Santana pulled away. Her head spun and she was certain it was not because of drinking. She stared at Brittany who slumbered on obliviously. Her face grew hot and she stood up quickly. The sudden elevation caused her to sway in place and she lost her balance, toppling backwards and crashing into the wall. Her hand lashed out, trying to find something to grab onto but instead, she toppled a small white vase which fell onto the ground and shattered.
Brittany woke with a start. She looked around for the source of the noise. When she saw Santana, she got up quickly.
"Miss!" She exclaimed. "Are you alright?" Had Brittany been completely awake, she would've had her senses about her. Instead, she reached out and touched Santana's arm as if they were equals, as if they were friends. Santana flinched at the touch. It sparked something deep inside her and her stomach lurched.
"I don't feel well. It must be the wine." Santana said as she made a move to the door. Brittany, still not thinking clearly, grabbed Santana's hand. Santana pushed her away. "Don't touch me!" Brittany stumbled back and fell onto the bed. Santana barely muttered an apology before taking off. On her way out, she nearly bumped into Quinn, who had just entered the room after hearing the vase break. Santana couldn't meet her eyes and she brushed past her and ran down the stairs. Brittany walked out as if she meant to follow Santana but stopped when she saw Quinn.
"What on earth happened?" Quinn demanded.
"I'm sorry, miss." Brittany bowed, thinking she was angry about the vase. "It was my fault. I was clumsy-"
"I meant with Santana." Quinn corrected. Brittany looked over her shoulder at the open door. She shifted impatiently. "Answer me."
"I don't know, miss, I swear. Please, she said she felt sick. I need to-"
"You are not her servant anymore!" Quinn snapped. "You'll do well to remember that." Quinn gritted her teeth in frustration. The look on Santana's face was not a happy one. If anything happened to sabotage Santana's feelings towards Brittany, then her plan was over. She needed to have Santana agree to their deal as soon as possible. The quicker Santana broke it off with the Prince, the faster she could swoop in and take her rightful place.
"Did you say anything to make her unhappy?" Quinn asked. Brittany shook her head.
"No, miss, I swear! I asked if she felt alright and she ran out." Sensing that Brittany really hadn't done anything, Quinn turned around and chased after Santana. Something must've happened in that short interval between Santana leaving the dining table and Quinn running into her. If anything happened to their friendship...
"Nothing happened, it's all a misunderstanding." Quinn muttered to herself as she stormed out of the room. But she couldn't get over the look on Santana's face. It seemed as though she'd been crying, as if Brittany had hurt her in some inexplicable way. But she knew Brittany wasn't lying. Brittany couldn't hurt Santana if she tried.
Downstairs, the Lopez and Fabrays were finishing up dinner when Santana took her place beside her mother. Her mother shot her a dirty look and whispered something Santana didn't bother to hear. She took a deep breath in and vowed to get through the rest of the night. She didn't dare go back up to the room and she prayed that Brittany would not make her way down. Quinn joined them shortly after, sitting down opposite to Santana. She eyed the young Miss Lopez with intensity, trying to discern what it was that Brittany had said or done, or what effect it had on her. But Santana put up her walls and Quinn could not see through her facade.
By the time the Lopez family was ready to leave, Quinn still hadn't received an answer from Santana regarding her proposed deal. She discreetly clenched her fist in anticipation as the Duke, Duchess and Santana walked towards the main doors, preparing to leave. Quinn walked beside Santana and glanced at her.
"Did you make a decision?" Quinn asked. She looked over. To her surprise, it looked as though Santana was ready to burst into tears. Her eyes shone and her entire jaw tightened in an effort not to cry and Quinn saw it. What in God's name did Brittany do? She thought angrily.
"Well, Marquess, it's been a pleasure, as always." The Duke said, clapping a hand on the shoulder of his long time friend. The husbands had always been amicable. The wives much less so.
"Good evening, Duchess." Judith said through bared teeth.
