CHAPTER 39

A/N: Thanks to Tammy, Berrylucky5, Olivia, JerzyMare, Lina Jacob2, Buffycl, May1217, pjay413 and butterflybarbie for their reviews, without forgetting those who reached out on social networks. As you can see from the title, this is the second part of the chapter and it immediately picks up where we left off… We start with James POV but you will also hear Britt's thoughts. And of course, we regularly switch to Santana POV too. Enjoy!


JAMES POV

"Honestly, Brittany… I don't know." I reply, staring into her eyes. "All I know is that I match your donor's profile and… based on the list that my cousin showed me, there was only one Hispanic dancer so… I guess that would be me…"

"But since they did not include the name of your donor in your file, I can't be sure." I shrug. "There was some kind of identification number but… when I asked my cousin if she could find out who was behind that number, she said that she didn't have access to that information. Only doctors do."

She slowly nods in understanding but remains silent, her eyes never leaving mine.

"Can I ask you something…?" She suddenly says. "Why did you decide to… be a donor…?"

Her eyes are so intense right now that I struggle to hold her gaze. The truth is that I donated because of her but I know I can't tell her that…

My thoughts travel back to where it all started: that evening when I overheard Santana telling her friend about that huge baby fight she had had with Brittany. I immediately understood that the situation was serious and that Brittany wanted that baby so badly that it was only a matter of time before she would either leave Santana or convince her to change her mind. And I really wanted to be the one that would get her pregnant, whatever option she would choose. Of course, I was really hoping for Brittany to leave Santana so that I could finally have a chance at dating her. But unfortunately, I also knew that there was a high risk that they would stay together. And if they did, then the only way for me to get her pregnant was to become a sperm donor.

So I paid my cousin a visit and asked her all my questions. That's how I learned that when a lesbian couple wants to get pregnant, they can only pick a donor that shares physical features with the non-biological mother… So to be selected, I had to share as many physical features as possible with Santana. Fortunately, I knew that my Hispanic roots would definitely place me on their list, especially because I also have dark hair and I'm pretty much the same age as her. And I also knew that as a professional dancer, I would be an appealing candidate…

"Why did I decide to be a donor?" I repeat. "Because it's the ultimate gift…" I say, trying to come up with a good answer. "I wanted to do something good and… I don't think that there is anything more rewarding than helping people to finally have a family… You know?"

"Yeah…" She whispers. "I know that better than anyone… Because…without donors, none of my children would exist." She admits timidly.

"Since you mention your children… I wanted to ask you, Britt… Would you… um… would you mind showing me a recent picture of the twins?" I ask. "Alice showed me the picture you took at the hospital the day they were born but… I suppose that they have changed a lot since then… and… I… um…"

"Sure…" She interrupts me. "Here… I actually took a few pictures of them yesterday…" She adds, handing me her phone.

I zoom in on the picture and look attentively at their faces, one after the other.

"They're really cute! And they both have your blue eyes…" I say, smiling at her. "Gabriel is… the blond one, right?" I ask.

"Yes, that's him…"

"He's the spitting image of you…"

"Yeah… that's um… that's what everybody says." She replies with a timid chuckle.

"And Diego… he looks like you too but… in a different way. He looks more like a mix…" I say, looking back and forth between her and the picture. "Oh… he… he has dimples on his cheeks?" I suddenly ask.

"He does…" She confirms with curious eyes, obviously wondering why I pointed that out.

"I… um… I have dimples on my cheeks too, here…" I say pointing at my face. "And so does my dad actually… and my grandfather did too." I add while her eyes travel to my cheeks. She doesn't say anything but judging by the look on her face, she's finally considering the possibility that I might be her boys' father.

"What's their personality like?" I ask, curious.

"Well… They're both pretty calm and… they smile a lot!" She replies. "Diego reacts a lot to music… If he likes a song, he will smile and move his arms but if he doesn't like it, he will cry until we put another one on… And Gabriel, he has the cutest laugh you could possibly imagine! And it's contagious!" She adds, her face lighting up as she speaks about them. "He doesn't cry often but… when he does, he's very loud and he doesn't stop for hours… And…" She trails off when my phone suddenly rings.

"I'm very sorry, Brittany… But I have to take this, it's my agent." I say, getting up so that I can take the call outside. "I'll be back in a minute, OK?"

"OK… Do you want another one?" She asks, nodding towards my empty glass. "I can order while I wait for you."

"Sure…" I reply with a smile.

