A Life Well Lived
2.
It was early the next morning that Santana awoke and oriented herself before she got out of bed. She looked over at a sleeping Emma as tried to piece together the events of the night before.
Satisfied that she remembered what happened, she gingerly removed herself from the bed and grabbed her clothes from her already packed suitcase. She grabbed a piece of hotel stationary and a pen and walked into the bathroom. First, she got dressed and ready for her flight back home. Then she sat down on the lid of the closed toilet and wrote:
"Thank you for making me forget…even if only for a short time."
She didn't sign it as she knew that Emma would recognize that it was her. She left the bathroom after making sure she hadn't forgotten anything. Seeing that she indeed hadn't, she tip toed out of the bathroom into the main room. Emma was still sound asleep. Santana walked over to her side of the bed and placed the note on top of her pillow. Then she turned around, grabbed her suitcase on wheels and left the hotel room. She tried not to slam the door on her way out.
Right after the door closed shut, Emma stirred and then woke up.
She groggily flipped over expecting to feel Santana lying next to her. She wasn't there. Emma sat up quickly and said, "Santana?" But the room was empty.
Then she noticed the piece of paper. She half smiled and then got out of bed, got dressed and left the hotel room.
She intended on thinking, "Nothing happened."
However, the young Latina had pulled at her heartstrings, and she desired to learn more about the woman. She was moping.
"Why are you moping?" Regina Mills asked during their private weekly town briefing.
"I met someone…had a one night stand, kinda. She left before I woke up this morning."
Regina looked at her friend and simply said, "The Emma Swan I know doesn't mope. She figures out a solution and takes the steps necessary to fix the problem. This is shy I named you Sherriff,…err…Sherriff."
"You're right," she said and jolted from the chair. "Are we done here?"
Regina smiled and nodded. She lowered her head to sign some paperwork.
"Oh, just so you know, I think I'll take that vacation time I have saved up."
Regina smirked and said, "Wise decision."
Emma ran to her office and immediately looked up: "Santana Lopez" on her Government database that she had insisted that Mayor Regina Mills institute for the town of Storybrooke a few years ago. She found Santana Lopez in Ohio. Only one listed.
"That was easy…too easy…"
She printed out the page of information. While that printed, she drafted an email to her parents, Henry and Regina. She wrote, "Taking some vacation time."
She just said that she'd be away for a week, maybe two. She didn't say where she was traveling, but she felt secure in knowing that Regina knew.
She clocked out and locked the door. She ran back to her apartment and pulled out her suitcase. Momentarily she had a thought: "Is this nuts?"
Emma surprisingly already missed being in her presence. So, she used that feeling as her compass. She quickly packed the suitcase and then called an airline. She purchased her ticket from Storybrooke International Airport, Maine to Dayton International Airport, Ohio. She didn't purchase a return flight. She figured she do that when she got there.
She decided to take a cab and not her yellow Volkswagen Beetle since she'd have to keep it at the airport. She got a cab, gave the driver the destination and was off in mere seconds. The ride was peaceful. She began to think about the woman she had met the night before. When she finally got on the plane and buckled her seatbelt, she sighed. She realized that she was pushing herself into a world that may not want her. She told herself she'd get over the disappointment, if necessary. She also told herself that she was being bold because of the note Santana had left for her. it didn't sit well with her. And she wanted to tell her that.
What felt like minutes later the plane touched down and soon the passengers were leaving. She stood and collected her carry-on bag from the overhead bin. As the passengers trickled out of the airplane and into the terminal, Emma became excited and nervous at the same time. She followed the herd of people as they exited the building. Once outside she hailed a taxi. It abruptly stopped in front of her so she got in.
"Where to?"
Emma gave the driver the address and they sped off.
Not even fifteen minutes later, Emma found herself outside of Santana's house. She told herself, "Now or never, Swan."
She mustered up the courage to ring the doorbell. A second later a short, older woman answered the door.
"Hello, may I help you?"
"Yes, is this Santana Lopez's house," Emma asked politely.
"Um, kinda, who are you?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Emma and I recently met her. And you are?" She extended her hand for a handshake.
"I'm her mother, Maribel. Um, she's not home right now. I'll tell her you dropped by."
The stranger woman looked at the outstretched hand and decided not to shake it.