"To you as well." The Duchess replied. Their farewell sent shivers up everyone's spine. Quinn began panicking. She had to get Santana to agree before the shock wore off. Once it did, she was certain that Santana would see the folly in choosing a servant over a prince. She looked up at Santana's mother.
"Does Santana have any time to meet me for lunch tomorrow?"
"But darling." Judith said. "You've barely parted and you're making plans so soon?"
"I didn't get to talk with Santana as much as I would've liked." Quinn said with a smile. "Isn't that right, Santana?" Santana nodded dumbly, which served to reassure Quinn that all was well.
"I suppose it's alright." Judith said.
"Santana is very behind in all of her studies. I'm afraid she simply doesn't have the time." The Duchess interjected.
"Come now, darling." The Duke guffawed, his mirth a product of the wine and good company. "Let the children have their fun! They grow up far too quickly. Let them have their lunch, I'm sure missing one lesson won't hurt." Not one to defy her husband in such company, the Duchess smiled a thin lipped smile.
"Very well." She said, nodding. Quinn pulled Santana in for a hug, pretending that it was because of their close relationship. However, it was merely an opportunity for her to threaten Santana one more time that night.
"You know my offer won't last." She whispered. "Make your decision by tomorrow, or else I will make it for you." Santana just felt numb and though she wanted to slap Quinn, she couldn't bring herself to do it. Her whole body felt drained and all she wanted to do was return home and fall asleep. Quinn pulled herself away and studied Santana's face. Her expression was conflicted and it was enough to satisfy Quinn. If Brittany really had said or done something, Santana would've outright rejected her offer. It looked as though she was seriously contemplating it. Quinn smirked.
"I hope to see you soon." She said sweetly. Santana nodded in silence and her mother, embarrassed by Santana's rude behavior, ushered her out of the house and into the carriage before she disgraced the family. Once inside, she launched into a tirade that Santana ignored the whole way. All she could think about was the way she pressed her lips against Brittany's, the strength in Brittany's hand when she gripped Santana's and most of all how it felt to be around her again. She stared out the window blankly, the brief few seconds before, during and after the kiss playing over and over in her mind while her mother rambled on.
From Quinn's open window, Brittany looked out, taking care not to be seen by the two families. She watched Santana get into the carriage and she felt in her gut that something was wrong with her former Mistress. The way she rushed off, how she yelled at Brittany, all of it felt wrong somehow. She bit her lip and brushed back her hair as it flew wildly in the evening window. The motion caught the eye of the carriage driver, whose eyes shone with recognition. Brittany ducked back inside even though she knew it was too late. Someone had seen her and knew who she was. She only prayed that nothing bad would come of it.
She quickly walked back into her room and lay down in her bed and pretended to sleep. No doubt Quinn blamed her for Santana's sudden change in demeanor. If she closed her eyes and pretended that she was slumbering, perhaps Quinn would let her alone. But Quinn stormed in.
"What on earth did you do to her? She was not the same when she left this room!" Quinn demanded. She pulled Brittany up and Brittany trembled. Her new Mistress was far more frightening than her old.
"Miss...you must believe me. I didn't..."
"I don't want to hear it. You'll get no supper tonight. I want you to think about whatever it is that you did to her. You almost cost my my whole plan-" Quinn stopped and Brittany looked at her, expecting her to go on. "Never mind. Continue sleeping. Don't think I won't punish you further if it happens again." She slammed the door on her way out and Brittany heard the chilling click of the lock being turned. She lay back down, resting her head on her arm as she stared blankly at the wall. Hunger was the least of her worries.
Santana couldn't remember clearly how she wound up in bed. All she knew was that they had somehow gotten back to the estate, she'd slipped into her nightgown and lay in the dark. She couldn't even recall if she had undressed herself or if a servant helped her. Her thoughts were filled with images of Brittany. It had been a mistake, she desperately and futilely tried to convince herself. The wine had made her kiss Brittany. But not a single cell in her body believed that.
