Protecting the Heart

Disclaimers: I do not own any part of Glee or its characters. This is purely for pleasure I get nothing else for this. Want to give a special thanks to Niekie for helping proof read this story for me. She's all kinds of awesome and an amazing author herself. Check out her Glee fic too.

Chapter 14

Santana stood taking in her surroundings as she manned the grills in front of her. Daniel had to run back up to the house and get a few things he forgot and left her to watch his grill as well as hers. As she did she looked around at the people that she called neighbors and now most of them friends. Spotting Rachel she smiled as her little diva sat with the other moms watching over the older children playing off to the side and the babies in the pack and plays in the middle of their circle. Rachel felt her watching and looked up with a smile and a shy little wave causing Santana to melt.

The months had flown by after the birth of their baby Rosie. The rest of her break from school was spent helping Rachel as much as possible get the baby on a decent schedule that didn't disrupt Teddy's too much. It was a trial but they were determined and with minor adjustment by the time Santana went back to school they were working like a well-oiled machine once again.

It had been hard for her to leave her family to go to work and she called home between all of her classes and for the first month she ran home on her lunch break just to see them all. Eventually everything settled back into their previous routine for the most part with the addition of Rosie. Teddy was head over heels in love with his sister and did everything he could to help out with her but they made sure that he still got time with both of them together and separately.

Santana looked back to her grills checking the meat then looked down at her hand and the new addition there. As things settled they slid into February where on Valentine's Day Rachel presented her with her own gorgeous wedding set. She recognized it from the same shop she bought Rachel's from and wondered if her student had told her about how while paying for her set she had been eyeing this one having wished for a set like it. Rachel would neither confirm nor deny and in the end it really didn't matter because she loved them couldn't wait to make them official.

As winter moved into spring and Rosie grew she was starting to roll on her own and make sounds that were almost words. Teddy had a bit of a growth spurt and they had to buy him almost an entire new wardrobe because he shot up and all of his pants were high waters. By the time summer rolled around he was a full six inches taller than he had been when she had first met him and Rosie was making small words. She called Rachel Mama, Teddy was Bub, and Santana was Mi. They all laughed at this the first time they realized that she was addressing Santana and she couldn't have been happier.

Looking over to Rachel again she smiled. She just couldn't believe that magnificent creature was hers and had actually agreed to marry her for real. The last six months they had grown closer and cemented their feelings for one another. They were solid and no matter what happened from here on they would come through it together.

She looked to the side as Daniel came back handing her a shaker with the spice blend they created. "I can't believe we forgot this."

She chuckled opening her grill, "I know. These burgers will be so much better with it on them. The steaks we made last week definitely were."

They nodded to each other and tapped their beer bottles together as Will came up to them. "What are you two toasting, your amazing grillin' skills?"

Santana laughed and Daniel puffed out his chest. "Yes we were and you know you'll be toasting them later when you're eating my meat."

Will's eyes got big and he slapped him in the arm as he turned beat red. Santana doubled over choking on her beer. "Oh my God Dan just stop, I can't believe you just said that."

Confused Daniel just stood there for a moment before he realized what he'd said then he slapped them both. "Jeez you two have dirty minds. I'm going to tell Maria on you Ana."

Santana just laughed some more. "Oh she knows all about my dirty mind my friend. Nothing you tell her will shock her."

He just shook his head and looked over to Will who just shrugged. "Anyway I just came over to ask when the hot dogs would be ready. Ely and Tony are about to start eating the weaker children."

They all shared a laugh and Santana looked to the other grill she had going next to her. "It shouldn't be but a few minutes on the dogs and we can feed the children. Hamburgers and Brats will be about 20 minutes more."

"Excellent we'll start getting them cleaned up and sitting at the little picnic tables you guys set up for them." With that Will gave Daniel a peck on the cheek and headed back over to the other moms to inform them of the impending food.

Daniel looked to the table section the other men in the neighborhood set up and smiled glad that he and Santana had thought to get the kid size picnic tables. "I'm glad we bought those Ana. They'll come in handy this summer with all the kids in and out."

Santana nodded and turned back to her grills. "Yea it was a good buy. I'm just glad we ran into them when we were looking for charcoal and stuff for the block party."

Laughing he opened his own grill to turn the Brats. "Yea, like literally ran into them. I almost broke an ankle tripping over those things."

"It's not my fault you don't know how to watch where you're going. Anyway they were still a good buy and I'm sure we'll get plenty of use out of them. Feel free to come get ours out of the yard anytime you need more outdoor kid seating."

"Same to ya, I'm sure your wife and my husband will have us moving them back and forth all summer."

