Brittany is really excited about her and Santana's anniversary. She knows that Santana has been planning this big dinner thing and she won't take that away from her but she wants to do something for Santana too, she wants to show her how much she means to her and even if she'll never have the kind of money that Santana does to spend on fancy gifts, Brittany has been putting a little money aside every week so she can buy something for the love of her life.

Because she doesn't want to go shopping alone, Brittany calls Artie. He's usually home during the day and he agrees to go look at gifts for Santana with her. Brittany is surprisingly nervous about it, knowing that she has to be really careful about what she buys Santana and she's glad she has a second set of eyes to help her figure out what the best thing to get is.

"So you're buying jewelry?" Artie asks, popping a wheelie in his wheelchair.

"Yeah, but nothing gaudy. She likes simple and classy stuff and it can't be anything with hearts or something."

"Is it hard being with someone in the closet?"

"Sometimes." Brittany shrugs. "But she's like, sort of out, you know? Just not to her family or at work, or like, in not gay spaces. It's just different for people like her than it is for people like us. You're a film maker, I'm a dancer, we're pretty much supposed to be a bunch of queers."

"I guess. So nothing that looks like it was bought by another woman?"

"Exactly. I was thinking maybe like, a chain that has my birthstone on it. Then everybody else can just think that she likes the color but she can know that she gets to keep me close to her heart."

"You never struck me as a romantic." Artie laughs. "And yet here you are."

"She's like, totally romantic and I want to try to do something awesome back. I couldn't really afford to buy her anything nice until now, but since she refuses to let me pay a single bill, I was able to save a bunch of money to buy her a gift. So let's do this."

Brittany pushes Artie's wheelchair into the jewelry store and she spends an hour looking over every single piece, even the ones way out of her price range. She finally goes back to her original idea and looks over the birthstones, picking out a ruby on a gold chain. Red totally suits Santana too, so it's perfect and she has the cashier wrap it up for her. She's a little nervous about whether or not Santana is going to like it, but Artie assures her that she will. Because Santana isn't working late, Brittany declines Artie's offer to come hang out with everyone and she goes home to hide the necklace in her drawer before Santana gets home.

Over the next few days, Brittany keeps checking the drawer to make sure that the necklace is still there, as if it was going to disappear, and each time she sees the wrapped box, she breathes a sigh of relief. On the morning of their anniversary, she's the first one out of bed, wanting to bring Santana breakfast before she gets up for work. Because she's a terrible cook, she turns on the coffee pot and runs around the corner to pick up Santana's favorite omelet from the diner there. When she gets home, she slides it out of the styrofoam and onto a plate, then pours a cup of coffee for Santana before padding back into the bedroom.

"Brittany, what are you doing up?" Santana mumbles, rolling over in bed.

"I brought you breakfast." She grins. "Don't worry, I didn't make it."

"I'd still eat it if you made it." Santana smiles, sitting up and leaning over to give Brittany a kiss. "You really didn't have to do this."

"If I would have had time I would have gone to the diner where I took you the first night we met…but then you would have been late for work and I don't want to make you grumpy today."

"Nothing can make me grumpy today. It's been a year since you made my life so much better and I'm happy that we get to celebrate."

"Duh, obviously me too."

"I made reservations for tonight, I hope that's okay."

"Santana." Brittany laughs, kissing her lips again. "I know you and I figured you would. I get out of work at five."

"I know. I made the reservations for eight so you have time to come home and get ready."

"You didn't have to do any of this."

"There are a lot of things I can't give you, but I can give you this. Let me."

"Okay. I will."

After Santana eats her breakfast, Brittany goes back under the covers while she showers. She doesn't have to be at work until eleven and considering she's not the best morning person, she wants to go back to sleep. She does wake up again though when Santana kisses her goodbye and she promises that she'll be ready by the time she gets home from work. Brittany sees that Santana is kind of giddy when she leaves and she thinks it's the cutest thing.

When Brittany finally gets out of bed, she's in a really good mood. She goes to work and she doesn't even feel grumpy about teaching jazz aerobics to old people. She chats with Carl and Emma, she spends half of her lunch break in the studio practicing a dance she made up, she just feels good because it's a really good day. By the time she leaves, she's tired but she know she has an amazing night ahead of her so she gulps a hot coffee before she jumps on her bike and then she speeds home, wanting to be showered and ready before Santana walks in the door.

