CHAPTER 22
A/N: Hello everyone! I have just hit the 100 reviews mark, so thank you so much to all of you that have ever reviewed this story! Keep them coming, because for authors it's really helpful to see the readers' reactions to what they write! Thanks to May1217, Olivia, kelenhermitha, the Guest, Mostories and Brittana022 for their comments on the last chapter!
Before we see what happened between Santana and Julia… I just want to mention again - for the purpose of clarity - that I'm following the events of my previous story. So that means that it's slightly different from the real Glee TV show: in my story, Santana and Brittany have never broken up, not even when they were living in different states. Therefore, Santana was never with Quinn or Dani, and Brittany never dated Sam.
Warning: This chapter includes both Santana and Brittany's POV and I often alternate between the two. It's indicated when the POV changes. We start with Britt's. Thank you for reading!
LATER THAT NIGHT – HOME – BRITTANY POV
I suddenly wake up and as I open my eyes, the first thing I see is the ceiling of our bedroom. I am apparently laying on my back. The room is still very dark, it must be the middle of the night… As I slowly emerge from sleep, I am confused by the scene I am faced with: Santana is desperately clinging to my body, her face buried in my neck. She's hysterically sobbing.
"San…?" I softly ask, in a sleepy voice.
She doesn't reply but upon hearing the sound of my voice, her crying intensifies and her grip on me tightens.
"Why are you crying… ?" I ask, hugging her tight, with the hope that it will calm her down. But it triggers the exact opposite effect and she ends up crying even more.
"Honey… you're scaring me… What's going on?" I ask, now officially worried.
"I… I'm sorry, Britt… I'm so sorry…" She manages to say in between sobs.
EARLIER THAT NIGHT – AT PARAMOUNT – SANTANA POV
"You're so beautiful…" Julia whispers, getting so close to my lips that I can smell the scent of her face and her hair.
I'm still frozen and breathing incredibly fast. But I manage to pull away just in time to avoid the kiss. "I huh… I really have to go… My family is waiting for me…" I say.
That's not even true because I'm pretty sure that they all must be asleep at such a late hour and that no one is waiting for me, not even Brittany.
"OK…" Julia sighs, obviously disappointed.
"Well, I will say goodbye now then…" She adds, pulling me into a hug. She deliberately presses her breast against mine and slides her hand along my back. I don't hug her back but I don't pull away either. I could actually really use a hug right now… It's been a tough few months and I can't even remember the last time I was hugged, and by whom… Was it Naya? Or Whitney? Or maybe my parents… In any case, it was not Brittany.
Julia's fingers gently graze the back of my neck before she pulls away from the hug, and I'm left with her eyes intensely staring into mine. I'm completely mesmerized but I don't know if it's truly by Julia or if it's just by the attention that she is giving me. She notices my confusion and in a last attempt to use it to her advantage, she gently cups my cheek while her eyes travel back to my lips.
I step back before anything can happen.
"Julia…" I sigh. "You're a very attractive woman and… I'm flattered. But… I can't." I say as firmly as I can. "I'm married."
"She doesn't have to know…" She replies. "I can be very discrete…"
"No… It's not about that… I just… I really love my wife." I shrug. "She's the one I want…"
PRESENT TIME – AT HOME – BRITTANY POV
After she finally calmed down, Santana and I sat up in bed and she has just started to tell me what happened earlier at Paramount. The more she speaks the angrier I feel… I knew that this Julia was up to no good! I thought that meeting me would have stopped her but I should know by now that people don't care about our marriage. It didn't stop Dani or James, why would it stop someone like Julia Peterson? But I'm fuming! Who does she even think she is? She might be some hotshot actress but I'm the wife here! Maybe I should act more like Santana and be more threatening when it comes to our family...
