Santana wakes up feeling content. She doesn't immediately realize what feels different but as the sleep slowly fades away, she becomes more and more aware of the warmth sensation that Brittany's body emits on her back.

She smiles. It's been a while since the last time Santana has woken up in Brittany's arms, mostly because of the way that Brittany has been sleeping lately. The surgery, and the pain that followed, affected many things in Brittany's life and her sleeping position was one of them.

But the blonde has started feeling better since they came back to Lima. Santana thinks it's because Antonio kind of pressures Brittany into the right way of exercising, and although Brittany complains about it, Santana trusts her dad and tries to be supportive to her girlfriend. It isn't just the exercise itself though, it's also Antonio's mentality that boosts Brittany's confidence.

If it means Brittany starts feeling good in her own skin again, and therefore Santana waking up like this, then the brunette is absolutely fine with all the complaining.

She turns around in Brittany's arms, not really trying to be quiet and careful, as she actually wants Brittany to wake up, and nudges the blonde's nose with her own. She feels Brittany's hold around her waist tightening and bringing her closer, letting her know that she's awake, but blue eyes remain closed.

"Britt?"

"No." Brittany answers quickly and simply, letting Santana know that she doesn't want to wake up, even though she's already kind of awake.

"Babe, I have to tell you something really important." Santana continues, causing Brittany to frown in disbelief but she still opens her eyes to look into brown.

"What?"

"Do you love me?"

"Well, no." Brittany answers simply, instantly earning Santana's dissatisfying huff. "Not right now."

"Why not?" Santana whines, seemingly waken up in a very good mood.

"Honey, I know that it's your birthday and that I promised that I'll do whatever you want for the whole day but I'm taking it back." Brittany announces as she closes her eyes again, having the naive thought that Santana will actually let her go back to sleep.

"You can't do that."

"Babe, please." Brittany pouts. She must be genuinely tired to deny Santana anything, especially since she's been excited for this day for so long. "I'll make it up to you later. Anything. Anything you want."

"Anything, anything?" Santana asks suggestively, causing Brittany to giggle in response.

"Yeah, I'll fuck you senseless." She says, even though she doesn't mean it, because she knows that Santana refuses to even hear about sex these last few weeks. Brittany is fine with that, she's dealt with it, although sometimes it's really difficult to not make moves on her girlfriend. It's not just the physical need. Sex is important to both of them, it's how they express their love in the best way possible.

"That was funny." Santana says but she doesn't laugh. She might have woken up in a very good mood but when Brittany opens her eyes again to look at her girlfriend, she realizes how Santana's mood shifted from playful to serious.

"Did I just get myself in trouble?" Brittany wonders aloud, rightfully confused with her girlfriend.

"Britt." Santana sighs, shifting her body to get closer to Brittany's, if that's even possible, as she tangles their legs together and brings their faces way too close. She rests her forehead against Brittany's and closes her eyes at the feeling of Brittany's hand slipping beneath her top and caressing the skin of her back.

"What's wrong?" Brittany asks as she allows Santana to place the palm of her hand on Brittany's cheek and slowly and softly claim pink lips.

Brittany isn't one to waste the opportunity to kiss Santana, she can't really resist the taste of her lips even if she wanted to, as she instantly reciprocates, kissing Santana softly at first but quickly both of them grow needier and needier for more. More of each other.

Santana doesn't have to say anything to let Brittany know what she wants. She rarely does when it comes to this. But the time and place isn't right, they both know that but neither of them can calm down their fast heartbeats and rapidly growing need.

Until loud, happy and celebratory music fills the house, letting them know that Maribel is up and ready to make a big deal out of Santana's birthday.

She sighs, Santana, because being reminded that she isn't alone with Brittany puts her off, and she finally seems to gather enough strength to pull away, but never really letting Brittany go.

"Happy birthday." Brittany whispers, effectively causing Santana to giggle. It's not funny, she's just happy. Just by waking up next to Brittany, already makes this birthday the best she's had in the last six years. Or ever. "I have something for you."

"Again?" Santana wonders, tightening her grip around Brittany to stop her from moving away from her. She really doesn't want to lose the physical contact.

Brittany has been giving Santana all kinds of presents since the day they got back together and Santana made it clear to her that she doesn't want anything else just because it's her birthday. But apparently, Brittany didn't actually listen to her girlfriend.

