"Hey gorgeous" Santana flirtatiously hums into the phone "I was hoping you were free tonight?"
Quinn takes a moment, leaning back against the elevator "Hmm, I don't know. You see, it's Friday night and I usually have a date night with this really smoking hot girl"
Santana laughs "Pffft. Hotter than me? Impossible, Ditch the loser and come see me instead. I promise, I'll make it worth your while"
Entering her apartment, Quinn smiles. A part of her was sad that the girl's memories of them were gone but there were times, like right now, where the old Santana would emerge and it gave the blonde hope.
She quickly tosses her keys on the table before removing her heels
"Well when you put it like that how can I say no…
Besides, if this date is a bust I suppose I could just meet up with her later" Quinn jokes "I'm kidding, where and when?"
She listens for the brunette's laugh once more before her heart skips a beat
"First of all, not funny and second of all I was hoping you'd meet me at Tony's, 7pm?"
"San, do you?" She exhales
"No Quinn '' Santana interrupts "I'm sorry but I don't remember the countless date nights we had there, but the Hobbit and Britt have been blabbing nonstop that we went there a lot so I haven't been able to stop thinking about those damn breadsticks!"
Quinn laughs "I'd love too San"
"Wait, you like Tony's too, right? Because if you don't we can totally go somewhere else."
Quinn's disappointed that the brunette doesn't remember it was she who introduced them to the restaurant but nevertheless she doesn't allow her voice to show it so she simply laughs
"Tony's is perfect, I love it there and their breadsticks really are delicious"
Santana smiles nodding, "Hell yeah they are! Okay Quinn, I'll see you at 7"
"Can't wait"
The girls say their goodbyes as Santana heads to work, agreeing to meet the blonde later in the evening.
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A few hours later, Quinn emerges from the shower before heading to her closet. A knock on the door shakes her from her reverie as the bellman greets her before handing her a garment bag. She smiles re entering the bedroom before sliding the zipper down and noticing a familiar dress. Laying it gently on her bed, Quinn begins to style her hair. She glances back at the dress from her vanity before noticing a note attached to it.
Lucy,
You left in such haste you forgot this in Paris. Your mother and I had a feeling you'd be needing it. I heard what Santana did and I haven't been able to shake the regret. I am so sorry sweetie for everything, truly.
When I heard the two of you began dating again I was ecstatic but not surprised.
You ladies belong together and that is something time nor space could stop.
From now on, I will do everything in my power to help you both, always.
Please give our love to Santana as well.
P.S
Please come over for dinner soon, the both of you.
Your mother and I would love it.
Love,
Dad
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She smiles, wiping the tears as she recognizes the dress. Hoping that maybe, just maybe over time, Santana will remember what they had. But even if she didn't and never did, Quinn was just grateful to have another chance with the only woman who has ever held her heart. Looking in the mirror she reminded herself that Santana Lopez fell for her once, surely she could do it again.
Quinn smiles before beginning her short journey towards the restaurant.
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"Thanks S" Quinn smiles as Santana pulls the chair for her "What's wrong?"
Santana's eyebrows furrow as she takes a seat "S? No one's ever called me that before"
Quinn exhales, tilting her head she bites her lip "Is it okay that I call you that?"
"Definitely" Santana sits back before a smile appears
"I kind of like that you have a nickname for me"
The two sit, catching up on their busy days and making plans for the weekend before ordering their favorite wine. Santana continues to steal glances at the blonde from the safety of her menu and when Quinn tousle's her hair, all of a sudden, she gasps. Her eyes widen, pupils constrict and her eyebrows practically reach the ceiling.
Her mind begins to flash, simultaneously as the memories continue to flood through…..First she sees Quinn standing in a restaurant wearing an emerald green dress much like the one she's wearing tonight, crying as she looks down at a ring on her left hand that almost looks like an...…
Wait…..A ring?
"Why are you looking at me like that" Quinn whispers as the shocked latina nods "Are you feeling okay? Is it the wine?"
