A/N: Hey hey everyone! This chapter is one of my favorite's I've written thus far because of everything that happens in it. It's kind of long but who doesn't love a long chapter, right? UnholyBitch you asked how Brittany knew about Valerie, well, in chapter 3 Santana went to the bar where Brittany works and got drunk and Brittany brought her home and all of that drama transpired. During that drama Brittany informed Santana that she was drunk and hysterical and kept talking about some girl named Valerie. This is actually going to be touched on in about two or so more chapters in more detail about what exactly Santana said about Valerie to Brittany that night. I remember saying that there will be happy happy fun times happening soon and I believe chapter 7 & 8 are pretty good examples of those, but anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter and as always review. (:

Chapter 6

...

Downtown LA – 8:58pm

One Year: Two Weeks: One Day: Twenty-Three Hours: Twenty-Three Minutes

Starlet Lounge

"Don't stop… Don't stop…"

Brittany's mouth engulfed a warm, hardened nipple; her tongue pleasuring the tip as she traced her tongue over the flesh. Her fingers – index and middle – battled for domination inside the warm nectar of the mocha brown female that was pinned against the wall of the last stall in the women's bathroom.

"Fuck… Fuck me." The girl moaned out causing Brittany to smirk up at her before sucking harder on her breast, comparing herself to an infant wanting milk and not stopping until she tasted every last drop. Her fingers increased the pressure, going in a quickened speed as her partner's hands tried to grab hold of something close to her but finding nothing on the wall behind her she grabbed Brittany's head needing something to hold onto as she felt her walls close in around Brittany's fingers and her body tense up.

"Brittany!" A familiar voice called into the bathroom.

She sighed and rolled her eyes, "What?" She shouted back, her mouth full of flesh.

"Rachel wants you."

"Can it wait? Kind of busy in here!"

"She said it can't."

"Oh for the love of…" She sighed, releasing her mouth from the girl's breast who whimpered at the loss of contact. "Oh don't give me that face." Brittany smirked as the girl pouted, "Ugh, fine. Hold on to somethin'."

A few minutes later Brittany emerged from the bathroom wiping her hands on a paper towel, throwing it into the trash can as she came around to the bar. The female came out of the bathroom a few seconds afterwards, winking at her – Brittany nodded in her direction – and went back to her date.

"Really?" Rachel asked her, watching the scene take place.

"What?" Brittany questioned as she grabbed her favorite cleaning rag and went to work cleaning empty glasses.

"Her? She's with someone."

"Yeah, I can see her. She's cute. Should've asked her to join actually." Rachel rolled her eyes and Brittany snickered, "What is it that you wanted exactly?"

"I found this." Rachel dug into her pocket and pulled out a tube of lipstick and placed it on the counter. Brittany swung the rag over her shoulder and eyed the tube with an arched eyebrow.

"Um, okay?"

"Are you being blind or just not looking at the evidence?" Brittany scrunched up her nose in confusion, "Look at the shade, Brittany. It's not my color!"

"So why did you buy it then?"

Rachel hit her head against the counter before bringing it back up, "I didn't buy it, Brittany. I found it in Noah's pocket."

"Maybe he's a cross-dresser. Or maybe he's in a play. Or…"

"Or maybe he's cheating on me."

"Don't jump to conclusions, Diva." Brittany insisted going back to her cleaning process.

"I'm not. Look at the facts, okay? How many times have I come here this week and Puck has not been with me because he's 'working late'" She placed the last bit in quotations, "Then when I do want to hang out with him he's making excuses and now I find a tube of lipstick that isn't my shade at all and you're saying I'm jumping to conclusions? I came here for some form of help or reassurance."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry." Brittany said earnestly, "Okay, you paint a sad picture, but I mean have you asked him if he's cheating on you?"

"When does that ever work for someone? I go up to him and ask him if he's seeing someone else and he's going to give me some macho man answer and tell me I'm drinking too much coffee or hanging out with you too much or something to dismiss the idea that he could actually be seeing another girl on the side." Rachel sighed, "Am I not enough? Is that it? Let's face it, Brittany. I'm nothing anyway."