Santana shrugged, "I don't mind. I wish we had a gate that opened up our yards together. I mean you have the pool and we have the pirate ship and that air up jumper thing that Maria just bought. It would make it so much easier."

She laughed but Daniel looked thoughtful. "Why don't we do that? You and I could install a double gate that opens either way. Put a lock on both sides so that it can only open with both of us being aware of it. I think that's an awesome idea."

Santana thought for a moment. "You know, that actually would work. Let me talk to Maria and if she agrees we can go look for the stuff to do it whenever you have the time." With a nod they go back to cooking and talking about possible swinging gates or sliding ones.

Across the way Rachel is walking down the row of side dishes making a plate for Teddy while she talked to Amy who was holding her own new baby Alexander while making Abby's plate. "I'm telling you Marie I don't know how you do it with having both. I've had him home a few weeks and I swear I'm going to pull my hair out."

Rachel chuckled as she moved down the line. "I didn't just magically have a perfect schedule. It took time and a lot of work. Don't worry, you'll get it down soon enough and if you need any help or have any questions don't be afraid to ask."

Amy sighed and rested her head on Rachel's shoulder for a moment. "Thank you. I just feel so overwhelmed sometimes."

"I still get overwhelmed just take it a day at a time. I hope Arnold is helping and pulling his fair share too."

"Oh he's been wonderful. He only goes into the restaurant a few times a week for an hour or so. We hired a general manager back in the early spring to take over the day to day operation so that we could have more free time so it's been great having him home more."

Rachel smiled with a nod. "Good." She finished putting the last of the sides Teddy wanted on his plate and walked over to Santana who was putting the hotdogs on the table. "You want to hand me one of those and a bun for your boy before he eats his sister?"

Santana smiled turning around with one in her hand placing it on his plate. "Well we can't have cannibalism in the family and have them eating each other so you better get this to him."

Rachel leaned into her kissing her softly them leaned into her ear so only she could hear. "I hope that we can still eat each other. I had plans for you later."

Santana shivered and wrapped her arms around her waist. "Baby I'm yours to do with as you please so whatever it is you want it's yours." She kissed her softly and nuzzled her cheek with her nose. "I'm yours."

Rachel sighed in contentment but before she could reply Amy and Will were beside them aweing. "You two are just too cute for words. I swear it's just so sugary sweet."

Santana gave a fake glare and Rachel just shrugged. "Oh you're just jealous that your men aren't as sweet as my Ana. Don't hate." She turned Santana's face back to her and kissed her softly. "To be continued."

Santana just nodded dumbly and watched as she walked away with Will and Amy in tow still teasing her. "That woman is pure sex on legs. If I wasn't gay and happily married I may give you a run for your money."

She turned to Daniel next to her. "Oh buddy you have no idea." They shared a laugh still watching their partners then turned back to their cooking duties.

After settling Teddy with his food Rachel made a fussy Rosie a bottle and pulled her into her arms to feed her. She looked over as Santana sat a plate on the little table next to her. "I thought you might want to eat a little while you feed Rosie. You said you were starving earlier."

Rachel pulled her down to kiss his cheek, "Thank you sweetie. How's grilling going? You and Daniel look like you're having fun."

Santana knelt beside her kissing the baby's forehead. "It's going fine. I finished up cooking my stuff and Dan is almost done too. We've actually been talking about a way to open our yards up together. I'll tell you about it tonight, I want to get your opinion but I need to go back over and help Dan get the grills cleaned up before they cool off completely. I'll come sit with you in a bit."

With that she kissed her cheek, detoured over to kiss Teddy's head and moved back over to the grill. Amy smiled softly feeding Alex. "You two are so sweet together. How long did you say you've been together?"

Rachel sighed happily. "I met Ana when we were children but it wasn't until our sophomore year in high school that I knew I loved her. It took her a little longer to figure it out and after that the rest is history."

Amy squealed excitedly. "Oh high school sweethearts, I love those stories."

Will smiled next to them. "I do too. When did you and Arnold meet?"

"We met in college my freshman year. We were both business majors and he was the teacher's assistant in my intro to business class. He was a junior. We got together shortly after then when he graduated he refused to go home to North Dakota like his family wanted. He stayed with me and started working as a manager at the restaurant we own now. After I graduated we married and bought out the owner who was retiring to Florida." She smiled wistfully thinking back. "It took his mother a few years to not hate me but she loves me now. How about you Will?"

Will giggled sitting back. "I met Daniel one summer when I was lifeguarding at the pool in the town were we went to college. He was there with his friends and we had been sending each other a few flirty winks and looks all afternoon. He decided he was going to show off to get my attention and ended up falling in the pool and hitting his head. I had to jump in and save him giving him mouth to mouth. When he opened his eyes he smiled up at me and said 'at least it worked and I got your lips on mine,' then he passed out again. I rode with him to the hospital to make sure he was alright. He had to have 17 stitches in his head and when he was discharged he came up to me and asked me out. We've been together ever since."