With that she began to close the door.
"Actually, I'm from out of town and I need to get back to my town as soon as possible, so might you be able to tell me where to look for her?"
Maribel scratched her head and then said, "You could try, 'Breadstix". It her favorite restaurant."
"Thank you, Mrs. Lopez. It was nice to meet you. Hope to meet you again," Emma said gratefully. She turned around and got back into the cab that she had asked to wait.
"Breadstix please," Emma said kindly.
Soon the taxi dropped her off in front of the restaurant and she paid the fare. She slammed the door and with her duffel bag in hand she walked into establishment and looked around for Santana.
The hostess walked over and asked, "How many?" She found Santana sitting by herself in the last booth next to the kitchen.
"I found my friend, thank you." She brushed past the woman.
Santana had her head lowered so she didn't see Emma's arrival or her walking to her. She quietly slid into the other side of the booth. She pulled out the note and gently pushed it onto the table in front of Santana's lowered eyesight.
She jolted up and was shocked. "Emma?"
"Hi," she said meekly.
"How? Why?"
"How? Government database and airplane…Why? I got your note and I felt it had so much underlying pain to it. And you didn't leave me your number!"
Santana smiled as she said, "I don't know if I should be afraid or flattered…"
"I'd go with flattered," Emma said with a wink.
"Have you eaten," Santana asked as she waved over the waitress.
Before Emma could respond the woman walked up to them and asked for her order. She quickly gave it to her and the woman disappeared.
"So…" Emma said and looked at Santana kind of lovingly.
"Well, I do wanna say thank you for not thinking I'm completely nuts. And for coming all this way. It's been a while since someone has made me feel special like that," Santana said.
Just as they began to talk, Santana looked over Emma's shoulder to see her ex, Brittany, walk in.
"Fuck me!"
"Maybe later," Emma said not knowing what was happening.
"Oh, no, my ex…and my other best friend just walked in together. And uh, holy shit, they're "holding hands," Santana said in total shock.
"Should I hide?" Emma began to lower herself down onto the cushion of the booth. Santana smiled and shook her head no.
"Well, no time like the present, right?" Santana watched as the two women looked around. Brittany found Santana and Emma first and skipped over, pulling Quinn over with her.
"Hey, San," Brittany said shyly.
"Hi, B. how are you?"
"I'm okay," she replied. It was clear to everyone in the situation that they weren't fine.
"Hi, Quinn," she said as she looked at her friend.
"Santana…who's your friend?"
Brittany's attention turned to the stranger. "Hey, I'm Brittany…You are?"
"Emma," she said and extended her hand out. Brittany shook the hand vigorously.
"How do you know Santana?" Quinn defensively folded her arms across her chest.
"I met her while on business, um, yesterday," Santana said honestly.
Way back in the beginning of their relationship, she had promised herself that she'd always be honest with Brittany. She knew that she had broken that promise in the most hurtful of ways, so she was trying to make up for it.
"Oh, I didn't know you went anywhere." Brittany looked at Santana with a confused expression on her face. That was when Quinn slid her hand into Brittany's.
"I didn't know that this started, B," Santana shot back.
"Well, this is, um, is new," Quinn piped up.
"So, you're all friends," Emma interrupted the oncoming conversation before it could begin.
"Yes," Santana said as she looked at Emma.
"Quinn was a best friend and Brittany was my wife."
With hearing that statement, Quinn sighed and pulled Brittany away from the table.
After they walked away, Emma asked, "Was that okay that I spoke up?"
"Yeah," Santana said as she shook her head. "I was just surprised with seeing them together in like, public."
"I bet. I'm sorry…"
"Why you sorry? It's my own fault. I divorced her." She looked at the couple seated in the middle of the restaurant.
Emma allowed Santana time to do this. She was grieving, after all. She was grieving something that she let happen.
"Why did you divorce her?"
Santana's head whipped back to Emma. "Um…personal reasons. I know if I had to told her why I needed a divorce she would have fought me and supported me all at the same time."
"You like driving people away?" Emma was genuine in asking her question. And Santana understood that.
"Like I said personal reasons."
Emma's food arrived and she devoured the meal.
"Good, eh?" Santana smiled at her new friend.
"So good," Emma replied with a mouth full of food.
