Masterpiece (Jazmine Sullivan)

Santana's POV

Quinn had called early that morning when Daniela and I were in the studio hard at work to tell us that she was flying in with Isaac, and we HAD to meet her at the airport. She'd wanted to surprise us but then realized that she had no idea how to get around Lima anymore.

So, we'd stopped everything, gotten dressed and left without cleaning or anything. Sugar had still been in bed, so I had left her a note to remind her that Susan and Rob would be in town, and would probably stop in.

Gia was asleep, so I left her behind, knowing that Sugar would step in like the amazing nanny that she'd become.

Daniela was in the backseat on her drum pad practicing the beat that she'd been working on for a week, and I was finger combing my hair with excitement because I was finally going to see my son after months of separation.

We'd only grown more distant, but Quinn had made it a stipulation of him staying with her for another school year and told me she'd get back to me about him coming but she'd never followed up until she was about to board her plane.

And I didn't get the message for another twenty minutes.

Which was why Daniela was annoyed when we got to the airport, and they still weren't there.

All that to say, if I had known that Brittany would also be coming off that plane, I would have gotten cute, and would have made sure she was coming home to a clean house.

But instead, as we walked to my old black convertible that Tio Gene had saved for me from all those years ago, I watched her eyebrows raise and her face get tight.

"How did you get that?" Britt asked, as she held Daniela in her arms.

"Tio couldn't part with it, which is good for me because all of Papi's cars were totaled in the explosions. No worries, it's clean. That life is behind me. Hop in."

I was so nervous as I held open the car door for my son and my wife.

Quinn and my sisters piled into rentals and would be following me into town.

They'd all gotten hotels, while Quinn had said she'd be bunking with us until Celia got in later that night.

Although, I was pretty sure it was to help my son transition to being back with his mothers and two wild sisters.

His hug was different now, it hurt to see him so tentative around me.

Britt lifted him off the ground though and spun him around until that bubbly laugh that I loved came pouring from his lips.

"Okay, Mama! Okay, down please!" He squealed but I could tell that he wasn't mad about her invading his space.

No, that disdain for boundary breaking only extended to me.

I didn't feel a single way about that car until Isaac was sitting in the backseat with Daniela, and Britt was running her hands along the console.

How much had I hurt them both in this car?

I hadn't complained about the car when Tio gave it to me because I had zero money to spend on a car, and here he was giving my father's gift back to me.

Now though, I was seeing how it triggered the doubt in my wife's eyes.

She smiled at me though when I caught her eyes.

"If you want me to trade it in, I will. It's no big deal, especially if all of us are going to be in it more often, it's going to be a tight squeeze once I get the car seat in for baby girl."

"No Mami, it's so cool. Don't get rid of it." Isaac said, addressing me directly for the first time in over a year.

So obviously, I buckled.

"How about I get something new and save this one for you?" I asked him, and he grinned.

"Really?"

"Sure, Papa. If you want it, it's yours."

"Ana, don't buy him." Britt mumbled.

"I'm not, B." I said, feeling so thrown by all of it. "Are you ready to see our new home?" I asked and Daniela giggled from the backseat.

I reached back and held out my pinky, and she squeezed it with her own.

She had to keep her promise to not tell, and I knew she wouldn't.

Pinky promises were like the gospel in our family.

When we pulled up the long driveway to the house, Britt looked at me in shock.

"You rebuilt it?" She looked stunned.

"Yeah, it went to me after Mami passed…I didn't want to rebuild, but Marco convinced me that I should. Just wait until you see it."

My father's old house was ornate, with a stone wolf out front since that's what Lopez originates from, the son of the wolf.

That was the only thing that survived, so when I rebuilt and made a circular driveway with a fountain in the center, I put the wolf statue there and a little plaque for my parents.

Not a single person in my family had seen what I'd done yet, so it was fitting that they were all going to see it at once.

The house looked like a Spanish villa instead of the mini-mansion that Papi had built.

Britt had always loved the tiled roofs, so I had used her love of them as my inspiration, the guest house out back mirrored it, and so did the rebuilt treehouse that was two stories now.

"Wait, is this our house?" Isaac said with a whisper. "No way."

"Yeah, this is home." I said and then turned to B, "Do you like it?"

She smirked.

"It looks like Dora's house but like prettier."

"Yeah, that's what I was hoping for."

"How long did this take?"

"Um, 7 months. We've only been living here for a few weeks."

"A month." Daniela said, and I glared back at her before turning to B.

"Are you ready to go inside?"

"Is he here?" She asked, and I shook my head.

"No, he lives in Lima Heights with Ari's family, just Sugar and the kids live here."

It was obvious that my family was just as surprised as Brittany because no one got out of the cars until I did.

Maybe they thought I was just showing what happened to the property, but when I grabbed Britt's bag out of the trunk, they began to unload from the car.

"Sis! How did you do this?" Sandra asked, looking at the house in awe.

"With a lot of help, and some savvy deal making." I got a few looks and held up my hands before they could start in on me, "Everything was legal, I sold the St. Mary house, and used it to get the bones up, I dismantled my studio in the penthouse and had it brought here. I got a few friends from school to help with labor, and so this is it. Come inside."