Whatever Brittany meant to her, it was more than just a master-servant dynamic. Santana didn't know what she wanted, whether it was because Brittany was the only person she'd ever felt so connected to. In her world where any "friend" was just as likely to push you off a cliff as invite you to her birthday party, Brittany was Santana's only confidante. Brittany had seen her at her worst and she had always been there with a smile on her face and an encouraging word on her tongue. Brittany made Santana feel like none of the nobility mattered. Money had served its purpose; to bring Brittany into Santana's life. And once she was in, Santana couldn't remove her if she tried.
"God help me." Santana whispered as she drew her knees up to her chest. The darkness and humidity pressed down on her and she struggled to breathe through the quiet sobs that took over her body. The memory of Brittany lingered around her and she found herself groping the air as if trying to grasp her former servant's hand for strength. "God help me." She repeated over and over again.
She had to choose. Quinn would not wait long. Santana wanted a mother who would somehow, through either sorcery or maternal instinct hear her silent conflict and rush into her room. She wanted her mother to hold her while her heart wrenched in two directions. She wanted a mother to brush her hair back and tell her that what she was feeling was normal, even though it wasn't. It wasn't socially acceptable to feel anything towards someone of lower class and it certainly wasn't morally acceptable for her to feel anything towards another girl.
"Brittany." Santana whispered and the darkness swept away the name so no one around her could hear the longing and anguish in her voice.
Puck was stabling the horses for the night. He was leading them into the stalls and the carriage driver hung his hat on the inside of the stable.
"I'll never understand these nobles." The carriage driver said. Puck ignored him. He always complained whenever he had to stay out late. "Oh, Puck!" Puck groaned aloud and turned around. He just wanted to get to bed. He'd been chased around all day by the stable master and he was sore all over from his beatings.
"I saw Brittany." If Puck had been tired before, he was wide awake after that statement. His eyes went wide and he stumbled. The carriage driver smiled widely at the reaction.
"W-Where?" Puck stammered.
"You've taken a liking to her, haven't you, boy?" The carriage driver teased. Puck blushed and looked down at his feet in embarrassment when he laughed. "It was hardly a glimpse, but I saw her staring out of the window as we were leaving."
"And you're sure you didn't make a mistake?" Puck asked.
"Of course not! It's hard to forget a pretty face like hers." He replied. "But I'm sure you already knew that." He winked and Puck closed the last of the stall doors. His thoughts wandered as he absentmindedly went about his business. He recalled when Quinn Fabray had stopped him and asked if he knew where Brittany was. Then Quinn appeared the next day asking for the carriage driver. Quinn had obviously found Brittany, but to what end?
That last thought soon disappeared when Puck realized he could see Brittany again. He broke into a grin as he flopped down on his small bed on the second floor of the stable. He stared out of the window at the stars.
"Brittany." He whispered. He had to go visit her, he had to see her again. He let out a long sigh of relief and content before falling fast asleep.
When Santana awoke the next morning, here eyes were puffy from having cried all night. She had only fallen asleep in the morning hours. It seemed like she'd just closed her eyes when she opened them again. She grasped at the threads of memories from the previous night. While everything else remained unclear, she could vividly picture the kiss and she let out a small sob when she realized that it wasn't a dream. The pain didn't leave her chest and she began crying again.
"Santana, what on earth are you doing still in bed?" Santana's mother opened the door and walked in. Santana did her best to try and wipe the tears away but her mother caught her as she sniffed and turned her head to the side. "Santana, what's going on here?"
"Nothing, mother." Santana said acidly. "Nothing that would concern you anyway." Had she looked at her mother, she would've seen a brief instant of concern flash across her face but when Santana looked back, she only saw the judgmental face of a Duchess who was dealing with an irritating daughter.
"Well, if it's nothing then you should be up already. You're going to be late for your lunch with the Fabray girl." Disapproval filled her voice to the brim but she wasn't going to argue when her daughter wanted to build relations with the second most powerful family. Santana knew this and Quinn knew this. It was precisely why, if she agreed to Quinn's deal, she would be able to see Brittany almost as often as she liked.