Santana smirked. She flagged the waitress over, asked for the check and when it arrived, she paid for the meals.
"You don't have a place to stay, right?"
Emma nodded her head in confirmation as she said, "I didn't think that far ahead, and I thought you'd think I was a stalker and demand I go home."
Santana smiled at the revelation. "Stalker? Possibly, but I think it's cute and it made me feel special. You can stay with me for…?"
"A few days?"
Santana nodded her head. "You ready?"
Emma nodded her head, grabbed her duffle bag, stood up from the booth and followed Santana out of the establishment.
"You don't want to say 'bye' to your friends?"
Santana shook her head and kept walking. Out of the corner of Emma's eye she saw Brittany's expression as she watched them leave. She looked so sad.
They got into Santana's car and rode off to her apartment. It was in the backyard of her mother's house. We parked and walked up the stairs to the door. She unlocked the door and walked inside. She tossed her keys onto the kitchen nook in front of the refrigerator. It was all an open concept meaning there weren't any walls in the center of the large room.
"So, this is it," Santana said as she ushered Emma inside and then shut and locked the door. "Pretty self-explanatory…Towels and blankets are in the linen closet. Here's the pull-out sofa bed."
"Cool," Emma said with a smile.
"Well, make yourself at home. I'm gonna go change. Be back in a few." Santana walked to bedroom and closed the door. She left it open a crack.
"So, what's your day like?"
"A regular day," Santana replied.
"Yeah," Emma said.
"Not too glamorous…work…dinner…home…bed…repeat."
"Doesn't sound too exciting."
"There are times where I travel to strange towns, get totally shit-faced and bring people back to my hotel room. But they never come looking for me," she said with a chuckle.
Emma laughed. "Guess I'm special!"
Santana reappeared wearing more than what she wore in the hotel room. She was in a pair of sweatpants and a long tee shirt. Emma didn't think anything as she lifted her shirt above her head and removed the item. She then sat down on the bed to remove her boots and then her pants. Santana was in a daze as she witnessed Emma change her clothes in front of her. She even licked her lips. Emma noticed this and asked, "Like what you see?"
Santana smiled sheepishly and turned her head. Emma continued to disrobe and then she asked a question that was, to her, the most important one. "Can we cuddle again?"
Santana's head shot up and she looked at the sincerity in Emma's green eyes. "Yes, of course. But we're gonna talk also."
"Sure, I was hoping you'd say that…"
"Good…follow me," Santana said as she turned around and walked back into her room. Once she was inside, Santana closed the door. She then pulled her hair into a ponytail with a hair scrunchy that was in her dresser.
They found themselves in Santana's bed and then Emma grabbed her and pushed her down onto the mattress and then into her arms.
"Comfy," Emma asked sincerely.
"Yes, surprising," Santana said. She then asked, "So you said you had a son? How old he is? Does he live with you?"
"Um, oh, Henry's a very mature 10-year-old. At first when he found me, I was shocked. It was a closed adoption. Totally honesty up front…I gave birth to him in prison. I was in was the wrong place at the wrong time you could say. My ex-boyfriend let me take the rap for his crime…robbery. But I did my time. Won't be doing that again."
"Geez," Santana said with a sigh.
"My son lives with his adoption Mother who is Mayor of Storybrooke. At first, we butted heads, but now we've come to build a partnership for the town and our shared son. What about you, uh, tell me something about you. Anything?"
"Well, I haven't been arrested…"
"I can arrange that, if you'd like," Emma said not thinking.
Santana lifted her head to look at Emma and smiled.
"Oh, no, not in the kinky way…"
Santana laid back down. "Well, um, I came out in high school, got disowned for a while from my grandmother and pretty much hated myself for a while. The only ray of sunshine was Britt."
"I know you've said it's too complicated, but why are you two divorced? She obviously still cares for you."
Santana rolled over to look at Emma. She saw only sincerity in her eyes so she took a deep breath and said, "I've recently found out something about myself that I don't want to put onto another person."
"What's that?"
Santana took a deep breathe, went to say what it was, but then she stopped herself. "I can't."
Emma picked her head up and grasped Santana's shoulder to flip her onto her back. "I totally understand. We're strangers after all. I'm not gonna push you. I came out here to see if what I felt would go away…"
"What do you feel," Santana interrupted her.