Daniela was holding onto Isaac's hand as she took him in front of us.

We all waited behind her as she punched in the keycode for the front door, before pushing it open.

Music was blasting from the overhead speakers as we stepped into the big foyer.

"Do you see this, Dama, did you know?" Isaac was calling back to Quinn who had her lip between her teeth.

The puzzle pieces were falling too fast for her to construct.

I hadn't told anyone a single thing about my plans because I knew the questions they'd ask me about it all.

For once I wanted to make a good decision with minimal input from anyone.

Not even Walker knew what I was up to for months until she got suspicious and followed me one day.

The only other person that knew about this was Daniela, and she'd been an amazing secret keeper.

"Mami, can we show them?" Daniela asked, and I looked at my sisters and best friend. They were too full of questions for this to be enjoyable, and Britt looked so lost in the shuffle.

"Actually, Beba, I think that everyone should head to the hotel, so that we can have some alone time as a family." That had their attention. "I'm so glad you're all here, let's do dinner tonight, I'll cook. Come back at 5:30, that way the kids can swim if they want. Okay?"

"Is she kicking us out?" Saul asked Mari.

"Yeah, honey, she is."

"Well, dinner better be amazing, because I have questions." Quinn said. "Where am I staying?"

"I'll show you when you come back for dinner." Quinn rolled her eyes but shifted Quincy on her hip as she kissed Isaac's forehead and whispered to him. It hurt to see their relationship, but I understood that she was my stand-in.

And she was doing a damn good job.

Hopefully, I measured up to her.

It was like high school all over again, trying to prove myself against Quinn, had always felt like a losing battle but at least now I had backup.

I walked my sisters and their families to the door.

"Mami can't Norah stay?" Daniela whimpered.

"She can stay tonight, but for now, I think the less people the better. Okay?"

Daniela nodded, and then hugged Norah tight before they all left.

I stood with my hand on the door for a moment once they'd all gone, trying to get my strength.

Two warm hands rubbed up and down my bare arms, then the most perfect lips were kissing my face.

"This looks amazing, Baby. I wish I could have been here, but I recognize it…just so you know."

I turned and looked up into those beautiful blues.

"You do?"

"Duh, when we were planning our lives together we drew our dream house, and you made it happen."

"I found the old drawing when I got some of my stuff out of Papi's storage vault. That's the only stuff that survived the blast."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Thankfully! There were a lot of pictures, and video tapes of me growing up, including a ton with Ari in them."

"Can I see them?" She was leaning against me, as I stood against the door, with her hands on my face.

A lifetime ago a similar position had put me in the hospital, but that happened to two different people.

Not us as we were then.

"Sure, B."

"Mami? Eat now?" I looked up towards the landing, and there was Sugar in her boxers and a sports bra with Gia in her arms.

"Um, who is that?" Sugar asked. Britt looked up at her and Sugar's jaw dropped. "Brittany! Seriously!"

"Our baby." Britt whispered when she saw Gia walking down the stairs one at a time.

"Isn't she big." I said, as I leaned against B.

"Yeah, I've missed so much." She squeaked. "Does she even remember?"

Gia stopped in front of Britt and looked up at her, and then grinned, "Mama, up?"

Britt looked at me and grinned.

"I play a lot of videos and talk about you constantly. There's no way she doesn't know who you are."

Britt scooped up Gia and kissed her until she giggled.

They wore matching grins as I wiped away my tears.

"Madri, why you crying?" Nikolai asked.

"I'm happy."

"Oh, sappy, right." He rolled his eyes and turned to Sugar. "Can we eat, you promised waffles!"

"Yeah, I think you and I need to give Madri some space today. Let's go get dressed."

"Actually, Sweetie, don't forget your promise to me." I said to Sugar, and she froze and looked between me and Britt.

"You're right, how about I take all the kids for waffles, say two hours?" Sugar looked at B because she knew that Britt wanted time with the kids too.

"Only two hours, but then come right back?" Britt said, and Sugar jumped right into rounding up the kids.

Brittany's POV

I felt overwhelmed by it all.

My wife had a whole life without me, and she seemed so happy.

That had always been a point of insecurity for me when we were younger, because it felt like I was the problem.

And sometimes, I was but that was because I wasn't adding to her life like I should have been.

This time around, things would be different.

Izzy hugged me tight, but then just waved at Ana, and while she told me to let her handle it, I needed to say my piece.

Dani and Gigi were getting strapped into Sugar's SUV, while I pulled my son to the side.

"Talk to me about why you're being weird with Mami."

"Did she tell you how she got drunk and hit me?"

"She did."

"I couldn't be there, Mama. She couldn't stand up straight, she was crying, and slamming doors. She played music all night long, and my head hurt. I called Dama, she's been so good to me."

"I know."

"But I know you want me to be here."

"I do."

"I can't, not yet. I'm happy with Dama. I need to know that Mami is sober."

My son sounded so much older than 8 years old, and it reminded me a lot of Court. She'd been wise beyond her years too.