"Rachel…"

"No, look at me. I was supposed to be on Broadway. The lights, the fans, everything. Everyone in school said I was a star and that I had it in me and where am I? In stupid California at a bar holding up a lipstick tube because my boyfriend is cheating on me!"

"Rachel, hey, stop, look at me." Brittany placed the glass down on the counter and held up Rachel's chin to look at her, "You are a star; you've always been a star that will never change. I hate when you put yourself down like this because it's not who you are. You've put yourself down for years because you didn't get in NYADA but you know what I think? I think they lost out on some real talent. It's their loss, not yours. If you want to try your luck in NY and audition and work your ass off to be a part of the ensemble and work your way up in some big ass Broadway show then I'm right there with you and if Puck or whatever guy you meet doesn't realize the gem they're dating then it's their loss too. You deserve the world, Rachel Berry, and nothing less."

"You'd really be there in NY with me?"

"Duh. You're my best friend. You're like that weird little sister I never knew I wanted."

Rachel smirked, "Thanks…"

Brittany lightly kissed Rachel's forehead, "Anytime."

Then after a beat Rachel stated, "You have vagina breath."

"Oh shut up." Brittany said throwing the rag at a giggling Rachel.

West Side LA – 10:39pm

One Year: Two Weeks: Two Days: One Hour: Four Minutes

The Evans Apartment

"Your make-up collection is slippin', we need to go shopping soon or something." Santana called out to Quinn, who was in the bathroom slipping on the sexiest dress she owned – though Santana loved to comment that she looked more like a housewife in the dress than a girl who wanted a night on the town.

"It is not slipping at all." Quinn called out, coming out of the bathroom a few seconds afterwards. "I have plenty of make-up in there." Quinn walked over towards Santana and looked through her make-up, "Crap, my favorite lipstick is missing. Did you take it?"

"Why the hell would I take your lipstick? You don't even wear my shade." Santana scoffed, going through her eye shadow.

"I'll just get another on this shopping trip you're planning apparently."

"We haven't been shopping in a while."

"Because I'm usually busy with work and you're always busy with your writing… speaking of which, I haven't heard you bitchin' about your book in a while."

"Yeah, I told my publisher I wasn't feeling it so I'm discontinuing the series."

"You can't do that. Your fans are waiting on the new release. The forums are still talking about when you're going to release the new book."

"It's been a year. They can relax for a bit longer or whatever. I don't know. I wrote something. I finished it but it's just so…"

"So what?" Quinn questioned, applying eyeliner.

"So… depressing."

"You write from experience though."

"I didn't even hand it to my editor or anything. Every time I reread it I just wanted to throw up or drink another beer – which eventually I did and it just became too much for me so I quit and just listened to their ideas instead."

"You're never one to actually tolerate someone else's ideas."

"I know, I just…" Santana shrugged, "Gave up."

Quinn wanted to say something but she wasn't sure what she could say to steer the conversation in a positive way so she kept quiet for a while and so did Santana. The only thing that could be heard was the sounds of lipstick tubes opening and eyelashes curling.

"Lookin' good ladies." They both turned and smiled to see Sam enter the bedroom and plant a light kiss on Quinn's lip.

"Sam, I just did my lipstick the way I like it." Quinn whined, applying more lipstick onto her lips.

"Sorry, babe, but you just look so beautiful tonight."

"She looks beautiful every night." Santana chimed in, getting up from the chair and flicking Sam in the ear. He grabbed his ear and snarled at her but grinned when she smirked back entering the bathroom.

"How come you're not wearing that lipstick I love?" Sam asked Quinn, whose attention was on her cheeks and not her husband.

"I lost it." She replied coolly, turning around to face him and smiling, "Besides that lipstick is my bait. Wouldn't want to sneak another man passed you, now would we?" She asked with a sneaky brow.

"Mm, I love when you do that."

"Do what?"

"You know what." He said, going to kiss her neck.

"I'm going to hurl." Santana remarked coming back in from the bathroom. The Evans' giggled lightly as Sam removed his full shaped lips away from his wife's neck and moved his attention towards Santana instead.

