Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to Glee or any of its characters.
A/N: Hello all, I know it's been a month but I am back. We just finished moving out of our old place into a much nicer one so I have been really super busy the last few weeks. I am in my new home now and just have a few boxes to finish unpacking so I am back at it. Thank you all for your patience and here is a new chapter.
Chapter 62
Monday they woke early and were the first in line waiting for SeaWorld to open. The girls rode a few rides but mainly were interested in the animals. They got to see all four up close encounters that they offered. The dolphins were Rachel's favorite and Santana loved the seals. Fran and Quinn both preferred the penguins and they all enjoyed the whale and dolphin shows they got to see. They closed the place down and that night the girls were out almost as soon as their heads hit the pillow.
Shelby, Sue and Judy all sat on the back deck after checking on the sleeping four upstairs. Shelby sighed leaning back into Sue. "Today was wonderful. All of the girls seem to be having so much fun."
Judy smiled. "Yes and I love that they didn't argue once. Fran and Quinn were acting more like they used to when they were little. I loved seeing them with the penguins today. I got a picture almost identical to one I took when Fran was 11 and Quinn was 8."
Sue kissed Shelby's shoulder and leaned her head back. "I think this vacation is what they all needed. I haven't seen any of them this calm and relaxed ever. Did either of you notice Rachel asking Fran questions all day instead of the people that worked there and Fran answering them all. Eventually San and Q were asking her too."
Judy chuckled. "Fran has always had a love for sea animals. Rachel must have picked up on it I guess."
Sue shook her head. "It was more than that. A few of those workers seemed impressed with her answers. Some of the stuff she was talking to the girls about seemed like pretty advanced stuff like the proper care of a dolphin when it has been caught in an oil spill. That is not common knowledge stuff."
Judy shrugged. "She was always learning those things growing up. Like I said she loves sea animals. When she was 10 she wanted to get a dolphin to live with us in our pool. That summer she learned all she could about them and how to care for one trying to convince us."
Sue hummed to herself and decided to just watch and listen at all the other marine places they went. Tomorrow they were going to the Clearwater center and she would listen to the girls some more.
After a few moments of comfortable silence Judy sighed happily and excused herself to bed. Shelby looked back to Sue once Judy was in the house. "What is that scheming face for?"
Sue just shrugged. "Not scheming, just thinking love."
Shelby turned in her lap to look at her better. "Is something wrong?"
"No… I don't know… It's just Fran, or maybe Rachel. It's like she wanted me to see something. Every time she would talk to and ask Fran questions today she made sure I was listening or would grab my hand and pull me close to hear. I don't know, it was weird like she wanted me to clue into something, but all they were talking about were the animals. Granted Fran was going into great detail in her answers and seamed very excited about what she was saying but that was all that was going on."
Shelby laid her head on her chest thinking. "I'm not sure. Maybe you should talk to Rachel and see if there was something she wanted you to see."
Sue sighed in exasperation. "I tried when I took just her to help me get drinks for everyone. She just said to use my detective skills. Said that she couldn't say more then she walked off back to the group. That kid of ours is maddening."
Shelby leaned up just beaming at her and kissed her soundly. Sue returned the kiss whole heartedly pulling her closer. When Shelby released her and leaned their foreheads together Sue kissed her nose. "Not that I'm complaining but what was that for?"
Shelby just shrugged pecking her lips again lightly before speaking softly against them. "I just love it when you call them ours."
"They are ours. We may not have had them since birth but those girls are ours and I will defend them and you till my dying breath if necessary. This family is my life. I know we have only been together for a short time but I love you and those girls and I plan on spending the rest of my life loving all of you, even Judy and Fran. The second you walked into my office with those little trouble makers of ours I knew you were the missing piece in my life and I had to have you."
She took a deep breath to collect her thoughts. Shelby sat with tears streaming but said nothing sensing she wasn't finished.
Sue looked back into her eyes and smile. "San and Q started to fill a place in my heart I didn't even know was empty when I met them in Cheerios freshman year. The more I got to know them the more I saw in them. Quinn was so lost with the father she had and San was so lonely. I took them under my wing to help make them tough" She took a deep breath and looked out to the water.
"The first time I heard Rachel sing she brought tears to my eyes she was so amazing. I'm not happy to say that I vowed to take down the glee club when it started but that was only to get Shuester. I hate him, he's always been poison. They all deserved better than that man. I kind of let my personal vendetta against him cloud my judgement for a while."
She looked back into Shelby's eyes and wiped her face lovingly. "Then in December when they started bringing Rachel to practice with them I knew something was off. I didn't have a clue as to what at first but I could see it in the way she held herself. It was like her confidence was gone, like she was broken."
"When did you figure out what it was?"
Sue shrugged. "It was when the squad was on the field during practice one day and we were in the stands. I was just figuring out that Rach was playing puppet master behind the scenes and was about the call practice to plan and scheme on how to get her on the squad. The football team passed by and she kind of freaked out. I called San and Q to us and they calmed her down. She wouldn't talk about it at all and started to freak out again when I asked what was going on so I let it go for the moment not sure what to do."
She took a shaky breath and burrowed into Shelby's neck. "I never felt more useless in my life. I told them I would do everything I could to help and I have been ever since. I love those girls like they were my own and I would do anything for them."