But even smart kids, were still just kids underneath it all.

"I need that too, and this summer, you and I will both be watching to make sure she's good. We even agreed to let you do next school year with Dama, but I need you to start preparing yourself for being home. We are your family, and nobody loves you as much as your Mami does."

"She hit me."

"I know, just give her a chance, Izzy."

"I'm going to try."

"Good. Go have some fun with Sugar and the kids, be present in the moment, okay?"

"Okay, Mama. I missed you."

"I missed you too…and so did Mami. You should go hug her, I promise that she isn't going to hurt you."

He seemed skeptical, but he nodded and walked towards her anyway.

My wife had just finished strapping in Dani when she turned to see Izzy standing behind her.

"Ready to go, Papa?" She smiled at him, but I could see the doubt in her eyes. Izzy put his arms around her waist and rested his head on her chest.

He mumbled to her, and she rubbed his back before they separated.

She stood frozen, staring over at me while the car pulled away.

"What did you say to him?" She asked, sounding so close to tears.

"To give you a chance…why what did he say?"

"He told me that he'll always love me most, and he hopes that I'm better now."

"Come here, Baby." I held my arms open for her and she threw her small body against mine.

Her hair was black again, although I could see a grey hair or two.

It felt so good to be able to hold her whenever I wanted, but I still felt unclean.

When we walked back inside, she took my hand and led me up the winding staircase.

Everything was light colored, and bright instead of the black and chrome that she used to like.

It made me smile when she pulled me past double doors to a hallway.

"This is our suite."

"All of this space is just for you and me?"

"Yes, double walk in closets, and a room just for you."

She pushed open a room that was the size of our bedroom in the penthouse, it was lined with mirrors and had a barre, and some workout stuff in the corner.

"You made me my own studio?"

"Yeah, it was a nursery at first, but I don't know, there's definitely room for a nursery in the kids suite, if you wanted to try again."

I turned towards her and was floored by her sincerity.

"You want another baby?"

She shrugged.

"Maybe, it'd be good to just be moms for a while, I want to give our kids stability. Quinn tells me that Isaac was missing that in his life, and she's right."

"Would you want to use our stored embryos, that means Marco would dig his claws deeper." I warned.

"Marco and I have an understanding. I'm not as concerned as I was. Being back here, with his family has resuscitated the guy that was my favorite person as a kid. Without the stress of the city, or drugs in his system, he's a lot like your dad."

"No way."

"Yeah, it's eerie."

"I won't believe it until I see it."

"You'll get your wish today, he has visitation tonight and I'm going to make him come here for it."

"So, what did you want to do with our two hours?" I teased.

"A bath would be nice. Daniela and I got up this morning, brushed our teeth and went straight to the studio. From there we came to you, so we are both a little grimy."

"You built a studio?"

"Yeah, I'll show it to you later, for now, I was thinking a bubble bath and then maybe more, if you want."

"I want."

"Good, come with me."

I watched her hips sway, as I followed her through our gigantic bedroom that looked over the garden out front.

She'd built the house further back on the land, so that the garden could sit on top of what used to be her father's house.

I could tell she'd done that on purpose, and I agreed that it was a good move.

Seeing her so peaceful made my heart so happy.

I sat on the edge of the tub, waiting for Ana to strip down while I held onto a rubber ducky that Dani had apparently picked out for me.

It was blue and pink, the bi flag, and had on a cowboy hat.

"Bang that on the side of the tub." Ana said after she put up her hair.

So I did, and when the duck lit up, I grinned.

"This is my new favorite thing."

Ana slipped off her shorts first, and then her panties, which was so backwards…but I could see the hesitation in her eyes.

She took off her shirt, and I smiled at her.

In the time I was away she could have given into vanity and gotten her boobs done, or some ridiculous thing like that but she looked perfect.

"You still think I'm hot?"

"God, yes. Let me prove it to you."

"You have to take off your clothes to do that, B."

"Right, I got distracted watching you." I pulled off my clothes, and she gasped.

"You've been working out…and is that a new tattoo?"

"Yeah, do you like it?"

"I do. It's nice." She kissed my ribs, where our children's names were spelled out in pretty script.

Once we were in the tub, and she was resting back in my arms again, I finally felt complete.

"Tell me something good, B." She turned so she could see my face, and I pressed my lips against hers.

"I'm home."

"Yeah you are."

"I never want to leave."

"Then don't."

She got on her knees and leaned her solid body against mine, before gripping my face and kissing me.

When she straddled my waist, I held her there with a hand on her ass and the other buried in her hair.

A year of being away from her touch had me never wanting to stop touching her.

She hissed as I slid my fingers inside her.

"You okay?"

"It's been a long time, B."

"Not even with a vibrator?"

"Nope, I sleep in the same bed with Sugar still. I knew if…fuck don't stop…if I did that next to her, she'd pounce."

She moved her hips as she clung to me.

"You're so tight."

"Yeah?"

"Yes, but I want to put another."

"Stretch me out, Daddy, please?" She whimpered as I pulled my fingers from her, "No, please don't stop?"

"I need a bed. Do you feel clean enough?"