"Very well, mother." Santana slid out of bed and her mother left the room. Santana listened for footsteps but she didn't hear any. Her mother was probably waiting for her outside the room. Santana went to her dresser to retrieve clothes for the day. Getting dressed without Brittany was still a strange feeling for Santana. She could do it by herself but she'd grown so accustomed to Brittany being there and tying her ribbons or pulling the dress up just right that even Santana's own hands felt foreign. Santana sat down in front of the mirror and looked at herself. She was a mess without Brittany. She needed her and that need frightened her. She knew it was wrong in more ways than she could count. Brittany was a pauper, hardly worth a second of her time. Furthermore, the kiss was a sin in the eyes of the church. She knew what her religion preached. She knew the rules and she had broken every single one of them.
"No." She whispered to herself. "It was a mistake. I'm not..." But she couldn't finish the sentence. She wanted to say I'm not in love with her but the words got caught up in her throat and she hiccuped instead. She cleared her throat and tried again. "I'm not in love with her. I can't be."
"Have you truly forgotten how to dress yourself?" Her mother called from outside. Santana steadied herself.
"Brittany is nothing but a peasant." She said firmly. "And I am in line to marry a prince. Only a fool would choose her over the Prince." She stood up. "I will go to Quinn and I will tell her that I do not accept that deal. I would be mad to do so." She walked out the door and her mother frowned.
"There you are. We are already late."
"My apologies, mother." Santana said courteously. The tone in her voice surprised the Duchess. It was her old daughter again. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Was this just another game Santana was playing?
"Then let us hurry." Her mother said, studying her daughter. She could feel the icy demeanor emanating from Santana. It was one she recognized for she radiated the same. A satisfied smile spread across her face and she nodded in approval. This was the Santana she raised. This was the Santana who was going to attend a lunch with the Fabray girl and reassert her position over her. This was the Santana she raised. Santana walked ahead of the Duchess while her mother smirked. It was time to get to work.
As the Duchess, Duke and Santana approached the front entrance, the stable master ran up to them, panting heavily. The Duchess eyed him warily.
"Duke, it's Puck."
"Oh for heaven's sake what has he done this time?" The Duke demanded furiously.
"He's gone and taken one of the horses again." The stable master said. "I haven't seem him or the beast anywhere."
"We're going to be late, dear." The Duchess pointed out. The Duke scratched his beard and shook his head.
"He's always been a troublemaker, that one. But his antics are more often than not harmless. He will return in time. You will see to it that he gets punished."
"Yes sir. I'll give him a beating so hard his mother will-" He stopped, realizing the company he was in. "Yes, sir, I will see to it."
"Very good. Carry on." The Duke waited until the two women were in the carriage before going in himself. The stable master cursed under his breath as they rode away. Where on earth was that idiot boy?
Brittany did her best to suppress a yawn but the Fabray family was far too boring for her tastes. Most of the time, Quinn kept her busy with the other servants. She stayed inconspicuous. Quinn feared that someone would recognize her and tell the Lopez family. In reality, though most of the court knew that Santana had a personal servant, none of them really knew what she looked like. But Quinn played it safe. It was always smart not to sabotage her winning hand.
On this particular day, however, Quinn told her to stay in her small room. Brittany wasn't used to idling for hours on end. Back at the Lopez estate, Santana was always shuffling from one place to another, and she would always be on her toes trying to keep her Mistress happy. Being with Santana gave her purpose. Being with Quinn meant a lot of sitting in her room doing nothing.
Just as she was about to nod off in boredom, Quinn barged into her room. She launched herself out of bed and stood at attention.
"Brittany, the Lopez family will be here any minute." Quinn said. Hearing that name made Brittany's heart skip a beat and she couldn't force a smile down. She looked down, slightly embarrassed. It must've been very obvious that she preferred the Lopez family to the Fabrays and she wondered if Quinn was going to reprimand her for showing it. But Quinn did not.