The blonde lets go of Santana to sit up, so she can reach to the floor and get her jeans that she was wearing the day before and get Santana's gift out of the front pocket.

It's a chain with five keys threaded through it, as far as Santana can tell.

"What's this?"

"The keys to my heart." Brittany says teasingly, instantly earning Santana's out loud laugh. It makes Brittany laugh too, as she lies back down on the mattress and gets back in her girlfriend's arms. It's probably the cheesiest thing she's ever said but Santana's happy face and laugh is worth it. "No, I'm kidding. But, they kinda are..."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember in high school, you were always 'making fun of me' for keeping diaries and writing every night what happened that day."

"I wasn't making fun of you." Santana corrects her girlfriend. It is really something that she would never do. "I'd just rather have your undivided attention and not have to share you with a freakin' notebook."

"Well…you could've said that." Brittany teases as Santana huffs her annoyance. Brittany knows that at that point in Santana's life, the brunette wouldn't admit that she felt jealous of Brittany's diary. "But anyway, I gave you one day my diary to read it, and you realized that I wasn't really writing only what happened but also how I felt. Mostly, I'd write how I feel about you and maybe my dad, too."

"Yeah, I remember. You used to lock it and keep the key with you all day because, as you told me later, you thought I wasn't ready to read it."

"You weren't. You'd freak out if you found out that I wanted you as more than just a friend." Brittany points out what Santana already knows. It's not a secret that she's had a very difficult time coming in terms with who she is. But the truth is that maybe Brittany wasn't protecting only Santana. Maybe she was protecting herself, too. It's not easy opening up to someone when you know for a fact that they're going to reject you. Not because Santana wasn't feeling the same way but because she wasn't ready to admit it, not even to herself.

"Are these the keys to your diaries?" Santana asks and Brittany nods her head 'yes'.

"We've spent five years apart. Five years that you have almost no idea what happened to me while I kept up with you through your radio shows and social media. And that's unfair. So, five diaries for the five years you weren't with me."

"Britt, baby, no." Santana shakes her head. "I can't take that. I know it's very important to you, I mean your diaries, and it's personal stuff that you write in there. Especially those years, I know that it was difficult for you. You don't have to give them to me."

"But I want to. I want you to read them, I want you to know everything about me." Brittany holds the keys in her open palm, offering them to Santana. "I am giving myself to you, will you please accept it?"

"Britt." Santana sighs, overwhelmed at the sight of crystal clear blue eyes looking back at her. "Are you sure about this?"

"The only doubt I had, and the only reason that I haven't done this sooner, is that…Well, there's hardly anything that would make you happy written in my diaries. Mostly, it's just stuff that I know will make you sad. And I made you sad a lot…" Brittany trails off, unable to finish her thought. But Santana understands.

"Baby, you don't have to protect me from your feelings."

"Yeah, I know. That's why I'm giving this to you." Brittany smiles as she holds up the chain, silently telling Santana that she wants her to wear it, and the brunette lifts her head enough for Brittany to put it around her neck. "I love you, I just want you to know that, no matter what you read."

"Did you write that you don't love me?" Santana wonders, her voice coming out oddly shaky, which makes Brittany smile reassuringly as she fixes Santana's hair, getting it out of the chain and adjusting it over her shoulder.

"Of course not. I'm just mad sometimes and sometimes I'm hurt, but you know this already, so I guess you'll have to wait until we go back home to read them and understand better."

"But Britt, I have to ask you again…are you sure about this?"

"Am I sure that I want to share my whole life with you?" Brittany asks back, her eyes loving and her smile wide. "I've never been so sure about anything in my life."

"Dad?" Santana calls quietly. Antonio hums questioningly in response but doesn't look away from the TV. "Can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"Well..." Santana starts hesitantly, not looking at her father, who doesn't look at her either, as she uncomfortably shifts on the couch and nervously rubs her hands together. "I wanted to ask you if you told Dr. Solomon, I mean Elias, about me. I mean, Brittany and me. Because he was like 'take care of your girl' or something like that..."

"That you're girlfriends?" Antonio asks to clarify and turns to look at Santana as she nods her head 'yes'. "Yeah, I thought you were fine with telling people."

"I am, I just didn't know that you were fine with it."