"Sure, B…let's go to bed." She winked at me as she shakily got to her feet.

Once we were in the bedroom, she locked the door and set an alarm.

"We have about 45 minutes left before she's back."

"Awesome. That's more than enough time." I took her phone and tossed it to the side, before lifting her and tossing her on the bed.

As tired as I was, reconnecting with my wife like this couldn't wait.

Santana's POV

"Oh fuck, fuck, fuck!" I dug scratches into her back, while she was four fingers deep, and I knew I'd feel it for days.

"You're soaked, Baby, you keep sucking me deeper…do you want all of me?"

"Yesssssss!" I hissed and then relaxed my body as she moved her whole hand into me. "Slow, B…fuck!"

"You feel so good."

"Oh God, oh…oh….fuck!" I came, shuddering against her hand and she slowly slipped her fingers from me, and slapped her wet hand against my upper thigh. "Shit!"

"Too much?"

"No…just need a minute." I sighed, and then I was reaching my arms out to her. "Hold me?"

She looked surprised at my request, but she crawled up next to me, and pulled me tight against her body.

Her perfectly, toned, and amazing body.

"You're so beautiful."

"Thanks, B…you're pretty fucking spectacular yourself."

Once we were still, I could hear the intercom.

"Santana? Hello? Are you home? I see your car…Rob maybe she-"

Britt went still and looked at me with a grin.

"My parents are here?"

"Yeah, they were taking Gia for the day, I forgot to cancel. Crap."

"They don't know yet, baby."

"You didn't tell them?"

"Nope."

"Well then get cleaned up and go give your parent's the best surprise ever while I get cleaned up. I can't really feel my legs right now."

"Can I invite them for dinner?"

"You can do whatever you want, B. It's your house too."

"Awesome!" She kissed my face and then rubbed my clit for about two seconds before I came again. "You soaked the bed, I haven't lost my touch. Good to know…wait until I strap up."

"Oh God, go B…please before I orgasm just thinking about what you'll do with a strap after a year of celibacy."

"Wanky." She grinned before skipping back to the bathroom.

I hit the intercom.

"Mom?" I called out.

"Oh, you are up! Hey!"

"Sugar took the kids for waffles, hang tight, I'll be down in a minute."

"Okay, we'll be in the garden. You've outdone yourself. Aden and Gladys would love it."

"Thanks, Mom…your husband did most of the work."

"I know, he's pretty amazing. Wait until Brittany sees it. She'll love it."

"Yeah, I think so too. See you in a second."

Britt came out of the bathroom dressed in the clothes she'd just taken off, but she looked way more chipper than she had been before she'd demolished me.

I let go of the buzzer, and then held out my hand.

"Help me up."

"But I like you like that, spread out for me, dripping and blissed out." Britt grinned.

"Well, we have about ten minutes before the kids are back…so we need to hit pause on this, trust me B, I just finished my period last week, so you've got about three weeks to fuck me however you want."

"Score." She helped me up and pushed me in the shower while she stripped the sheets off the bed.

I soaped up while watching her be domestic, and I knew what she meant about just wanting to be at home with me.

Domestic bliss was something that I could finally accept as a viable way to live, especially since I was still doing the music thing without having to stress.

I rushed through moisturizing and then slipped on some fresh clothes, while grabbing something fresh for B.

"Here, change, you should fit these."

I handed her fresh clothes that I had gotten for her on my last shopping trip, and she grinned.

"For me?"

"Yep."

"I'm so fucking proud of you, Ana banana pudding pop."

"I'm proud of me too."

"Good."

"And I'm crazy proud of you too, B."

"I know."

She stuck out her tongue and I plucked her.

Which only made her giggle.

After she got dressed, with pinkies linked we made our way back into the world, reconnected and in sync.

I had my camera at the ready, while Britt hid behind a shrub.

"Hey there!" I called out and Susan put her hands on her hips.

"What are you doing?"

"I like to record people's reactions to the garden. What do you think?"

"I love it!"

"Yeah?"

"Do you not like it?"

"Well, yes, especially the shrubs…did you see them?"

"Shrubs?"

"Yeah, come see."

Susan and Rob walked over towards the shrubs and then Britt popped out, and I swear the look on their faces was priceless.

"What?! You're home!" Susan squealed before hugging Brittany, and then Rob was wrapping them both in a hug.

I stood watching until Britt reached out and pulled me into the hug.

Her parents were both crying and kissing her.

"How long have you been here?" Rob asked once we all took a step back.

"A few hours, that's why the kids are at breakfast, we were…um…you know." I said, and Susan blushed.

"Did we interrupt?"

"Nah, I had just finished." Britt said with a shrug.

"Oh honey, I've missed you!" Susan hugged her again.

And when the kids pulled up in the SUV a few minutes later, Isaac was the first out of the car, because his grandparents weren't on his shit list.

Britt had her arm around me and kissed my face when she saw our son walk right past me without even looking at me.

He did greet her though.

It was going to take some work, but hopefully we'd work it out.

"How was it?" Sugar asked me when we were alone in the kitchen, unpacking the groceries that she'd stopped to get.

