A/N: What a crazy week. I totally thought I was going to have zero time to write, but my procrastination skills have managed to astound me. Of course this means that next week is going to be the bane of my existence, academically, but I can totally live with that :)
Oh, and if you're at all curious about our timeline in this story, I totally mathed this shit out. As of this chapter we're about three and a half weeks past Sectionals (the beginning of the story) and, calendar-wise, we're about a week into December.
/geekingout
It's just before 4 when Santana hears commotion downstairs, assuming that 'Hurricane Rachel' has rolled in. She smiles but slightly rushes as she closes her physics books and gets up from the desk chair, making a swan dive towards the bed as she hears hurried footsteps coming up the stairs. She quickly pulls the covers up over her head just in time for the knock at the door.
"Hm?" she voices in mock tiredness. She hears the door creek open and turns around to see the diva's head peeking in the door.
"Hey there," the brunette greets softly. "Can I come in?"
Santana sits up and nods, gesturing to the edge of the bed with her hand.
Rachel sits and takes the Latina's hand into her own, bringing it up to place a soft kiss on it. Santana reflexively smiles at the contact.
"How are you feeling?" the diva asks sincerely, looking at the Latina with a concerned expression.
Santana smiles, "Despite your objections... as I told you earlier, I'm actually feeling pretty good."
Rachel smiles sheepishly in return. "I assumed you were just being stubborn." She pauses before slightly smirking, "Which isn't really that farfetched of an assumption..."
Santana rolls her eyes and looks down at their hands as the pair settle into silence.
After about a minute, Santana can hear that Rachel's breathing has shifted and she looks up at the girl to see a look of hesitance.
"What is it?" she hazards, gently squeezing the diva's hand with her own.
"Well..." the girl starts, her voice slightly shaky. "I kind of came to a decision today after talking with Kurt and Mercedes."
Santana's eyes widen as she remembers Saturday a little more clearly. They had essentially been caught in the throes by the gossipy duo. Her mind starts racing as she wonders how much of their laundry has been aired out to the WMHS populace in 2 days. She clears her throat, "Ok?"
"Well, they said they're not going to tell anyone." Santana lets out a breath she didn't even realize she was holding in her relief. "But..." Rachel continues warily, looking up at the Latina. "I'm thinking that trusting Kurt and Mercedes to keep a secret is like trusting Puck to keep his hands to himself."
Santana nods slightly and lets out an exhausted sigh. "So, what's the plan now, then?"
"Well, and of course this will only be the plan if you agree to it as such," she pauses. "I was thinking that we should probably tell people directly rather than have it come from someone else."
Santana raises an eyebrow, "Tell people. Like who?"
"Oh, just glee pretty much." Santana breathes a sigh of relief. "And... my dads."
Santana's eyes widen as she looks at the diva, slightly agape. She closes her mouth and swallows the lump in her throat before speaking again. "Ok... so, when?"
Rachel looks down at their joined hands as she speaks. "Well, as far as glee is concerned, I'm sure a few people already have an idea..." Santana nods her head, knowing that at least half of the club has a pretty good grasp of what's going on. "So that shouldn't be that big of a deal. We'll take care of that when you get back to school." Santana nods in agreement. "As for my dads..." she trails off, looking up at the Latina uncertainly and raising their hands to her lips once more before speaking. "I was thinking tonight."
Santana's eyes almost bulge out of her head. "Tonight?.!" she chokes out. Rachel just nods, and Santana slowly nods her own head, dropping her gaze to her lap as she thinks it through. When she meets the diva's eyes once more, the girl is still staring at her uncertainly. "Ok," she says softly.
"Ok?" Rachel echoes in surprise.
"Yeah... I think that'll be fine," the Latina smiles softly as she comes to the realization herself.
Rachel's mouth spreads into a large smile but slowly, over time, starts to recede back into a thin line as she casts her gaze downward.
"You're worried," Santana's observes, pulling the diva from her thoughts.
"Hm?" the brunette looks up.
"You're worried about how your dads are going to react to your homosexy tendencies," the cheerleader deadpans.
A small smile crosses Rachel's face before she slips back into thought.