She looked up again and pecked her lips softly. "Then you came and it was like 'yep, that's it, that right there is all I need to finish feeling complete.' You and the girls, I can't see my life without any of you in it now. I want to be there the day they get married or have a commitment ceremony or whatever they do. I want to see them have their own babies and see them succeed at whatever career they all settle on."
She pulled her closer and kissed her so softly and lovingly that is brought more tears to Shelby's eyes. She lovingly explored her mouth until the need for air became necessary. Once she regained her breath she grabbed Shelby's hand kissing her fingers. "But most of all I want to experience all of it with you by my side for the rest of my life."
Shelby sniffled and caressed her lovingly. "I want that too."
Sue smiled and pulled her into her again for another longer kissed that started loving and ended up with them pulling away breathing raggedly. She smiled as she shifted depositing Shelby in the chair and kneeling before her. "Shelby Elizabeth Corcoran, will you do me the immense honor of becoming my wife? I know it's hasn't been that long bu…"
Shelby looked stunned for a moment then cut her off by throwing herself in Sue's arms kissing all over her face. "Yes yes yes yes yes. Oh yes I will marry you."
Sue just smiled brightly and pulled her up to stand and spun her around in her arms cheering before crushing their mouths together. When she finally tore herself away and grabbed Shelby's hand pulling her into the house. She took her into the den and pulled a portrait away from the wall and opened the safe there taking something out and turned back to her.
Sue took Shelby's hand and slid a ring on her finger. It fit perfect, "This was my grandmothers and was passed to me with the house and some other things. If you would prefer I can get you your own…"
Shelby cut her off with a quick kiss. "This is the one you gave me when you asked me. This is the one I want."
Sue smiled and pulled her into a hug and just held her as her own tears now fell. "I love you."
"I love you too." She grabbed her hands leaned in and nipped at her ear. "Now, take me upstairs and show me."
Sue groaned and kissed down her neck to her pulse point gently biting down causing a small moan in return. "Yes dear."
She smiled and Shelby chuckled as she was pulled out of the room. When they entered their bedroom Shelby spun them and pinned her to the door. "I think I want to show you first."
Sue groaned at the huskiness in her voice and let her have her way. "Anything you want."
Shelby smirked leaning into her ear. "I want you… screaming my name… I hope the soundproofing of this room works or we will be scaring our babies for life."
She moaned as Shelby bit down her neck. "As long as the door and windows are closed we are fine."
Shelby looked to the windows smiling seeing that they were closed then turned back to the woman in her arms. "Good." With that she dropped to her knees and Sue's eye's rolled back in her head knowing what was coming next.
A while later they collapsed together just holding each other close. After they started to calm Sue pulled the blanket up over them and shifted until Shelby was almost on top of her as they snuggled in for the night.
She was almost asleep when Shelby spoke. "I want to wait until we go home to tell everyone."
Sue opened her eyes and looked down at her confused. "Why wouldn't we just tell them? Do you think they'll be upset or something? Do you not wanting them to know?" She was starting to get upset thinking Shelby was ashamed or something.
Shelby leaned up and kissed her passionately and pulled back kissing her nose. "I just wanted a few days to enjoy it just us before we overexcite the girls and they start planning the wedding. If you want to wake them and tell them now we can. I want the world to know how much I love you and that you asked me to be yours, never think otherwise. I just wanted a moment to let it sink in just how lucky I am to have found you."
Sue pulled her back into her arms on a sigh. "We can wait, I'm sorry. It's just hard for me to believe that someone as wonderful and beautiful as you really just said yes to me. But you do know that if you don't take off the ring that they will know before the end of the day tomorrow."
Shelby shook her head. "Well it's not coming off until you add a wedding band to it so I guess we'll just wait until one of them notice. Do you really think they will before the end of the day?"
"Oh I know they will." She chuckled kissing her forehead. "Santana will notice it first. You'll be lucky if she doesn't see it before we finish breakfast. That kid is the most observant of the three and she misses nothing."
Shelby shifted up again and looked down at her. "Well I guess we'll see in the morning. Just so you know I think that I am the luckiest woman in the world to have found you so believe that I want nothing more than to love you the rest of my life. I can't believe that you choose me." Sue beamed and pulled her into a kiss then they settled back into each other to sleep.
The next morning everyone else made it down and has breakfast almost on the table. Rachel looks up then back to the others. "I was the first down here this morning. Have any of you seen mom or Sue this morning? They are usually up before we are."
They all shook their heads and Santana got up. "Maybe their alarm didn't go off. I'll go up and knock on their door."
Rachel nodded but before Santana made it halfway to the door Shelby and Sue entered. "We're here, just had a slow start this morning. We stayed up later then we probably should have."
Rachel smiled kissing her mom. "Well sit, breakfast is ready and we need to leave within the hour of we're going to make it when they open."
They all sat and started eating talking about plans for the day. Everything was normal until Santana sat forward abruptly pointing. "Is that what I think it is?"
Shelby grinned nodding, Sue smirked and the others looked on confused as Santana stood and rushed to pull them into a bear hug.
A/N: Surprise wedding proposal! Next up, the reactions from the rest and more vacation fun.