I know this took a long time and I'm sorry. This is the second to last chapter. So one more after this. Enjoy.

Chapter 24 Part 2: Yes

We are having a movie night on my couch. Some romantic comedy is playing on the tv screen but I can't seem to focus my attention to the movie. My thoughts are consumed by the beautiful Latina that is laying on top of me with her head resting on my chest.

My thoughts aren't really of Santana or how comfortable she feels right now laying in my arms, though, that is nice.

My thoughts are of my two failed attempts to ask Santana to move in with me. I've asked her twice now and received a no from her both times. I just can't stop thinking about it though. I understand in some ways why she doesn't want to move in with me. Or why she can't. But, at the same time, there are things I don't understand.

The movie ends and Santana picks her head up off my chest and looks up at me with tired, sleepy eyes. I can't help but smile at her. She is just too darn cute.

"Hey, cutie." I say and raise my finger and boop her on the nose.

"Hmm?" She hums happily.

"Can I ask you something?" It's been plaguing me for days.

"Anything."

"Okay, now don't get mad but-"

"Britt, I won't get mad. What is it?" She quirks an interested, suspicious eyebrow at me.

I sigh before I begin. "I just can't stop thinking about it. Why don't you want to move in with me? We could do this every night." I squeeze my arms around her for emphasis.

"Actually, we couldn't. If you don't remember you work until two in the morning most nights."

"I know but-" I pause weighing whether or not I should voice my next thought. "-I could come home every night to the most beautiful, amazing girl in the whole world and crawl into bed and cuddle up with her."

"Britt." She whines. "I told you, it's not that I don't want to move in with you. I want to but-."

"Then just do it." I butt in. "If you moved in with me you would save money, we would see a ton more of each other, you wouldn't have to live at home anymore, you would have totally freedom to do whatever you wanted and not live under the rules of your parents house. It would be perfect." I voice my case.

Santana looks away from me. "I can't Brittany. It wouldn't be right. I can't live off of you. I wouldn't feel right about it. I have a lot of college debt to pay off yet and I just started a new job. I can't, under good conscious, move in with you and have you pay for everything. I want to make it on my own and make my own way. If we would ever move in together I want us to be equal partners in that venture."

"But, I don't care. I am more than willing to pay for things for a little bit while you get on your feet." I know I'm not gonna win this conversation but it doesn't mean I'm not going to try.

"I know, Britt-Britt. And I love you for that but I don't feel right about it." She says and gives me a sympathetic smile.

"Fine." I sigh. Why does this have to be so hard? I decide to drop the subject. "Ready for bed?" Santana nods and I grab the tv remote and shut it off. "Your gonna have to get off of me if you want to go to bed." I tease.

She giggles. "Don't wanna move. We could just sleep here."

"We could but-" I look up to the ceiling in thought. "I don't think I would feel too good in the morning. Sore back, kink in the neck, I can see it now."

"You're probably right."

"No, I know I'm right." I joke and pat Santana on the butt. "Let's go sexy pants."

"Okay. Okay." She groans and pushes herself up from my body and then off the couch. I follow after her and follow her into the bedroom for a good nights sleep.

I have it all planned out. Tonight is the night. I am going to ask one more time and, hopefully, I get a yes but if I don't I'm not going to bring it up again. I know Santana said to ask her again in six months but, frankly, I can't wait that long.

It's been a week since Santana and I last discussed moving in together. Tonight I have the evening all planned out. Santana is set to come over at six and she thinks we are gonna have dinner and then relax together but I have a few other things planned for the evening.

A text message alerts me that Santana is downstairs. I wipe my hands on a kitchen towel and skip over to the door and down the stairs. I'm excited. It feels like Christmas morning to me. I haven't seen Santana in a week and it nearly killed me.

I run down the stairs and get to the door, pulling it open as fast as I can. Santana is standing there facing away from the building. When she hears the door open she spins around and I big smile takes over her face as our eyes meet. Mine too. My smile is so big that it actually hurts my cheeks.

"Hi." She whispers.

"Hey." I say equally as quiet. I reach out and pull her into my body for a bone crushing hug. "I missed you." I say into her ear and rest my chin on her shoulder. I can feel her nod against me. "We should never go a week without seeing each other ever again." I comment and I feel her giggle the second before a hear it.

I pull back slightly, my arms still wrapped around her, to see that beautiful face again. It's just as beautiful as the last time I saw her, if not more. "I love you." I feel like I am about read to cry but I'm not sure why. I'm just overwhelmed with my emotions for her.

"Britt-Britt, I love you too. Lets go upstairs." She nods her head to the door behind me. I nod and make move for the building but stop.

