mama."
"Will you be better tomorrow? You have your first fitting for you dress dot the ball."
"I don't know." She rolled away. "I just need some time alone."
She walked over and sat down on the mattress. "Is something wrong, my sweet?"
"Nothing, Mama." She assured her. "Just tired and unwell."
She watched her daughter for several moments before she leaned over and kissed her cheek. "You can tell me anything." She whispered.
"I know, Mama."
Her mother kissed her once more and then left.
Santana returned shortly. "Brittany?" She asked softly from the doorway.
Brittany rolled over and looked at her in the dark. She said, "Come in. Close the door."
She did and sat down once again on the edge of the bed.
Brittany reached out and took her hand. "I can't be alone tonight."
"I can seek out your sister and she can—"
"No. You." She said so quietly that Santana had to strain to hear it. "Please?"
"I…" she didn't know what to say. "Surely Miss Penny can—"
"Damn it, Santana!" She rolled over. "Just go away then."
Santana looked at the door and then back at the young woman lying on the bed. She sighed and stretched out on the bed behind her. She rested a hand on her shoulder and gently pulled.
Brittany rolled over and threw her arms around the other young woman. The tears fell for the first time onto Santana's shoulder.
"Sh. I have you." She crooned as she rubbed her back.
She was soon asleep. Santana gently removed herself from under Brittany.
She stirred. "Santana?"
Santana leaned over and kissed her softly. "I'll be back." She promised.
After completing her nightly chores and changing, she snuck up to Brittany's room. She locked the door behind her. She slipped into bed with her.
Brittany pulled her close. "I know you can't stay all night." She said, pressing a kiss to the Santana's lips. "But thank you for coming back."
"I would stay all night if I could." She said. "So what are you going to do?"
"I don't know." She pressed her head under Santana's chin.
Santana combed her fingers through Brittany's hair. "I could probably kick his ass for you."
She gripped the back of her nightgown. "That would only make it worse."
"We'll think of something."
"We?"
"Can't I help you?"
She was touched. "You'd really want to?"
"I would. I will."
Brittany sighed and relaxed. "I don't know, Santana. I don't know how to fix it."
"I may have a few ideas. But I still need time to flesh them out." She placed her hands on either side of Brittany's face and lifted it. She looked into her eyes. She asked seriously, "Could you become pregnant?"
"I… I don't know. How can I tell?"
"When did you finish your monthly?"
"I just ended a few days ago."
"Then it's very unlikely." She kissed her softly. "But you still need to look for the signs. If you are…well, if you are we'll figure it out."
"How do you know that?"
"Hm?"
"About the time to become pregnant."
"Your sister's maid. Apparently she thought she was. More than once."
"The maid?"
"Your sister."
Brittany was stunned. Penny was too adventurous when it came to her escapades. She kissed Santana and then rested her head on her shoulder once more. They lay in silence for a long time. Santana traced her fingers over Brittany's back.
"I woke back up right after you left. I really don't think I can sleep."
"I know I upset you earlier when I said it, but Penny can stay with you all night." She threaded her fingers through her hair some more.
"If she's even here." She moved her fingers down Santana's side. "I don't want to tell her anything."
"You don't have to. Just go climb into bed with her like she's done to you so many times." She kissed the top of her head.
"You could stay with me."
"My mother will worry if she checks on me in the night."
"Your mother still does that? What if you had a man in your bed?"
"Why would I want a man?" She was shocked she'd said it. Would she want a man? All she knew was that she wanted Brittany right now. She didn't really know what it meant yet, but she knew she liked the way their bodies felt together in this moment.
"Why indeed. Especially if they're all like Sebastian."
"They're not all like Sebastian. Lord Blaine isn't."
"Lord Blaine has a fiancée."
"And he's sleeping with his butler."
"Oh." Brittany said softly.
"What?"
"You said Lord Blaine was having an affair. You never said with whom. I should have known."
"Perhaps." She kissed her forehead. "Do you want me to get your sister?"
"No, I'll just go. Thank you for staying with me." She sat up. "And you're going to help me figure something out?"
"I will." She kissed her. This kiss lasted longer than the previous fleeting kisses.