"Fine with what?" Antonio asks, effectively causing Santana to sigh. Her dad has always avoided even using the word 'gay' or 'lesbian', this is the main reason why Santana was surprised that her dad talked to his friend about it. But he still seems not completely fine with the idea.

"Never mind." Santana shrugs, not wanting to get into an argument with her dad for two reasons. Firstly, it's her birthday and they're supposed to spend their last day in Lima peacefully, and secondly, it was only yesterday when Santana and her parents finally had an open and honest conversation about their relationship and Santana was left feeling happy to be back home with her parents. She doesn't want to ruin that feeling.

"Mija, there is nothing for me to be fine with. I am so proud of you. Never have I ever, not once in my life, been ashamed of you. Gay or straight and blonde or brunette or bald, you're still my daughter and I love you with all my heart." Antonio says softly, his voice so reassuring and loving that leaves no room for Santana to have a single doubt.

She doesn't say anything though, she doesn't believe that there is anything to be said, as she wills herself to not get emotional. It's just a big deal for her, this acceptance from her dad, and she has waited for it for many years.

"I'm just really happy that you're back home and that we're a family again." Antonio continues as he drapes an arm over Santana's shoulders and pulls her closer to him. "Maribel and I, like a lot of parents, built our lives around our child and when you left it was hard for us, too. We're not perfect, we make mistakes and I know that I'm not always open for discussions but you have to know that we both love you, no matter what. Okay?"

"Yeah, I understand." Santana whispers as Antonio leaves a kiss on her temple. She really does understand because she works in the exact same way as her dad. They stay silent after that, pretending that they're watching TV but really, they're just living the moment. Being together, being a family, being reunited and happy.

Until Brittany's voice breaks their comfortable silence.

"Santana?" The brunette sits up at the sound of her name and looks at her girlfriend standing by the door, nervously fidgeting with her hands. "Your mom said I'm not allowed in the kitchen anymore."

"What did you do?" Santana chuckles, knowing very well that cooking isn't Brittany's greatest talent.

"Nothing, I promise!" Brittany immediately defends herself. "She just said that I should sit down to rest or something."

"Right." Santana teases, causing Brittany to roll her eyes, clear sign of her annoyance that her girlfriend doesn't believe her. "Come here."

"Maribel is right, standing still is worse than walking. You should take a seat." Antonio says, wiping off any chance of Brittany thinking that she is interrupting.

"Okay." Brittany complies as she goes to sit next to Santana. She wouldn't sit anywhere else, she hardly managed to let go of her girlfriend for half an hour just to see if Maribel wanted help with lunch. Not that she would ask Brittany but the blonde still wanted to help.

"How are you feeling today?" Antonio asks as Santana subconsciously and naturally shifts her body towards her girlfriend, completely getting out of Antonio's arms and starting to lean on Brittany.

"Very good." Brittany answers.

"Pa, are you sure that it's ok to push her body that hard?" Santana asks him for the hundredth time, causing him to smile.

"Yes, I'm sure, mija." Antonio reassures his daughter before returning his attention on Brittany. "The harder you work the stronger you become. You're not as fragile as you think, don't do that to yourself."

"I'm just scared, I guess..." Brittany muses, more to herself than anyone else.

"I know, it's normal. But you have to discover your limits again. And you have to be physically strong to avoid relapses, you know that." Antonio turns off the TV and turns to completely face the blonde. "Santana can't help you with that, she's scared. You're the only one who knows your body."

"I'm not scared." Santana defends herself but her dad ignores her.

"Your body will tell you how far you can go and believe me, you have a long way to go. Keep working hard, mija, yes?"

"Yes, sir." Brittany complies, partly because she doesn't have the guts to say 'no' to Santana's father and partly because she actually believes that Antonio is right and his words really do help her.

Santana's phone buzzing on the coffee table interrupts their conversation as the brunette reaches to get it.

"Someone wants to wish me a happy birthday." She giggles like a schoolgirl, only causing Brittany to laugh as well as she watches her girlfriend standing up and leaving the room to answer the call.

Maybe the three of them, Santana and her parents, and maybe Brittany and Maribel, have talked about things but one thing that is for sure is that Antonio and Brittany haven't spent that much time alone. Santana knew, and Brittany for that matter, that since the moment Santana told her parents about Barbara Larson and the recording studio, her dad would definitely want to discuss about it with Brittany. She just knows Barbara better and Antonio would definitely want Brittany's opinion on the matter.

