When I wake up the next morning, it's to a tickle on the side of my face. I scrunch my face up in confusion, trying to make the sudden disturbance go away without actually doing anything.

I don't want to wake up yet, not when my dreams are filled with Brittany, my girlfriend. I don't think I have ever been this happy before in my life, excluding that one time when I was six and I got a microphone for Christmas. It wasn't real or anything, but I remember being absolutely overjoyed.

I think this is better than some silly, plastic microphone though.

I feel the tickle on my face again, but this time my hand comes up to slap it away on reflex. I hear a light laugh from somewhere above me. My eyes slowly peel open, blinking away the sleep and find something you could never just dream up, right before me.

"Please don't tell me you are an early bird," I groan, but there is a soft smile playing at my lips. Brittany lowers herself at my side, running her hand across my back and placing a kiss to my shoulder.

"If you call eleven early, then guilty," she smiles at me.

It feels like it's a lot earlier than that, "well, good morning beautiful," I stretch my neck to peck her lips.

"Mmm," she hums, "morning."

I roll onto my side and snuggle into Brittany. I snake my arm underneath her head where I toy with the hair at the nape of her neck. One of her hands comes to rest on my hip bone, making lazy circles with the pads of her fingers.

I never wanna leave this bed again. I think this could work, we can just kiss and have amazing sex for the rest of our lives. I would be completely fine with that.

Seems as if nature has different plans though because as soon as the thoughts leave my mind Brittany's stomach is growling. I'm a little hungry too, but I really, really don't wanna get up.

Another few minutes pass filled with lazy kisses and gentle touches before I hear her stomach roar.

"Okay," I say, tapping her butt, "I'm gonna make you pancakes," I give her a peck on the lips. "With strawberries," I give her another peck, "and a steaming cup of coffee."

If possible her stomach growls even louder at the mention of food.

"Best. Girlfriend. Ever." She sighs before leaning in to give me a long kiss.

Just the sound of her saying girlfriend makes my stomach flip and a huge smile to stretch across my face. I grab the sides of her face and pull her closer to me until our noses are smushed together.

"Say it again," I beg her, it just sounds so good.

"Girlfriend," Brittany mumbles, bringing our mouths together for another kiss. Her tongue sneaks its way into my mouth, softly caressing mine where I can taste the bitterness of sleep.

It takes about another half hour until we actually get out of bed and into the kitchen to eat breakfast.

I go to get the griddle down to make a batch of pancakes, stretching my body as much as I can, but I can't reach it.

"Need some help?" Brittany asks from behind me, sliding her hands under the hem of my shirt, snaking them around to the front to rest on my stomach. I turn around in her embrace and nuzzle my face into her neck. Brittany keeps her arms wrapped around me, holding me close to her body.

Brittany seriously has the best scent in the whole world. I have never smelled anything so wonderfully perfect and warm and peaceful in my entire life. I get the strangest sense of relaxation whenever I breathe her in.

She is the world's greatest drug.

Brittany reaches up and over me to get the griddle that is sitting on top of the cabinets. She reaches it with ease and sets it down behind me on the counter.
"Thank you," I mumble into her. I take in one last big breath, savoring in her sweet smell before I push away from her body.

"How many do you want?" I walk over to the pantry to get some ingredients.

"I'm so hungry," she groans, dropping her head to the counter. We didn't exactly finish our dinner last night because we kind of got distracted, so I can only imagine how hungry she is. Well, I am hungry too so I guess I know how she feels.

Brittany walks over to the sink and looks out the window. "It looks like it's going to storm," she says wearily.

I turn my head a little to see that she is still looking out of the window with a worried expression.

"You're not afraid of storms are you?" I ask lightly, a little teasing lacing my tone.

"Only when it gets really bad," she admits.

"Well," I saunter over to Brittany, grabbing her by the waist. "I can protect you," I assure her, "or at the very least, I can distract you," I wink.

Brittany shakes her head at me and goes to sit at the table. I walk back over to the griddle to keep making our pancakes. While the next stack is cooking, I grab some whip cream and strawberries from the refrigerator and some syrup.

"How's your mom doing?" I call over my shoulder.