This is going even better than I was hoping for…


A FEW MINUTES LATER - BRITTANY POV

While James is outside, I check my phone to see if I have any message from Santana but I only have one unread text and it's not from her.

FROM "MOM": Hi sweetie, how are you? Your dad and I are having coffee with Santana! I wish you were here too… Call me tonight?

"So… what did I miss?" James suddenly asks, taking his seat back in front of me.

"Not much…" I shrug. "Here's your drink…" I say, pushing the glass towards him.

"Thanks!" He replies, with a smile. "So… to Diego and Gabriel!" He adds, raising his glass.

"To Diego and Gabriel…" I repeat, clinking my glass against his. "I'm sorry, water is not very festive but… I'm still breastfeeding so…"

"Of course! Please… don't apologize."

We both take a sip from our drinks and stay silent for a while until our eyes meet.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I ask timidly as he keeps staring and smiling at me.

"I'm sorry… It's just that… you're so sweet, Brittany… and so beautiful!" He shrugs. "I still can't believe we might have children together…" He says, placing his hand back on mine. "It's like a dream come true…"

"I must admit that now that I have seen your birth certificate… and even your… dimples, it is plausible that you might be my donor."

"I think so too…" He replies.

"But even if you were… the boys are not your children, James… They're Santana's." I say, moving my hand away from his.

"Brittany…" He replies in a soft tone. "I know that you and Santana are together but we both know how biology works." He says. "You are the twins' mother… and I am most likely their father. So that would make them our children… Santana is not their mother, she's not genetically related to them…" He shrugs.

And with that sentence, I have the proof that he lied to me earlier. He surely didn't donate sperm to help couples have a family because apparently, in his mind, you must be blood-related to be a legitimate parent.

"So just because they are not genetically related, she's not their mother?!" I repeat, offended. "So by that logic, that would mean that I'm not Sofia's mom either?" I ask, staring into his eyes.

"I… um…" He suddenly mumbles, obviously embarrassed.

"No matter what you say, Sofia is my child!" I state in a determined voice. "I have been taking care of her from the first minute she was born! Even before that!" I add, remembering how I begged Santana to slow down when she was pregnant and how I used to speak to her baby bump about dancing techniques. "I make sure that Sofia has everything she needs! I play with her, I educate her… I comfort her when she has a nightmare or when she's sick… She's my daughter!"

"And my sons don't have a father." I add, in a cold tone. "Because the donor – whoever it is – waived his rights to the babies when he donated. And you know what the twins' birth certificates say? That they are the sons of Brittany and Santana Lopez-Pierce!" I say, staring him down. "She is going to raise them. And nothing is ever going to change that!"

He looks so surprised by my reaction that he seems at a loss for words and I decide to take advantage of his confusion to finally say what I actually came here to say.

"You met me almost ten years ago, James. I was already with Santana back then and I am still with her now… So it's time for you to finally understand that she's not a phase or… some kind of experiment. She's my wife! And I chose to have kids with her! So… maybe you're our donor, I actually don't know. But I don't care!" I say as firmly as I can. "Because it changes nothing!"

"You should really move on…" I add. "Forget about me and go look for the right girl instead. Because during all this time you've been wasting on me, I have been building a life with someone else! You're waiting for something that will never happen. Because even if I didn't have Santana, I would not be with you!" I say, staring into his eyes to make him understand that I mean every word. "When I first met you, I thought we could be friends but you ruined everything by coming after my family. You're not a good person, that's a fact. And I could never love you."

"But… I don't understand…" He says, frowning in confusion. "You called me today, Brittany. You told me to meet you here and you asked me all these questions about myself... You even let me hold your hand!" He adds. "What the hell was all that about then?"

"Well… That was just 'Sweet Brittany' manipulating you." I reply in a cold tone. "I needed more information and I knew that the only way I would get it out of you was if I acted like you had a chance with me."

He looks at me in disbelief, as if there was no way I could ever behave like this…

"Didn't see that coming, huh?" I say. "I know you think that I'm a kind and harmless person... and most of the time, I am. But guess what? I'm not nice when someone deliberately tries to hurt my family! So listen carefully, James: I don't want you around me and I don't want you to talk to Santana ever again. And it's the last time I ask you nicely, OK? You see that man over there?" I ask, pointing at Ben. "That's the pub owner, do you recognize him? My friend Naya arranged a meeting with him for me and he promised me that he will never let you come in here again. So your stalking days are over! From now on, you will stay away from me, from my wife, and from my children. And if you ever dare to approach any of us, I will ask for a restraining order and press charges against you and your cousin for breaking the confidentiality of my medical records. Understood?"