That's what they thought, but now that Brittany and Antonio are left alone in the living room, the older man seems to want to chat with Brittany about the most random things, including Santana wanting to ship the piano they have in the living room to her apartment in New York.

And Brittany chats along, she doesn't have a reason not to. Plus, she hopes Santana will come back soon, but knowing her girlfriend and how she spends so many hours on the phone, she probably won't.

"Do you really have to leave?" Antonio asks at some point, when Brittany has finally felt comfortable around him and like herself. It's difficult for her, with both Maribel and Antonio but even more so with the latter, because, even though it's not her fault by any means, she still feels like she owes Antonio an apology on behalf of her dad. But Antonio makes Brittany feel like she's part of his family and that loosens up the blonde. "I was just starting to get comfortable with the idea of you guys living here with us."

"I don't think you want that." Brittany chuckles, causing Antonio to shrug and smile as well. "I mean, it was a nice break but I'm sure you wanna go back to your routine. Santana definitely does, she's really excited to get started with Barbara."

"Do you think that she can actually help Santana?" Antonio asks the question that Brittany has been waiting for a while.

"Yes." She answers simply.

"I thought you didn't like her."

"Perhaps as my employer but I always believed that Barbara is brilliant at what she does. She's still mean to me in front of others but not when we're alone. She can't be mean when we both know so many things about each other."

"You still dislike her though." Antonio states again what used to be the truth until a while ago. "This isn't the first time you say, and I quote, 'She's mean to me'."

"I used to dislike her." Brittany admits. "Until she approached Santana and told us about her abuela and the things she's been through. I don't know if she's a good person or not, but I know she's hurt and I empathize. She also confessed to me that she was mean to me and trying to get under my skin because she thought that she couldn't."

"You're hard to manipulate, that's certain." Antonio chuckles but Brittany only shrugs in response.

"I don't know. She thought she couldn't but I feel like she was under my skin the whole time, I just didn't let her see."

"I don't think so." Antonio disagrees with the blonde. "If she had managed to affect you so much in a negative way, you wouldn't let Santana anywhere near that woman."

"I cannot control Santana's life, sir." Brittany says honestly but Antonio only smiles knowingly back at her.

"Mija, you and Santana might be two different people but you're one and the same. You've always been like that." Antonio tells Brittany, his voice at the softest level that Brittany has ever heard it. "I love that about the two of you, affecting each other in the best ways possible and making each other better."

"I don't want Santana to be better, I just want her to be herself." Brittany tells him, causing that loving smile on Antonio's face to get bigger.

"Yes, the better version of herself I meant." He chuckles, causing Brittany to chuckle as well. She would lie if she said that she could have ever imagined having this conversation with Santana's dad but she's happy to realize that he understands, at least at some level, the bond that Brittany and Santana have. "Maybe that's what your dad didn't like about your relationship with Santana. Maybe he couldn't see that the way Santana affected you was also in a good way. Maybe he thought she was a bad influence."

"Well..." Brittany sighs. It's hard to believe that this man sitting next to her, after all the racist rants he's heard from her dad, can still find a way to justify his words and actions. "My dad isn't that smart to make that thought. He definitely can't understand the dynamic between two people. The only thing he's ever seen was the color of Santana's skin."

"That's not fair." Antonio says quietly, the pain in his voice not lost on Brittany.

"I'm sorry. I wish I could've kept him away from her."

"No, I mean it's not fair for you, mija." Antonio quickly explains when he realizes that Brittany starts to blame herself for her father's mistakes. "It's unfair for a kid to have a father like that. Did you consider going to talk to him now that you're here?"

"I have nothing to say to him." Brittany states. She genuinely believes that and the fact that her father has never tried to contact her, or her sister, or even her mother, only makes her more confident about her decision to completely cut even the thought of him out of her life.

"What about your sister?"

"Olivia is different than me." Brittany answers Antonio's question. "I'm sure she will want to talk to him, the two of them used to be very close, but I don't think she's ready yet. She has things to deal with before confronting our dad."

"I understand." Antonio says quietly and smiles at the younger woman. He seems like he's about to say something more but Santana comes back in the living room and interrupts him.