Brittany has her head resting in her hands when I look over to her. "She is doing okay," she tells me. "I think she is just really tired, but she is really excited to see everyone for thanksgiving."

Holiday season.

Great.

I have always hated Holiday season. It's just a sad reminder that things aren't the way they used to be.

"Oh, you are going home for thanksgiving?" I ask her, trying not to sound too disappointed at the prospect of not seeing Brittany for a while.
We just started dating and I don't know what the protocol is for family events. Do we spend the holidays together? Or do we do our own thing? I just don't know.

"Yeah," she says and I feel my shoulders fall slightly. "Thanksgiving is the holiday for my family. My mom and dad cook a huge meal and the whole family comes over to my house." A minute later she adds, "are you not going back to Ohio for thanksgiving?"

I turn back to the pancakes to take them off the griddle, "uh- no. We kind of do our own thing here- Rachel, Quinn and I," I tell her. "Too expensive to go back home," that's half the truth.

It is really expensive, but I leave out the part where I don't go back because I'm afraid to go back, even now after talking to my dad and sister again. They are just one piece of the puzzle. There is still the whole other side to the Lopez family.

"Ah," Brittany nods. "Well, what about Christmas?" She asks, a little hope in her voice.

"Um-" I start. I haven't been home for Christmas since I left for college. I'm kind of a sad sack on Christmas. I am usually alone because Rachel and Quinn go home for a week or two. I just stay here and mope around.

But I am trying to reconnect with them and I have to start somewhere. Maybe going home for Christmas won't be such a terrible thing.

"I only ask because Christmas is my favorite Holiday. And uh- I kind of stay home for three weeks," she says looking down to the table.
Three weeks?

Damn.

"I don't know," I say honestly. I haven't even thought about that yet.

She doesn't ask again, so I figure she has moved on from that question, at least for now.

I walk to the table with two plates and set one in front of Brittany.

"God this smells amazing," she sighs.

I hand the bottle of syrup to her. She drowns her pancakes in it before she hands the bottle back to me. I take it from her and make a little pool of syrup off to the side.

Brittany stares at me with her mouth hanging open, "what?"

"What is that?" She motions to my plate.

I furrow my brows together, not understanding what she is talking about.

"My food?"

"You don't like syrup?" She asks.

My eyes squint together, "I do," I say carefully and point to the spot on my plate where there is a pool of syrup. "I just don't like it as much as you apparently," I joke.

Brittany grabs the can if whip cream, shaking it for a moment before she opens it and draws a smiley face on her pancakes. "It's my fourth favorite topping," she tells me.

"Your fourth?"

"Uh-huh," she plops a strawberry into her mouth. "First is sprinkles, then chocolate chips, then pepperoni and then syrup."

"You have some sweet tooth," I laugh.

She just shrugs in response.

We eat our breakfast together in relative peace, trading shy glances every so often. I have the warmest feeling in the pit of my stomach right now.
All of this is so unreal.

/

"Do you have anything to do today?" Brittany asks while we are laying on the couch.

I think we both over estimated how hungry we were and ate way too much food.

"Nope," I say happily.

"Me either," Brittany says, bringing her arm up to sling across my shoulders where she pulls me into her side. "So, what do girlfriends do when they both don't have anything to do?" She asks, tapping on her chin.

"They let their food digest before they do anything too crazy," I groan, holding my stomach.

"I told you to stop after the fifth pancake," she reminds me. They were just so good, I couldn't.

"Yeah, yeah" I mumble, nuzzling my face in her neck.

I hear the soft patter of rain as it hits the window just off to our sides. I look out the window and see that it has gotten considerably darker than it was a few minutes ago.

"We could go play in the rain," Brittany suggests.

I turn back to face her and look at her with my eyebrows furrowed together. "You want to play in the rain?" I deadpan, still not wanting to move.
"I like the rain," she tries to reason.

"But it's cold out there," I say, wrapping my arms around her middle and pulling. "And it's so warm in here," I husk, grabbing a fistful of her t-shirt (which is actually my t-shirt).

Brittany looks down at me, her brows furrowed together like she is trying to decide if she wants to stay in or go out. It's so adorable that I find myself pushing off the couch and holding my hand out for her to take. She looks at me, the tiniest smile playing at her lips. I roll my eyes playfully at her as she grabs hold of my hand and gets up off the couch.