"Hey," Santana nudges the girl lightly. "Don't be too worried. Kevin totally joined the fan club today," she winks. Rachel smirks, but it doesn't last long. Santana sighs as a sudden, not-so-pleasant realization washes over her. "Did you talk to your other dad last night?"
"David," the diva corrects absently. "Yeah, he got home around 10. We talked. He's not exactly crazy about the idea that you're here..." she trails off, looking at the Latina apologetically.
Santana just nods her head and stares ahead blankly. "Ok..." she pauses to think. "Any idea what time he's gonna be home?"
"Well, he's not on call tonight, so he should be home around... 7, I'd guess."
The Latina looks down at their hands. "Ok. Well, I suggest we do the meet-n-greet first... and then maybe break the news after dinner?" she looks back up with a raised eyebrow.
Rachel nods but doesn't look up. "I think that's a really good idea."
"Hey," Santana says softly, raising her other hand to the diva's cheek. "Don't even worry about it. We'll do it together." She says it confidently. If there's one thing Santana's always been good at, it's charming authority figures. I mean, he can only be so bad, right?
Rachel looks up with the brightest smile Santana's seen all afternoon. "Ok," she nods emphatically.
"Well, ok then," Santana smiles as she leans forward to kiss the girl's forehead in reassurance. When she leans back once more Rachel's smile has spread even further.
"So..." the diva starts jovially. "You need to write me a list of things you want from the grocery store." Santana can tell she's shifted into a much lighter mood already. "Daddy said we're going shopping."
The Latina shrugs, "Whatever is fine. Just let your dad pick, I already told him I'm not all that picky."
Rachel narrows her gaze, "Just give me something so he doesn't give me a hard time about it."
Santana rolls her eyes, "Fine. Meat. And apples."
"That's it?" the diva asks with a raised eyebrow.
Santana just nods.
Rachel rolls her eyes and sighs. "Fine. I think we're going pretty much now... we shouldn't be much more than an hour."
With that Rachel stands, but Santana pulls her back by her hand. Rachel stumbles unceremoniously onto the bed and almost onto the Latina's lap, causing Santana to chuckle aloud.
"Why, hello," she greets smugly, only to be met by another roll of the eyes from the diva.
"Santana..." the girl whines as she sits back up on the edge of the bed.
"Just wanted a kiss before you go," the Latina pouts.
Rachel drops her brow. "You're sick. And I'm not all that into disease..."
Santana just smiles before leaning in and placing a soft kiss on the diva's cheek. Rachel reflexively smiles, but steels herself as the cheerleader pulls away again.
"So... can I go now?" she draws out in mock annoyance.
Santana chuckles softly, "Well I'd prefer if you didn't, but if you must..."
Rachel can't help the smile that crosses her face at the Latina's reluctance to let her go. The smile stays with her as she stands and exits the room, feeling like nothing can bring them down.
Santana spends the next hour poring over her physics homework again. Her attention is only pulled away when she hears the front door open and shut. She hops up from her seat and heads towards the door, excited to see what kind of food the pair have come home with. If there's one sure sign that she's getting better, it's that her appetite is back in full force.
When she gets out into the hallway and peers downstairs, she's surprised to see someone she doesn't recognize: a shorter, small-set man with a balding head and glasses. Realization washes over Santana and she internally panics. She considers a hasty retreat, but as she does the man looks up at her. Fuck.
"Oh. You." he says flatly as he slides off his jacket. He turns briefly to hang it in the hall closet before turning to look up at the Latina once again. "You must be Santana." He pastes on a kind smile, but Santana can see right through it―even from a distance.
Santana could kick herself for not waiting in the room, but in her current predicament she sees only one option: she lets her mouth spread into her best photo-worthy smile and starts down the stairs. "Yes, hello," she greets awkwardly as she works her way down the steps. "You must be the other Mr. Berry, then," she observes lamely as she reaches the landing. She extends her hand to the man.
He looks at it warily for a moment before taking it into his own and delivering what Santana feels is an overly firm handshake. "Nice to meet you," he forces out.
Santana nods, "You too," but internally sighs as she realizes this is going to be an uphill battle. Rachel definitely did not exaggerate about her father's disapproval of her presence. Her face starts to hurt, but she refuses to drop her smile.