"Amazing."

"Good, it would have sucked ass to wait that long, and it be terrible."

"She seemed satisfied." Britt said as she came into the kitchen in her bikini.

All of the kids were out back swimming, and Britt was going back and forth to the grill, looking like she'd never been away from us.

"Hey, B. Did you need something?"

"You." She purred, and Sugar rolled her eyes.

"Go, your family won't be here for at least an hour, I'll get dinner started and make sure everyone is distracted."

"Are you sure?" Britt asked her.

"She moans in her sleep, every night and it's hot, and frustrating. Go take care of business." Sugar muttered as she began pealing shrimp.

"We'll be fast." I said, and Britt chuckled.

"As if you have a say so." Then I yelped when she lifted me up and put me on her shoulder. "We'll be done when I'm satisfied. Daddy hasn't had a good orgasm in too long."

"Get it, B." Sugar called after us as Britt ran up the stairs with me.

Once the door was locked she was sitting on the edge of the bed, smelling of suntan lotion and grinning at me, as she slid her bikini bottoms to the side.

"Show me what that mouth do." She teased and I wrapped my arms around her thighs before burying my face between her thighs.

I sucked her clit between my lips and began to suck her off like she had a cock, something she used to like back in high school, and she groaned so loud that I was sure Sugar could hear her downstairs.

She gripped my hair and fucked my face, as she pumped her hips in time with my sucking.

"Yes, Baby, Baby, yes!" She began grunting as she got closer, and then I slipped my fingers into her, and she yelped. "Oh geez, yes!"

I pumped my fingers as I sucked her to orgasm twice in a row.

She fell back on the naked bed, and I climbed up her body until I was straddling her. I pinned down her hands, above her head and pressed my lips against hers.

"I missed you." I said when I moved from her lips to her jaw, and then her neck. "I've been so fucking lonely."

"I missed you too, and tonight after everyone leaves, I'll show you just how much…this is the last day that this bed smells like you and another woman."

I froze and sat up. "We didn't, B. I meant that."

"I know, it just smells like her perfume."

"Oh. Okay, good." I grinned again as I began to snake my hand down into her panties but like the true cockblock she is, there was a knock on the door.

"San? Britt? Can I come in."

"We're fucking, Q." I called out.

"Been there, seen that, this is important, let me in."

Britt looked concerned as she sat up, with her hands around my waist.

Thankfully we were fully dressed as she pulled the door open with me still in her arms.

Quinn stepped in, and looked at us both, and then the bed.

"You two never waste any time do you?"

"Sure don't." I chirped.

"What's wrong, Q?" B said after she dropped me onto the mattress.

The last time I had been in a bedroom with Q, it had been on Isaac's birthday, and she'd been trying to get me to move to Connecticut.

Now, here we were in my amazing house, and Britt was there to do the back and forth.

I walked into my closet and pulled out a one piece suit, before stepping into my room.

I proceeded to get dressed while Quinn and Britt stared at me.

"Look, you've both seen me, had me, and I don't want to waste time with whatever this is, so talk."

Quinn looked guilty as she licked her lips, then she kept her eyes on B.

"It's about Izzy."

"Obviously, Q." I muttered. Once I had the bathing suit on, I sat between my best friends and waited for Quinn to get on with it.

"He was asked to not return to school next year."

"What?! I thought he was fine." I was ready to fight the whole school.

"There's this girl he likes, and some of his friends dared him to do something, but the advice was sarcastic and probably just a joke, but Izzy doesn't get humor like other kids, so when they told him he should show her what he was working with, he exposed himself to her."

"Exposed himself?" Britt looked confused.

"Yeah, he pulled down his pants in class and just showed them, everything." Q said, looking embarrassed.

"Shit, did you talk to him? Or the parents?" I asked, and Quinn nodded.

"Yeah, when I explained everything to them, they seemed to understand but then they went behind my back and talked to the school administration. He's expelled."

Britt was grinning, but I shook my head. This was serious.

"What did you say to him?" I asked.

"He got the joke afterwards when his friends were laughing at him, but he didn't think it was funny. He wanted to fight them, but we've got him in MMA, they talk about being responsible with your anger. So, he held back, thankfully because that kid is super strong, and we would be having a different conversation."

"Is that the real reason that you brought him home?" I asked and she shook her head.

"No, but the timing couldn't be better. I haven't told him that he's expelled yet, I was hoping that you two could help me."

"I'll talk to him." Britt said. "Alone."

"What? You don't want me there?" I asked Britt and she shook her head.

"No, he's still uncomfortable with you, Ana, and any scolding I do will seem like I'm speaking for you. Quinn, you've done enough. Thank you for being there for him when I couldn't be, but I'm home, and I think it's time that me and Izzy had some one-on-one time to talk."

"Are you sure?" Q asked, seeming relieved.

"I'll let you know if I need help. I might asked Dad to help, since he's a guy, but that's it, he doesn't need to feel put on the spot. Okay?" Britt looked at me, trying to make sure that I was okay with her stepping in.

"Okay, B. I trust you."