Brittany opens up the screen door that leads to the very tiny porch we have. She walks out into the rain and looks up at the sky. I stand in the doorway watching her for a few moments before she notices that I haven't joined her and she turns around.

"You coming?" She asks.

"Yeah," I tell her, but still don't move. My body shivers just thinking about the rain. I reach out my hand to feel the rain drops and, just as I suspected, it's freezing. Brittany grabs my hand and pulls me forward, my body crashing into hers in the process. She wraps me up in her arms.

"How are you not cold?" I say, my teeth chattering. I reach back with one of my arms and close the door behind me.

"I was born in Ohio," she states, shrugging her shoulders slightly.

"So was I?" I say as a question because I don't really know how that makes you immune to the cold. If anything, Ohio made me hate he cold.

"I don't know, maybe I'm just warm-blooded." She says, rubbing her hands up and down my arms to keep me warm. "I've always wanted to dance in the rain," she says after a few moments.

"Yeah?" I ask, my face still squished into her chest.

"Mhm," she answers and starts swaying back and forth.

"This isn't dancing," I mumble into her chest, trying to stay as close as possible so I don't freeze to death.

"Sure it is," she counters. Brittany wraps me up in her arms again, so that I am almost completely covered by her body.

I look up to her face and see the tiny raindrops rolling down her skin. I reach my hand up between our bodies and wipe away a few drops from her lips, my thumb smoothing over her bottom one.

Just as I am about to lean up and kiss her, it starts pouring down rain. I jump back a little in surprise.

"Can we go back in now," I shout, trying to cover myself from the pelting rain.

Brittany laughs, but nods her head.

I turn to open the door, but its stuck and it won't open. I let out a groan of frustration as I try to pull it open again and again, all the while Brittany is laughing from behind me.

"What's so funny?" I call over my shoulder, still trying to open the damn door. "I hate getting wet," I huff.

I feel Brittany's arms slide around my waist and her warm breath is hitting my skin as she whispers, "you didn't mind it last night," into my ear.

I feel my whole body shiver, but now it's for a completely different reason.

She reaches around me and slides the door open with ease. I look to her with a questioning look, but she just shrugs her shoulders at me.

"I honestly don't know why that worked."

"Come on," I pull her inside with me.

It's even colder in here because the fan in the living room is on, so I make a bee line to the wall to flip the switch off. I stand there in the corner, curling into myself to try and get warm, but I'm still freezing.

"We should probably change clothes," I turn to Brittany, who is also shivering now.

"Yeah," she agrees, her teeth chattering a little.

When we get into my room, I immediately pull my shirt over my head and toss it to the floor. I pull out two sweatshirts from my closet and toss one over to Brittany. The rain soaked all the way through to my bra, so I remove that too before I pull the sweatshirt over my head. I find a pair of sweatpants and throw those to Brittany as well.

We go back to the living room where we huddle together on the couch again.

"Okay, maybe that wasn't such a good idea," Brittany says, her body still shivering as she huddles closer to me.

As the first roll of thunder sounds through the apartment, I feel Brittany's body tense next to mine, but then a second later she is fine.

A few minutes past with nothing happening, but then I look out the window in the living room and see a huge flash of lightning. Not second later there is a huge boom.

"That was a big one," I laugh a little, though when I look up to Brittany I see that she has her eyes pinched shut.

"I'll be right back," Brittany shoots up off the couch and sprints into my bedroom.

She comes back a second later carrying my comforter in her arms. She sits down, wrapping the blanket around her body until all I can see is her eyes.
I sit there for a moment, inwardly laughing at how adorable she is being. The silence must get to her because she turns her entire body so she can look at me because she can't just turn her head.

"What?" She asks, her voice hushed by the covers.

"Are you gonna let me in your fort?" I ask in a serious voice.

"No," she scoffs and after she struggles a minute to get her arms free, she opens up the blanket and invites me in. I scootch over to her, her arms coming to wrap around me in the process. "I was just making sure it was safe."

"Right," I draw out, but I lean in to give Brittany a quick kiss.