MEANWHILE – IN LIMA – SANTANA'S PARENTS' HOUSE – SANTANA POV

I come home after being out all afternoon and find my mom alone in the living room.

"Hi mija…" She says as soon as she sees me. "So… did you meet with Brittany's parents? How are they? I haven't seen them in a while."

"They're good! Of course, they miss Brittany and their grandchildren but… they were happy to see me." I say with a smile. "Where is everyone?" I ask, looking around.

"Your dad just left to go pick up Abuela… They should be back in time for dinner."

"Alright…" I say, taking a seat on the couch. "What's this?" I ask, pointing at the big box on the coffee table.

"Oh yes, this… You're going to love it!" She says in an excited tone. "Do you remember my friend Helen?"

"I think so… Isn't she the one who launched her own clothing line?"

"Yes exactly, that's her!" She replies. "Apparently, business is going so well for her that she has now decided to sell kids' clothes too! And she dropped by earlier to bring some for 'Santana's kids'." She says, opening the box. "Look at this beautiful dress! Don't you think that Sofia will look adorable in this?" She adds, showing me a yellow dress with glitter embellishments.

"Oh wow… that's beautiful! And fancy!" I comment in amazement. "It's like a princess dress, Sofia is definitely going to love that!"

"And the best is yet to come…" My mom adds. "Look what she made specifically for the twins!" She says, pulling two onesies out of the box.

"Badass like mama…" I read out, suddenly feeling incredibly sad.

"What's the matter, mija? You don't like it?"

"No, no, it's great, mom, really… Please thank Helen for me!" I reply, forcing a smile.

"Santana…" She says, taking my hand in hers. "I know that something is troubling you when you have that look on your face… What's going on…?"

"It's nothing, mami… You don't have to worry." I reply but she keeps staring at me.

"I'm going to get it out of you eventually, mija… so you might as well tell me."

"Fine…" I sigh, knowing all too well that she won't give up because I come from a long lineage of stubborn women…

I eventually tell my mom everything: James' revelation, how bad it has messed me up and how weird it is between Brittany and me now… I even finally admit that I'm using any excuse I can to avoid my wife because… I'm too scared to discuss this with her.

"And you know the worst part?" I add. "I actually really miss Britt and the kids… But I have so many fears that I… I feel completely paralyzed and I end up hiding out here like a coward…"

She gives me an empathetic look and squeezes my hand. "Santana… you know what I always tell you… Sometimes you overwhelm yourself because you think too much and about too many things at once…" She says. "You have to break it down into smaller pieces… So why don't you start by telling me just one of your fears?"

"OK…" I nod and I inhale deeply to give myself the courage to speak my mind.

"I'm scared that… if James is the twins' father… my babies will turn out like him…" I eventually admit. "He's really evil, mami… You don't even know…" I add in a cracked voice.

"Mija…" She says, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear before lifting my chin to force me to look at her. "Every child - even if their parents are saints - needs to learn what is good and what is bad. It's not something we know at birth that is magically passed on through DNA, it's something we learn through education. And I have no doubt that your sons will be good people because you and Brittany will raise them right! You will teach them how to be good men." She adds and I can feel my tears filling my eyes.

"Look at Sofia, you know nothing about her biological father…" She says. "For all we know, he could be a bad man… and yet, she's the sweetest, brightest, most caring little girl… You and Brittany are doing a fantastic job with her! And she's the living proof that DNA is not everything! I even forget that she's not Brittany's biological child because they are so much alike!" She says and I chuckle between tears because I always say that Sofia becomes more and more like Brittany with each passing year. "You shouldn't worry, Santana… Your children are growing up in a home filled with love… They have everything they need to blossom, believe me…" She adds and my emotion is so strong that I can only nod while wiping my tears away.

"What else is on your mind…?" She eventually asks after a few minutes of silence.

"I… It's very difficult for me to say this out loud, mami…" I say, shaking my head. "You had to be there but… the way he told me that he might have gotten Brittany pregnant… He really rubbed it in my face! And I swear, I could hear his thoughts loud and clear: 'you might have married her but I'm the one who gave her what she wanted so badly. And you can pretend all you want, you will never be those babies' real mother'…" I sigh.

