Chapter 21

Hey I'm back from NYC. So here's an update for you people. If you like my story I really think you'll like Beaner008's story; changes in the tides courage in the wings. .net/s/6630968/1/Changes_In_the_Tides_Courage_in_the_Wings.

Anyway hope you like the chapter:

Brittany's hand crept over the sofa and linked with Santana's. They both shared a smile, as the end credits scrolled down the screen. Santana looked down smirking at Rachel who was fast asleep, then down at Quinn who was cuddling the soft toy looking the picture of innocence, so different to the usual cold stare she adopted. Brittany sighed to herself but retracted her hand from Santana's. "I better go." She manoeuvred Quinn off her lap and onto the sofa.

Santana glanced at the clock on the wall, seeing that it was only 6'o clock. "Actually Brit any chance of a favour. I need to go out for an hour can you stay with these two."

"Yeah course," replied Brittany the awkwardness from a minute ago gone. Santana pushed Rachel off her gently. She smirked at the two sleeping girls, "I'm beginning to think they need an earlier bedtime."

"Do you want me to do dinner?"

Santana shook her head, "I'll pick up some take-away on the way home." Santana leant in and kissed Brittany's cheek. "Thanks Brit."

Santana grabbed her coat and headed out of the door.

...

Santana walked up to the house and knocked on the door. A stunned Shelby answered the door, "Santana?"

"We need to talk Shelby..."

...

Rachel woke up to Quinn's arms around her. She looked around in sleepy confusion. Brittany smirked when she walked into the room, "I was just about to wake you two sleeping beauties up."

"What time is it?"

"Half 6," answered Brittany.

"Where's Santana?"

"She's popped out for an hour. She's bringing takeaway back, can you wake Quinn up please babe?"

Rachel nodded and started to place gentle kisses over Quinn's face. Quinn woke up when Rachel connected with her lips. They kissed for a few seconds before Quinn pulled away, "I want to be woke up like this all the time," said Quinn with a smile. Brittany just smiled at the sweetness between the couple, "can you guys tidy this living room up please?"

"Yeah yeah yeah," joked Quinn, "I think you're enjoying this parental kick too much."

Rachel looked at the pair in shock, "Wait... Brittany" before Rachel could continue the statement Quinn had covered her mouth with her hand. Rachel giggled into Quinn's hand, but then pulled it away, and carried on talking while Quinn attempted to continue to silence her.

"Wait till the rest of the glee club finds that out, Quinn head cheerio, bitch of McKinley high, and got punished like a little girl... no wait... When the other cheerio's find out there captain..." Rachel had failed to notice the change from banter to seriousness, not noticing the now mortified expression on Quinn's face. Brittany grabbed Rachel out of Quinn's grip.

"How would they know Rachel? It's private nothing to do with anyone else." Brittany's tone changed to almost dangerous, "and if they do somehow find out we would know it would be you that told. Correct?"

"Yes that would seem correct,"

"Good so if anyone else finds out, I will spank you on the football field during the half time of a game,"

"You what?" Rachel paled but Quinn smirked in happiness, as Brittany winked at her.

"If you publicise any of Quinn's punishments, I'll publicise yours. Got it?"

"Crystal," replied Rachel quickly, "as if I would anyway Quinn, I'm not going to embarrass my girlfriend now am I."

Quinn smiled at that feeling slightly relieved by the change in events. Their comfortable silence was broken by a screaming Santana. "RACHEL BARBRA BERRY!"

The three girls turned in shock to the screaming Latina. "NEW YORK? BERRY?"

"Santana calm down,"

The girl looked into the blonde's eyes and started to calm down. "Ok," continued Brittany, "what's going on?"

"I ran into Rachel's vocal coach down the shop," she lied. "Somebody thinks she's going to New York next month, I was amazed to find out I had signed a permission slip for the transfer of the show to New York off-Broadway."

Rachel paled at that, "I was going to tell you."

"It's not about telling Rachel it's about getting permission." Brittany cut in, placing a calming hand on Santana's shoulder.

"It's not happening Rachel, you're too young."

"You would stand in the way of my dreams!"