When I start to pull away from the kiss, Brittany follows me, so our lips never break apart. Her hand comes up to tangle in the back of my hair, pulling me back in deeper. I shiver, despite the fact that I'm am no longer cold.

When she finally pulls away, I find myself breathless, like I always am whenever she is around. Just her presence makes me stop and marvel at everything she is.

Brittany takes my hand in hers and starts toying with my fingers. I lay my head down on her chest and get lost in her warmth and the sound of her heart. It doesn't take long for my eyes to fall shut and my breathing to even out.

Right when I am about to fall asleep, I hear another crash of thunder. I actually feel it shake the apartment too.

Brittany and I both sit up in the same instant.

"I guess the power went out," I tell her as I look around the apartment and see that there are no lights on. I look over to her and see that her chest is rising and falling rapidly, but the look on her face is calm. I guess the noise just startled her. "I'm going to go find some candles," I tell her, getting up from the couch and walking to the kitchen.

I check all the drawers, wishing I was listening to Quinn when she told me where she kept everything. I eventually find them and head to my room to get two candles.

When I come back, Brittany is curled up in the blanket again only this time she is laying down. I light the candles and go to lay next to Brittany again.

"You made it back," she sighs dramatically, wrapping my up in a crushing embrace.

"Yeah," I laugh, "just barely though."

Another crash rings through the apartment and Brittany tightens her arms around me.

"Santana?" She says.

"Hmm?"

"I'm gonna need you to distract me now."

I lean back from Brittany to better look at her face, my hand coming up to her cheek to smooth across the soft skin. I swallow thickly, as I lean in to kiss her. I grab the top of the cover and pull it over our heads.

"There," I say throatily, "now you can't tell the power is out."

Brittany moves her hand underneath my shirt and smooths it across my flesh. It's a simple gesture, but it sends a shock of electricity through my body.
"No, I can't," Brittany says just as breathless. "But I still need you to distract me," she says suggestively, swirling her fingertip around my bellybutton.

"Oh," I breathe out, finally understanding what she means. "I can do that," I say as I start to unzip her hoodie. I grab the draw strings and run them between Brittany's breasts, causing her to let out a giggle.

"What are you doing?" She laughs.

I don't answer. I just drop the stings and replace it with my fingertips, until my hands are cupping her breasts. Brittany lets out a shaky breath at the contact. Her breathing gets hotter and heavier when my thumbs brush across her already stiff nipples and as I pinch them between my fingers, she starts rolling her hips into me.

It gets so hot under the cover, to the point where it feels like we are going to run out of air, but I can't pull the cover back, that's half the fun.

I bring our mouths together. My tongue is immediately met by Brittany's as she continues to grind against my leg. I can taste the sweet taste of strawberries and syrup on her tongue, as she licks into my mouth. My hands squeeze her breasts when she slips her leg in between mine, hitting my center in the process.
I didn't even realize how turned on I was until now, just from touching her and hearing her soft grunts.

"Touch me," Brittany finally moans out. I don't need to be told twice.

I slide my hand down her stomach, flattening it out so I can push past the waist band of her sweat pants and go straight to where she needs me. Brittany is now grinding into my hand, her face buried in my neck as she bites down on my skin. It stings a little, but I could really care less right now. Brittany's breathing gets shallower and it doesn't take long for her body to tense up and then relax, letting out a tiny squeak in the process.

After she catches her breath, I pull the covers off of our heads, the rush of cold air feeling so refreshing.

/

When six o clock rolls around, the lights still aren't on.

Brittany and I have been laying on the couch for the past two hours, doing absolutely nothing.

"Can I let you in on a little secret," Brittany breaks the silence, while running her fingers through my hair. I prop my head up on my elbow and nod. "I'm not really afraid of storms," she admits.

I scoff and lightly push her shoulder. "Jerk," I say, though I don't really mean it.

"Aww, baby I'm sorry," she says trying to pull me closer and pepper kisses across my face, but I push back though I can't help the way my heart skips a beat when she calls me baby or the bubble of laughter that escapes my throat. "I just wanted a reason to be close to you all day," she says through a pout.
I roll onto my back and fold my arms across my chest.

"I'm sorry," she says, grabbing one of my hands and bringing it up to her lips to kiss across my knuckles. "I won't do it again," she promises. I turn my head to see her batting her eyes at me. "and you were a really good distraction," she husks.