It turns out she has a lot of time and she relaxes in the shower, letting the hot water soothe her sore muscles from work. She gets out and she gels her hair before she pulls on a tight dress and takes a lot of time with her makeup. She's just finishing up when Santana walks in the door and she grins when she sees her enter the bedroom. She looks really sexy in a pantsuit and Brittany sort of wishes they didn't have dinner reservations so she could rip it off of her and throw her down on the bed. Sue her, her girlfriend is really sexy and she can't control herself.

"What?" Santana asks, seeing the way Brittany looks at her.

"Do you know how hot you are? I mean, like, for reals, it's taking everything in me to keep my hands off of you."

"I'm just in work clothes…"

"Which you obviously look the hottest in. Are you wearing that to dinner? Because I might not be able to keep my hands off of you."

"I'm changing." Santana laughs. "I don't want to feel like I'm at a work meeting."

"Can we role play tonight that you're the banker and I'm your client?"

"The last time we tried to role play I felt really weird…"

"Okay fine." Brittany smiles and kisses Santana. "But I'm still going to rock your world when we get home."

"I'm kind of counting on it."

Santana changes and then they're out on the curb hailing a cab to take them to the French restaurant where they had their late night date after Santana freaked out. Brittany is so glad that they're in a good place and though she wishes she could hold Santana's hand in the cab, she settles for the closeness to her and the idea that later on, she'll have her all to herself where she can touch her everywhere and make her forget her own name. She loves when Santana's mind goes blank and she loves that she can to that to her and when they get out of the cab outside the restaurant, Brittany feels a little flushed just thinking about later.

They're led to the back of the restaurant where Santana requested a private table and Brittany smiles as she watches Santana tip the maitre'd. She thinks it's really sexy that Santana is important and she loves watching her walk into a place with authority. They're barely seated when a waiter brings them a bottle of champagne and then he steps back, giving them privacy with their glasses as their menus.

"I want to give a toast." Santana murmurs, looking down into her glass. "To the best thing that's ever happened to me, and to another fifty years with you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, Britt. I know I was weird at Mike and Artie's wedding, but I never don't want to be with you. I've found my person in you and I hope you'll have me for that long."

"I'm not going anywhere, babe. Seriously, I plan to grow old with you and travel the world with you when you finally get to retire."

"You know it'll be awhile, right?"

"Totally. But I'm going to be here for it. Imagine how much more relaxed you'll be."

"I'm sorry I'm so high strung all the time…"

"You don't have to be sorry, that's who I fell in love with. But I do want you to be able to not feel so anxious because it's better for you."

"I know." Santana nods, then stops talking so they can both look at their menus. "Do you know what you want?"

"I think so, yeah. I'm just so excited thinking about giving you your present that I can hardly focus."

"Brittany, you didn't have—"

"I wanted to. You always buy me the best things and I might not have the kind of money that you do, but I saved to get you something special."

The waiter comes back to the table and they order their food, Santana perfectly pronouncing the French even though she doesn't speak it, and Brittany stumbling over the words but being clear enough so the waiter understands. When he leaves, Brittany takes the wrapped package out of her bag and Santana does the same from hers, sliding a long flat box across the table. Brittany grins at her and hands the gift she's so excited about to Santana, who flushes.

"It's a jewelry box."

"I mean, yeah, but don't do that thing you do where you try to guess gifts when the box is right in front of you." Brittany laughs. "Open it."

"Is that…" Santana unwraps the box and fingers the necklace inside. "My birthstone?"

"No, and it's obscene that you don't know that." Brittany shakes her head. "It's mine."

"Brittany."

"I knew getting you a heart or something would make Terry ask you questions at work, so I figured this could be a private little way of you having me with you."

"I…" Santana tears up a little and takes the necklace out of the box, clasping it around her neck. "This is the nicest thing anyone has ever given to me."

"You really like it?"

"I love it so much. I wish I could kiss you right now to show you."

"I'll settle for this." Brittany gives Santana's hand a quick squeeze under the table. "Now me!"

Quickly, Brittany unwraps the package and finds the now familiar red Cartier box beneath the paper. She shakes her head at Santana, thinking it's absurd that she spends so much money on her, and then opens the box. Inside is a chain with two joined rings on it and Brittany loses her breath. Considering the conversation they'd had the night of Artie and Mike's wedding, it's a lot to handle and she looks at Santana for an explanation.

"It's not in place of an engagement ring." Santana shakes her head. "I just wanted to let you know that I thought a lot about it and it's a promise. I don't know when I'll be comfortable with the idea of a marriage that isn't equal to everyone else's, but someday I will be and you're the only person I'll ever want that with."