"Do you want a kiss too, Santana?"

"Not even if you were the last Trouty Mouth on Earth." She stated with a smirk.

"Damn, can't blame me for trying." Quinn hit him in the abs and he smiled.

"Hey, Sam, what are you working on now?" Santana asked randomly, catching the blonde male off guard who turned to her curiously.

"I didn't know you cared about my comics."

"Oh, I don't. A friend of mine reads your stuff and was wondering if you were making anything new."

"Is this friend Brittany?" Quinn asked, receiving a look from Santana.

"Are you working on something new or not, Guppy?"

Sam shrugged, "Maybe…" He teased, "But, if your friend really wants to read some new stuff I may have something available by next week sometime. Maybe. I'll give you a rough copy."

"Thanks, I think she'll like it."

"So it is Brittany." Quinn said, though Santana just looked at her once more and rolled her eyes.

"Let's go, Barbie. Tell Ken you'll see him later, we are having a girl's night out. Don't wait up."

"Don't come back pregnant or anything." Sam joked.

"No promises." They said in unison as Quinn blew a kiss to her husband who jokingly caught it and placed it to his heart.

Downtown LA – 11:23pm

One Year: Two Weeks: Two Days: One Hour: Forty-Eight Minutes

Lights Out Club

Puck wrapped his arm around the top of the booth as Rachel nestled into his chest, propping her legs up to get more comfortable as she attached her body to him. He dropped his hand from the top of the booth to the lower of Rachel's back who hummed at the contact and he smiled down at her. Tina and her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Artie Abrams, sat at the end of the booth in seats – well Tina sat in a seat while Artie sat in his wheelchair. Their seats pressed together as Tina rolled her straw around in her glass and Artie looked at the DJ, displeased with the music that was being played written on his face. Brittany and her date of the night – Jenna, or was it Nina, she couldn't remember – sat opposite Rachel and Puck playing footsies with each other, captivating by the other's scent and lips than paying much attention to the people around them.

"Hey come on you guys. This is supposed to be our one night off and out to have fun with each other. Couple night, remember?" Brittany said, once her lips were freed from Jenna/Nina's grasp.

"Noah doesn't want to dance with me." Rachel pouted, who received a light chuckle from her boyfriend in return.

"I've got two left feet, babe."

"So? I still want to dance with you."

"This song is awful." Artie chimed in, his head turning from the table to the DJ as he spoke, "Do you hear this crap?"

"Why don't you get up there and show 'em how it's done?" Puck questioned, receiving a sigh from Tina who received a look from Artie and a shrug from Puck.

"Come on, man, let's go have a word with him. Maybe he'll play something better." Artie urged, wheeling away from the table.

"I think they do requests." Rachel piped in, sitting up in the booth as Puck had removed his hand from her back and was leaning forward in his seat to get a better look at the DJ.

"What's my girl wanna hear?" Puck questioned as Rachel pretended to think before fingering for him to come closer to her before whispering in his ear. He smirked down at her, "I love it when you talk like that. Come on, Art, let's go." The men left the booth and Rachel began to sip on her martini while Tina slouched in her seat, unimpressed.

"What's your problem?" Rachel asked her.

"Yeah, I expected Rachel to be the angry one."

"Ouch!" Brittany's date shouted, rubbing her leg, snarling at Rachel who gave an apologetic stare.

"Sorry, I meant to kick Brittany."

"What? What I do?"

"I don't have a problem." Tina replied, moving the attention back to her.

"You're lying." Brittany replied to Tina who shrugged and continued to run her straw around her glass.

"Come on, Tina, talk to us." Rachel encouraged.

Tina turned to Brittany's date, who was still rubbing her leg, and looked up at them confused. "Oh wait, is this a best friend thing?" She questioned.

"Go dance or something, we won't be long." Brittany spoke with a small smile, letting the girl out of the booth who rolled her eyes and went down the steps and onto the floor.

"Where in the hell did you even find her?" Rachel questioned.