All I can do is let out a loud sigh before I have to roll over and kiss that look off of Brittany's face. It's seriously ridiculous how fast she can change my mood.
A soft smile is playing at her lips when I pull back from the kiss. Brittany looks nervous all of the sudden, the playful atmosphere from before is gone and its replaced with something more serious.

I sneak my hand under the hem of Brittany's shirt, lightly scratching her back. Brittany's eyes flutter at my touch, but then she is staring right back into mine with an unsure expression.

"I know we have only been dating less than twenty four hours," she starts, her voice quivering a little. "But I would love it if we could spend Christmas together in Lima. My family would love you and I really want everyone to meet you," she swallows and looks down. "If it's too much too fast you don't have to. Christmas is my favorite holiday and it would be a million times better if I had my favorite person with me too."

I would love to be with Brittany on Christmas. Being here would be easier though, away from everyone's judging eyes and questioning stares. Families can be brutal. I don't want to lie to people and say that we aren't together because that seems like it would be a step back, but at the same time can I handle telling my family, well at least my dad and sister?

At Christmas?

It could go horribly wrong and they could hate me and banish me from Christmas dinner.

But if no one asks it technically wouldn't be lying and maybe I can find the right time to tell them, like after Christmas when they can't banish me from Christmas dinner.

I can do this. I've done scarier things than spend a Holiday with my family.

"Okay," I say in a small voice.

"Okay?"

"Yeah," I say with more confidence.

Even if something does go horribly wrong, the smile on Brittany's face right now makes it worth it.

/

Quinn enters the apartment a few minutes later. Apparently it has stopped raining. That or Quinn is some sort of wizard who repels wetness.
Or she could have an umbrella.

"Is the storm over?" Brittany asks just as a flash of lightning illuminates the room. "Guess not," she mumbles only loud enough for me to hear. I give her a small smile.

"Did you leave Rachel at her apartment in the dark?" Not that I care or anything.

"No," Quinn sighs. "She's coming. She just had to talk with the homeless woman who lives around the corner."

"Mrs. Avery?" I ask.

"Yep." Quinn shrugs off her coat and throws it across one of the chairs in the kitchen.

Just then Rachel enters the apartment soaking wet and shivering with no coat on, her hair matted down to her head and her clothes sticking to her body.
"What happened to you?" I laugh.

Rachel walk over to the sink to turn on the tap, waiting until the water gets warm to run her hands under it. "I gave my coat and umbrella to Mrs. Avery, she needed it more than me." She turns back to Quinn. "Can I borrow some clothes?"

"Yeah, sure," Quinn says and then they both disappear down the hallway.

While they are gone, I take this opportunity to give Brittany a few kisses, seeing as we probably won't be alone for a few hours. Brittany must have the same idea because we both lean in at the same time, causing our lips to crash together harder than anticipated. We both let out a nervous laugh, with Brittany bringing her hand up to my cheek to guide our mouths back together more gently than before.

We kiss soft and slow, our mouths working together so perfectly. Brittany's thigh pushes up in between my legs, hitting my still sensitive core, causing me to jerk forward a little.

"Sorry," she mumbles into my mouth.

I just let out a sigh in response.

Damn Quinn and Rachel, if they weren't here...

Deciding that we should probably stop before we get carried away, I break the kiss and rest my forehead against Brittany's. "A word of warning," I say finally. "We are probably going to be forced to play a board game."

"Why?" Brittany lets out through an airy chuckle and the sound makes my heart skip a beat in my chest.

"Well, last time this happened, we played Pictionary for three hours, so just- be prepared."

Rachel and Quinn come back into the living room a few minutes later. Rachel is dressed in Quinn's sweat pants and a t-shirt with a towel wrapped around her hair. And, like I said, she is carrying a board game. Quinn brought a few more candles with her. She goes to set them on the end tables and lights them.

Rachel sets the game down on the coffee table, where I immediately pick it up to see what the hell we are playing this time.

I groan when I read the title.

"A Broadway board game? Really?" I ask, leaning into Brittany's side, burying my face in her shoulder.

"It's that or Monopoly," she says.