"Jeeze." Tears stream down Brittany's face. "Okay."

After putting her necklace on, it takes everything in Brittany not to dive across the table and kiss Santana. But she controls herself and their dinner comes shortly after. They eat in almost silence, both of them clearly reflecting on the year they've had together, and the finish the bottle of champagne before Santana orders another. When dessert is done and they're both a little drunk, Santana makes to stand up and Brittany follows suit. They make their way out to the curb and Santana hails a cab, sliding in first so Brittany doesn't have to.

The whole way home, Brittany notices that Santana fingers her necklace and she realizes that it's the first time anyone has ever bought her a piece of jewelry. A shock of hair falls across her face, illuminated in the streetlights and Brittany longs to tuck it behind her ear. It feels like forever until they get home and Brittany can hardly wait to touch Santana. As soon as the door is closed behind them, Brittany pulls Santana to her and just holds her in an embrace. There's no rush to have sex, there can be a moment of just being and Brittany breathes in the scent of Santana's shampoo as she holds her close. A year ago, everything was brand new and now here they are, their whole life spread out before them.

"Thank you for dinner." Brittany murmurs.

"Thank you for you." Santana whispers back. "Do you want wine or anything?"

"I'm totally a little drunk from the champagne. I mostly just want to take you to bed."

Santana nods and Brittany releases her from the embrace. They go to the bedroom and Santana stands in front of the bed. They both know that Brittany is really into undressing her so she doesn't make to take off her dress. Instead, she pulls back the comforter and waits until Brittany stands in front of her, slowly easing the zipper down her back and kissing her shoulder. Brittany is always so adventurous when it comes to sex, but she knows that Santana's favorite is soft and intimate and she wants to give her that. She slides the dress down Santana's body and she slides her hands up Santana's back, playing with her bra clasp before actually unhooking it.

When she finally does expose Santana's breasts, she kisses her on the lips first, the moves her mouth lower, peppering kisses down her neck, across her collar bone, over the tops of her breasts, before stopping to take a nipple into her mouth. Santana arches into Brittany as she does it and Brittany smiles against her skin, letting her hands begin to slide down Santana's panty hose. Putting her hands back against the bed to hold herself up, Santana has the balance so that when Brittany removes her mouth from her nipple and goes to finish undressing her, she has the balance to lift one foot at a time off the ground.

Once Santana is undressed, Brittany lays her back on the bed and quickly gets her own clothes off before crawling over Santana. She loves how she looks splayed out on silk sheets and she kisses her deeply, drinking all of her in. Santana tucks Brittany's hair behind her ears so that she can see her face and Brittany just beams down at her, reveling in her own happiness. They do nothing but kiss for a long time and Brittany winds her hair through Santana's dark curls, trying to get as close to her as she possibly can.

"I got so lucky with you." Santana whispers. "You're one of a kind."

"You deserve good things, babe, and we're good together."

With a smile, Brittany moves back down Santana's body. She laves plenty of attention on her breasts because she knows that it's a sensitive spot for Santana, but then she moves further down, kissing Santana's still-red scar from end to end. Santana squirms a little while she does it and Brittany is aware that she's self-conscious about it—it took her a while to show Brittany, after all—but she wants to show her how she loves every bit of her, even the parts that are imperfect. Once she's done with the scar, she spreads Santana's legs and settles beneath them, propping herself up on her elbows. She's been with women before but there's never been anything quite like going down on Santana. It's the one time in Santana's life where she gets to completely let loose and Brittany loves watching someone so careful and controlled let it all go.

"Britt." Santana moans as Brittany wraps her lips around her clit.

"You're amped." Brittany lifts her head and grins. "You know it's better if you let me take my time."

Brittany works her mouth against Santana until she falls apart, feet scrabbling against the sheets, hands holding her head closer. She waits until Santana's hands loosen in her hair before she positions herself so her sex rubs against Santana's. They've only done this a few times, but while Santana was surprised about it the first time, she's seemed to enjoy it subsequent times and Brittany loves getting off like this. Santana is hot and slippery when Brittany moves against her and the though that she's like that only because of her makes Brittany more turned on than she can imagine.

After she feels Santana come again first, Brittany finally lets herself go. As spent as she is after she falls apart, she manages to untangle her limbs from Santana and gather her up in her arms. She loves post-sex Santana, how sleepy and cuddly and warm she is, how she rests her head on Brittany's chest and plays with her fingers. She's soft and relaxed and Brittany kisses the top of her head. A year ago, she couldn't imagine that they would be here like this. She couldn't imagine that Santana would let her in, would relax in her arms, would let herself feel safe. But she has, and it makes Brittany really happy.