"We met this afternoon actually. She was looking for a shirt at the mall and I told her she would look hot in the one she has on now and one thing led to another and I did her in the dressing room…"

"Seriously?" Tina asked with an eye roll

"And while she was saying my name over and over and I was trying to remember her's, I asked her to come to this little couple thing. She agreed. Free drinks and sex? Psst, girl was ecstatic."

"When are you going to settle down and find a nice girl or guy to be with?" Rachel questioned, "All of that sleeping with the next best thing has got to be getting boring or something."

Brittany shrugged. It was true that it had become more than just boring and was flat out borderline depressing for the blonde – the thrill that having sex with any and every one once had was decreasing in pleasure and now she never even reached an orgasm. It was more pleasure for her partner than her. But, it was whatever, it was better than being alone, right?

"I thought you were seeing someone anyway? What was her name?" Tina questioned.

"Santana, right? What happened with you and her? You said you slept with her and then nothing. I thought you liked her."

"I didn't sleep with her. I said I slept over at her place, that's all we did."

"What? You didn't sleep with a girl the first time you saw her? That must be a record."

"Fuck you, Tina. And it was the second."

"Well, excuse me."

"Still, what happened to her? I thought you would bring her tonight. You can't stop talking about her."

"We're just… hell I don't know what we are. Friends? I don't know. It's not serious. You know I don't do serious."

"You used to."

"Times change." Brittany shrugged, taking a sip from her beer bottle, "Anyway, don't drift onto my love life. What the hell is wrong with yours? Why are you all depressed lookin'?" She asked, directing the conversation back to Tina.

"Today's Artie and I's five year anniversary."

Rachel and Brittany turned to each other curiously, "But, you two have been broken up for like…"

"Six months? Seven?" Rachel questioned.

"Four, actually, and that's not the point. We always celebrate the first time we got together and tonight he forgot and he doesn't even notice how hurt I am by this."

"Guys don't remember anniversaries."

"True, Puck didn't remember that our one year anniversary was last week and he gave me some weak story of how he made plans at this restaurant and stuff. But in reality he forgot and we had to order Chinese and watched Funny Girl because as he put it 'tonight's all about my baby and whatever my baby wants so she knows she's loved'." She spoke trying to mimic her boyfriend's deep voice, waving a hand dismissively at the statement, "I was pissed but I don't know, he kind of tried."

"You're just making excuses for him." Brittany offered, taking another sip from her beer though received a look from Rachel but shrugged it off.

Tina sighed, "I'll be back. Tiny bladder." She left the table and Brittany sat up straighter in her seat to look at Rachel.

"Alright, what the hell is going on with you? A few hours ago you were talkin' about some lipstick you found and now you're all over Puck like he's your favorite reindeer sweater."

"I just… I thought over what you said and maybe I was just jumping to conclusions."

"Is that what you really think?" Rachel bit her bottom lip and turned away from her friend to look at Puck who was talking to another female – the sight made Rachel cringe and turn back to Brittany and sighed.

"He's not worth this. You're unhappy. I know you are. I support whatever you do, you know that." Brittany reached across the table and grabbed Rachel's hand and lightly stroked it, "And I like Puck like that creepy troll guy that watches a bridge, but he's not the one for you and I think deep down you know it but you're just ignoring it because you don't want to be alone." Rachel snatched her hand away from Brittany.

"You don't know what you're talking about." She responded, bitterly, "Noah and I are in love and that lipstick was probably his mom's. He went to visit her over the weekend."

Brittany opened her mouth to speak but shut it instead, it wasn't worth trying anymore. Tina returned from the bathroom and shortly afterwards Brittany's date joined them, sliding into the booth, snuggling up to Brittany. Her heart was racing and she was aroused – why, Brittany couldn't figure out – and wanted on top of the blonde no matter who was watching. She stuck her tongue down Brittany's throat who was caught off guard momentarily but fell into the old habit and sighed into it as Puck and Artie returned.

"Damn, ladies, get a room." Puck snickered and Jenna/Nina pulled away from Brittany and smirked.

"Sorry. I think it's all the liquor. It does things to me."

"Clearly." Rachel responded disgusted.