"Wait." I stop and face her again.

"What?" She asks with that cute confused scrunchy face.

I show her what. I lean in and connect our lips together. Santana sighs into the kiss and I smile a little. We kiss for long seconds before I step back and smile. She smiles sheepishly back at me. I lean forward once more and peck her on the lip and then on the nose. Then I take her hand in mine and lead Santana up the stairs and into my apartment.

"Oh my god, Britt. It smells great in here. What did you make?" She spits out.

"Eggplant parmesan." I tell her with a coy smile. I watch as her eyes get wide and then return to there normal size slowly but glimmer with something. Adoration maybe.

"That's my favorite dish. How did you know?"

I shrug. "Lucky guess."

"Britt, come on. Tell me. You didn't just guess that eggplant parm is my favorite dish. Who told you?"

"I was sworn to secrecy. I am not aloud to reveal my source." I wink at her and Santana huffs out a frustrated breath.

"Fine. But I'm gonna find out." She insists.

"Fine." I mimic.

We step into the kitchen/dining area and I hear Santana gasp from behind me.

"Brittany." I spin around at the sound of her voice. "What is all this?" She asks in wonder. Her eyes wide again.

With the distraction of the smell of our dinner I don't think Santana realized that there was anything different about the apartment. Like the fact that, except for the lamp in the living room, the lights are low and there are lit candles everywhere.

"What is all of this for?" She asks in awe.

I shrug and tell her a little white lie. "I wanted to do something special for my girl." It's not really a lie, actually. I did want to do something for my girl but I have something extra planned in addition to a special dinner.

"I can't believe you put all of this together for me." She comments.

I step closer to her and whisper in her ear. "Believe it babe. You are the most special girl in the world. And special girl's deserve special things." Cheesy, I know. But it works.

Santana ducks her head and I can see the slightest bit of blush dusting her cheeks. A couple seconds pass and she picks her head up and looks me straight in the eye. "Thank you, Britt."

"You are very welcome, my love. How about we eat?" Santana nods.

We walk over to the table and I pull out her chair for her. "You sit here. I'll get the grub. Relax." I tell her and walk over to the oven where the food is keeping warm.

I serve dinner and we make light conversation while we eat. I find out that Santana spent the day with her mom and that they went shopping together. I am grateful that the relationship they have is getting better and that they are growing closer.

"Britt, why are you so fidgety tonight? Is something wrong?" Santana asks me with concerned eyes.

I shake my head immediately. Nothing's wrong. But, for some reason I am nervous. This has to be perfect. This is the last time I am going to ask. She can't say no.

"Nothing's wrong." I tell her and take her hand in my own and squeeze it to try and reassure her. I don't think she believes me though. My legs have been bouncing up and down all night and I can't sit still. I would think something is wrong too if I saw someone acting like that.

"Actually-" I might as well go for it right now. We are practically done eating so why not?

I get up out of my chair and Santana tilt her head to the side questioning what I am doing. I give her a half smile and take her other hand with mine so that I am holding both of hers with both of mine. Now is the moment. I get down on one knee next to her chair.

Santana's eyes go wide. "Brittany, what are you-?"

"Shh." I say and bring her hands to my face. I place a kiss to the casted hand and then to the skin on the back of her other hand. "Just listen." I whisper and look up into her eyes. They soften and shrink back down to their normal size.

"Okay." She mumbles and turns in her chair so we are facing each other.

I look up at her from where I rest on one knee. I look deep into her brown eyes with all the love that I have for her and make my final plea.

"Santana." I take a deep breath. "I don't know why but I feel like this needs to happen. I feel like I need you here with me. I don't know what exactly all your reasons are for saying no. I know what you told me and all of that makes sense but- I feel like this makes more sense. You and me. Together. Here. In this apartment. Every single day. And. Taking on the world together outside this apartment."

I look down quickly and swallow hard before I can continue. This is it. I look back up into those eyes that I love so much. "I have decided that this is the last time that I am going to ask and if you say no, which is totally ok, I won't ask again. I will be bummed but at least I'll still get to see you sometimes, not everyday, but I can live with that. I would rather spend time with you once a week, heck once a month than not at all, ever."

I squeeze Santana's hands in my own. "So, with that said, Santana Lopez, the love of my life, will you move in with me?" I ask with as much strength, and hope, and conviction that I have.

A tear leaks out of Santana's left eye and soon more and more start falling. She's shaking her head back and forth and crying. My hopes dashed, I deflate, duck my head and let go of Santana's hands. I go to get up. I grab the edge of the table for support to stand up. I need the extra support right now. I stand on shaky legs and take the few steps back to my seat.