David finally relinquishes the girl's hand before glancing around. "So..." he starts with an annoyed sigh. "Where are Kevin and Rachel?"
"Oh, they went grocery shopping," she explains simply. "I was just coming downstairs to see whether I could help them put things away or anything..."
The man nods and adjusts his glasses before raising an eyebrow and staring discriminatingly at the girl. "You seem awfully spry for someone I was told is bedridden."
"Yeah..." Santana starts lamely, her smile faltering as she looks down at her hands―which are now wringing together in nervousness. "Medication is a wonderful thing..." she nearly mumbles.
David continues to stare at her discerningly for a moment before both their attentions are drawn to a ringing.
Santana reaches into her pocket and grabs her phone, looking at the caller ID to see Rachel's name. She smiles slightly in relief, trying to hide it from the man in front of her. Saved by the motherfucking bell.
She lifts her head and looks over to David, who is still staring at her. "Sorry, I'll have to take this call." David just nods and Santana takes it as her cue to leave.
She quietly answers the call as she turns away, "Hey, hold on a sec."
She rushes up the stairs and into her room without chancing a glance back at the small, angry man, feeling immediate relief once she closes the door behind her. She breathes out a heavy sigh before bringing the phone to her ear once more.
"Hey," she smiles into the handset. "What's up?"
"Hey, I didn't wake you, did I?"
Santana rolls her eyes, "No, actually. I just met your dad."
Rachel doesn't respond.
"Hello?"
"Yeah," the diva finally breathes out. "Sorry, just recovering from a minor coronary in aisle one."
Santana chuckles.
The diva clears her throat, "So yes, as I predicted, daddy does not think that your grocery list is adequate. So what else do you want?"
Santana screws her face in thought and shrugs, as if the diva would see her, "I really don't care."
Rachel sighs heavily into the receiver. "Ok, I'm in the produce section, so what about fruits? Are there any other fruits you like?"
"Oranges." Santana responds simply.
"We already have those at the house."
"Alright..." the Latina pauses in thought before smiling. "I really like berries."
"Ok..." Rachel trails off, obviously heading to the appropriate section. "What kind of berries?"
The Latina smirks into the receiver, "Rachel Berrys."
Santana can almost feel Rachel's eye roll over the phone but relishes the slight chuckle she hears come from the diva.
Rachel clears her throat. "Ok, seriously though, last chance... any other requests?"
Santana thinks for a minute, but truth be told she couldn't care less. She just wants Rachel back in the house so she doesn't have to hide from the big bad wolf downstairs. "Nah, just get whatever you want and say I wanted it."
"Alright then," the diva cedes with a sigh. "We'll be home in 20."
Santana smiles against the handset, "Good." She breathes a sigh of relief.
They end the call and Santana tosses her phone onto the bed before ambling back over to the desk, falling heavily into the chair. She stares blankly at her books for about 5 minutes before realizing that no more work is going to happen at the moment. She closes them up and packs them back into her bag.
As she stands back up she finds herself at a complete loss as to what to do. She glances around the room. No TV, no computer... She stares at her phone for a while before sitting on the bed and taking the device into her hands.
'Hit a roadblock. Her dad HATES me.' She taps out before hitting send.
She takes the phone with her as she walks over to the window and pulls open the blinds, looking into the Berry backyard for the first time. Her mouth drops open as she sees the light blanket of snow on the ground. Holy fuck, when did that happen? Her attention is pulled back to her phone as it vibrates in her hand. She brings it up to read Quinn's reply.
'You met her dad?.?'
Santana is surprised. Apparently Rachel hasn't told anyone I'm here... 'Um, yeah... Both her dads, actually... Rachel kind of kidnapped me and I'm kind of staying at her house at the moment.'
'No way. How is it?'
Santana rolls her eyes. 'Ok in general. Rachel and her 'daddy' are pretty much waiting on me hand and foot.'
'Um, can I come too?'
Santana laughs at the response. 'Not unless you want to meet the wall - a.k.a. Rachel's 'dad' a.k.a. the man who hates my life.'
'Why the hate-on?'
'No idea.' Santana types, but she quickly deletes it as she thinks about it again. 'Slushies, torture, you know, all the good stuff.'