Amy and Rachel awed as Santana and Daniel came over. Santana stood Rachel up then sat in her seat pulling her and the baby into her lap. She kissed them both softly then looked to the others. "What is all the awing for, what'd we miss?"

Amy smiled. "We were just sharing the stories of how we met and fell in love with our spouses."

Santana smirked looking to Rachel. "Did you tell them how you smacked a boy upside his head for making fun of the way I talked?"

Rachel blushed, "No. I just told them that we met when we were children. Violent parts of the story didn't need to be shared."

Will sat forward and clapped. "Oh do share the violent parts. They're usually the best."

Rachel buried her face in Santana's neck as she chuckled. "Oh it is. There I was I think we were 10 or 11. I had just moved to town. My dad had a job in Spain for a few years and living there my accent kind of came out heavily even though I was fluent in Spanish and English too. But anyway I had just moved to town and was on the playground across the street from my house when this kid and his bubby came up to me and asked me who I was. When I started talking they laughed and made fun of me then pushed me pretty hard into the sand."

Shaking off the bad part of the memory she kissed Rachel's forehead before continuing. "Before I could even attempt to get up this little girl a foot shorter than the rest of us comes barreling over and pushes both boys smacking them in the back of their heads, berating them for making fun of me. I believe her words were, 'I cannot even fathom why two boys twice the size of this beautiful girl would laugh at her for her lovely speaking voice or that you would have the audacity to put your filthy hands on her and push her to the ground. I suggest you scurry home before I inform my fathers of what you have done and they go to your homes to talk to your mothers.' after she stomped her little foot at them and they ran off she turned and asked if I was alright and helped me up. I was in awe of this tiny, verbose, little fire cracker. She insisted on walking me home and that's that."

Their little group was in tears laughing so hard at the thought of a little Rachel standing up to two big bullies. Rachel shook her head finally sitting up. "I'm still not sure to this day if either boy knew exactly what I was saying. Both boys were still pretty dimwitted in high school."

Amy wiped her joyful tears from her eyes. "Did you really talk like that when you were 10?"

Rachel blushed and Santana nudged her side. "She talked like that until we were like 17. She finally started to calm her little high strung self about halfway through junior year. It was cute and every now and then when she gets really upset she reverts back to it and I try not to smile too much when she's mad at me."

Rachel gasped and slapped her playfully as the others all loose it laughing again. "Oh you are horrible."

Santana kisses her shoulder lightly. "But you love me."

She just sighs melting into her. "Yes I do, although sometimes I cannot fathom why."

Their friends all chuckled at them and speak up one after the other. Will, "Because she can grill a steak like no other." Daniel, "Because she sings beautifully." Amy, "She's a wonderful mother." Arnold, "Because she's sexy as hell."

They all laugh loudly at the last one, Amy slapping Arnold, and Rachel just looked at Santana with so much love it almost made her look away blinded by it. "For those and so many reasons more."

She leaned in and kissed her passionately as the others cat call and she pulled slightly away from a stunned Santana settling back with the sleeping baby in her arm. "So what is this I hear about opening up our yards?"

And with that the subject is changed and they all sit and talk about yard décor and the merits of different kinds of mulch and flowers. Daniel and Santana talk to Will and Rachel about their ideas of opening their yards and both of them agree that it sounds like a wonderful idea.

A few hours later find them home and after a bath and nightly song both little ones are sound asleep. Santana stretched with a sigh falling back on the bed after her shower wearing nothing, too tired to put her pajama's on yet. "God I'm tired. You'd think I put in a full days' work instead of cooking a few dogs and burgers."

Rachel comes out of the bathroom drying her hair then drops her towels and crawls up her body settling on top of her. "Awe my poor baby. Do you need me to sing you to sleep too?"

Wrapping her arms around Rachel she smiles. "No, but I can think of a few other things we can do to make sure that I get totally worn out for a good night's sleep."

Rachel leaned up and took her earlobe in her mouth and bit gently. "Oh but what I had in mind involved you being up for the better part of the night. But if you're only in the mood for quick and dirty I guess I can modify my plans."

Santana quickly rolled them until she's nestled in between Rachel's legs and kissed her savagely. "Oh no, I want your original plan, but we can also do quick and dirty more than once. I don't need sleep, I just need you."

She ran her hands around and pulled Santana closer by her ass rolling her hips up into her, "Good choice."

