AN: Surprise! I know I've been counting down chapters and this one shouldn't really exist, but if it were 13 chapters then the stalker kinda wins in my head. So here you go.

Epilogue or Chapter 14

Three Weeks Later

Santana Lopez was running late. Not really late, but late enough for it to be irksome. She had big plans for the day after all. Big plans that had taken a lot of time and thought and courage. It was Monday morning and Santana only had two more days of school left until she was on Thanksgiving break. She couldn't have asked for better timing, really.

It had taken a lot of work to get Santana to where she was now. Not the kind of work she was used to. It wasn't like doing homework for hours or slaving over a Cheerios routine. It was internal work, work she was unfamiliar with and that was why it had taken three weeks. Well, it had taken being stalked, terrorized, thirteen stitches and three weeks of reflection to get to the point she was at now.

Oh yeah and one long talk with Dr. Lopez.

It had happened two Saturdays ago. Santana woke up to find him in the kitchen, drinking coffee and reading at the kitchen table. She had grabbed herself a mug, poured some coffee and sat across from him. He looked up to acknowledge her, smiling and then returned to his paper.

This had happened more and more. The two of them, sharing coffee in the morning. Not every morning, her dad was still a doctor and still had to work weird hours but he was around a lot more now. He had even learned her classes and teachers. At first she had hated the fact that he thought he could just waltz into her business but she learned to appreciate the fact that when he asked how her day was he wasn't trying to be nosy, he was trying to be a father.

She sat across from him. "Dad, we need to talk."

He hesitated for just a moment, like a movie catching for one second before playing again, as if there was a tiny scratch on the disk. "About?"

"About me."

He sighed and folded his paper up, pushing it aside. "Okay."

Santana held onto her coffee mug with both hands. She hadn't worked past what she would say when he was ready to listen. She had spent all of her energy working up the courage to just talk to him, knowing what she was planning on doing.

She felt her mouth go dry and her palms felt cold.

"It's about me and Brittany," Santana said slowly, trying to generate some type of spit in her mouth. She picked up the coffee mug and took a small sip, then another.

Dr. Lopez made no move to respond.

Santana swallowed hard and pressed on. She could do this. She wanted to do this. "We're uh," she stopped and hated herself for it. This wasn't Santana Lopez. Santana Lopez didn't fucking stutter. "We're dating and I love her."

Santana continued to stare at the contents of her coffee mug. She didn't want to look at her father. She wasn't scared she was just...giving him time to adjust. Time to figure out his feelings.

"Is this because you didn't have a mother?"

Santana was so shocked she felt like he had slapped her. The words hurt her in a way she didn't fully understand. "What?"

"Is it because I wasn't around?"

She felt like he was accusing her. She felt like he was being hostile and she felt the anger bubble in her. "It's not some fucking phase. I've been in love with her for four years. Forever." She knew she sounded like one of those lame teenagers who probably didn't understand what love meant, but it was how she felt and it was time to stop not letting herself feel.

He was quiet for a long time and Santana sat, stewing in her own rage.

"I'm not going to lie, Santana," he began suddenly, voice a lot more firm than she had anticipated. She felt her heart begin to quicken. "No one wishes their child to be gay, it makes life harder and I don't want that for you. But you're my daughter and I want you to be happy and if Brittany makes you happy..." He stopped and seemed to be looking her over as if really taking her in. "I have no choice than to be happy for you."

Santana nodded slowly. "Thanks."

Dr. Lopez unfolded his paper and handed her the section he had just finished reading.

Santana unfolded the paper and laid it out in front of her. She wasn't reading the words, though. She was thinking, mind working quickly. He was okay with it. It was okay. She was okay. She was more than okay. She felt light, like a weight had been lifted, like the world was suddenly a brighter place. The anger fizzled out.

It made her big plans for today easier, when she thought back on how easy it had been to come out to her father when she actually made herself do it.

She backed her car out of the driveway and made her way to Brittany's.

Big plans.

When Santana arrived at Brittany's she found her waiting outside, dressed warmly, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. When Santana parked Brittany raced to the car and threw herself into the warm interior.

"Hey," Brittany said, ever chipper in the morning.

"Hey," Santana said, backing out of the driveway.

"What?" Brittany asked looking at Santana, eyes slightly narrowed.

"What?" Santana replied. She could feel herself smirking and she couldn't stop.

"What are you up to?"

"Oh, you'll see," Santana said, keeping her eyes on the road and deliberately off of Brittany.

They walked into William McKinley High School and sighed, grateful to be in the heat. Santana felt Brittany's hand on hers, then felt her link their pinkies together. Santana shook her hand loose and laced their fingers together, pulling her down the hallway.

"What are you doing?" Brittany asked, stopping and looking down at their hands. Santana watched as Brittany looked up at her then let her eyes dart around the hallway, taking in the people who were staring at them, because people were always staring at them.

Santana wondered if she had looked that worried or upset every time she thought someone was thinking maybe something more was going on with them. She hated the look and wondered how Brittany had been able to look at that for years. But she knew how she could, because Brittany loved her more than anyone had ever loved her and probably ever would. Santana remembered how light she had felt when she told her father and felt her resolve stronger than ever.

Santana reached a hand up and cupped Brittany's face, smiling. She leaned forward and kissed Brittany. Soft lips on soft lips in front of everyone in the hallway. She even kept her eyes open. She pulled away, gently. No rush, no secrets. She had wanted to kiss away the confusion etched on Brittany's face.

"People are watching," Brittany said, lips curling up slowly into that bright, warm Brittany smile that was worth the world to Santana.

Santana shrugged. "Let them."

She kissed Brittany again and again and again.