Author's Note

Hi Everyone,
I know it has been a really long time since I have updated this story. I had no intention of abandoning it; life just got in the way and time got away from me. 4ish years to be exact. But with everything that has happened in the last month or so involving Naya I have been reeling as I am sure all of you have been too. Then, a few nights ago, I had remembered this story that I began and never updated. I thought it may be a bit therapeutic to start writing again and had hoped it would make me feel closer to her, or the fandom in some way. It is a strange feeling mourning and grieving for someone that you've never met. I feel like I knew Naya, but in reality, I didn't. I loved her and I miss her in a way I miss other people that I once loved that are no longer in my life. But, that is truly such a confusing and surreal feeling as I have never been blessed with meeting Naya. Anyway, I want to continue working on this story. I had to go back and reread the old chapters so that I could remember nuances, details and such. But when I sat down to write this, the words flowed from me effortlessly. This chapter isn't as long as most of the others but I wanted to publish it sooner rather than later. I am now about to begin work on the next chapter in this story. I hope to have it published by the end of next week. I promise I will not be abandoning this story again if there is interest in it. Stay strong everyone and know you are not alone. As always feedback is always welcome and is greatly appreciated.

Naya this story is for you. I hope it does your portrayal of Santana justice. I really try to stay true to the essence of the character your brilliant acting brought to life. Your talent, your voice, your presence, your soul will forever be severely missed. I hope you are resting in heavenly peace.

- J.

Santana awoke the next morning to the sun streaming into the full length windows of the loft. She was lying as the little spoon with Brittany's arms holding her close to her body. With their legs intertwined, Santana began slowly tracing her foot up and down Brittany's shin.

"Good morning," Brittany whispered groggily pulling Santana's hips back even closer to her body.

"Morning," Santana smiled.

Brittany nestled her face into the nape of Santana's neck, placing a kiss on her shoulder. "So last night was…"

"Fun?" Santana assumed with a smile.

"Hmm, fun, yes. But that's not the word I was going to use to describe it," Brittany spoke sleepily with her eyes still closed. She continued, "I was gonna say…" she paused for a moment and then smiled sleepily before continuing, "mind-blowing."

Santana blushed. Her foot was still making circles on Brittany's shin. "I agree." A grin stretched across her face at the memory of the night prior.

"I am so good at sex." Brittany boasted playfully.

Sanatana couldn't help but laugh. "You certainly are."

"I mean, yeah you were ok too, but especially for never having sex in that way before, I totally rocked it." She teased.

"Well there definitely are no complaints on my part." Santana spun herself around so the she was now facing Brittany. Brittany draped her arm over Santana's hip and pushed her leg in between Santana's pulling the brunette as close to her as possible. She kissed Santana's forehead and moved her eyes from Santana's mouth to her eyes a few times before settling on the chocolate circles staring back at her.

The butterflies were back and Santana welcomed their resurgence. She opened her mouth to speak, but Brittany gently placed her index finger to Santana's lips. Santana's breath caught in the back of her throat.

Brittany slowly, gently placed a kiss on Santana's soft supple lips.

A tingling sensation overcame Santana; her body began to ache for more than just a sweet good-morning kiss. Before Brittany could pull away, Santana reached her hand around to the back of Brittany's head and gently, but still somewhat forcefully, pulled her into a more passionate lip exchange. Brittany let out a soft moan that echoed into Santana's mouth . Their lips moved together in synchronicity and fire began to ignite in Santana. Her body was aching for more of Brittany; for the sensations she felt the night before when they were making love. She pulled Brittany on top of her and Brittany obliged by straddling Santana's petite caramel frame. She hovered over her for a few moments, tracing every inch of Santana's skin with her eyes but Santana was impatient and needed Brittany to take her back to the euphoria they had created together with their bodies the night before. She pulled Brittany down onto her so that their naked breasts were touching and began kissing her with a hunger that she had never experienced before. Brittany responded by pushing Santana's legs apart and positioning her center right over Santana's; grinding her hips into Santana while kissing her devotedly. Santana whimpered in anticipation.

"I want you," she managed to breathe out.

"You're gonna have me." Brittany promised in a whisper as she started grinding her hips deeper and deeper into Santana.