"No! No monopoly!" I exclaim. Last time we played monopoly, things didn't end well and Quinn and I didn't speak for three whole days. It ended with me flipping the board off the table. It wasn't my proudest moment.

I'm competitive.

"Rachel come help me," Quinn calls from the kitchen.

Rachel walks into the kitchen and comes back with two bottles of beer, handing one to me and Brittany. Quinn enters right after her with a bowl of pretzels and beer for her and Rachel.

Ooh yay, alcohol and a Broadway board game. This is like Kurt's wet dream, too bad he isn't here.

I get up off the couch and extend my hand out to help Brittany. I pull her to her feet and she plops down on the floor, spreading her legs straight out in front of her and patting the space in between them for me to sit down. I gladly do as she grabs the blanket from the couch and wraps us up in it.

I settle back into her and rest the back of my head against her chest. I look across the table and see that Quinn and Rachel are staring at us with really creepy smiles on their faces.

"What?" I snap, but then I feel Brittany's hands slide across my waist and I'm not so angry anymore.

"You guys are so cute," Rachel coos.

"Look at Santana being the wittle spoon," Quinn chimes in.

"Shut up," I mumble, feeling my cheeks grow hot under the unwanted attention.

"We are pretty cute," Brittany breathes into my ear, hugging me closer and nipping at my ear lobe.

"Ugh," Quinn groans. "Stop it before I vomit rainbows."

"Alright," I lean forward, grabbing my beer and cracking it open with the opener Quinn brought over. "How the hell do you play this game?" I bring the bottle up to my lips, taking a long swig.

I'm gonna need it.

Three beers later we are still playing.

Rachel had to explain the rules about five times to me because Brittany is such a tease and won't stop touching me. I'm not mad though cause I could really care less about this game and I would rather be doing something else with Brittany instead.

Apparently the object of the game is to get as many fans as possible and to be the first to finish (duh). Brittany has been slipping me some of her fan cards under the table, very sneaky.

"Another round?" Brittany asks. We all nod our heads and Brittany pops up to get four more beers out of the sink.

Yes, the sink.

Since the power is out and all the ice would have melted anyway, Quinn got all of the ice and beer out and put it in a big bowl in the sink.

"I don't know this one," I stare at the card, a buzz set in and I'm finding it difficult to even read what's on the card.

"Let me see," Rachel grabs the card before I even have time to react.

"Hey, you can't just take my card," I scoff and I am about to reach across the table to take it back when Brittany taps the bottle of beer on my shoulder. I smile up at her and take it. She already opened it for me so I take a sip.

Brittany slides back in behind me and I relax into her, a soft smile on my face.

"Santana Lopez," Rachel exclaims. "We are no longer friends." Rachel slams the card down on the table. "Quinn, look at this," she motions to the card with her hand.

Quinn looks down at the card to read what's on it, "you don't know anything from Wicked?" She brings her hand up to her chest.

"I-" just as I am about to defend myself, Rachel throws her hands up in the air and a bunch of cards come flying out of her sleeves.

There is a collective gasp around the room.

"I can explain," Rachel gets up and starts backing up toward the kitchen, her hands raised in defense.

"Cheater!" Quinn and I yell at the same time.

"You shall be punished!" I yell after.

"Oh come on," Rachel begs.

"Brittany," Quinn speaks up. "You get to decide Rachel's punishment."

"Make it good Britt, nobody cheats in my house, except for me," I say the last part in my best deep voice.

Brittany laughs from behind me. "You guys are insane," she gets out.

"Wait," Quinn says. She gets up, stumbling a little in the process and grabs Rachel by the shoulders and forces her to sit down in the recliner. "Stay," Quinn points at her.

Quinn turns back to Brittany and I. "Santana you will be the prosecutor, Brittany the judge and I will be representing Ms. Berry," she motions to Rachel. "All sides of the matter will be heard and judgment will not be made until then. Are all parties in agreement?" She asks.

Everyone nods.

Quinn walks over to our movie case and quickly finds what she is looking for. She comes back over to stand beside Rachel.

"Rachel, raise your right hand and place it on the movie." Rachel raises her hand and places it on the copy of Funny Girl Quinn brought over. "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you Barbara?"