"I don't know how to go on from this. He's going to try to marry me."
"I'll make sure he doesn't." Santana gave her another lingering kiss.
"If only I could marry you." Brittany said against her lips.
"That's something that will never be allowed. Not now or ever." She put her legs over the side of the bed. "I'll see you in the morning, Brittany."
"Yes." She said softly.
They shared one more kiss before Santana left.
Brittany got out of her bed and pulled on her dressing gown. She walked down the hall. She stood by Penny's door. She listened for a moment before she tapped on it. There was no response. She tapped again. She opened the door slowly and poked her head inside.
Penny slept like the dead most of the time. This must have been one of those nights. She walked over and climbed under the blanket beside her. She watched her sleep peacefully for a while before she closed her eyes and tried to go to sleep herself.
But it wasn't going to happen. She knew it wasn't. All she saw when she closed her eyes was Sebastian over her. He was still all around her. Even after scrubbing in the scalding bath, she still felt infected by him.
And Santana had said it was unlikely she could be pregnant. Did that mean it was still possible? What would she do if she was? Would Sebastian take responsibility? Would she even want him to?
Sebastian hovered over her. His sneer was set as always.
"No, please." She begged. "Please, I'll do anything you want if you'll just stop."
"This is the thing I want." He laughed and entered her.
She sobbed, "Please."
"Please. Please stop." She said, thrashing in the bed.
"Hey, little sister." Penny said as she shook her awake. "Wake up, Britt. It's just a dream."
Brittany's eyes flew open and she looked around her. It took her a moment before she remembered where she was. "Penn." She breathed out.
"Yes, it's me." She put a hand on her sister's forehead. "Are you all right? You look ill."
Brittany blinked a few more times as she considered what to say. "I'm fine. I just couldn't sleep alone."
"No Santana?" she teased.
"No." She said softly. She rolled over and faced her sister. "Penn, I want to ask you something."
"What is it?"
"Have you… Have you ever had something bad happen and you were told not to tell?"
"What's wrong, Brittany?" She propped herself on her elbow. "Did something happen when you had tea with Sugar Smythe?"
"Sugar was in bed with a debilitating headache. It was just Lord Sebastian and me." She swallowed. "He..."
"Did he do something?" Penelope was becoming angry.
"Nothing. Just made me uncomfortable." She got up out of the bed.
"Brittany." Penny called. "Come back here."
"Penny, I need you to support me. In whatever I choose. Papa wants me to marry him. And I can't do that."
"Are you planning anything drastic?"
"No." She took a tentative step forward. "I'll be all right."
"I know you will be. You're the stronger of the two of us." She smiled and held out her hand. "It's still early."
"I can't go back to sleep, Penn."
"Well, I'm going back to sleep." She plopped back down on the bed and rolled away.
Brittany climbed back in with her. "Penny?"
"Yes?"
"Do you think there's a way I can be with Santana?"
Penny rolled over and looked at her sister. "If I run away with Noah, you can come with us."
"Are you going to run away with him?"
"I don't know yet. I don't even know if he cares for me more than the girl he's sleeping with."
"What do you feel for him?"
"I think I love him." She smiled. "And what of Santana?"
"I don't know if I love her, but I do care a great deal for her. And she seems to feel the same for me."
"Then we'll all run away and hide."
"Whatever will get me away from Sebastian."
"Is he that horrible?"
"Penny, he raped me!" She blurted. "Are you still going to ask if he's 'that horrible'?"
"I just thought he made you uncomfortable." She was flabbergasted. "Oh, god. We have to say something."
"We can't. He said he'd have at least five men who would say I seduced them."
"But we have to say something—"
"No, Penelope. Promise me you won't say anything."
"I promise. And if you want, I'll cut Sebastian's dick off."
Brittany smiled. "Let's not go that far."
"Is death too good for him?"
"Yes."
"Then something in between castration and death. I'll have to think about it."
"Well, you, Santana, and I will have to put all our thoughts into it." She yawned.
"Get some sleep."
She nodded and rolled over. It took a while before she was able to get back to sleep as she considered her sister's comments.