"No Rachel, this is about protecting you, we can't follow you, and I'm not letting you to go New York on your own."

"I wouldn't be on my own I would be with Shelby and Jesse."

Santana's expression hardened, "the answer is no,"

"All my work for nothing!"

"Not for nothing, you've gained experience, and you can still perform this musical in Ohio, and perhaps a few tour dates if they are near here."

Rachel refused to accept the compromise, "I hate you."

Santana looked broken at those words; Brittany saw Santana's eyes, so stepped in. Brittany grabbed Rachel's arm and dragged her up the stairs. She pulled the younger girl into her room.

"Well Rachel you've just proved you're too young to go to New York with that little outburst. How could you say you hate Santana?"

"I do!" replied Rachel childishly. Brittany just shrugged her shoulders, "I think you should go to bed right now."

"What? It's like 7,"

"Well you're acting like a child, so we will treat you like one." Brittany opened a drawer and pulled out Pj's for Rachel. "Arms up," Rachel crossed her arms petulantly.

"The rules are still in place Rach,"

"I haven't cut in ages!"

"It doesn't matter, there the rules until we say otherwise." Rachel just grunted, but let Brittany check her legs and arms for new cuts. Rachel put the fresh pj's on and crawled into the bed when Brittany pulled the sheets back.

"What about dinner?"

"You can have dinner."

"I can?"

"Yes when you apologise to Santana."

Rachel huffed and crossed her arms. "You are ridiculous!"

Brittany just narrowed her eyes at the brunette, and without saying another word left the room. Santana was sat on the couch staring off into space. Quinn was watching her with worry, shaking her shoulder lightly, and "san? Are you ok?" Brittany approached the pair, "Quinn, Santana and I are going to go out for a while, can we trust you to be home alone?"

Quinn rolled her eyes playfully, "yes you can trust the 16 year old to be home alone."

"Rachel is not allowed out of her room, and you're not allowed in it."

"Fine," Quinn replied holding her hands up in mock defeat. She leaned in and kissed Brittany's cheek. Quinn then leaned down and kissed Santana's forehead. "She didn't mean it San. She loves you."

...

Brittany and Santana were sat on the bench in the park watching the sunset; Santana's hand was gripping Brittany's tightly.

"Shelby was right."

Brittany turned to Santana curiously; those were the first words Santana had spoken since Rachel told her she hated her.

"What was Shelby right about?"

"I can't raise Rachel, I'm not her parent. I should let Shelby take her."

"You don't mean that San."

"I'm 18 Brit, what are we doing? We don't have a clue what we are doing. Spanking 15 year olds? We baby them. There teenagers not children. We don't know how to parent teenagers. We are teenagers."

"We could read some books?" said Brittany lamely.

Santana ran her hand through her hair. "Why is this so hard?"

Brittany gave a weak smile, "anything worth doing is hard, and what does Shelby know about parenting? She gave birth, but she has never been a mother. Does she know Rachel's favourite colour? Favourite food?"

"I yelled all that at her. I asked her if she knew that Rachel still sucks her thumb when she's upset, or if she knew that Rachel insists on sticking gold stars everywhere. She said none of that stuff mattered. That's stuff she could learn."

"Bullshit San, giving birth to someone doesn't make you a parent, it's make you a biological mother nothing more."

San nodded weakly, so Brittany continued, "don't let Shelby manipulate you, remember who she is. What she has done?"

"You're right," stated Santana, "it's time for Queen Bitch to come out, and I'll show Shelby."

Brittany nodded.

"But she was right about something's; I need to stop babying Rachel. She's acts younger than 15 and I pander to it."

"She's just reacting to the loss of her dad's san, she just wants to feel safe, and you're never safer than when you're a child."

Santana nodded, "I think we need to have a sit down discussion between all four of us, set boundaries, set rules. I want to be more of a sister to Rachel. I want to define the two roles. I've become Santana the parent. What about Santana the cheerio? Santana the glee club member? Santana who is in love with Brittany..."

Brittany turned at that, "I understand now Brittany what you meant, about being yourself."

Brittany leaned over and captured the Latina in a kiss.