"Did you…" I trail off, incapable of asking the full question, and scared of what Santana is going to reply. When we were in high school, it was already upsetting to share her with Puck and any other guys. But now that we are married, I can't even stand the thought of her being intimate with anyone else than me. And somehow, it would be so much worse if she slept with a woman! We have actually been each other's only girl…
"No, I didn't." She replies. "I'm incapable of cheating on you, Brittany… I would never… I didn't even let her kiss me. Yet… I feel guilty…"
"Why… ?" I ask, so deeply relieved that nothing happened with that woman.
"Because if I'm being completely honest, I enjoyed being flirted with and… being wanted." She says, looking embarrassed. "But I realized that it has nothing to do with Julia, I don't want her… It has to do with us, Brittany. You're… here but it's like you're not! Ever since that baby fight, I just feel completely invisible and so alone! Forget even about sex… you don't look lovingly at me anymore… You don't hug me or kiss me, or even just hold my hand…" She sobs. "I used to wake up to you laying all over me, blocking my blood circulation and now you're sleeping on your own side of the bed, turning your back on me… I need my wife!" She adds in a desperate tone, tears falling down her face. "I'm sorry that I made you so upset about this whole baby thing but what was I supposed to do, Britt? Was I supposed to lie to you and just pretend that I wanted another kid?"
"No… San… I'm glad that you were honest." I softly reply. "We should always be honest with each other, even when it's hard to hear! I know that I have been… distant and I understand that you feel left out… But this whole situation is not easy on me either!" I sigh. "I still love you, and I still want you… But at the same time, this issue has become this huge thing between you and me and I don't know how to get around that. Just like you can't pretend that you want another kid, I can't pretend that I'm comfortable. I just… we need to have our talk…" I sigh.
"But we won't have our talk before at least another week, Brittany. And even then, we don't know if we will find a solution…" She sadly comments.
"I know… Look, maybe it's completely naive but I really want to believe that we will find a way… We just have to wait and see what comes out of our discussion… In the meanwhile, I will try not to be so… distant. But you have to be patient with me, honey…" I say.
She silently nods, wiping her tears away.
"And if that makes you feel better…" I add. "… I am really jealous right now… I'm not a violent person but I actually want to kill that woman for trying to have her way with you! She knew that you're mine! And there is no way I'm sharing you." I say, noticing the small smile forming on her lips. It's barely visible but it's there...
I take her hand in mine and rub my thumb on the back of her hand.
"It's late, you should try to catch some sleep…" I tell her. "How about… I spoon you…" I suggest with a timid smile.
She nods and lays on her side. I get closer to her, wrapping my arm around her waist and placing a soft kiss on the back of her neck.
We fall asleep hugging each other, for the first time in forever.
A FEW DAYS LATER – AT HOME – SANTANA POV
I'm exhausted. The last few days have been so busy at home… After celebrating Sofia's second birthday, our families have now left to go back to Lima. This year, my little monster had a really big birthday party as ALL Gleeks were there. It was just the luck of the timing though… They all came to L.A. to attend Mercedes and Sam's wedding which is taking place tomorrow.
I'm currently packing my stuff because as Mercedes' maid of honor, I need to leave early tomorrow morning to help out with the latest wedding preparations. We will actually be gone the whole weekend as the entire Glee club decided to spend the night at the wedding venue after the ceremony.
Meanwhile, things between Brittany and me are still weird. But I have to admit that she's trying… She sleeps close to me every night, and I occasionally get a hug or a kiss. It's usually timid but it's better than nothing. But boy do I miss sex…
Since that famous evening at Paramount, I have completely avoided Julia. Brittany didn't ask me to keep away from her but I'm doing it nevertheless. I'm trying to protect my marriage as much as I can, considering that it's already weakened because of our baby fight. If I could, I would even fire Julia but I actually can't… because Lee loves her and he's convinced that she's good for the ratings, which is probably true. So instead… I told Quinn the whole story and asked her to be the one dealing with Julia. I even make sure not to be on set when she has scenes to shoot.