"Whatever you said or did to Santana to make her upset, it must not happen again, do you understand?" She asked.
"No, Miss." Brittany replied, confused. "I honestly don't know what I did or said. I simply woke up and she was already upset. I swear I don't know what happened."
"Well whatever it was, don't do it again." Quinn replied. Brittany bowed and Quinn left the room again. She sat down on the bed and pouted. She had no idea what on earth happened to make Santana act the way she did. From their initial meeting, it seemed like Santana was overjoyed to see Brittany. But that last encounter, Santana appeared troubled and sad, angry even. Brittany understood that it was out of line for her to grab Santana's hand like she did, but Santana had never yelled at her like that before. She'd never recoiled from her so violently. It was as if the touch were painful to her former Mistress. Brittany racked her brain trying to figure out what it was that happened before she awoke but she couldn't recall anything. All she remembered was waking up to the sound of the vase breaking and finding Santana backed against the wall.
"Mistress, what happened to you...?" She wondered aloud. Perhaps today she could find out. Santana was surely coming back here to meet with Quinn and if that was the case, then there was also a chance that Brittany could speak privately to her, find out what was on her mind.
"No!" Brittany hissed. "What on earth am I thinking? I have no right to ask that question." She hit herself in the head lightly. She needed to start seeing Santana as a noblewoman. She was no longer her servant. Whatever bond they had was severed, Brittany tried to reason. She needed to act appropriately.
A soft knock on the window startled Brittany and she jumped when she saw a hand rapping on the panel. She walked over and opened it.
"Brittany!" It was Puck.
"Puck!" Brittany exclaimed. The boy had somehow scaled the vines and stones on the wall up to where her room was. It was no easy feat. Any mishap and Puck could well fall and break his neck. Brittany grabbed his hand and pulled him into the room. He landed on the floor with a resounding thud.
"What on earth are you doing here? How did you find me?" Brittany demanded.
"The carriage driver told me you were here. I stole one of the Duke's horses and rode here early this morning. No doubt I'll get a lashing for that. The servants told me you were in this room and, well, the wall couldn't keep me away." He got to his feet and put his hands on Brittany's shoulders. He stared at her, taking in the fact that she really was in front of him.
"Puck..."
"I've missed you." He said, embracing her. She returned the gesture. Seeing Puck brought back a multitude of feelings. It was good to see a familiar face again. At the same time, the last time they were together, Puck had expressed his desire for something deeper than friendship. It left Brittany conflicted and seeing him now did not alleviate such feelings. He pulled away and looked her in the eyes. He leaned down to kiss her and Brittany closed her eyes, expecting it.
"Brittany, I hope you are decent!" Quinn called.
"Damn!" Puck scrambled out the window. Brittany closed it just as the door opened. Quinn walked in and raised an eyebrow when she saw her over by the window, obviously panicked.
"What on earth are you doing?"
"Opening the window, Miss. It's stuffy in here." She opened it again and smiled, doing her best to hide the fact that Puck was still hanging off the window ledge.
"Well, whatever it is, be ready. The Lopez family will be here any minute."
"What am I to do?" Brittany asked.
"I haven't decided that yet. Just be ready." Quinn said. Once she left the room, Brittany hoisted Puck back through the window. He laughed a little.
"I'd better go before things get too dangerous for me. Although going back won't be any less so, what with the stable master out for my blood." He joked. Brittany smiled.
"Take care, Puck." She said. "It was wonderful seeing you, seeing your face." She reached out and gently stroked his cheek. Puck leaned down again and this time kissed her without interruption. Brittany kissed back, looping her arm around the back of his neck.
"I don't know when I'll see you again." Puck whispered. "Probably when I can walk again."