With a growl Santana rolled her own hips into her roughly then started trailing kisses down her face and neck until she was nuzzling her breasts. "God I love your breasts. They are so full and amazing in my hands."

Rachel buried her hands in Santana's hair. "Well I wouldn't get too attached to them the way they are. As soon as I stop breastfeeding they will go back to their original size."

Santana shook her head. "No, even smaller they were still full and I always wanted them in my hands. I'm just looking forward to playing with them longer and suckling them harder once you are no longer breastfeeding. Until then I will just enjoy nuzzling them and gentle play. I'll be rough in other areas."

As she was talking her hand was moving and she cupped Rachel's core roughly, "Oh god Ana please."

Santana chuckled. "We just got started love, patience."

Shaking her head she grabbed Santana's forearm in desperation. "I have no patience when your hands are on me. Just touch me baby."

"I am touching you." She says as her fingers move into her folds and find her clit swollen and waiting for her. "Damn I love the feel of you in my hands. You are so wet for me already love."

Gasping Rachel pulled her head down and kissed her. "Oh it's all for you, only for you. All you have to do is look at me and I'm soaked for you."

Santana growled and started down her body. "Mine."

Since their first time together Santana always worshiped Rachel's body reverently. Once she was released from the doctor for normal activity and Santana was no longer worried about hurting Rosie she devoured her. Rachel didn't care as long as Santana's hands were on her but she absolutely loved it when Santana lost control and she knew just how to make her do it.

Rachel arched into her mouth as she kissed around her navel. "Jesus Ana yours, make me yours."

Santana growled once more into her flesh biting her, marking her roughly. "Mine." She said harshly as she descended completely and took her first taste of her wife.

Rachel bowed her back and grabbed handfuls of hair, "YOURS. Make me yours Ana. All yours!"

Santana moaned into her and wasted no time setting a fast pace totally devouring all that was offered to her.

Rachel just held on and egging her on more and more. "Yours baby, I'm all yours."

Santana lost all control at her words, like she always did, and shifted to slid three fingers in roughly setting a punishing pace latching on to her clit suckled for all she was worth.

At this point Rachel was beyond words unable to do anything else until she was almost over the edge. "Ana… Ana please…"

Pulling her mouth away Santana looked up from her spot between her legs never breaking the rhythm of her thrusts. "Please what baby? What do you need?"

"I need… you to... kiss… OHHHHH." She was so close and she needed Santana to cover her body and kiss her.

Santana knew what she wanted and quickly complied shifting until she was half lying on top of her still thrusting and took her lips in a savage kiss that Rachel instantly reciprocated. That was all it took for her walls to clamp down tightly and she threw her head back in ecstasy. "OH MY GOD AAANNNAAA!"

Santana slowed to bring her down kissing every inch of her body that was within her reach softly. "Mine." She said once more reverently as Rachel finally came back to earth.

Rachel smiled pulling her in to kiss her softly. "Yours, all yours, forever."

Santana settled with her face in the nook of Rachel's neck and sighed in contentment. "I love you."

"I love you too baby." She rubbed her back softly for a few more minutes as she regained feeling in her limbs then quickly, surprising Santana, she flipped their positions. "My turn," she said with a devilish grin and started down Santana's body causing her to groan.

It was several hours before they found sleep completely curled up in one another.

Back in New York Brody stood looking at all of the pictures they had and the information that had been gathered thus far. It really wasn't much. It just showed their progress across the country but not their final destination. He was getting antsy. It had been almost a year since that whore took his son and that bitch helped keep him from them both and his new baby. That kid had to be at least 5 or 6 months old by now and he didn't even know if he had a new son or a daughter. Either way that whore and that bitch didn't need to be around his babies poisoning them against him. He needed to find them and he needed to find them yesterday.

He wanted to hold his son and his baby. He wanted Rachel and that bitch Santana dead for real. He wanted to hold their still beating hearts in his hands as he watch the light leave their eyes. He wanted to torture them and show them just what happened when you stole from him.

He's looks up pulled from his musings as the door to his office opens and waves his two guards and the man in. "I hope you have something more that another useless picture for me." He looks disinterestedly back to the pictures laid before him.

The man smiles brightly. "I do have another picture sir but I also have a location."

Brody looked up sharply. "Are you certain?"

"Yes sir, I flew up there myself to insure that my information was correct. I saw them with my own eyes." He hands him a file with several digital photos and an address.

Brody smiled seeing his daughter for the first time, "I have a girl and my boy has gotten so big." After looking at the rest of the pictures he looked up and smirked evilly at his guards. "Ok boys, it's time to get my children home where they belong."

A/N: Things are heating up. Review always welcome, let me know what you think.