She cupped my face and kissed me. Then she searched my eyes just like she'd been doing for years, and then she smiled at me. "I trust you too." Then she leaned close to my ear, "Go wash your face."

Quinn cackled as she made her way from the room. "Wanky."

Brittany's POV

I was pretty sure that I wasn't supposed to be in the same vicinity as Marco, but no one had told me not to be.

So, when I opened the door to the house and he sat in that chair looking at me with just a touch of fear in his eyes, I held out my hand for him to shake and he flinched back for a split second.

"You're home." He said.

"I am."

"So, are you rehabilitated?"

"Of course I am, just so long as you remember your place."

"Noted. Your wife has probably told you already, but I'm not the same man that I once was."

"Hmm, she may have. Come inside, won't you?" I said, before smiling up at an older man who had been behind him.

"Brittany, I don't think we have had the occasion to meet. I'm Aurelio, Marco's father."

He took my hand and kissed it. "Thanks for setting him in line, he's been manageable ever since."

"Wait, you're happy that I hurt him?"

"You only did what many people have wanted to do over the years, besides he lived, right?"

"Wow, yeah, I guess so."

"I trust that you don't feel the need to repeat your actions, though, yes?"

"Who told you about me?"

"I know everything about you, Marco made sure of it. So, you're better with the anger?"

"I am."

"Good, because my granddaughters are my world, and I can see Gia all over your face. She's so precious. I'd love to keep her that way."

"Me too."

"Great, we are at an accord. Thank you for having us."

"Thanks for coming."

I stood there watching them move into the living room, like they'd done it a million times. I now understood where Marco got that dangerous charm, but his father used it better.

He gave off the sense that he'd kill you but never stopped smiling.

People like that were the most dangerous of all, they slept well in jail, because nothing they did was by accident.

"B?" Ana stepped in front of me and closed the door. "You're letting bugs in."

"Oh, sorry."

"I'm sorry he's here, but it just works better this way, I'd hate for the girls to be away from Isaac and the family."

"It's fine." I gritted my teeth.

"B?"

I looked at her and could see her worry, and that's not what we were supposed to be.

"I'm okay, it just caught me off guard."

"Aurelio does that to people, but trust me, if anyone can keep Marco in line other than me, it's his father."

"He's scary."

"Well, he and Papi were best friends, they were like brothers, but Aurelio has always been a peacemaker. He's only harsh with Marco, he's a teddy bear with the girls, and me."

"Are you sure?" I felt like I was shaking a little bit.

"Yes."

"I don't appreciate someone coming into our house, telling me how to be with our children, Santana. I won't stand for it."

Her eyes got wide when she saw the fire in my eyes, but it wasn't out of anger, I felt way worse than that.

"I know, B. I've been dealing with this for a while now…and this feeling you're feeling is the same thing that led me to overdose. I felt so powerless."

I could see that my mood was changing hers and I had promised myself that I would do everything in my power to not wreck her peace, so I took a moment to collect myself before kissing her until I felt like I was okay.

And she let me.

Her hands gripped my sides as I held her face and kissed her.

"Mami?" I pulled away when I heard Izzy calling for her. She looked panicked.

"Just relax, I've got your back." She nodded and took a deep breath, before taking my hand and pulling me towards the family room.

Izzy was standing at the threshold between the foyer and the family room, his eyes on us.

"Are you okay?" He asked Ana, and then looked at me nervously.

Wait…did he think I was hurting her?

Maybe she wasn't the only one that had an uphill battle when it came to Izzy.

It was going to take some time to get our family back to being on the same page, but as long as I had my partner-in-crime, I knew we'd kick ass at this parenting thing.

"Yes, Papa, I'm fine."

"Okay, good. Is it time to eat yet? I wanted to go try the hoop outside, since it looks like my old one from New York."

Ana ruffled his short curls and kissed his forehead.

"Actually, Papa, that IS your hoop. I had it brought here and stuck in the ground just for you."

He looked up at her like he was seeing her for the first time, "You did that for me?"

"Yes."

"Thank you!" He hugged her for the second time that day, and she kept kissing the top of his head.

"You're welcome, Mijo. It's all yours after dinner, and the whole summer. Okay?"

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Santana's POV

My family loved my house so much that they decided that they'd cancel their hotel reservations and camp out there instead.

The plus side was that no one was looking for me to entertain them after dinner, instead, everyone went off to their own corners.

Even better, Marco had his fill and left right after we ate.

Once he was gone, Britt seemed to be back to a calm state of mind.

It was going to take time for her to be able to put up with Marco's renewed presence in our lives, but I knew she was capable of it.

If I could do it, then she could, plain and simple.

I thought that Daniela would abandon our morning project for Norah, but instead they both came over to me and B, while we lounged in the family room and watched Saul and Mari dance.

"Mami?"

"Yes, Beba."

"Can we finish now? I know we do it in the morning but now Norah is staying over, can we?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Okay, let's go."

"Where are we going?" Britt asked.

"The studio."

When I said that, my sisters were all following me down to the studio.

It was a real, producer's studio with a professional set up and real instruments.