"Dad, I think mom wants you in the kitchen." She tells Antonio, making the older man give Brittany one last smile and immediately get up and leave the room as Santana goes to take her seat next to her girlfriend again. "Hi."

"Hi." Brittany giggles at Santana's cuteness.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Brittany smiles. Oddly, only now that she's had this conversation with Antonio, does she feel that their trip to Lima is complete. She feels ready to go back home and go on with her life with Santana.

"Can we please ship the piano to New York?" Santana asks, bringing up this subject again.

"Well, why are you asking me?" Brittany wonders, even though she knows why Santana keeps asking her. "It's neither my piano nor my apartment."

"Not again with that." Santana rolls her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, you technically still live with Artie. The lease expires in two months. Ok. Whatever."

"But that's the truth." Brittany laughs at Santana's dismissive tone. They've had this conversation a thousand times, Santana wants Brittany to officially move in with her, because unofficially she already has, but the blonde refuses to admit it.

"Do you mind having the freaking piano in the living room or not?" Santana asks her again, clearly wanting an answer right now, this time making Brittany roll her eyes.

"Don't be mean." Brittany complains, causing Santana to sigh.

The blonde knows, she understands why Santana keeps asking for Brittany's permission about the piano. Santana doesn't want to make a decision, as small as it is, without asking Brittany. She wants to include her and this, it weirdly makes Brittany nervous. But a beautiful kind of nervous, if that's a thing.

"Why are you doing this?" Santana asks Brittany and then speaks up again before Brittany has time to say anything. "I don't want to push you or something but I want to understand. I mean, I can't think of a reason why you wouldn't want to live with me. Is it too soon? I don't feel like it's too soon."

"It's not." Brittany smiles reassuringly but Santana once again speaks up before Brittany can continue.

"Well, do you not love me? Is it because you have lots of stuff at Artie's and you don't feel like packing and moving? Or is it your mom? Olivia? Is it about money? I don't think the rent and bills are the issue here."

"Santana." Brittany interrupts her rant as she takes Santana's hand and brings it on her lap. "I haven't even thought about it, you're making a big deal out of this. I don't have any reasons, of course I want to live with you, I want to grow old with you." Brittany's voice and reassuring words instantly calm Santana's worries.

"So, what does that mean? Can I have my piano?"

"If your dad is fine with that." Brittany shrugs and Santana sighs in relief, as if Brittany would ever say 'no' to her. Brittany knows better than messing with Santana's relationship with music. Her girlfriend is just quirky when it comes to that. Brittany not only doesn't mind that, but it is actually one of the many things that she loves about Santana.

"Lunch is ready!" Maribel's voice coming from the kitchen interrupts their conversation and Santana quickly stands up and offers a hand to Brittany. The blonde allows her girlfriend to help her up and guide her to the kitchen, where they find Antonio and Maribel already sitting at the kitchen table.

"Dad, I want my piano." Santana tells him the second she steps in, causing Maribel to roll her eyes. She's probably tired of hearing Santana saying that today.

"I thought you didn't want any gifts for your birthday." Antonio answers, feigning indifference and causing Santana to huff disapprovingly as she pulls Brittany by the hand that she's still holding to the kitchen table to sit down next to her. "And let me tell you, shipping the piano is not cheap."

"But it's not for my birthday. I didn't realize I wanted it until I came back home and saw it sitting there all alone and not fulfilling its purpose in life. You guys don't know how to play, anyway."

"It's only a piano, Santana. Its place is in the living room. If you wanna play it then you'll just have to visit more often." Antonio says seriously, but Santana isn't really sure about that. He could be teasing for all she knows, that's why she doesn't say anything to him and turns her attention on her mother, who is the only one with whom she feels that she can have a serious conversation.

"Honey." Maribel chuckles at her daughter. "You can have the piano, your father is just teasing you."

"I'm not." Antonio shrugs, but this time Santana can tell that he is actually teasing her.

"You will ship it!" Santana tells him, trying to sound threatening but she only makes the other people in the room laugh at her.

"Great!" Maribel exclaims and starts serving food in each one's plate. "Now that it's settled, let's eat!"


A.N.: Hello, guys! The next chapter is probably going to be the last one. Thank you for still being here :)