"Did you really mean what you said at dinner?" Brittany asks, touching the side of Santana's face.

"I did. After the last time we went out with Mike and Artie, I think I started to understand why they did it. Things are falling apart right now and they wanted to make that commitment to each other in spite of everything else."

"That's what I wanted you to see that day. I don't need a proposal from you until you're ready, but I just want you to understand why our love isn't less than anyone else's."

"It's just hard for me. Maybe you're too young to remember it, but back in the early seventies, Life magazine had this whole thing about gays. My father tore it up when he caught me reading it and cancelled his subscription. Every association I had with my sexuality was a bad one until you came along. I spent years hiding in dark bars and having one night stands. The idea of…oral sex was something I couldn't even imagine because it was way too much. Even if we were to get married, I'll still have to hide at work and from my family. Sometimes I just think that none of this is fair to you."

"I want you, no matter what." Brittany promises. "All I care about is how you make me feel, and you make me feel better than I ever have in my life."

"I'm glad, because that's how you make me feel too."

"What do you think it'll be like for us in fifty years?"

"I don't know, maybe we won't be living in the city anymore. Maybe we buy a house on Fire Island or up in the Catskills when we retire and we walk in the woods or on the beach every day. We could sit out on our porch and have our coffee in the morning. I guess all that really matters to me is that you're there with me in fifty years, we can figure out the rest of the details when we get there."

"Having a house out of the city sounds good, but don't you love it here?"

"I like it enough. I love this house." Santana shrugs. "But we could probably keep it."

"I like talking about the future with you. I guess before I met you, I never really thought about it, I was just living one day at a time."

"My future feels so much better with you in it. Imagine just thinking you were going to grow old alone."

"Babe, that makes me sad."

"You don't have to feel sad, it's not that way anymore."

Brittany has to just hold Santana tightly for a few minutes after that, not saying anything. She may not have thought about the future, but she always figured she'd be with someone. For Santana to think she would have been alone makes Brittany feel heartbroken and she plays with the chain around her neck, knowing that's not the case anymore. Santana burrows into Brittany's chest and she kisses the top of her head. Santana is on top everywhere in the real world, but the fact that she lets herself be vulnerable in the bedroom, lets Brittany hold her, makes Brittany feel so glad that she can be something for someone that's given her so much.

"I wish tomorrow was Saturday." Santana finally says. "I'd really like to sleep in."

"By sleep in, do you mean eight o'clock?" Brittany laughs.

"Hey, it's sleeping in for me."

"Do you want to maybe take a ride upstate on my bike this weekend? I'm probably not going to have much longer to take it out this year and the leaves are changing so it could be totally cool."

"Yeah, that sounds good. I'd like to just relax and not think about anything."

"Is work okay?" Brittany asks.

"We don't have to talk about work in bed."

"If there's something you want to talk about, I don't care where we are."

"It's just been a lot of stress lately. Hudson won't leave me alone and I think firing him will just make everyone act up worse. I don't know what to do."

"You're the boss, they should respect you."

"I'm a woman in a man's world, a Hispanic woman at that. I'm never going to get the same respect as a man in my position." Santana sighs.

"I think it's kind of bullshit, you work harder than anyone."

"Brittany, you know as well as I do that it isn't always about how hard you work. There are workplace politics, I have to play the game and try not to ruffle any feathers. Honestly, I wouldn't put it above Hudson to go to my higher ups if I fired him and who knows what he would say about me."

"Are you scared about…you know?"

"I'm always scared about that. I know that standing up for Hummel put me out there but I couldn't not do it. As far as they know, I'm single, I'm what they call a man-eater. There are tells there."

"Babe."

"I'm just saying he could blackmail me with his very little evidence and concealing something and lying are two very different things."

"So you have to let him have control?"

"I have to do what it takes to keep me job. The life we live depends on it."

"You know we could live in a tiny one bedroom apartment and I'd still love you, right? All of this is just…extra."

"I know." Santana nods, playing with Brittany's hair. "But I worked really hard for all of this and I want to keep it."

"I get that. I just want you to protect yourself too."

"I think that's what I'm doing, even if it feels like a shitty way of going about it."

"I support you whatever you want to do, I just hate when you're all stressed out."

"I'm very relaxed right now." She laughs a little. "You made sure of that."

"And we're going to have a majorly relaxing weekend."

"Definitely. Let's just get through tomorrow first."