She sends the message before glancing outside again, noticing how beautiful the scene looks with the setting sun reflecting off of a veritable winter wonderland. Suddenly Santana has the urge to go play in the snow like a five year old. She smiles briefly before her phone vibrates again.
'Shitty. Guess he'd hate me too...' comes Quinn's reply.
Santana chuckles as she drops into the desk chair once more, spinning it so that she can recline and rest her feet on the bed. 'Lol probably. How's school been?'
'Oh, you know. Same old...' comes a quick reply, which is immediately followed by another. 'Except... do Kurcedes have any idea what's going on with you two? They've been acting reeeaaally weird this week, especially around Rachel.'
Santana worries her lip between her teeth as she reads the message and types her reply. 'Well, they know Something's going on... they kind of caught us making out at Puck's party...'
'NO. WAY.'
Santana chuckles, 'I know right?'
'I'm honestly surprised the entire school doesn't know already...'
'Yeah... apparently they told Rachel they're going to keep it a secret.'
'Um... you DO know we're talking about Kurt Hummel and Mercedes Jones, right?'
Santana laughs lightly. 'Yeah, I think once I rejoin the living we're gonna tell the gleeks.'
'How do you think Finnessa's gonna take it?'
Santana's brow furrows. 'Fuck Frankenteen. He missed his chance. I honestly couldn't care less about his opinion.' As she thinks about it further, though, Santana grows slightly worried and types out a quick second message. 'Do you think he'd try anything?'
'I really don't know. Half of me thinks he'll just roll over, the other half thinks he's gonna try to be all white knight and shit.'
Santana groans audibly, hoping it won't be the latter. As her mind races, another text from the blonde comes in.
'What about her dads? Do they know?'
The Latina groans again. 'They don't know yet, but apparently we're going to tell them... Tonight.'
'Kamikaze.'
She smirks. 'Pretty much.'
After an entirely awkward dinner with very little conversational input from David, Rachel and Santana settle onto the couch in the living room.
"So... you sure you're ready for this?" Santana asks, her voice barely above a whisper, her heart beating a mile a minute.
Rachel looks over hesitantly but nods her head. "Might as well get it out of the way, right?" she chuckles awkwardly.
Santana sighs deeply and slowly nods back.
Rachel stands and heads to the doorway. "Dad! Daddy! Could you two please come in here for a minute!" she shouts down the hall before coming back and settling next to Santana on the couch once more.
David comes in first with an eyebrow raised and Kevin follows shortly behind, looking nothing if not equally confused.
"Please take a seat," the diva gestures to an armchair.
Santana's heart is already in her throat as David slides into the chair and Kevin takes a seat on its arm.
"What is it, honey?" the larger man asks softly, obvious concern in his voice.
"Dad, Daddy," she starts with a slightly shaky voice, chancing glances at them both before looking down. She takes a deep breath and releases it as a long sigh before continuing. "There's something I need to tell you... about me and Santana." She reaches over and takes the Latina's hand into her own, causing Kevin to slightly smirk and David's face to completely drop.
David takes off his glasses and pinches the bridge of his nose. "Please tell me you're kidding."
"Santana and I are in a relationship."
"No." David says firmly, his tone causing Santana to shift uncomfortably.
"Yes, dad." Rachel echoes the man's tone.
"How long has this been going on?" Kevin asks lightly and with genuine curiousity as he crosses his arms in front of his chest.
Rachel opens her mouth slightly but hesitates at the look that David is giving her. Santana notices and can't help but rescue the girl.
"Well, technically only since Saturday," she explains, drawing a pronounced scoff from the bespectacled man. "But we've been kind of dancing around it for a couple weeks now."
Kevin nods as he digests the words and David just raises a hand to his forehead, hoping against hope that this is all just a bad dream.
Santana squeezes Rachel's hand, trying to lend her the confidence to speak. The diva turns her head to smile at the girl before looking back to her fathers. "We'd really appreciate your support."
"Support!" David scoffs through laughter, completely lost in disbelief. "Since when are you gay?"
Rachel looks down in shame and Santana pulls her hand out of the diva's grasp so that she can run it reassuringly along her back.
Kevin looks at the smaller man with a bit of a glare before turning back towards his daughter. "Rachel..." he draws out. "Isn't this all, well, a bit sudden?"
