AN: surprised to see me so soon? Yeah me too.
I hope you enjoy the chapter ;)
"Sooo..." Santana started but never finished it.
"Yes..?" Brett waited for her to finish. He wanted to know what she was doing here and why she couldn't reply him but showing up in the park to meet him was okay. "I'm waiting. But not forever."
"Hm okay what's that supposed to mean?" At this point of their friendship, Brett succeeded at destroying Santana's protection walls. But now they seemed to grow up again. A regression. And before she knew it, she was back to her bitchy self. Before Brett. "You know I'm not a mind reader, right? If something is bothering your majesty you gotta speak." She said with irony.
Brett looked at her hurt but at the same time not impressed. He was getting tired. Exhausted.
Santana saw the look on his face like he was almost giving up on her and it killed her. She saw this look in a lot of people but seeing it in Brett was just too painful. "I'm so sorry Brett, I didn't mean to be a bitch. It's second nature to me but I really don't like to be this way with you." Santana said. If we stop to analyze their conversation since she arrived. It was almost her saying it all. It was most of a monologue than a dialogue.
Brett just kept looking at her. She seemed so small. Who wouldn't say that the Great Santana Lopez was almost crying and asking for forgiveness. Brett's forgiveness.
"You know Santana." He started. "When you say things to me and then do the opposite, it's frustrating."
Santana was going to open her mouth to answer him but he beat her. "Listen first, please." Brett said.
"When you say things to me and then do the opposite, it's frustrating but I can deal with it. But when you promise things to James and don't keep it, I can't deal with it because he's just a kid. He is just a kid and promises are the biggest of things. So when you say you are going to call him to say goodnight, he won't sleep until you call." Brett said to Santana who was feeling worse with each word. "I know it's not your obligation to put up with him but I warned about him. I don't know if I'm not being fair with you but I'm only a single father who is really trying to protect him. James is a lonely kid so when he saw you as a friend he got really attached. Promises are big things, Santana."
Santana was almost crying by now but she didn't want to make more of a fool of herself. "I know this Brett and that's why I'm apologizing right now. I know I messed up with him. I mess up with everything that is good in my life. I get it if you won't let me see him again or if you want to end our friendship." Now she was indeed crying.
Brett couldn't stand to see Santana so hurt. The sight of her crying made Brett just to hug her and make everything okay. But he couldn't. He had to stay strong because it's James's feelings on game here. However, Santana was a little bit dramatic. Of course what she did was wrong but prevent her from seeing James was a little too much. She has to learn that when kids is involved it's different but preventing them would only hurt the three of them. "Santana look at me." Brett said fixating his eyes on her.
She immediately raised her head and stared into the deep ocean eyes. She was scared of see anger and disappointment in them but she never did. It still was hard but in a softer way, if that made any sense.
"You have to stop with the 'I mess up everything' complex, okay? That's not the Santana I know. The Santana that told James she would kick little kids if they called James dumb, the Santana that is so awesome that she's the co-owner of one of the biggest fashion companies in the States. The Santana that convinced me to go back to college and finish my studies." Brett said the last part almost whispering. "Yes you made a mistake. But now I hope you understand how much of a big deal you are to him. To me. Please don't fail with us again. I know it sounds dramatic because you just didn't call when you said you would but it took me hours to make him go to sleep without thinking that you also left him." This conversations was getting emotional.
"Also?" Santana asked with her face red of crying. She was really sensitive today and everything Brett said hit her twice as hard.
"Yeah... You know, his mother also left us and James recently is thinking that she left us because he was a bad kid. That he wasn't enough for her. The other kids picking up on him doesn't help either." Brett said with tears on his eyes.
Now it all clicked. Brett and James were left by the woman who promised to care for them. That's why promises are such a strong thing. To Santana everything was full of fake promises but now? Now she sweared to herself she will keep every little promise to the Pierce boys because they are too precious for this world.
"I'm so sorry Brett, I promise to not break any more promises and to make up for you guys. I'm really trying, you have to know this. Never in my life I tried so hard to be a better person and to keep my word. For me it all was resumed to lies and anger but I want to change it. I don't want to be that person when I'm with you guys. You make me feel like I'm better than this." Santana said, now she was closer to Brett, not only in physical distance but also in a sentimental way.
Brett closed the distance and hugged her. Inhaling her scent. "I believe you, San." He said and stopped the embrace to look at her. Santana instantly missed the contact but tried to hide her disappointment. "But now that you saw how things can get intense with us you can still run." Brett said half joking.
"Believe me there is no other place I rather be than here." Santana said so serious that made Brett's heart almost miss a beat. He blushed.
Santana saw it and loved the effect she had on him but didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable. "But do tell me more about how great I am, Mr. Going Back To Harvard" She said cocky and smiling.
"Oh please that was only for the drama. You are not that awesome Miss Satan." Brett joked and laughed at her expression.
"Oh you didn't just call me Satan. You are a bold one Pierce." Santana replied pretending to be angry.
"I'm Pierce too Sannyy!" James interrupted them. He came back with an empty bag of bread. "Duckies are with tummies full daddy." He informed Brett. "Now Sanny you give this to Quinny?"James blushed and showed her a yellow daisy.
Brett tried not to laugh. Rachel would be jealous right now. Not only because James had more game than her but also because he knew how to make the first move.