My mom immediately shakes her head upon hearing those words and I can read the anger in her eyes. "Let me remind you of something…" She finally says. "Even though Abuela has come a long way since then, do you remember what she first said when you invited her to your wedding? She said that it was wrong for two women to get married… And even though she's the scariest woman I know, you stood up to her and you told her, without a flinch, that you were going to marry Brittany. With or without her blessing." She adds.

"You never waited for the world's permission to do anything, Santana. And you certainly don't need that man's acknowledgement to be a mother so… why do you give him so much importance? Whatever he says, you're the one raising those boys, with Brittany. That's just the reality."


ON THE NEXT DAY – LOS ANGELES – AT MIKE AND TINA'S

After landing in L.A., Quinn and I split a cab and I asked the driver to drop me directly at Mike and Tina's since Britt and the kids were still there.

As I'm making my way to their garden through the gate, I spot Britt and the Changs chatting on the terrace while Sofia and Alex are playing a few feet away. My little girl is the first one to see me and immediately runs towards me, yelling "Mamaaa" for the whole neighborhood…

"Hola mija!" I smile while lifting her in my arms, to give her a kiss.

"You're back!" She says, suddenly hugging me so hard that she's practically choking me. "You were gone for a long time…" She adds with a sad pout and I immediately feel guilty.

"I know, baby… It was too long… But I'm home now!" I reply, giving her a few more kisses before putting her back on the ground.

Alex is right behind her and clearly wants my attention too, judging by the way he raises his arms for me to pick him up.

"Well hello, my mini-Chang!" I reply, lifting him to give him a kiss. "Look at you! You're so much bigger than the last time I saw you, you're like a giant now! Why you kids grow up so quickly…" I sigh before releasing him so that he can go back to playing with Sofia while I walk up to my friends.

"Well, San… It seems you're very popular among the kids!" Tina comments with a chuckle. "And look how excited this one is to see you!" She says, holding Gabriel up on her lap. My son is smiling at me and energetically moving his little arms, making my heart completely melt. It should be a crime to be this cute…

"Who's that?" Tina asks him, in an excited tone. "Yeees, it's your mama!" She adds, holding him out to me.

"Come here, mijo…" I say with a smile, taking my boy into my arms.

Reunited at last…

I gently press my cheek against his and breathe in the scent of his head. That smell is so intoxicating that I can't stop myself from covering him with kisses.

Still holding Gabriel in my arms, I eventually take a seat next to Britt and press my lips on hers, for a little longer than I should. I've really missed her…

"Hi…" She whispers.

"Hi…" I whisper back with a timid smile. I'm actually not sure where we stand and her blue eyes are so intimidating that I can't hold her gaze…

"So… I only see two thirds of my children…" I say, trying to fill the silence. "What did you guys do with my other boy?"

"Diego is still napping inside…" Britt replies with a smile, pointing at the baby cam. "How was your flight?"

"Um… It was fine! Quinn and I basically slept the whole time so…"

"Do you want something to eat, San?" Tina suddenly asks. "You must be starving!"

"Oh… thanks, T… But I don't want to impose…"

"Don't be silly, we have plenty of food left! I'll fix you a plate." She replies before walking away.


LATER THAT NIGHT – AT HOME

We spent another couple of hours at Mike and Tina's before going home. Gabriel fell asleep as soon as I put him to bed and Diego was quick to follow even though I had to sing him a song first. Sofia was no exception as she fell asleep half way through the story I was reading but that was not very surprising because she went to bed later than usual.

After taking a shower, I get into bed where Brittany has been waiting for me and as soon as she locks eyes with me, I know that the time for our talk has come.

"Britt…" I say, not knowing where to start.

But before I can add anything else, she pulls me into a loving kiss. I'm surprised to say the least but I immediately kiss her back because I have really missed this…

We kiss for a while until I find the courage to pull away.

"Not that I'm complaining but… I thought you were mad at me for going to Lima instead of coming back home right away…" I whisper.

"Oh I am. This is me being mad at you…" She replies in between kisses, making me completely confused. "But I've also spent a whole week without you so… I decided to review my priorities. First, we're going to make love… and then, we'll talk…" She adds, pressing her lips back on mine.

Well… I'm not going to argue with this change of plan…


EVEN LATER THAT NIGHT – IN BED - BRITTANY POV

Santana and I are comfortably laying close to each other, face to face, and I can't help but smile every time she presses her lips on mine for a quick kiss. I love sweet moments like these… And tonight, at least, sex was not weird like that night before she left for Seattle. This time, it felt like us… and I had really missed that.