I sit down and not a second later I feel her hand on top of mine. I look up from staring at the floor to see the tan hand on top of my pale one. Slowly, I look up. Taking my time, my eyes roam up Santana's arm until her face comes into view. She is crying but also smiling. My confusion sets in and a little hope begins to flicker inside me.

Santana stands up and tugs me up by the hand so that we are standing toe to toe, face to face. She stares at me for long, hard seconds and I just watch her every move. The tears still falling from her eyes.

And then after I don't know how long, it could have been minutes or it could have been hours, she falls forward and collapses into my arm. I catch her, of course. She hugs me tight and I hold her up so she doesn't fall to the floor. She hugs me so tight I don't know if I am still breathing. I actually don't know what is going on right now. But then I hear it. It's a tiny little whisper of a word. A little whimper of a cry.

"Yes."

I wrap my arms tight around her and hug her to my body. I am so elated and relieved and grateful. I can't believe it. I start kissing her silly, I'm so happy. I pepper kisses along the side of her face, over her cheek, to her nose. And finally finding her lips, kissing her firmly. But wait?

I pull back just enough so I can see her face. "Then why are you crying?"

"Because I'm so happy. God, Brittany, that was beautiful and heartfelt and how could I say no to that? How could I say no to you? I would have to be stupid to. And then you got all disappointed and started pouting and I just didn't want to make you feel that way anymore. I shouldn't have said no the first time you asked, never mind the second. I love you so so much, Britt."

"I love you too, Santana."

"I want to spend everyday with you. I want to go to sleep at night with you next to me and wait up every morning to that wonderful face of yours. I want everything you were talking about last week. I want to spend as much time with you as possible. When I showed up here tonight it was too long since I'd seen you last and I don't want that anymore."

"Santana." I sigh and rest my forehead against hers.

"Brittany. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes, I'll move in with you." She sighs and leans further into me.

I'm so happy right now. I don't think it has really hit me yet. Santana said yes. She's gonna move in here. We can start our lives together. I can feel a little bubble of excitement start somewhere inside me. It grows and grows. Through my chest and radiates out towards my limbs.

I can't contain the happy energy inside me any longer. I wrap my arms tight around Santana, picking her up off the floor, and spinning her around in circles.

"Brittany." She squeals.

"I'm so excited right now." I tell her or the room or whoever will listen.

"Brittany, put me down." Santana whines a little.

"No." I spin around and around until I am dizzy. "Whoa. Okay, too much spinning." I stop and put Santana down on the floor, take a step back from her, nearly falling over.

"Britt." She reaches out and grabs my arm to stabilize me.

"Thanks." I give her a small thank you smile.

"Here, sit down, you goofball." She says and I nod my head.

"Maybe I shouldn't have done that." I chuckle at my own silliness. "I just can't believe it. I can't wait. This is gonna be so awesome. Come here." I coax her towards me with two fingers. Once Santana is close enough I put my hands around her waist and pull her onto my lap. "You just made me the happiest girl on the planet." I smile my biggest smile up at her.

"I'm glad. And I can't wait to start this journey with you. You, me, and Lord Tubbs."

"We can start tomorrow." I say eagerly.

She chuckles. "Britt. Tomorrow's Monday. I have to work."

"Well, I don't. I'll start packing up your stuff and bring it over."

"Slow down." Santana pats me on the shoulder. "This just happened. I need to talk to my parents and let them know that I will be moving out. I need to get boxes. I need to pack my stuff, by myself."

"Why?" I whine and pout. Hoping my best sad puppy dog face will convince her to start tomorrow.

"You are more than welcome to help me carry boxes up the stairs and into your apartment."

"Our apartment." I interrupt.

She smiles shyly. "Right. Into our apartment. And you can unpack them all if you want. But, I need to go through the process of packing up my childhood and young adulthood. And I need to do it by myself. It's a process that I have to go through if I am truly going to be moving in with you and starting my life. I need to close one chapter in my life so I can start the next one with you."

The kiss that follows catches me by surprise. Slowly, Santana leans in and presses her lips to mine. It's tender and what I can only describe as full of love. I gasp as her tongue swipes across my bottom lip effectively partly them. And it's honestly the best kiss I've ever had. Her tongue slides around with mine playing and teasing.

After a few heated seconds I stop her. I rest my palms on each of her cheeks and look her straight in the eyes. Having a silent conversation. She smiles and nods. Santana gets up off my lap and holds out her hand for me. I take it and she pulls me up from the chair and leads me to the bedroom.