Rachel opens her mouth to speak, but David just shakes his head.
"No." He repeats. "This is not happening. Not under my roof." He stands abruptly. "That girl," he spits out. "Is going home tomorrow. I've had enough of this farce." He starts towards the hallway.
Kevin grabs the man's hand, causing him to turn back around. "David, she's still sick. We can't send her back to her house all by herself..." he pleads with his eyes as much as his words.
Santana is shocked as David's face seems to slightly soften for the first time. He groans as he collapses back onto the chair, looking up at Kevin. "So what then," he starts gently. "You're ok with this little sideshow?"
Kevin sighs heavily, "Baby, Rachel is a grown-ass woman." David's face slightly twists at his choice of words, causing him to roll his eyes. "Point is, even if we don't agree with who she chooses to date, she's going to make her own decisions. Stepping all over her toes is just going to push her away. Is that really what you want to do to our daughter? Our daughter who gets straight A's and is pretty much the model child?" As he finishes, he looks over at the two girls with a wink and a soft smile.
David scoffs. "Well, I'd rather protect our daughter from someone we know has made the majority of her life a complete and utter nightmare." At this he leans forward in his seat and turns his gaze to Santana. "What are you playing at here?"
Everyone turns their attention to the girl and she hesitates, feeling highly uncomfortable under their collective gaze.
David scoffs once more, gesturing an arm at the Latina as he leans back again, "Girl doesn't even have an answer."
Santana drops her gaze to her lap as the man speaks. This was pretty much the worst idea ever.
"That's about enough." Rachel says firmly as she stands. Santana looks back up, eyes wide in surprise.
"Rachel, this is ridiculous," David starts. "I raised you better than this," he shakes his head in disappointment.
Rachel absolutely glares at her dad as she speaks. "You raised me not to judge people. You raised me to be the bigger person when someone's being an asshole―"
"Rachel," Kevin chides the diva's language.
Rachel just raises a finger and continues, keeping her gaze fixed on David. "You raised me to give people the benefit of the doubt, and to believe that people can change for the better."
David crosses his arms across his chest. "Two weeks of 'new and improved' does not erase ten years of a terrible human being." He says the last three words pointedly at the Latina.
Santana shrinks even further into the couch.
Rachel shakes her head incredulously, "But most of all? You raised me to accept that people have flaws. You raised me to have humility and to be forgiving of others. It's only now I see that I'm the only one who has grown to adopt these values and that you, dad, are the farce."
Rachel storms out of the room, having spoken her piece, leaving a slightly terrified Santana still seated on the couch, eyes wide. Well... what the fuck now? She wonders as she stares at the doorway that the diva just left through.
Kevin raises a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose and he speaks softly. "Santana, if you want to go after her I think that'd be for the best. I think David and I are going to have to have a conversation." He lifts his head and smiles at the Latina before turning back to the man in the chair with a pointed glare.
Santana doesn't wait an extra second. She immediately stands and walks calmly out of the room before bolting up the stairs and into the guestroom―where it seems the diva has retreated.
She closes the door behind her and makes for the bed. She lets out the biggest sigh of her life as she collapses backwards onto the soft fabric. "So that was fun," she remarks with a bit of an exhausted chuckle.
Rachel stays silent as she paces the room, obviously incredibly upset about the scene that just played out.
Santana rolls onto her side and rests her head on her hand, watching the diva as she burns a path into the carpet. "Well, I guess we can rule out your dads joining you at PFLAG meetings..." she shrugs.
Rachel stops her pacing and looks over at the Latina with a bit of a smile. It makes Santana smile too. She reaches her hand out to grab the diva's, tugging her to take a seat on the bed. Rachel does sit down and Santana immediately slides over to rest her head in the girl's lap.
"You know, for a doctor, your dad doesn't have the greatest bedside manner."
Rachel sighs as she runs her fingers through the Latina's hair. "Yeah. That's why he's a surgeon. He doesn't talk to people, he just cuts them open."
Santana's face screws slightly. "Ok, that's like hella morbid."
Suddenly there's a knock at the door and Santana shoots up into a sitting position, raising a hand to her spinning head as she does.