"San…" I eventually whisper before nodding, to make her understand that now… it's really time to talk.

"Yeah, OK…" She sighs in defeat.

She opens her mouth to talk but no words come out and I can tell that she's struggling.

"Just talk to me, honey…" I whisper, grazing her cheek with my thumb and resting my forehead on hers.

"I… I'm sorry I ran away from this for so long…" She finally whispers before pulling away to look into my eyes. "But honestly, Britt… I couldn't talk about this with you… I was too overwhelmed. And even though my business trip was not planned at all, I must admit that I was relieved it came up when it did… I think I needed to be away for a while." She shrugs. "Don't get me wrong, I missed you and the kids so much but… this trip allowed me to sort through my thoughts and my feelings… And I know that going to Lima for another couple of days was not fair to you but I needed that extra time! And my mom really helped me get some perspective on this…"

"When James bragged about potentially having gotten you pregnant, I lost it." She adds. "I felt so much rage, Brittany… I honestly don't think I have been this mad before! I wanted to kill him with my bare hands! And that's because I could not stand that scenario! You married me! Having children with you is a privilege that I should be the only one to have!"

"But you are…" I reply. "San… you're literally the only person on this planet I have kids with. And even if James was the donor, that would just mean that… he jerked off in a cup!" I shrug. "I didn't make a baby with him. I went to a fertility clinic and I got pregnant through artificial insemination! There is nothing romantic or sexy about this…" I add. "And you know what got me through it by the way? And through all the failed attempts before that? Picturing a whole life with you, Sofia and our new baby – since back then I was far from knowing that we would have twins…" I say, squeezing her hand.

She silently nods before bringing my hand to her lips, to kiss the back of it. "I know you're right…" She says. "But whenever he's around, I feel so jealous, Brittany… I can't help it! He's always coming after what I love the most, over and over… He never stops! So can you imagine how I felt when he implied that he got my wife pregnant and was the father of my sons? It was like he was stealing my family away from me…"

"But that's never going to happen, San…" I reply. "You're Diego and Gabriel's mother and you will always be! Don't you remember when I was pregnant how they kept kicking like crazy whenever they heard your voice?" I ask. "You're the one that takes care of them, day after day… You're even the only one that can put Gabriel back to sleep!" I shrug. "And when the boys grow up, you will also be the one helping them with their homework, meeting their friends or… teaching them how to drive! And you will be the proud mama at their wedding… James will not be there for any of that. He doesn't have them, honey…" I add. "And he doesn't have me either… You do." I say before pulling her into another loving kiss.

I know that at some point, I will have to tell her that I met with James when she was away. And I'm pretty sure that she will be mad but… I can't tell her just yet.


A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER – AT PARAMOUNT – SANTANA'S OFFICE - SANTANA POV

"So… I had a meeting with Lee this morning… and… he officially decided to go on with his stupid plan for season 4." I tell Quinn, shaking my head.

"So this is really happening then…" She comments, sighing.

"Yeah…" I nod. "This is it, Q… This time, we really are at the crossroad…"

"But… how fast is this going to happen exactly?" She asks. "We need more time to find a streaming service, San…"

"Well… it will not go that fast." I reply. "Lee mentioned that since he's completely changing the show, he has to put a proposal together and run it by the board first. There will be a vote and their decision must be unanimous for it to happen."

"So there is hope?" She says in an optimistic tone.

"Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure that they will all agree with his proposal, Quinn… The current ratings are still good but… they're not good enough to prevent this. It's pointless to hope for another outcome…" I shrug. "But as you said, we need more time to strike a deal with a streaming service so… we have to delay the board's vote."

"How?" She asks, perplexed.

"I'm going to talk to Fisher…" I reply. "I will tell him that I have a counter proposal and I will ask him to hold off the vote for a while…"

"But… we don't have a counter proposal…" She says, confused. "We're just trying to steal the show from them!"

"I know, Q… but in order to win, we need to play." I say in a determined voice.

She silently contemplates the option for a while before locking eyes with me. "Are you sure, San? Fisher has always been on your side, he's going to hate you if you play him like that…"

"He's going to hate me either way, Quinn… because whatever happens, I will bail on the network at the end of the season." I shrug. "I like Fisher… I don't want to stab him in the back, believe me but… we don't have a choice! We have a very limited window to take action… Because once the vote takes place, every will change fast: the network will launch a new casting process, they will tell Naya and the others that they are not renewed… And then, things will spin out of our control. You know that we won't be able to take the current cast with us unless we have a real contract to offer them…"

"I guess you're right…" She sighs. "Ok, so… you arrange a meeting with Fisher and in the meanwhile, I will call the guys in New York and ask them to get us as many appointments as possible with streaming companies."

