Finn finally found Brittany sitting on the 50 yard mark on the football field. He hopped over the small fence and walked over to the cheerleader, taking a seat next to her. He draped his coat over her shoulders; it was still cold and there was still snow on the field.
"Please don't tell me that I shouldn't be mad at her, she lied to me, or at least she didn't tell me the truth. She could get killed Finn. She made this huge decision without telling me and I don't know if I'm proud of her for getting in, or mad for lying or scared because of what could happen."
"Brittany, I don't pretend to know anything about your relationship with Santana, but let me ask you this. Does she protect you, keep you safe?"
"Ever since we were little."
"Does she make sure you are safe and taken care of regardless of what happens to her?"
Brittany nodded.
"Does she work hard?"
"Yeah."
"Then West Point is exactly where she belongs. Brittany I know what she is doing is scary, I lost my dad when he was in the Army, but you can't focus on that or it will eat you alive. Santana protects you, she protects all of us; last year when the shooting happened and you got hurt protecting us she carried you out to the paramedics even though she was hurt and then she went back in to get everyone else out. She got everyone of us out and took down the shooter. That kind of bravery and leadership can't be taught Brittany, it's a part of who Santana is. Brittany if she does this she will get a great college education, she'll get ready for law school for the future, she'll be trained to be a great leader and a good soldier. She gets the best of both worlds, she gets to learn and get her education while learning how to protect people, how to protect you, her country and the family you guys are going to have. She has what it takes to be an awesome leader in the Army Brittany, just hear her out, let her tell you why this means so much to her."
Brittany looked at Finn and nodded, "fine, I'll listen to what she has to say."
"She loves you Brittany, she's just trying to plan for your future, she wants to provide for you while doing something that really helps people." Finn stood up and offered his hand to Brittany and helped her to her feet. They both walked back into school and into the choir room. Santana promptly stood up and ran to Brittany, "baby please let me explain."
"I'm listening, tell me why this is so important to you."
Santana swallowed hard, "Brittany all my life I've only ever been really good at one thing, protecting you. I know that I'm pretty smart and that I can dance pretty well, but the one thing that I have always been good at was protecting you. I've been protecting you since we were kids and I will never stop and it occurred to me that maybe I can do more. I can protect you and a lot of other people; I can be a real leader and actually change the world even if it is just in some small way. I can wake up every day and go to work knowing that me doing my jobs keeps you safe and happy. I will have my college education and after active duty I can go back for law school which they will pay for Brittany. We'll have a house on base while I'm in the Army, my pay grade will be higher than someone who enlists right out of high school so we will be financially secure, we can save up and pay off your school expenses and start planning for our first child. Brittany I want to do this for so many reasons; the education is amazing, the training will help me in the future, the job I will have after will let me do what I love, I'll be able to fight for my country and protect the people I love, and I want to do this so I can give us everything we ever wanted. I can't explain it perfectly Brittany, but I have to do this, something is calling me to be a part of this. I want to go, more than anything, this is my chance to be a part of something that is bigger than myself; but I won't go if you don't want me to go. You say the word and I'll go to NYU with Q."
The whole room was quiet and starred at Brittany for an answer. The blonde looked at the floor with her eyes shut for a moment before she spoke, "You've been my hero since we were toddlers and you kicked sand in Frank Gretens face for calling me a stupid head. I guess I would be willing to have you be everyone else's hero too, on one condition."
"Name it."
Brittany stepped closer to Santana and pulled her into a tight hug, "you come back to me. I know you can't promise nothing bad will happen, but right now I need you to lie to me and promise me that you will always come home to me."
Santana took Brittany's hands in her's and looked her right in the eye, "I will always come back home to you. You're my girl, my soul mate, my whole heart and I always return for what is mine. I will always come back safe to you, you have my word." Brittany held Santana tightly to her, "thank you for lying to me."
"I would never lie about how much I love you." They both stayed like that for a while, when they finally pulled apart Brittany brushed the tears from her eyes and smiled.
"If this is what you really want to do, if this is where you think you belong, what you're being called to do, then I want it too. I want you to go, both of you." Brittany turned to Puck and got dead serious, "you are doing this together, you keep her grounded, keep her focused, keep her safe and so help me God if she doesn't come back to me in one piece I will break every appendage you have starting with the smallest one; got it?" Puck nodded and turned a funny mix of red and pale white.
Once everything settled down and the kids started talking about graduation and Nationals and when they would be moving. Finn's phone went off and he waved at everyone to be quiet, "hey guys our folks said we are having a party at our house to celebrate everyone getting into their schools, this Saturday at noon and your families can come too if they want. My mom wants a list of schools that people got into so she can have it written on the cake." All the kids wrote down the names of the schools they got into, most of them had already made up their minds about where they were going so they only wrote down one school name. Mr. Shue decided that practice was over and that they would continue practicing for Nationals next practice, they all deserved time to enjoy their accomplishments.
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