I will be thinking about the last two days for the next month - Brittany

I miss you already - Santana

:) - Brittany

I can still taste you in my mouth - Brittany

Ooh, wanky. - Santana

"What up, what up Santana Lopez!" Artie exclaimed as he wheeled himself into the first class lounge of the airport.

"How's it going stumpy?" Santana said with a glowing smile.

She finished sending her text.

Friends just got here, sorry Brit. I've gotta go. I'll text you when we land. - Santana

Santana motioned for bartender to come over. She looked to Artie and teased, "Professor X, what are you drinking?" with a playful smirk.

Straight-faced he responded, "I'm surprised you even know who that is," then added, "I'll just take a Dos Equis"

"I'll take another and get the lil man a Dos Equis, please. Thank you," she winked. She returned her attention back to her phone.

Artie watched Santana for a moment. She was tapping at the screen of her phone, presumably texting, with the quickest fingers he had ever seen. She couldn't help but beam from ear to ear with every new text she received. After a few more moments passed Artie couldn't hold back any longer.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Artie said with a suggestive smile.

"What?" Santana looked up, confused.

"How many times did you get laid in the last 48 hours?" He smirked, crossing his arms.

Without missing a beat, "Probably more than you ever have in your life!" she teased.

He thought, pensively, for a moment. "Ya know, I don't doubt that for one moment." He laughed.

She grabbed his beer from the counter and handed it to him.

"Gracias." He smiled.

"De nada." She held her glass out and Artie obliged with a clink of his beer bottle against her tumbler. She took a swig of her tequila and the liquid slid down her throat and filled her chest with warmth. A small smile spread across her face. She licked her bottom lip for a moment and her mind began to trail again. Back to Brittany. Back to the two days and nights they spent together, mostly in bed.

"Ok, I want the details," said a familiar high-pitched male voice.

She snapped back to reality to see Kurt and Sebastian standing in front of her holding hands.

She looked on them, confused. "Clearly there are some details I need to be made privy to as well," she raised an eyebrow to Kurt with a smile. She winked at Sebastian and gently slid her arm between the two men and linked hers with Kurt's, ushering him along with her. He, too, could not wipe his toothy grin off of his face.

"Sooooo, details Lady H." She smiled.

"Well, I don't know really what to say except-" his voice trailed.

"He's got a big knob?" She attempted to finish his sentence. Poorly, which she found humorous.

"Santana!" Kurt squelaed with his eyes enlarged.

"Oh will you relax, Porcelain. He didn't hear me." She looked over Kurt's shoulder to see Sebastian and Artie involved in their own conversation. She patted his shoulder. "Seriously, relax, I was just kidding. I'm sure you can't handle anything bigger than a twix up your-"

"SANTANA!" Kurt scolded.

"Ok, ok I'm done." She raised her hands in surrender. "White flag and all" she waved her hands around like she was flying an imaginary white flag.

"Are you guys a couple now?" she asked curiously.

"Not officially, but I think we are heading in that direction."

"That's sweet. In an incredibly lame way," she joked.

Kurt rolled his eyes. "So much for the surrender," he said under his breath.

"What was that?" she asked."

"Oh, nevermind," he laughed slightly nervously before changing the subject, "So, Sebastian tells me that someone special came to visit you the other night at the studio. And it's funny cos no one has heard from you since. Finn and Puck both said you haven't been to your house …"

He waited for Santana to fill him in on details but she gave him nothing.

He continued, "So we were all kind of assuming you and one Miss Brittany Pierce spent the last few days together."

Radio silence.

"Oh Jesus, Santana just out with it already! Did you take her to your not so secret "secret" rendezvous pad in Malibu or what?"

Surprised, she started, "Wait, you know about that place?"

"Santana, of course I know about that house. You are terrible at keeping secrets. Plus, you put it in my name! Did you think I would never be notified of a multi million dollar purchase in my own name?"

"Who else knows about it?" She felt silly. She wasn't really sure why it mattered if anyone knew about her Malibu home. Least of all Kurt. She could trust him with anything. And she did trust him with anything. She was acting irrational. "How long have you known?"

"Calm down, calm down. Just me." He assured her. "And since the day you bought it," he added.

She took a gulp of her drink. "Ok, well as long as no one else knows about it."

"No one will, Santana, I promise you."

"It's just, that is sort of my safe haven from the paparazzi."

"I know, and my lips are sealed." He promised, making a zipping motion with his fingers across his lips.