"Tell the stable master I told him to go easy on you." Brittany said. Puck kissed her once again on the lips before letting her go. He clambered out of the window and Brittany leaned out to watch him descend, watching in mild disbelief as he made it to the ground. He looked up and grinned, his boyish, mischievous charm making Brittany break out into a giddy smile. It was then that she believed him. She had told her self night after night when she was younger that he played women with the skill of a master artisan at his craft. But telling one's self and believing one's self are two different matters entirely and Brittany, despite chanting that Puck was nothing but a heart breaker, innocently began liking him.
When the Lopez family arrived for the second day in two, Quinn wasn't sure what more she could do to convince Santana. When Santana stepped out of the carriage, her head held high and her expression unreadable, Quinn's heart dropped. Had she waited too long? She should've pressed the matter when she had the chance. As per usual, the three separated into the men of the family, the women and the daughters. Quinn regarded Santana quietly as they walked into the library. Santana pretended to study the books on the shelves while Quinn thought of the best way to approach the situation.
"Have you given any more thought to the matter?" Quinn asked. Santana smiled coolly and Quinn inhaled. She could feel that overnight, Santana regained her composure. Her walls were up and it was going to take much to bring them back down again. She cursed in her head. She should've made Santana choose when she was surprised. If only Brittany hadn't chased her away.
"I have." Santana replied cryptically. She eyed Quinn, daring her to ask, no, beg for an answer. Quinn could feel her previously sure plan slip away.
"I'm sure you've made the right decision." Quinn said. Santana could sense the tension in the air. Quinn was waiting for her answer and she knew what she had to do. She knew what was expected of her, what was right and what was holy.
"Then I'm sure you know what that decision is." Santana remarked. "Since you seem to know everything." Quinn knew what Santana was doing. She was forcing her Quinn to tell her that choosing a lowly servant over a Prince was the "right" decision. But by saying it aloud, she was making Quinn acknowledge just how stupid it was. Quinn's brain raced, trying to recover her quickly deteriorating plot.
"Please, tell me, dear Quinn. What would you have me say?" Santana paced the room, absently tracing her finger along the spines of the books. "Yes, Brittany was my favorite servant. But surely you can't expect me to choose her over the Prince, can you?" Santana's voice bubbled with sarcasm.
"I thought she meant more to you than just a servant." Quinn said. Santana laughed, though it was a bitter and forced laugh. She tried to ignore the pain in her chest and the voice in her head that screamed for her to choose Brittany.
"Then you're an idiot." Santana said. But she wasn't just speaking to Quinn, she was also yelling at herself for even considering Brittany. "What on earth were you thinking? Once I married the prince, I can have a thousand servants if I wish. What is one lowly peasant girl who can't even tie a ribbon correctly?" Her voice grew louder with every word and she stopped herself short of shouting. She paused. It was a lie. Brittany could tie her ribbons better than anyone in the world could. Brittany did everything correctly, perfectly. She looked up at Quinn, wondering if the other girl had caught on that she was trying to convince herself as much as she was Quinn. But the blonde girl seemed lost in her own thoughts to notice Santana almost losing her composure. Santana cleared her throat.
"To answer your question, Miss Fabray, I will be choosing Prince Fi-"
"She came back for you, you know." Quinn blurted. Santana halted in midsentence and the words gurgled in her throat. She exhaled harshly.
"What did you say?"
"Do you want to know what she said to me?" Quinn asked, her tone desperate. It was the last fight of a dying dog, but that last fight was going to be the most vicious of attacks. "She said that she wanted to see you. Do you understand that?"
"You're lying. You're simply upset because...because I am not falling for you tricks." Santana insisted.
"I am not lying, Santana. Why else do you think she would give up her family again? She did not come here to work for me, she came here to see you." Santana's legs shook and she swallowed the lump in her throat. Her eyes burned and every nerve in her body stood on end painfully. She felt like throwing up. She'd pretended to be sure. She had pretended that she didn't feel anything towards Brittany. But hearing those words, imagining Brittany's face as she said that to Quinn brought her self-protecting wall of lies crashing down around her.