MERCEDES AND SAM'S WEDDING DAY – AT THE CHURCH – BRITTANY POV
I have just arrived at the church even though I'm a little early… As I'm trying to see if I can spot San or any of the Gleeks, I suddenly hear Quinn's voice behind me. "Hi Britt!"
"Quinn, hey!" I reply, hugging her before hugging Puck.
"Lopez is not with you?" Puck asks.
"No, well… She is definitely here but we drove separately as she had to get here early this morning already. I guess that she must be with Mercedes? I have just arrived so I haven't seen her yet, I had to drop Sofia at Naya's first."
"Oh, Naya is babysitting Sofia?" Quinn asks. "Wow! I never thought that I would see the day where Santana would trust someone else than the Gleeks with her daughter." She adds, laughing.
"I know, right?" I smile, knowing how picky Santana is when it comes to people taking care of Sofia. She never even wants to hire babysitters because it has to be 'someone who proved to be worthy of her trust'.
"Since you guys are all attending the wedding, we had to find someone else…" I add. "Naya actually used to be a nanny before she worked on Glee, so she is experienced with kids! And even though I'm pretty sure that Santana would not admit it out loud, I can tell that she really likes Naya… They have this special connection, they sort of get each other…"
A FEW MINUTES LATER – A THE CHURCH
I'm in the middle of a conversation with Mike and Tina when Santana suddenly appears out of nowhere. "Hi Guys!" She says with a smile, before placing a soft kiss on my lips. My jaw drops to the floor as I take in her appearance. I had no idea that she would be so… breathtaking! She was not yet all dressed up when she left the house this morning because she and Mercedes decided to get ready at the venue.
"You look absolutely stunning, San…" I say, unable to look away. She's wearing an elegant tight green dress that shows her cleavage in the most perfect way. Her hair is nicely wavy, with a chunk of hair pinned on one side, behind her ear. Her make up is… flawless! She did mention that Mercedes' make up artist would take care of her as well... God, she's just so beautiful! To avoid drooling in front of everyone, I quickly change subject. "How is Mercedes doing?" I ask.
"Oh you know, right on schedule: she's a nervous wreck right now." She says. "But weren't we all on our wedding day?" She asks, making all of us laugh. "She actually just asked me to go double check if 'there is a program on the chair at the end of row 3'… I didn't even dare to question why that specific chair, I mean… there are actually programs on all chairs… But I know better than asking questions! I'm just doing as I'm told, my goal is making sure that she doesn't turn into a bridezilla…"
LATER – AT THE CHURCH – SANTANA POV
I'm proudly standing behind Mercedes as the wedding ceremony progresses, while Blaine is standing behind Sam. As the bride and the groom say their I do's, I can't help but glance at Brittany in the audience and find her staring at me as well, smiling. My mind travels back to our own wedding day. I remember how sure Brittany's voice was when she said "I do", even though she was emotional. We both knew that it was right, that we were… meant to be.
There is something particular about attending other people's weddings… those events make you reflect about your own romantic situation. When I was a teenager, I went with my parents to a few weddings… Back then, I was either single or dating some boy and I kept wondering if I would ever fall in love. It's only when I found Brittany that I understood what true love was. Later on, she became my date whenever I had to attend weddings and I remember praying so hard for being the lucky one to marry her some day… Today, as I'm watching Mercedes and Sam getting married, I'm thinking of how my own marriage is barely hanging on these days…
LATER – AT THE WEDDING VENUE
Blaine just finished his speech as best man, and now it's my turn. I'm nervous, I'm really not good at speaking in front of people, but I don't really have a choice so I reluctantly take the microphone that he hands me.
"Hello everyone…" I say. "My name is Santana Lopez-Pierce and I'm the maid of honor. Mercedes asked me to make a speech even though she knows that I hate speaking in public. But I have been told that you can't deny the bride's wishes on her wedding day… so please… bear with me."