"That's a plan…" I nod in agreement. "Oh and before I forget, we're doing the disco episode."

"Really?" She asks, surprised. "But you know that Lee is never going to finance it, right? If you want us to do it, you will have to produce the episode yourself… I thought that you didn't want to risk your money anymore, since you're going to quit anyway?"

"Yeah but… I have changed my mind. Because like the MJ tribute, I believe that a disco episode will get more audience and that will be an important argument to convince Fisher to buy us some time. Besides, this is the moment to give it everything we've got, Q… We only have a few episodes left this season and I want them to be the greatest! Because if we fail to save Glee and I have to walk away from my own show, I'm going to go with a bang… That's just how Santana Lopez rolls."


A FEW DAYS LATER (SATURDAY) – AT HOME

I'm sitting with my girls at the table, in silence. I'm busy finalizing the budget for the disco episode while Brittany is signing a bunch of documents for the dance school and Sofia is making yet another drawing.

"Mama…?" My little one suddenly says.

"Yes, baby?"

"How old are you?" She asks out of nowhere.

"How old do you think I am?" I ask her, throwing an amused look at Brittany.

"I don't know… 52?"

"52?!" I repeat, completely outraged, while Brittany is laughing.

"And why are you laughing?" I ask, turning to her. "If I'm 52, so are you! Actually, you're even older than me, you little cougar, so…"

"Cougar?!" Brittany repeats, raising her eyebrows.

"What's a cougar?" Sofia asks.

"Um… it's a woman that um… that… that falls in love with someone younger than her." I reply, trying to say something appropriate. "Like your mommy."

"I'm barely a few months older than you, San!" She objects.

"Exactly! 'Older' is the keyword here! But I don't blame you, Britt… Of course, you could only fall for a young, sexy woman like me! Who wouldn't?" I say in a proud tone while she rolls her eyes.

"And how old were you when you married mommy?" Sofia asks me.

"Um… we got married almost 7 years ago so… I guess I was… 45." I say, still playing along. "I looked much younger than that though, don't you think?" I ask her, pointing at our wedding photo on the wall.

Our daughter looks at it for a minute before turning back to me. "Why I'm not on the picture?" She asks, curious.

"Well… you were not born yet, mija…" I reply and I wonder if she will be satisfied with this answer or if she will question it further. We have used that sentence before but every time, she seems confused by it. She knows it means she was not there but she probably wonders where she was, if it was not with us…

She doesn't say anything but she seems so disappointed and sad that I exchange a confused look with Brittany.

"What's wrong, peanut?" Britt asks.

"I wanted to see it…" She says with a sad pout.

"Our wedding?" I ask. "Well, we can show you the pictures… and the video! Uncle Artie filmed everything!"

"It's not the same…" Sofia replies, suddenly sobbing, and I'm so stunned by her reaction that I turn to Brittany, not knowing what else to say. Why is she so upset about having missed our wedding?

"Well… what if… we got married again?" My blonde suggests out of nowhere and Sofia immediately opens her mouth in excitement.

"What…?!" I say, getting even more confused.

"The weather is beautiful today…" Britt says. "We could… get married again and have a little wedding ceremony in the garden…"

"YAAAYY!" Sofia immediately screams, clenching her fists in anticipation.

"Wait a minute! I didn't say yes!" I tell Sofia before turning to Brittany. "What if we got married again"? Is that really how you propose to the love of your life? I'm sorry but when I proposed to you, I got on one knee and everything!" I object, crossing my arms.

"You're absolutely right…" Brittany replies with a smile before getting on one knee in front of me.

Oh OK… so this is really happening…?

"San…" She says, holding my hand in hers and locking her blue eyes with mine. "This is a totally improvised proposal speech so… I will just let my heart speak. You are… the most wonderful and beautiful woman I know… I have been in love with you ever since I met you!" She shrugs. "And you make me so happy that… marrying you once is simply not enough! So… I know that this… 'engagement ring' is not much but…" She says, removing the white tie from her hair. "… Santana Lopez-Pierce, will you marry me again?"