"At least that takes care of one of your orifices."

"SANTANA!" Kurt's face was flushed bright pink.

She laughed. "You made that too easy for me." She started to walk away but he gently pulled her back.

"So, how was your time with Brittany?" she asked with sparkling eyes.

"Beautiful." she smiled.

"Santana Lopez, I do believe you have been bitten by the bug."

"The bug?" she asked curious.

"Mhmm, the love bug."

She rolled her eyes exaggeratedly, "Oh come on Lance Bass, that was so gay. Even for you."

He laughed.

"Seriously, terrible terrible effort. You can do better." She shook her head playfully. "Your gay is showing."

"I will take that as a compliment." he smiled.

Santana took a seat on the leather sofa just off to the side. She patted the cushion next to her signaling for Kurt to sit down beside her. He obliged.

"Can I be real with you for a second, Kurt?" she looked down at the glass in her hands avoiding eye contact with him.

He was a bit taken back by her using his first name. "She just called me 'Kurt'" he thought to himself realizing this was a rarity and she was probably about to drop something serious on him. "Of course you, Santana. Is everything ok?"

"Yeah, everything is fine," she assured him as she fidgeted with the drink in her hand, still avoiding eye contact. She started, "I just really-" and before she could get any more words out her phone buzzed with a text notification. "Hold up one second let me check that."

Kurt nodded in understanding.

Oh shoot! I think I left something at your place! - Brittany

Oh no, what is it? Is it important? - Santana

Santana thought for a moment about what Brittany could've possibly left at the house. As far as Santana remembers Brittany was empty handed when they got to the Malibu house. She left her purse in Santana's car so that she wouldn't be distracted by her phone. She racked her brain for a few moments until Brittany texted back.

Ugh, I'm so sorry. But yeah it's pretty important. - Brittany

Santana thought for a few moments of how she was going to retrieve the item from her house for Brittany. She couldn't leave the airport. Her flight was scheduled to leave in an her and the only other person that even knows the house exists is about to board the plane with her. She figures maybe she will tell Quinn where the spare key is in her LA home, since Quinn already has the spare to that house and give her the address of the house Malibu getaway so that she can retrieve Brittany's mystery item.

I will have Quinn go to the house to get what you left. What is it again? I need to tell her what to look for. Do you have any idea where you left it? - Santana

She looks to Kurt as she is waiting for Brittany to respond and says "Sorry, Kurt. Brittany is texting. She may have left something at my place."

He smiles, "It's fine, take your time. We'll talk later," as he has he moves to stand, "We have a vey long flight to London ahead of us. We'll have plenty of time to talk." He makes his way back over to the bar where Artie and Sebastian are engaged in some sort of humorous conversation. As he approaches Sebastian places his arm about Kurt and pulls him into his side sweetly as he laughs at something Artie has just said. Santana smiles at the sight. She is glad to see Kurt happy and she is ever so thankful that their newfound relationship has seemingly removed the giant stick from up Sebastian's ass. Her phone buzzes and just as she looks down to see Brittany's response she hears a familiar yet unwanted voice coming from behind her.

"Hey Santana."

Santana's heart drops. She immediately drops her phone down into her lap without reading the text. It can't be. Can it? She doesn't turn around. But she doesn't need to. She knows this voice like the back of her hand. She doesn't want to. She wishes it weren't that way. But for years this voice was the first one she heard when she woke up in the morning and the last voice she heard when she went to bed at night.

Dani.

What on god's green earth is she doing here?

"You never answered my text," Dani said as she took the seat next to Santana that Kurt was occupying just a few short moments before.

Santana turned her face to meet Dani's. "I'm aware."

Dani scoffed, "So you did get my text."

"Of course I got your text, Dani. It's a very rare thing not to receive a text that is sent to you. We live in LA not bumble fuck Wyoming. There are towers everywhere. And I have Verizon. I get service on the floor of the Grand Canyon." She said in an annoyed tone.

"Wow, ok." Dani says with a huff. "So you just ignored it then?"

Santana just stares back at Dani blankly as if to say "obviously!"

There's a bit of an awkward silence that comes over them at this point and Santana lets out an annoyed sigh before saying, "What do you want, Dani? Why did you text me that you wanted to see me?"

"I just wanted to talk to you. Things ended on such a bad note and then I went public with everything and we never really talked about any of it." Dani says with a genuine look in her eyes.