"Well JP I think Quinn will love it but why don't you give her yourself? Santana said and looked at Brett, who was confused. "I mean if your dad let me, I would love to have you by my side on Monday at work." Santana turned to Brett. "Besides, you can take the day off to see more about coming back to college and organize everything." Santana argued.
"But you are supposed to work San. I would never ask you to stay with him. It's a great responsibility." Brett said. It's not that he didn't trust Santana but he knew how James can be and he didn't want to impose on Santana's life.
"I know it is and let me show you I can be responsible and help you out. Let me make up for my mistake. I don't think James would be opposite to spending a day near Quinn." Santana winked at James who blushed hard.
"Pleaaaaseee daddy! I promise listen Sanny. And beave." James was really excited to spend the day with Santana and Quinn. He really liked them. And Santana was always so fun to be with.
"Behave." Brett repeated to teach James how to say it properly. "You really have to behave and do as Santana tells you, okay buddy?"
"YESS" James shouted and went to high five Santana. "Can I pick more flowers then?"
"Yes, but next to me." Brett said and received an "mkay" from James who was fast focused on finding flowers.
"He really has a crush on Quinn? That's cute." Santana said laughing.
"I don't blame him. Have you seen Quinn?" Brett said laughing too. Except that Santana stopped. He turned his head to look at her and saw she was glaring at him. "What?"
"On you it's not cute. Have you a crush on her?" Santana asked him seriously.
"Why? Would you be jealous?" Brett said and got closer to her, teasing.
"Get away Pierce. I wouldn't be jealous of you, I would pity you. Quinn's a prude." She said still jealous. But would never admit.
"Whatever. She's not my type." Brett laughed. Jealous Santana was cute. "You're cute." He said without thinking. It was usual to him being spontaneous.
Santana still had to get used to him just saying what's on his mind. She didn't know what to respond so she just blushed.
Ugh for real Santana? You lost all your game like that. You don't blush. She thought.
Brett just watched her having a internal battle and smirked. "But look are you sure you want to stay with him tomorrow? How will you work with him?" Brett asked. "Besides, I would totally wait for my sister's holidays to start seeing about college. You really don't have to do this."
"It's okay Brett, I mean it. You sacrificed so much for your family and I know you really loved to study and the business itself. He won't bother me. Mondays are really calm too." Santana explained.
"Okay okay, whatever you say San. But please do call me if something is wrong." He said with a serious tone. "And you have to let me cook dinner for you after work." Brett said smiling.
"Hm yes? This thing of being a nice friend and helping people out it's indeed satisfactory. Who would say huh?" Santana joked and Brett laughed alongside with her.
"But how was dinner?" Brett changed the subject. To be honest he was dying to know about it.
Santana didn't expect them to talk about it. She thought everything was in the past. She didn't want to remember the night with Puckerman.
"It was okay, I guess." She replied.
"So the Puckerman guy wasn't that much of a dick?" Brett asked with a hint of jealousy. Santana now was really caught of guard. "How do you know him?" She asked.
"Quinn told me one thing or two." Brett said looking at the lake. Trying to not show his true feelings.
"Of course Quinn did." She said thinking out loud.
Oh fuck Quinn! I was supposed to call her to tell I wasn't in the mood for a meeting.
"Fuck I have to call Quinn." Santana remembered.
"Hey don't be mad at her. I was the one who asked." Brett said nervous. He didn't want to be the cause of another fight between them.
"Oh it's not about that. She was supposed to go to my house but I was going to tell her I was not in the mood but then I saw your message and I just really needed to talk with you." Santana said everything almost in one breath. She then got her phone ready to call Quinn.
Brett was just looking at her, she was truly a beauty.
"Hey Q. I know it's almost the time we agreed to meet but I'm really not feeling in the mood." Santana said through the cellphone.
"Oh no it's not necessary. I'm okay." She insisted.
"For fuck's sake Quinn I said I'm okay god." Santana lost her patience.
Brett looked repressively at her. "Don't be mean" he mouthed.
"Look sorry for the explosion but I'm really okay, I just want to me on my own but we can reschedule it and-" Santana was interrupted by James.
"Sanny these are for you." He said giving her other daisy.
"Is that James voice with you?" Quinn asked on the other line.
"What? No? I can't hear you I'm having a bad connection Q, it must be the rain I'm sorry. Bye." Santana said and turned off the call.
"But it's not even rainin-" Quinn didn't even finish before Santana was off. "Kinda suspicious." She said wondering.
Meanwhile, Brett was laughing hard. "Really San? Rain? You are something special."
Oh god she just loved. What? No no. She really liked his laugh, that's the right word, right?
"Daddy can we go home? I'm hungry and sleepy." James said yawning.
"Oh I'm sorry to keep you guys here. I didn't mean it passed so much since I arrived." Santana said feeling kinda guilty.
"It's not your fault San. We needed to talk to fix things." Brett replied and picked James on his arms. The kid was feeling really tired after spending the afternoon in the park. "And I'm glad we sorted everything out."
"Me too. I will call a cab for you and James. And don't even argue." Santana said.
They both talked a little bit more until the cab came. Then Brett gave a really nice hug to Santana who happily reciprocated and gave a kiss on James's forehead.
What she didn't notice was a woman observing them at distance. A woman who Santana knew very well. Maribel Lopez, her mom.
AN: Sooo what do you guys think?
I think we are halfway the fic if not a bit closer to the end but let's see how this goes.
Please let your feedback on the reviews.
Also, I'm thinking about starting a new fic, what do you guys think? Let me know ;)