"I do," Rachel sighs, rolling her eyes. "Guys, I don't think this is neces-"

"Let us proceed," Quinn cuts her off.

"Rachel," I say, getting up to pace the room back and forth, "would you say it is truth that you had cards up your sleeves?"

"Yes, but I-"

"And were you using said cards to gain an upper hand?"

"I was just making it-"

"Yes or no Rachel," Brittany interjects. I flash her a smirk to which she responds with a wink.

"Yes," Rachel lowers her head.

"And you would do that?" I say, pointing to Brittany and Quinn. "You would do that to your friends?" Rachel doesn't speak, she just keeps her gaze lowered to the floor. "I have no further questions," I shake my head and walk back to Brittany and sit down in front of her again.

She leans in close to my ear whispers so only I can hear, "that was so hot."

"Can my client and I have a moment?" Quinn asks, Brittany gives Quinn a small nod and they are walking off down the hall.

I turn my head to look at Brittany. "What the hell are we doing?" I laugh out.

"I have no idea, but it's fun," she tells me.

"I think it's the alcohol," I say. "Why would Rachel cheat?" Uh oh, it's happening. "That's so mean," I say, and throw my arms around Brittany's neck and sobbing into her shoulder.

"Hey, shhh," she coos, rubbing up and down my arms comfortingly. "Knowing Rachel, it probably wasn't personal."

"You're right?" I say through a sniffle, my emotional episode over almost as soon as it began.

Rachel and Quinn walk back into the room, with Rachel taking a seat in the recliner again.

"Due to the insurmountable evidence against my client, we have decided to plead guilty in hopes that you will show some mercy."

"I appreciate the plea," Brittany starts, "but due to the emotional trauma your client caused my girlfriend, I'm afraid full sentencing must be given," Brittany states then quickly adds a "sorry Rachel." Brittany grabs a candle off the coffee table and holds it in front of her face, "ghost stories," she says in a spooky voice.

"I hate you guys," Rachel deadpans from the recliner.

"Shouldn't have cheated," I shrug.

"You know we were cheating too," Brittany whispers to me.

"But we didn't get caught," I point out.

"True," she says, lacing our fingers together. Brittany clears her throat from behind me. "Since my girlfriend was the most traumatized by this whole experience, she gets to tell the first story."

Brittany hands me the candle. I take it from her, holding it right under my chin. "Gather round kiddies, shits about to get real."

Rachel reluctantly moves to the floor, but Quinn was there before I finished my sentence. Quinn loves scary things.

"There once was a girl named Rochelle. She lived in an apartment all by herself because she was an annoying little hobbit who repelled everyone away with her insane need for attention." I move the candle away from my face because it's getting too hot.

"One night, she was so lonely so she grabbed a bottle of whiskey out of her cabinet and began to drink her loneliness away. She begged whoever was listening for a friend to keep her company. As soon as the words leave her mouth, a figure starts to form across the table where she is sitting.
Rochelle squints her eyes, trying to make out the figure sitting across from her. She shakes her head as the image of a beautiful woman comes into focus."

"Is Rochelle gay?" Rachel interrupts.

"Irrelevant," I say, waving her question away with my hand. "Anyway, Rochelle was so happy to finally have some company that she decides to make small talk with her. 'So, what's your name?' she asks. The woman looks up to her with a shocked expression because she is always in the apartment, she has never left. 'Mary,' she answers.

'Mary?' Rochelle questions. 'That's funny. The person who lived here before me was also named Mary. Except she di-' Her words are cut short as the woman turns her head slightly, showing a stream of blood running down the side of her face."

Rachel lets out a gasp, bringing her hands to cover her face.

Quinn gets up to use the bathroom, but she doesn't actually go to the bathroom. I see her sneak behind the sofa and bend down so she can't be seen. I try my hardest to keep from laughing, but a little bubble finds its way out of my throat. I cover it up with a cough though and Rachel pays no mind to it.

"The woman nods her head, 'that was me,' she tells Rochelle, 'and I WANT YOU OUT!" my voice booms through the apartment.

Just as I say the last four lines, Quinn jumps out from the back of the couch and grabs Rachel from behind.