Even though we are just playing pretend for our daughter, I feel my heart racing like crazy… Hearing Brittany choosing me as her one and only will always do something to me… And I can see from the corner of my eye that Sofia is holding her breath.

"Yes… I will…" I finally say, making Brittany smile wide. "As if I could turn you down anyway…"

"YAY!" Sofia screams again, jumping up and down while Brittany secures her hair tie on my finger. That has to be the weirdest engagement ring ever and yet I love it…

"So what happens now?" Our daughter asks in an excited tone while I press my lips on Britt's.

"Well… now… mama and I are going to change and put on nice dresses… although not the ones from the first wedding because it's only been five months since I gave birth to your brothers and I don't think that I can fit in my old dress… And… we'll do our hair, and put some make up on… and get everything ready for the ceremony…" Brittany says. "Will you come help me, peanut?" She asks, grabbing our daughter's hand before walking out of the room.

God knows that I was planning to do a lot of things today but getting married was not on my list…


LATER THAT DAY

I'm standing by the tree in our garden, holding flowers in my hands and I'm feeling nervous. This is insane, what am I even nervous about? I'm just going to fake marry my own wife! At least, my sons are keeping me company, sitting in their folding chairs and wearing their fanciest clothes.

Since we decided that we would not wear our real wedding dresses, I put on a white summer dress that I had in my wardrobe, did my make up and gave a wavy touch to my hair… Just like seven years ago, Brittany forbad me to see her in her "wedding dress" but this time I promised I would respect that wish…

"Mama!" Sofia suddenly shouts. "Mommy is ready!"

"Right, OK." I say, playing "At last" on my phone, the same song that Mercedes and Artie sang all those years ago, at our "first" wedding…

My little girl is the first one to appear, wearing that yellow dress that my mom's friend made for her. But as soon as I see that she savagely decapitated the flowers I was proudly growing, I feel so desperate that I want to cry. She's throwing the petals all over my garden and although that's good practice for Quinn's wedding, she is making a total mess…

But once I see Brittany walking up to me, I no longer care about the flowers. She clearly doesn't need a fancy wedding dress or a make up artist to be the most beautiful bride… And that magic smile of hers is probably going to give me butterflies for the rest of my life…

As she takes her spot by my side, I can't help but smile back at her, unable to look away. I'm so lost in her blue eyes that I even completely forget about my surroundings until I hear Sofia ask "And now what happens?" in an excited voice. Our daughter is obviously very happy to officiate our wedding, even though she needs our help at every step of this simplified ceremony…

"Well before anything can happen… we each need a witness." Brittany says. "San, you want to take Diego?"

"Are you crazy? I'm about to marry his precious mommy, I'm pretty sure he already hired a hitman to murder me… I want to live another day, thank you."

"Fine…" She chuckles. "I'll take Diego, you take Gabriel. Anyway, if I separate him from you, he'll probably cry during the whole ceremony…" She adds.

"Ok so now that we have our witnesses, it's time for the most important question…" I say before whispering something into Sofia's ear.

"Mommy…" our little one says, turning to Britt. "Do you… um…" She stops, trying to remember what I just whispered to her. "Do you promise to love mama forever?" She finally asks.

"I do." She replies in a confident voice, staring into my eyes, and I can't stop smiling.

"Mama…" Sofia says, turning to me this time. "Do you promise to love mommy forever… andtobuymeadog?"

"I do." I say as a reflex. "Wait, what?" I frown once the extra part finally hits my brain.

"You promised to love mommy forever and buy me a dog." She repeats in a matter-of-fact way.

"I didn't promise anything about a dog!" I object.

"But you just said 'I do'!" Sofia argues.

"I didn't mean it!"

"So you won't love mommy forever?" She asks.

"I… no, that's not what I'm saying! I…" I sigh, shaking my head. God, I can't believe that I have been tricked by a 3 year old… She's a master mind of manipulation!

"You know that this is all your fault, right?" I turn to Brittany as she can't stop laughing.

"How is that my fault?" She objects. "I had no idea that she would say that!"

"It doesn't matter! It's still your fault because whatever crazy things these three will ever do…" I say, pointing at our kids. "… it will aaaall come back to those times when YOU told me 'let's have a baby!'. Yeah, that was a great idea! Look where we are now! Apparently, I'm a 52 year old getting married for the second time and who will have to pick up dog sh… um… poop… until that one goes off to college!" I add, nodding towards Sofia.