"You lie." She managed again. Quinn grabbed her hand and together, they marched upstairs. Santana didn't fight the painfully tight grasp. She simply followed dumbly, processing what that meant for Brittany to want to be with her rather than her family. Without even knocking, Quinn went right into Brittany's room and practically threw Santana in front of her.
"Tell her." Quinn ordered.
"I'm sorry, Miss?" Brittany asked, startled by the sudden intrusion.
"Tell her why you agreed to work for me." Brittany paled. Her eyes darted to Santana, who glanced from the floor to her and back.
"I...I..."
"Out with it!" Quinn yelled.
"I can't..." Brittany whispered.
"Either you say it, or I will have you out of this house." Brittany bit her lip.
"I wanted...I wanted to see Mistress Santana again." She said so quietly that no one in the room properly heard her.
"Louder!" Quinn shouted.
"I wanted to see my Mistress again!" Brittany said barely any louder but Santana caught it. The room went still but it felt like her words reverberated around the words as if she had screamed it. Santana's lip trembled as the last of her resolve faded.
"Leave us for a moment." Santana requested. Quinn, sensing that somehow she'd come out on top, left immediately. Santana stared hard at Brittany.
"I'm sorry, Miss. I didn't mean to be a burden. I'm sorry, I'll leave. I've been nothing but trouble for you and this...this is unacceptable." Brittany looked around for a way to escape but Santana stood between her and the door. "I will leave at once, I belong with my family anyway. I..."
"That's enough." Santana said. She tried to quell it but warmth sprung from the pit of her stomach. Brittany wanted to see her. Brittany wanted to be with her so much so that she left her family behind and started working for Quinn Fabray. Santana bit her lip as the feelings she tried to suppress only grew with every second she thought about the meaning behind Brittany's action.
"Miss, please, I will leave immediately..."
"No!" Santana said too quickly. The urgency startled Brittany and Santana repeated it more calmly. "No."
"No, Miss?"
"Brittany, I deign myself to admit that I have missed you as well." Santana said. Her words were awkwardly formal and she coughed. "I'm happy to see you too." Brittany broke into a relieved smile.
"Miss!" She said happily.
"If you work for the Fabrays, then I can come see you." Santana said even though she knew what sacrifices needed to be made in order to do so. Brittany did not. "And I would like that very much." Brittany fought back the strong urge to hug her Mistress. She reminded herself that she was below Santana, that it was wrong. None of it could stop her body though and she reached out and embraced Santana. In the back of her mind, she marveled at how well Santana's body fit into her own and was even more surprised when Santana gently placed her hands on her back. Brittany pulled away, embarrassed by her lack of self-control.
"Pardon me, Miss, I don't know what came over me." She admitted. Santana's mind flew back to the night previous and, inevitably, the kiss. She wondered if whatever came over Brittany was the same thing that made her lean over and kiss her former servant. Just thinking about it sent her nerves alight and she knew she had to leave before that feeling compelled her to kiss Brittany again.
"If you'll excuse me." Santana said, making a motion towards the exit. Then, just before she walked out the door she turned around again. "Brittany, believe me when I say that it has made me happy to see you again." When she closed the door softly behind her, Brittany flopped down on the bed, giggling to herself. Everything seemed right again. Santana was in no way angry at her and Puck...it seemed like Puck truly liked her. She couldn't believe her own luck. To have those two wonderful people still in her life, it was more than she could've imagined after leaving. To work for Quinn Fabray was a small price to pay for it.
Outside, Quinn sat at her dresser and when Santana emerged from the room, she stood up and folded her hands. Before Quinn could open her mouth to say anything, Santana walked right past her.
"You have your damned deal, Fabray." She hissed as she walked past. "You have it." Quinn covered her smile with her mouth and she looked back at Brittany's room. No doubt that behind that door, Brittany was smiling to herself, thinking that she had gotten a friend back. But that girl had no idea the price Santana was going to pay for that friendship.