Daniela was up to her sixth instrument and was now using her skills to help me make music.

It was our special thing, and I had relished in the alone time with her but now our secret would be out.

Oh well.

It was good while it lasted.

The family all camped out on one side of the glass while Dani went into her little booth with Britt.

I watched as she showed Britt the music, and the tempo and then handed over her favorite drumsticks to her Mama.

Britt looked stunned but sat down anyway, it had been years since we'd had a jam session.

Then Daniela was waving Quinn into the room.

She handed over her guitar to her Dama, and then kissed her face.

"Thank you for it, now play."

Quinn blushed and nodded as she looked over the music sheet.

I heard a noise and then saw Celia pop her head into the room, with the baby strapped to her chest.

When she saw her wife sitting on a bean bag on the floor with a guitar, she looked confused.

"Did you not tell her you could play?" I whispered.

"You know who taught me, we don't talk about my past."

"Well he gave you a whole human, how is this a bad thing?"

"Can we not, right now?"

"They can't hear us." I muttered.

"I haven't let her show me how to paint." Quinn looked guilty, and I shoved her shoulder.

"Then rectify that, now play."

"Hey, Mami producing is my job, so get in your booth please!" Daniela pointed to the booth, and I nodded.

"Right, my bad. Are you all set?"

"Yes, now go."

I went into my song booth, and watched Daniela go out to the other room, she was giving Isaac instructions and he nodded as he sat at the soundboard, he asked her a few questions and then he waved her off.

Was this really happening?

I was near tears as my daughter sat down at my piano and did my ritual.

Shake out the hands.

Shoulder and neck.

Hands, ready…go.

She pointed to Britt and once B got going, then the music started to go, I saw the red light go on and closed my eyes.

I began to belt out the cover that we'd been working on.

The music was more perfect than Dani and I had been able to do on our own.

I looked at my family and could see them taking pictures.

Then I looked at my wife as she grinned from the drums.

Daniela had her eyes closed, and Quinn was nodding along.

And when I dropped my octave and belted with my entire body, I let the meaning of the words fill me.

I was a masterpiece.

I could feel it filling me up.

It took a while to see but I was a work of art.

And my daughter was making sure that I knew it, as she played me out at the end with just me and her.

She whispered the last line.

Then held up her hand and closed it into a fist for Isaac who hit the button and the recording stopped.

"Holy crap, Santana!" Quinn said as she put down the guitar. "When did your voice get that powerful?"

"Really? You think so?"

"That was amazing, wow!" Britt said, picking me up, and then twirling me before kissing me. "I'm so proud of you."

"Yeah?"

"Yes."

"What about me, Mama?"

Britt picked up Daniela and peppered her face in kisses, "You made a masterpiece, baby girl. I'm so proud."

After that session, the family insisted on hearing the music that we'd been working on, and Daniela kept pointing out the different parts,

"Mami taught me to mix that part. Oh, that's me playing drums. Oh, that's me too on the piano!"

That night long after the impromptu album release party, and the family celebration, I laid in bed with Brittany for the first time in a year.

So much had happened in that time.

We'd lost people that we loved, like Ari and Puck.

She'd served a sentence, and I had redeemed myself on a local stage.

There was so much about me that she didn't know yet, not fully but none of it was malicious or secretive, it was just all exciting stuff that I couldn't wait to show my bestest friend.

And she had a little more darkness in her than before, but I could tell that she was channeling her emotions differently.

Other than that little blip of her feeling inadequate in the face of Aurelio and Marco, she was my Britt Britt through and through.

"Have you played that for Mercedes?" She whispered as her fingers traced my naked body.

"Not yet, she's waiting though. I think we got it tonight, so I'll send it to her in the morning."

"Good."

"Did you see your daughter commanding the room?"

"Just like her Mami, she's found herself this past year. She was always so overshadowed by Izzy and now she's a little powerhouse."

"She's up to six instruments now, B. It's nuts."

"No way, which ones."

I ticked off my fingers, "Drums, Piano, Guitar, Viola, Xylophone, and she's working on the Cello right now."

"Wow."

"I know, these people at her school have no idea what to do with her."

"Quinn told me about the music academy in Connecticut."

"I'm sure she did, and maybe if Daniela wants that down the line, we can consider it but she's fine for now."

"She seems happy."

"Because she is."

"And you seem happy too."

"I am…there was always this big part missing though."

She grinned and kissed my forehead, as she lifted my thigh onto her hip. "What part?"

"You."

"You seemed okay without me."

"My best friend is 7, B. She's amazing, but she's not you. Don't even get me started on Sugar."

"Yeah don't…not now, I feel like there are better things we could be doing."

"Like what?" I smirked.

"I want you to sing for me, Baby…scoot up."

I bit my lip as she buried her face between my thighs and worked me up.

And when I threw my head back and moaned, there was a bang on the other side of the wall in my little office, where Sugar had insisted on staying.

I cackled and then Britt was shoving her fingers inside me, and I lost all cognition.

Fuck.

The sun was barely up in the sky, but Britt's sex drive was wide awake.