I inhale deeply before starting my speech. "I met Mercedes in high school, in the famous Glee club that Blaine has mentioned earlier and that you will hear a lot about in the coming hours… because we are basically the music band at this wedding! I wish I could tell you that Mercedes and I were friends as soon as we met, but it's actually not true. I could not stand the bitch, pardon my French. I used to put weird things in her food when she was not looking and I even tried to punch her a couple of times…" I add, making people in the audience laugh. "But then… we bonded over music… and today I cannot imagine my life without the magnificent Mercedes Jones! She's not only one of my closest friends but she's also my daughter's godmother. As for Trouty mouth… Oh… sorry, for those who don't know, this is the endearing nickname I give Sam, for obvious reasons… I mean, look at those lips! Congratulations Mercedes, by the way… His froggy lips now officially belong to you, forever!
As weird as it sounds, Sam and I actually dated for little while. He's even the last boyfriend I had before I realized that I was gay. It's not his fault, I guess that I just got a little sidetracked because of his blond hair… But Sam is one of the few good, decent guys that I know! Don't get me wrong, his impressions suck but he has a good heart and he's an amazing friend!
As Mercedes and Sam met in Glee club, I saw them fall in love over the years and… over the songs that they shared. And I can tell that you two are perfect for each other, truly." I add, looking at them with a smile.
"I wish I could end my speech right here but apparently the bride loves torturing me so she also asked me to share some words of wisdom about married life… whatever that means! I would never have the audacity to consider myself a marriage expert and I even argued with her that it might be better to ask someone who has been married for longer than I have… But… what Mercedes wants, Mercedes gets! So girl, get ready to be showered with my 'wisdom'!" I say, using air quotes.
"When you're married, you have some insanely happy moments…" I say. "Some of them are connected to big milestones or life changing events, such as your wedding day or the birth of your kids… But in my opinion, there is also happiness in less obvious moments… in what people would refer to as 'low key' situations or 'day to day routine'.
For instance: waking up every morning to the love of your life, or sharing a glass of wine together in front of TV, laughing hysterically over something silly… And sometimes, you can even find happiness in surprising situations… For example, I remember very well the day my wife and I cleaned our new house before moving in. There was so much work and cleaning is really not something I enjoy so I was absolutely not looking forward to it! But even then, we ended up turning the music on, singing at the top of our lungs and dancing some bizarre choreography with mops and vacuum cleaners. And now, it's one of my best memories! So my advice is to fully enjoy those moments whenever they come, be grateful for them and never take them for granted."
"Now… because real life is not a fairytale…" I continue. "… you have to know that there will also be sad moments, there might be… disagreements or fights, and even angry moments… To go through those challenging times – even though it's easier said than done – my only advice is to always be honest with your partner, and discuss your issues and feelings together… Make sure to always keep in mind that you love each other and remember why you fell in love in the first place. Because it's easy to lose track of it… Contrary to the common belief, you don't say 'I do' only on your wedding day, it's a choice that you have to make every single day..."
I inhale deeply before continuing my speech. "Five years ago almost to the day, I got the chance to marry my one true love." I add, locking eyes with Brittany. "And five years later, I can honestly say that I would do it all over again because marrying my wife was the best decision I have ever made."
I see Brittany smiling lovingly at me, wiping a tear away. I feel my own emotions coming up to my throat so I turn to the happy couple before I lose it. "So Mercedes, Trouty mouth… this is what I wish for you… I wish you to still want to be married to one another in five years time, and then again after 10 years, 20 years or… a lifetime. And I wish you to still love each other as much as you do today, if not more… "
"Cheers!" I conclude, raising my glass under applause.
A WHILE LATER – AT THE WEDDING VENUE
"Hi again!" I say into the microphone as Blaine sits at the piano. "I hope you're enjoying your time so far! Now that the bride and groom had their first dance, I was asked by Mercedes to perform a song. You have to know that I originally generously offered to write a brand new song specifically for her wedding but she turned me down! Instead, she asked me to perform a song that I actually wrote for my own wife. It's called Songbird and Mercedes apparently loves that song so much that she wanted it to be part of her wedding. And as I said, what the bride wants, the bride gets! Today, I have the honor to be accompanied at the piano by the best man, Blaine." I conclude, nodding to him so that he can start playing the first notes on the piano.