Rachel lets out the loudest scream I have ever heard in my life as her whole body stiffens and she just falls to the floor. It looked like those fainting goats when they get scared.

Everyone in the room is stitched over laughing as Rachel gets up off the ground, smoothing over her t-shirt, playing it off as if she wasn't scared shitless.

"Okay, can we stop now?" Rachel asks, a slight quiver in her voice.

"That's up to the judge," I say, looking back to Brittany.

Brittany brings her finger to tap at her chin, pondering for a while. "I think we got her pretty good," she finally says.

"Yeah, me too," Quinn crawls over to me and Brittany, still laughing hysterically and gives us each a high five.

"Quinn," Rachel scolds.

"What?" Rachel stomps off toward the kitchen. "Oh come on Rachel, it was just a joke."

"A joke?" Rachel questions. "I'm not laughing," she says as she stumbles into a chair. "You know I am still trying to recover from Paranormal Activity. I still have to sleep with a light on."

"Really? That was like a year ago," I point out.

Last Halloween Quinn and I bribed Rachel to have a scary movie marathon with us and we watched all the Paranormal movies. I don't think they are that bad, but Rachel had to stay at our apartment for a month straight because she was so scared. I had a lot of fun with it, making noises through the wall and scaring her.

"I was traumatized," she tells me. "You guys are terrible. If I don't get enough rest, I am going to bomb my Little Mermaid on Ice audition that's in five days. Five days, Santana!"

"Whoa, okay calm down," the room starts spinning as I stand up. Brittany stands up with me, setting her hands on my waist to steady my footing. "We can do something else to take your mind off of it?" I suggest. I look to Rachel who is opening a bottle of tequila that was in the cabinet, "or you could just drink all night."

Quinn sprints into the kitchen to get some tequila for herself and Brittany and I just stand back and watch.

"Maybe the power won't come on tomorrow and class will be canceled," Brittany sighs as she rests her chin on my shoulder.

I groan at the mention of class. It's that time of year where there seems to be a test every week.

I pull my phone out of my pocket to check the time. It's almost mid night, but I'm not even a little bit tired.

"You guys want some?" Quinn asks, bringing herself and the tequila into the living room.

Brittany and I both say no at the same time. I think I've had enough. I'm not about to drink that nasty shit after I just drank that other nasty shit. I can only handle so much of the taste of beer, which is why I don't drink it that much.

"Let's play Just Dance!" Rachel yells.

"The power is out," I remind her.

"Oh right," she says back a little disappointed.

Brittany grabs my hand and pulls me back to sit on the chair with her. I fall back, lading in her lap as she wraps her arms around my waist. We sit there and watch Quinn and Rachel bicker with each other. I turn to and sling my legs off the side of the chair, so I am laying across Brittany instead of sitting on her.
I grab Brittany's chin and tilt her face up to meet mine. I give her a deep kiss, curling my fingers around the back of her neck.

"Mmm," she hums, pulling back a little. "What about Quinn and Rachel?" she nods behind me.

"What about Quinn and Rachel?" I ask, pulling her back into me.

"They can see us," she mumbles into my mouth.

"They're drunk," I turn to see Rachel leaning backwards off the couch while Quinn tries to pour some tequila into her mouth.

It seems to be enough proof for Brittany because she doesn't protest again when I bring our mouths back together.

We kiss for long moments when suddenly I realize how quiet it has gotten. I turn to look behind me again and see Rachel and Quinn passed out on the floor.

"Looks like they had too much," Brittany laughs. "I don't think I have ever had so much fun without power."

"Yeah," I agree. "So, I was thinking," I draw out, playing with some strands of Brittany's hair.

"Yeah," Brittany speaks when I don't continue.

"I want you to meet my family too. At Christmas"

Brittany bites her bottom lip, trying to conceal her smile.

"Really?" she breathes.

"Well, yeah. It's gotta happen eventually, right? You're really important to me," I tell her, resting my forehead against hers. "I don't know how I am going to tell them yet, I just know that I really want to because you are so amazing and I'm so fucking scared but I don't even care when I'm with you."

"You're the best," she sighs, bringing her hands up to cup my cheeks.

"Second best," I correct her.


Sorry this took forever.

Thank you for reading! You guys are awesome :)