"No, yeah no" Santana waves her hand "What? No, yeah...I'm good. I'm...sorry about that"
Quinn looks at her cautiously before going back to her menu. Santana stares at Quinn both trying to piece together what the hell just happened and still unable to shake what just happened "Okay I have to say something….Q….something weird just happened to me….I….think I…. proposed to... you…right here, in this same booth?….And you…."
Quinn smiles, her heart both melting and racing at the use of her old nickname before she nods "That's right, San we were here. You asked and I said yes. That was the best night of my life and the next morning was when everything went to shit" She suddenly gasps "Wait a minute, that must mean"
Santana looks up from the table as regret and tears fill her eyes, she says "I tried to forget you, to erase you. Oh my god, what the hell did I do? I'm so so sorry Luce"
Quinn tilts her head before reaching for the girls hand offering a small smile return "You could never fully forget me San, just like I could never forget you"
No longer able to contain herself, Santana stands quickly moving to the other side of the booth. Placing her hands on either of Quinn's heeks, she kisses Quinn slowly, tenderly as if attempting to both remember everything about the girl and also convince both Quinn and herself that she's really back.
One by one the rest of the memories come flooding, no racing back.
Their first encounter at central park that autumn day, their first kiss in the rain where she eventually got sick and Quinn had to take care of her, the night spent icing the blonde's ankle due to their ice skating incident at Rockefeller Center then to their first apartment moving in together and finally one of her favorite memories, she remembers the proposal.
Santana smiles as the kiss naturally ends, resting her forehead against Quinn's. Making sure to keep her eyes closed. Thanking everything and anything out there for bringing the love of her life back. And also making a mental note to talk to Mike about everything because she shouldn't be remembering all this but that's not important, not right now.
"I remember Q, I remember everything"
Quinn leans back and looks into the brown eyes she's missed everyday for those horrible years and she nods in understanding "Everything, San?"
"Everything" Santana smiles nodding pulling the blonde back in for one more kiss "Don't ever leave me again Q, please"
Quinn smiles before shaking her head "Never San, I promise, it's you and me, forever"
Deciding she'd much rather sit next to the love of her life instead of across from, Santana quirks her eyebrow
"So we gonna talk about it, Lucy Q?"
Quinn's eyebrows furrow as she turns slightly to get a better look at Santana "What are you talking about San?"
A smirk spreads slowly across her face "How you're gonna attempt to make all this up to me, how many times, the places, what you'll be wearing or won't be….."
"Stop" Quinn laughs playfully hitting the girls shoulder
"I think I liked you better when you didn't remember me."
Santana scoffs as Quinn pulls her in again.
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"Mike?"
Santana yells, looking around the empty office
"Santana? Hi!" The young man smiles, removing his glasses "Everything okay?"
Santana takes a seat "Yes and No. Apparently you and I spent a lot of time together"
Mike furrows his eyebrows "What?"
"I was told I came here a lot, to erase memories?"
Mike nods "That's true Santana, it was a really hard time for you and…Wait. Start at the beginning please?"
Santana shakes her head "Quinn randomly showed up a few months after we finished whatever we were doing, Britt and Rachel told me I had undergone some procedures to forget. One night she and I were at dinner and….."
"I'm sorry" Mike interrupts smiling "What did Quinn do that made you remember?"
"She tousled her hair and everything hit me like a ton of bricks. Well not everything, a few memories at first but as time passes more and more memories seem to be coming back"
Mike nods, moving to sit next to her "I want to show you something"
The two move into another room where the machines are.
"How this works is, the subject lies here, we give them a mild sedative and I connect everything. As you relive the memory, it simultaneously plays here" He moves to the screen "You had such beautiful memories but this one"
The screen begins to light up as the circle closes.
Tonys comes into view as Santana walks up.
She moves closer to the screen as Quinn enters the restaurant. Moment by moment replays and by the end, tears are streaming down the brunette's face.
The lights begin to dim as the office lights turn back on
"You see '' Mike begins "I couldn't allow you to erase that and I hope you aren't disappointed or angry with me. With the countless amount of people who have been in that chair, I've never seen one with as many beautiful memories as yours and Quinn's. I just couldn't let you forget them"
Santana wipes her eyes as she approaches the man "Thank you Chang"
He tightly squeezes her "You are so welcome, San"