BRITTANY POV
As soon as Santana sings the first words of Songbird, she locks eyes with me. I quickly feel emotional and I can't stop my tears from falling but I make sure not to look away… I have heard that song so many times… on tour, at home, on the radio and yet, it always makes my heart melt because she lets her barriers down when she interprets that song, her raw emotions being completely exposed. I know that even though the room is full of people, she's singing it just for me right now.
I can't help but remember the very first time I heard it… I felt so deeply loved that day and I will never forget the moment she got on one knee and asked me to marry her…
LATER – AT THE WEDDING VENUE – SANTANA POV
Sitting at the table, I take a minute to exchange a few messages with Naya, to make sure that Sofia is OK.
TO "NAYA RIVERA": How is it going? Is she behaving? Let me remind you once again that I expect to find her tomorrow in the same state as she was when Brittany dropped her at your place! Don't break my baby!
FROM "NAYA RIVERA": Sofia is actually much more well behaved than you are! We are having a blast, I will send you a few pictures in a minute. Not only I haven't broken your baby but I think that she likes her Auntie Nay Nay so much that she might decide to live here with me as from now! How's the wedding?
TO "NAYA RIVERA": It's going well. The married couple is so happy that it's almost disgusting! I managed to make my speech without passing out and I killed it when I sang Songbird. By the way, if you still want to perform that song on Glee some day, you better make sure that my daughter wants to go home with us!
FROM "NAYA RIVERA": Hey, it's not my fault if she prefers me! She just has good taste, that's all! Have fun, Lopez!
As I put my phone back in my purse, I see Berry getting up on stage with Blaine, about to perform "We've Got tonight". I'm surprised when Brittany suddenly stands up, holding her hand out to me.
"Will you dance with me…?" She asks, staring intensely into my eyes.
"Huh… yeah… Of course!" I say, happily taking her hand. She pulls me to the dance floor as Blaine plays the first notes on the piano. Britt tenderly takes me into her arms and we start slow dancing, her temple resting against mine. I'm really enjoying our tight embrace, we haven't danced together in such a long time… After a while, she suddenly moves her head back a little, to be able to look at me. Those blue eyes are always so intimidating…
She leans in and I feel pulled into a slow tender kiss as I wrap my arms around her neck.
She breaks the kiss after a while, placing her forehead on mine. "You know, San… I can't wait to get you out of that dress…" She whispers, biting her bottom lip.
I look at her with open eyes, completely stunned by what she just said. Did I hear this right? Am I finally going to have sex with my wife?
"And before you say anything…" She adds. "I haven't had any alcohol today, not even one glass… So it's a complete conscious choice…" She says with lusty eyes and a flirty smile.
I can't help but grin before giving her another kiss.
TO BE CONTINUED…
A/N: A few comments on my side: your reviews/comments/private messages are always great, thank you! It's interesting to see how some of you seem more on Santana's side, others on Brittany's… My own opinion is basically what Quinn said a few chapters ago: there is no right or wrong choice when it comes to having children, it's personal so I understand both Brittany and Santana. And I think all their reasons are valid.
Based on the characters I developed in this story, it made sense to me that (1) Brittany would get a bit distant and (2) that Santana would miss her attention and affection. So I think it's normal that San enjoyed Julia's flirting to some extent but as I reflected, I couldn't possibly imagine Santana cheating on Brittany... It just seems way off character! I am still unsure where their upcoming baby talk will take them but I thought that since they have been both sad for a few chapters, it was time to give them a break and allow them to share some happy moments. And what better occasion than a wedding? There will be a second part in the next chapter, and as you understood, it will also include a sex scene (As I said, I suck at writing those, so bear with me…)
What did you think of this specific chapter? Do you still like the story? Please review, thank you!