Emma nervously removed her hand from Santana's shoulder to brush her long blonde hair. Then she looked at the Latina and simply said, "A pull…a connection…"
"Do you still feel that," Santana asked as she reached up to caress Emma's cheek.
"Yes, I do," Emma said with a small smile. Santana pulled herself up so that she could face Emma. Then she opened her arms out for a hug. Emma scooted closer and wrapped her arms around her. They hugged each other tightly. They stayed in this position for some time. Santana sighed heavily while in it. Emma only hugged her tighter when she heard it.
After a few more minutes, Santana broke the hug to simply leave a kiss on Emma's cheek. Her lips lingered on Emma's skin for some time. Now it was Emma's turn to sigh heavily. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Yeah," Santana whispered her response.
"Be my girlfriend?"
Santana sat back and pondered that question for some time.
"I am sick, and I don't want people to know cuz they'd pity me. I don't do pity. Just something about Emma…I don't know. She feels different to me somehow…" Santana's mind raced.
"SANTANA!" Emma flagged to get her attention.
"Oh, sorry, I was thinking," she apologized.
"No shit," Emma said and lightly chuckled.
Santana smiled. "You make me feel like I matter and that there's no one else. I've never encountered how you treat me. and it's only just started. If I say, 'yes' you gotta allow me to tell you stuff about me at my pace."
"Ok. I give you my word," Emma said trying not to get her hopes up too high.
Emma kissed the palm of her hand and looked up at her. "Santana. I came to see you, remember? I hope you see that I want to be with you…"
"How could I forget. Bold move, Swan…bold move."
Emma kissed Santana's cheek. Then Santana turned her head in Emma's direction and connected their lips in a hungry and passionate kiss. They pushed their bodies against each other.
"Hey," Emma said as she took a breath of air. "You never answered my question."
"Which was?" Santana knew it, but she wanted to hear Emma ask it again.
"Santana, please be my girlfriend?"
Santana moved her head closer to Emma's. right begore she dove back in for another kiss, she whispered, "Yes."
She saw Emma smile right before she closed her eyes and kissed her passionately. Again, their bodies pushed into each other and soon they were rocking together. They couldn't get close enough to each other. They moved into a kneeling position on the mattress and wrapped their arms around each other.
"Emma," Santana moaned.
"Santana," Emma moaned as she fumbled for the elastic band of Santana's sweatpants. She found it and yanked it off her while still in the kiss.
"Wow…" Santana said as she laughed out loud and flung her black hair away from her face.
"I got skills," Emma joked. She saw that million-dollar smile of Santana. Emma just knew that everything would be alright.
Santana then removed her tee shirt from her torso and tossed it aside. Emma looked down at Santana's chest and smiled happily.
"It was rumored, in high school, that I got a boob job, but I didn't."
Emma looked at her and smiled. "You don't need it. You're gorgeous from head to toe. May I touch?" Emma motioned to her chest.
"I've been waiting for that. But I want you to undress in front of me."
Emma quickly stood up and undressed at the fastest rate she has ever. Then she crawled back onto the mattress and into Santana's awaiting arms.
"Em, you're beautiful," she said as she wrapped her arms around Emma.
Emma's hands roamed over Santana's chest and gently pulled on both of her nipples. Santana's arched her back in pleasure as Emma's mouth gravitated lowered. She licked Santana's skin. She dragged her tongue around each nipple and fully around both of Santana's breasts. She seemed to enjoy this.
While Emma was licking, Santana was groping her chest. Her hand moved lower to her belly button and a finger played with that.
Emma giggled but continued to lick.
Suddenly Santana's finger and hand disappeared totally. Emma looked up at her and said, "You okay?"
"Um," Santana began. "I…"
"Santana, tell me. It's alright."
"I need us to stop, if that's okay."
Emma looked dejected for a split long second that Santana caught.
"Um, sure," she said as cheerfully as possible.
"Em, we're not ready."
Emma thought about that and then nodded her head in confirmation. "You know what. You're right."
Santana looked at her new girlfriend in wonder.
"What?"
"No, nothing…"
"Santana…" Emma said expectantly.