"Well, at least you'll have a loving woman by your side through it all, even when you pick up dog poop…" She replies with a smile. "And look at the bright side: I'm way hotter than your first wife!" She shrugs as I roll my eyes in response.

"Let's do the rings now, peanut." Britt says. "Before mama changes her mind…"

"Okay!" the little devil replies, handing us our real wedding rings. We removed them earlier just so that we could put them on each other's finger again, this time in front of our kids. I had actually never taken it off before…

Once the rings are back where they belong, Brittany whispers something else into Sofia's ear, earning a giggle from her.

"By the power vest on me…" Sofia suddenly says.

Power vest?!

"… I declare you MARRIED!" She screams. "And now you have to kiss!" She adds, jumping up and down.

"Hear that, wifey? We have to kiss…" I repeat, making Brittany chuckle.

She leans in to give me our "first kiss as a married couple" and I can't help but smile against her lips. But our romantic moment is unfortunately cut short by our impatient little girl.

"What do we do now?" Sofia asks enthusiastically.

"Well now… It's party time!" Britt answers with a smile.


EVEN LATER THAT DAY

We have been dancing with our kids for one hour but I can now feel that Gabriel has fallen asleep in my arms and I'm pretty sure that he's drooling all over my dress…

As I carefully place him in his bassinet in the garden, I spot Sofia a few feet away, playing with her toys. Obviously, she's no longer interested in our wedding celebrations… So instead, I walk up to Brittany who is still happily dancing with Diego in her arms.

"So, mijo…" I say, caressing Diego's cheek. "I know you don't like to share your mommy but the first dance as a married couple is a very important tradition so… may I cut in or is that going to get me killed in my sleep?"

"I think he's pretty tired anyway…" Brittany replies. "I'll put him down for his nap. And when I come back, we'll definitely have our first dance!" She adds with a wink.


A LITTLE WHILE LATER

"Today was perfect…" Brittany whispers in my ear as we are finally having a dance of our own. "It's a day I don't ever want to forget…" She adds, pulling away just enough for our eyes to meet.

"I really loved marrying you again…" She says, pressing her lips on mine. "Actually, I think I liked this wedding even more than our first one… Being able to share it with our kids, it really made it special…"

"It really did…" I smile in agreement. "It was also a lot cheaper than the first one!" I laugh. "And on the plus side, we didn't even have to listen to Berry singing!"

Just like Britt said, today was indeed perfect… and even though it was all unexpected and improvised, this family time really did me some good! Especially after all that happened with James…

The fact that he might be the twins' father still haunts me and it will probably take some time for me to stop obsessing about that… But today was yet another proof that whatever happens, I'm the one that got the wife and the kids. And there is nothing he can do to change that.

"So… no regrets?" Brittany asks.

"About you? Never!" I reply in a heartbeat. "I'll even marry you again in 7 years if you wish!" I say, giving her another kiss. "I'm not too happy about the dog thing though…"

"You know that you would have caved in eventually, honey… I think Sofia is even more stubborn than you!" She says with a laugh. "And if you get her a dog, you will be her hero and it will make her very happy. And your wife too!"

"Yeah, yeah… Everyone will be happy, except me!" I object.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure to keep you happy as well…" She says, kissing my lips.

"How so?" I ask.

"Well… the earliest opportunity I can think of is … our wedding night…" She says with a wink.

"Now you're talking…" I comment, making her chuckle.

"I love you…" She says, caressing my cheek.

"I love you too, Britt-Britt…"


A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER – AT THE FERTILITY CLINIC – BRITTANY POV

I have been waiting for a while in the waiting room, my eyes set on the brunette behind the desk. But once I finally see her put on her coat and wish a nice evening to her colleague, I discretely get up and follow her out into the street.

"Excuse me…" I suddenly say, making her stop and turn around. "Are you Erin Pearson? James Pearson's cousin?" I ask and even though she seems surprised by my question, she eventually nods in confirmation.

"Hi… I'm Brittany Lopez-Pierce." I say and I immediately spot the panicked look on her face upon hearing my name.

"That's right, I'm the woman whose medical file you leaked." I say. "And I would like a word with you."


A/N: What did you think of this chapter? I know many were concerned because Brittany met up with James, I hope you're reassured now ;-) Do you like what she told him? Why do you think she wants to talk to his cousin? Any reaction on the rest (Santana's battle with her emotions, Paramount stuff, the "second" Brittana wedding")? Please leave a review to give me your feedback…