"Come on girls; let's get it in on the dance floor! DJ is finally going to play something worth dancing to." Artie said, dancing a bit. Tina smirked at him and rolled her eyes playfully.

"What did you ask them to play?" She asked.

"Our song." Artie responded without missing a beat, "What? You thought I forgot?" Tina smiled in delight and pulled Artie closer to her and hugged him tightly, "Come on, woman. Let's go and shake our groove thing!"

"Did you request what I asked?" Rachel questioned as Tina and Artie moved away from the table and towards the dance floor.

"Oh, shit, I forgot, but I did request something I know you'll love. Come on." Rachel sighed and looked at Brittany who gave her the 'you deserve better' look before disappearing onto the dance floor with Puck.

"Wanna dance?" Jenna/Nina asked Brittany who shook her head, her hand on Jenna/Nina's lower back as she took a big gulp of her beer. "You're no fun."

Brittany opened her mouth to speak but got lost in thought as Santana entered the club with Mercedes and a blonde she didn't know in tow. She placed her beer bottle down and watched the Latina with her eyes; she watched her strut onto the dance floor and dance sandwiched between Mercedes and the unknown female and smiled as she seemed so carefree and fun. It was a nice change of pace from what she was used to seeing the brunette display – though she did catch small glimpses of her happiness and it warmed her heart to have somehow managed to make her smile.

"Excuse me, hello, eyes up here." Her date snapped her out of her gaze and she turned to her with a low grumble.

...

"I am beat! Jesus, 'Cedes, you dance like you'll never dance again." Santana said with a laugh as she made her way towards the bar, "My feet are killin' me trying to keep up with your ass."

"Never say I can't dance again then." Mercedes said in her diva-like tone that caused Santana to roll her eyes.

"Whatever."

"Let's go get a table you guys, my feet hurt too." Quinn pouted, causing Mercedes to laugh and shake her head but follow the girls up the stairs towards the booths. As they walked around to find an empty table, Santana felt her breath get hitch in her throat as she saw Brittany with another female. She wasn't sure why she had butterflies in her stomach and she suddenly felt queasy it wasn't as if they were a couple or even talking on a romantic level. It couldn't go that far. Santana was sure of it. They were just friends – or something like that.

"Isn't that Brittany?" Mercedes questioned, asking the obvious. Santana simply nodded as they neared her table and wanted to walk by but her mind wouldn't let her.

"Hey Brittany." She found herself saying before she could stop herself.

"Hey Santana." Brittany responded with a smile as her date clung to her side, "Oh, um, this is… uh…"

"Monica." Damn, I wasn't even close, Brittany thought.

"Right, Monica."

"Hi, nice to meet you." Santana said cordially, "Uh, this is Quinn and you already know Mercedes." She said to Brittany who nodded.

"Oh, so you're Quinn. Nice to meet you."

"And you're Brittany, nice to meet you too."

"Well, um, we better find somewhere to sit or something. Our feet are killing us."

"You can sit here if you want." Brittany found herself saying, mentally slapping herself in the forehead as she felt Monica pinch her side.

"No, that's okay…" Santana began.

"No, seriously. I don't think there are any empty, come on, sit down."

Santana bit her bottom lip and turned to Mercedes and Quinn who shrugged and slid into the booth. The silence between all five of them was unbearable and eventually Quinn left the booth to get another drink and Mercedes followed suit afterwards leaving Santana alone with Brittany and her date. Santana did the once over at both females, wondering if this was the kind of females Brittany usually dated. She was small in height and in weight; she had deep red hair and orange freckles dotted across her cheeks. She was ivory toned and her nails were freshly trimmed. Her outfit was okay if you liked retro and her shoes were comfortable-causal for the outing. She was… okay looking in Santana's opinion. Though her opinion didn't matter and the fact that she was thinking it did caused a sensation in her stomach she wasn't sure she knew how to describe. Was it jealousy? Guilt? Both?

"I'm bored." Monica announced, turning to Brittany, "Come dance with me."

"I'm not feelin' it right now." Brittany said, taking a sip of her beer.

"Whatever. I'm leaving." Monica sighed getting out of the booth, "Are you coming?"