"I think the most beautiful thing you could ever experience is finding someone who wants your all. Even if your all is a mess."
That statement touched Emma's soul profoundly.
"Santana, whatever happens between us I will be here for you. No matter what you tell me, when you're ready, I will be here. I don't run from trouble. Some people say I run to it. There isn't anything you could ever say that'll make me go runnin'."
Santana sighed and kissed her sweetly. "Listen, I'm getting tired. Do you mind if I went to sleep?"
Emma kissed her forehead in response and stood up from the bed. She began to walk to the door. When her hand was on the doorknob, Santana asked, "Stay with me?"
Emma spun around and raced back into the bed. She grabbed all the covers and brought them up. Then she laid down and Santana snuggled into her body. Emma pulled her as close to her body as possible. When they were settling down, Emma said, "Thank you for being my girlfriend."
Santana sighed happily and that was enough for Emma. Then the new couple fell asleep.
The next morning, neither of the girls heard the front door open and closed. They didn't hear the footsteps which approached Santana's room. They also didn't hear the bedroom door being opened.
"It's about time," Maribel exclaimed excitedly. Santana jumped up from her slumber and looked at her mother weirdly. Then she looked down and saw what Maribel saw. This was a pile of blonde hair coming from over the comforter on the bed. Before Santana could explain, Emma groggily picked up her head and looked at Santana who then pointed at her mother. Emma turned her head in that direction.
"Holy fuck," Maribel cursed and then immediately covered her mouth.
"Good morning to you too," Emma said with a small grin. Then the situation that she was in registered with the blonde.
"Excuse my language. I just excitedly thought that my daughter finally came to her senses and got her wife back."
"Her ex-wife back," Santana said and folded her arms across her sheet covered chest.
You see, Santana has not told anyone that she was sick including her mother. Why? Same reason that she didn't tell Brittany…being pitied and having their life change.
"When you're dressed come downstairs and I'll make breakfast and coffee..."
Santana's mother left the apartment with that.
"I'm so sorry," Santana apologized
"No worries. That was amusing. So, I guess she's on 'Team Brittany', huh?"
"Yes, she has always been. It's odd…she was more excited that I married her than if I were to marry a man."
"She's supportive, San," Emma said.
She looked over at her girlfriend and pecked her lips. "Come on…get up…breakfast awaits," Santana said as she stood from the bed and went into the bathroom.
In a little while Emma and Santana walked together from her apartment to the kitchen where Maribel was waiting. The coffee was getting ready, and she had pulled out the various brands of cereals that she had in her cupboard.
"Hi," she said as she stood up from a seat at the table.
"Hello," Emma said as she shook Maribel's extended hand. "Thanks for telling me where she was yesterday."
"Not a problem," she said, "I wanted to apologize for my assumption to you both. I just assumed when I saw the blonde hair…"
"No apology necessary," Emma said as she sat down at the table. She pulled Santana into another seat.
The bowls were passed around and Emma immediately grabbed the Rice Krispies box. "You want?" Santana just shook her head.
"So, Emma, right? Tell me about yourself," Santana's Mom said as she took the coffee pot and poured the contents into three mugs. Then she pushed one to her daughter and one to Emma. She sat down after that.
"Well, I live in Storybrooke, Maine, but originally I'm from Massachusetts. I am a sheriff in Storybrooke."
Maribel seemed genuinely interested in Emma's story. Santana was happy for that.
"Um, I'm foster kid…"
"You're a foster kid? I didn't know that," Santana interrupted with a small smile.
"That's cuz I haven't told you yet," Emma said with a smile in return. "I got moved from family to family. It felt like no one wanted me. Anyway, I was on my own at eighteen and did some not-so-great stuff to stay, well, alive…"
Santana grabbed her free hand and squeezed it tightly.
"I met my ex-boyfriend, Henry's father, and lived with him until he disappeared and left me to get arrested for his crime."
Emma glanced over at Maribel who only wore a smile on her face. She looked like she was having no judgements or criticisms.
"I had Henry while in jail and he was immediately adopted."
"Do you know who adopted him?"
Emma chuckled. "Yeah. Henry found me in Boston a few years ago and brought me back to his town. It turns out that his mother is the Mayor of Storybrooke. At first my presence wasn't welcomed, but soon enough I grew on her and we're pretty good friends…"
Santana sensed there was something more. "Did you two try to date?"