I woke up to her blonde head between my legs and my nerves rapid firing.

"Oh fuck, B…please…oh God." I moaned as I came, my voice hoarse from all the loving she'd been giving me in the last 24 hours.

"You know, you only called me Daddy once, and I take offense to that." She said, her face shiny and her eyes burning with lust.

"Strap up and I won't stop calling you that."

"You're so tight, are you sure you can handle that?"

"I guess there's only one way to find out."

"Challenge accepted."

The doors to the room burst open, and I quickly covered myself.

Sugar stood there glaring at us with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Are you two robots or something?"

Britt winked at her and then crawled back under the covers.

"Sugar…fuck…maybe you should…oh God…go." I had my hand on Britt's head and Sugar just stood there watching me fall apart.

"What if I don't want to leave?"

Britt went to move but I held her head in place, because she was not stopping when I was so close.

"Then c-close the door." I groaned, as Britt pressed her fingers into me.

Sugar rested against the closed doors, as I fell apart again.

Britt yanked the covers off of me and then glanced to the door, before looking up at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't you fucking stop, Brittany."

Saying her full name earned me another finger and I gripped her hair tighter, until I was shuddering against her face.

I became boneless as I fell back against the sheets.

Britt sat up and was staring Sugar down.

"Did you seriously just stay to watch?"

"Yeah, I had to hear it all night, and rub it out to the sound of you two now I got the real thing. Don't worry, I don't want to fuck either of you but how could I say no to free porn."

I shook my head and Britt just chucked a pillow at Sugar.

Then I watched my wife's eyes light up with glee.

"Let's make a deal, Sweetie." She had picked up on Daniela's nickname for Sugar, and it seemed to butter her up.

"Okay, what do you need."

"I need you to find a sex shop, get me a few things so that I can rock this one's world, and I'll let you watch me do it."

"You're serious?" Sugar looked from Britt to me, and back again.

"So, do we have a deal?"

"Hell yeah, we have a deal!"

"Awesome, I'll get a list together. The show is over, so I'm gonna need you to go now."

"Right, I'll just go. The house is already buzzing, so unless you want more people bursting in, I suggest you two get dressed for the day."

"Thanks, Sweetie!" I called to her, and she gave me a thumbs up before leaving us.

I hit Britt with a pillow, and she grinned at me.

"What?"

"When did you become a perv?"

"I'm the perv, she watched us!"

"And now you invited her back for the sequel."

"Well, we're hot and you don't want to make a sex tape to show the world how awesome we are. It's not like we haven't done it with Quinn in the room before."

"True."

"When she gets what I need, I'm going to need us to find a quiet place so that I can fuck you as much as I want."

"I have just the place."

"You do?"

"Yeah, but first you need to go hang out with the girls because Marco has them for the rest of the day."

"Are you kidding me?"

"Nope. Saturdays are his, they stay at Ari's mom's house overnight. Then I pick them up for church on Sunday."

"I hate this."

"I know."

"They're our babies."

"I know."

"What are we supposed to do without our three piece all together?"

"Three piece?"

"Yeah…" She sighed and then she perked up. "I think I'll have that talk with Izzy today, maybe we can get some tickets to a game, and he can spend the day with me and Dad."

"That's a great idea, B."

"Then that's what I'll do to distract me from that asshole having our babies."

"It would also give me some time to catch up with my sisters…especially if you make the game a boys day…Saul and the nephews would probably love to go to a game. You can rent a suite, on me."

Britt's eyebrows raised.

I understood it.

When she'd gone to prison, we were flat broke and I wasn't getting my full money unfrozen until my community service was up in four more months, but I was just tossing money around.

She bit her lip as she stared me down, waiting for me to divulge.

I sat up, and crawled closer to her, leaning against her until she was holding me.

"Ask me. I'll tell you anything." I said.

"Where is all this money coming from?"

"Sugar's dad owed me money, and he apparently cashed it out. When I needed to furnish this place, I asked him to cash me out…of course I couldn't talk to him directly because you know the FEDS are watching, so Sugar has been giving it to me little by little."

"That's drug money though."

"No. It's the rinsed money from before everything went to shit."

"I don't like this."

"I know, look I've been super careful, covering my ass by selling St. Mary's. I put the rest back into investments, but I do have a bank account."

"Are you allowed to?"

"Yes, it just can't have any large transactions. So I have a lot of cash."

"This sounds like what got you in trouble before."

"I have an accountant, and Sugar has been dealing with everything else. Walker audits me herself. Trust me, when she saw this house, she combed through my expenses to make sure it wouldn't get me in trouble."

"Let me get the suite, I haven't spent any money in a year. You keep your money still for a while, Baby."

"Are you sure?"

"Trust me, please."

"I do."

"No more dealing with Al Motta, please."

"I won't. I'm sorry that you're worried now. I have no more business with him, the money was the last bit."

"Keep it in your safe, no more splurging."

"You got it, B."

"Good girl." She purred, before kissing me.

I missed having someone to bounce things off of.

Having Britt back was just what I needed.

Maybe taking money from Al Motta wasn't the best thing, but at least it wasn't drugs.