Brittany looked at Monica and then at Santana who had turned her attention – pretending to and failing, actually – towards the DJ booth watching Tina and Artie on the floor.

"Nah, my friends would worry. I drove, remember?"

"I'll get a cab." Monica stated matter-of-factly before turning and leaving the two females alone.

"I don't know her." Brittany spoke up to Santana who turned to her with a confused brow. "Monica, I don't know her. She's just someone I met." Brittany found herself explaining and felt weird doing so. Why did she need to explain anything to Santana? They weren't a couple or anything close to it.

"Why are you explaining that to me?" Santana questioned, though glad she was doing so.

Brittany shrugged, "I… We… I don't know."

"You don't have to explain anything to me. We're not together. We're starting over and everything, right?"

"Yeah, well, starting over requires honesty at some level."

"I don't need to know about who you date though."

"I'm not dating anyone." She answered honestly. Santana smiled and sighed.

"Me either. Though I don't really date people."

"Why not?"

"You saw me at speed dating. It's all so trivial. I'm perfectly fine the way I am in my life."

"Alone?" Santana nodded, "Don't you get lonely?"

All the time, Santana thought to herself. "No. I'm perfectly fine with my love life."

"I don't buy that."

"Wasn't selling it." After a pause, Santana added, "Do you get lonely?"

All the time, Brittany thought to herself. "Nope. Why would I be lonely? I don't date but I still screw whoever I want."

"Doesn't that get boring?"

"No." Yes.

They grew silent. Santana's foot tapped against the table leg and Brittany's foot swayed in the air before long they were absentmindedly rubbing their feet against one another. They didn't mind – or more rather they didn't want to mind – Brittany loved the feel of Santana's soft skin connecting onto hers and Santana enjoyed the feel of such a small and simple notion as a foot touching her ankle. It had been so long since she had been touched so sweetly, so softly – the way Valerie once did. Her mind clicked back and she removed her leg from Brittany's grasp who whimpered silently at the loss of contact.

"I, um, I better go. Make sure 'Cedes and Q haven't run off with a random guy or something."

"What's the harm in that?" Brittany questioned, wanting just a little bit more time with her.

"Well, they're both married…"

"Oh yeah. So, you're the single lady with the married old women?"

"They're really great to be around, married or not. So are their husbands, though I'll never admit that to them." They giggled lightly, "But, um, yeah, I'm single. I guess."

"You guess?"

Santana wanted to elaborate on what she meant and how for a year she never truly felt single, just alone, but there was no way she was going to admit that. Not now and maybe not ever.

"I'll talk to you later…"

"Hey, wait." Brittany grabbed Santana's wrist, "Um, are we still going to hang out again? You never got back to me on it."

"Don't tell me you were missing my company." Santana said with a sly grin.

"What? Puh-lease, I just wanted to make sure I can fit you in in-between heated passion sessions with my others."

"Uh huh." Santana remarked, a little hurt by the side joke but hiding it well, "Give me your number. You never did give me your number."

"You could've asked Mercedes."

"I could've, but I didn't. I'm asking you. So, give me your number."

"So demanding." Brittany pulled out a pen and wrote her number down on Santana's hand.

"What are you doing? I meant put it in my phone!"

"I could've, but I didn't. I'm writing on you." Brittany mimicked in a teasing tone.

"Do you just keep pens on you for these reasons or…?"

Brittany shrugged, "You never know when a beautiful woman wants your number."

Santana rolled her eyes as Brittany closed the cap of the pen.

"Call me anytime." Santana sighed deeply and walked down the stairs, Brittany watching her movements, as she exited the noisy club and leaned against the wall taking out her phone and calling Brittany's number. Brittany smirked to herself as she felt her phone buzz and answered.

"So, how's next Friday sound to you?" Santana's voice echoed into Brittany's ears.

"Next Friday sounds perfect." Santana hung up the phone, a small smile on her face – though the smile was short lived as she found herself thinking of Valerie and a disapproving look on her face and she felt sick. So much so she turned towards the alley and threw up in the nearest trash can. She wasn't sure how much longer she could take this.