Emma coughed roughly. "The cereal moved faster than I thought. Well, um, yes, we did…for like a week. We concluded that we're better off friends and co-parents for
Henry."
Santana smiled as she said, "I'm looking forward to meeting him."
"He's a good Kid…that's what I call him. He doesn't call me 'Mom' yet."
Maribel saw the intense hand holding and magnetic eye gazing that was happening in front of her. "So, San what is this?"
Santana looked at her mom then and said, "This is the early stage of a new relationship."
Maribel smiled, but had a hint of sadness. "So, you've let her go?"
Santana knew who she was talking about.
"Yes, Mami, I did. I think she'll be happy with Quinn."
"Boy, she wasted no time…wait, Fabray?" Maribel shook her head in shock.
"No, it's okay. Britt deserves happiness after putting up with all my shit throughout the years. Quinn will give that to her. Anyway, that's in the past. My future is Emma."
She leaned over and kiss Santana's cheek.
"I hope you can understand Mami."
"I just want to see you happy finally, Mija." They hugged briefly. Then Santana had her breakfast.
For the rest of her time there Emma and Santana were always together. They stayed mostly in her apartment, watching movies and having intense make-out sessions. Each of those encounters almost led to their making love but stopped just before. Emma chalked it up to Santana's mixed feelings of her old relationship and this one. She was fine with it for the time being.
Santana grabbed Emma's cell phone and put her contact information into it.
"I have a good feeling about us," Santana said with hope in her voice as she handed Emma her phone back. "Call me anytime and I will answer."
Before the ladies knew Santana was driving Emma to the airport. Once they were there Emma begrudgingly exited the car and waited for Santana to do the same. Once they were outside, they embraced each other and gave each other a kiss that lasted several minutes. Their tongues met and massaged each other.
"Emma," Santana moaned.
"Santana," she moaned.
Then they separated. Santana stood on the sidewalk as she watched Emma walk into the airport. She waved hand and emma waved back. Santana blew her a kiss and Emma caught it and smacked the invisible kiss onto her cheek. Then she walked away.
It hit Santana right there that Emma would be worth all the obstacles they were bound to encounter. She just had to be comfortable enough with herself and her diagnosis to tell her.
Once Emma got home to Storybrooke the new couple talked twice a day. Usually once in the morning and once right before bedtime. They talked about anything they wanted. Santana just made sure not to reveal her current medical situation.
The urge to be together overtook Santana one night after they talked. She bought herself a plane ticket to see her Emma. The flight was for the next day. She haphazardly packed her belonging into a big, check on suitcase. Santana wasn't sure how long this visit would be, and she wanted to be prepared to be there for longer than a week.
She texted her mom from her apartment.
Going to Storybrooke tomorrow to surprise her. Don't know how long for. I need to see where this might take me….
Santana threw her phone down only to pick it up a minute later
I love you, Mija. I trust your instincts. Just let me know when you decide.
With that, Santana plugged in her phone to charge and set her alarm. She went to sleep with thoughts of Emma on her mind and in her heart.
The next morning, she awoke and quickly got ready. She scheduled a car service to come pick her up. In a half hour the car horn honked, and Santana ran out of her apartment with her suitcase. The driver threw it in the trunk as she entered the car. In a few seconds, they began the trip to the airport.
Once they were there, Santana exited the car and retrieved her luggage. She gave the curbside attendant her bag and they looked at her printed ticket. She grabbed the ticket back and walked into the airport. She found the gate and had plenty of time to center herself. She hadn't talked to Emma since the night before. She thought about contacting her, but right at that moment her flight was being called.
She boarded the plane, took her seat and soon they were airborne. The anticipation was building within Santana. She couldn't wait to see Emma and it was only a month since the last time. And they also did video chats as well. She liked this feeling. She had forgotten it existed.
The plane touched down and as soon as she was allowed to, she sent a text to her mother saying that she had arrived.
She found a text from Emma but didn't reply to it. Instead, she exited the plane and found her bag. She exited the airport and hailed a taxi. Once inside she said, "Storybrooke police station, please."
Within a second, they began to drive to the station. Once there she paid the fare and grabbed her suitcase.