Kevin sticks his head in the door. "Hey," he greets softly. "Can I talk to you girls for a minute?"
Rachel stands and turns her back to the man. "I don't know that I want to talk to you right now."
Kevin sighs but enters the room anyway, closing the door behind him and leaning his weight onto it. "Rachel, honey, you know we're just looking out for you."
Rachel spins towards the man with an angry glare. "So you're 'looking out for me' by trying to keep me miserable?" she asks in disbelief.
Kevin shoots Santana a pleading look and she sends an apologetic smile in return. She sighs as she realizes that the man in the room is feeling just as shitty about the situation at hand as she is.
"Rach," she starts softly, reaching out a hand to touch the diva's arm.
"Santana, stay out of this," the girl says firmly with a quick warning glance down at the Latina.
Santana shakes her head, "Rachel, you're being unreasonable."
The diva turns her glare from her father to the girl on the bed. "Excuse me?"
"Kevin was pretty clearly defending us out there. Don't take your anger out on him." Santana explains calmly.
Rachel sighs in frustration and falls to take a seat next to the Latina on the bed once again, dropping her head onto the girl's shoulder.
Santana looks briefly up at Kevin, who smiles his thanks, before turning her attention back to the girl on her shoulder. She slides an arm around the diva's torso and leans down to kiss the top of her head.
Kevin sighs, drawing the girls' attention back up to him. "Just for the record, even from what I've seen these past two days, I believe you." He smiles softly at Santana. "David will get there... eventually. It'll just take time. Rachel didn't get her stubbornness out of thin air, you know," he adds with a wink.
Santana smirks and Rachel just rolls her eyes and lightly groans against the Latina's shoulder.
"However," Kevin continues, casting his stare to the ground. "Given that you two are a couple, we are going to have to set some ground rules..." He looks back up. "Especially while Santana is still staying here."
Santana nods at the man and Rachel just stays buried in her shoulder.
Kevin sighs once more before bringing a hand up to his forehead. "Ok, first of all..." he averts his stare to the wall. "Are you two having sex?"
Santana's eyes bulge as she looks away with an amused smirk.
Rachel immediately stiffens, looking at her father in complete mortification. "Daddy!" she chides in an awkwardly high-pitched voice, distinct redness across her face.
"Ok, on second thought, please do not answer that..." he trails off, a hint of a blush showing even on his dark skin. He sighs and runs a hand over his face. "Ok. Let's try this again. Whether you girls are... doing that or not is irrelevant." He clears his throat as he looks back up at the girls. "Rule number one: you sleep in separate beds. No exceptions."
Both girls nod.
Kevin nods in return. "Ok. Rule number two..." he trails off, looking around in thought. "Actually I think rule number one is the only one we really need to be concerned about right now."
An awkward silence settles in between the three.
"Um, ok," Kevin speaks once more. "I guess I'll leave you girls to it." His eyes immediately bulge at his own words. "Not it, you know, but, you know..." he trails off.
Santana chuckles, bringing a hand up to cover her eyes, Oh my god, this is ridiculous.
"Got it!" Rachel says quickly, burying her head back into Santana's shoulder in embarrassment.
"Ok... separate beds," Kevin reiterates, pointing between the two girls before turning to leave.
As soon as he's out of the room, Rachel collapses back onto the bed, raising an arm to cover her eyes and resting a hand on her stomach. "I am so sorry," she says softly.
Santana also leans back, rolling onto her side and propping her head on her hand, placing her other hand on top of the diva's. "Don't worry. Fifty percent of your family is on our side. That's totally a pass." She smiles at the girl beneath her.
Rachel slides her arm up to her forehead so that she can look up at the Latina, a smile playing across her face. "How do you do that?"
"What?"
"Whenever I'm feeling completely embarrassed, or terrified, or anything, really..." she trails off, trying to piece together her words. "You just... you manage to say the exact right thing to make me smile again."
Santana smirks, "Well obviously I'm just fucking awesome."
Rachel rolls her eyes, but leans up to press her lips to the Latina's.
When she pulls away, Santana raises an eyebrow. "Aren't you worried about getting sick?"
"Not if you're here to take care of me..." Rachel says softly with a shy smile and a blush creeping up her neck.
Santana smiles wide, "Always."