"You went public with lies, Dani." Santana says matter-of-factly, "so you can wipe that 'Little Miss Innocent' look off of your face because I am not buying what you are selling. Not for one second."

"Santana, if you'd just let me explain-" she starts before Santana cuts her off.

"Let you explain. Ha! That's rich Dani. That's really rich coming from you. I don't have to let you do anything. I don't have to let you explain. I don't have to sit here with you looking at me with those fake ass remorseful eyes trying to peddle some bogus story about why you did what you did. About why you sold me out to anyone that would listen. Instead of owning your shit, you made me look like the bad guy to the press, to your fans and to my fans. To the whole god damn world, Dani. And how could you do that? Why would you do that? As payback? Payback for me always being there for you. Always supporting you? Making excuse after excuse for you." Her voice grows increasingly louder, "Payback for me 'nagging' you? That's what you said that night, right? The night I caught you with you face in between Ariel's legs-"

Dani interupts, "Her name wasn't Ariel."

Santana raises her voice to a whole new level that gets the attention of her three friends are the bar who up until this point were unaware of what was going on. "I don't care what the little mermaid's name was. She was a redheaded bimbo that you were chowing down on in my living room, on my couch," at this point her face was read with anger, "IN MY HOUSE. FUCK, DANI," she huffs. "What else could there possibly be to say?" Tears have begun to fill up in her eyes and she's not entirely sure why. Rage. It's got to be rage. She absolutely will not let any tears fall from her eyes. "Dani doesn't deserve any more of my tears" she thinks to herself.

Dani is silent. She is at a loss for words for probably the first time ever. Santana breaks her stare from Dani and sees Kurt say something that looks like he is excusing himself from the conversation he is having with Artie and Sebastian to make his way over to be by Santana's side.

"Dani, wow, what an unexpected and extraordinarily unwanted surprise! To what do we owe this misfortune?" Kurt says with his fakest smile as he approaches the two women.

Dani looks up at him and rolls her eyes before saying, "Kurt. Always a pleasure."

He responds with, "Is it though?" as he cocks his head to the side. He looks to his friend who is very visibly upset by Dani's presence and kneels down in front of her saying, "Santana, sweetie, you wanna give me a few moments alone with Dani?" Why don't you go get another round for us at the bar."

Santana nods in agreement, "Ok, yeah." As she moves to stand her phone falls from her lap onto the floor. In a hurry she scoops it up and tosses it into her purse as she makes her way over to Sebastian and Artie.

Kurt moves into the seat from which Santana has just departed. When he is confident she is out of earshot she looks to Dani and says, "Ok, seriously what the hell are you doing here?" He looks at her intently

She rolls her eyes and explains "I'm meeting Grayson here. We are heading to London to cut a few tracks with some producers at the UK branch of the label."

"You've gotta be shitting me! You're on this flight… to London… with us. With Santana?" He furrows his brow.

Dani nods. "That's why I tried to meet up with her a few weeks ago. To tell her about this trip. I didn't want her to be blindsided. I texted her saying I wanted to see her."

Kurt rolls his eyes in annoyance. "Well, did you say that to her in the text? Did you mention anything about this?"

Dani shakes her head no and adds, "I just told her I wanted to see her. But she never responded."

"Well… don't you think you probably should have lead with that?" he scoffs. "Christ, Dani. Talk about blindsiding!"

Dani rolls her eyes once more. "I tried, Kurt. I reached out to her. Not my fault she acted like a child a ghosted me."

With that, Kurt adjusts his posture and sits up a bit straighter. "A child," he laughs. "You calling Santana, of all people, a child." He laughs a bit more and continues, "Oh, Dani, you are probably one of the most immature people I have ever had the displeasure of knowing. You are so completely self absorbed." He looks over to his friend who is standing with her back to them at the bar and continues, "That woman over there is one of the most loyal, compassionate, loving souls I have the pleasure of having in my life. She is also mature beyond her years" he looks back over to Dani and continues, "and so very out of your league. I'm going to need you to keep your distance from her on this trip."

Dani laughs, "We are going to be working in the same studio for the next two weeks, bud, keeping my distance from her will be next to impossible."

Kurt looks at her sternly, "Santana is finally getting herself to a good place personally and professionally. She has surrounded herself with only positive people, she is in a great creative space and most importantly she is FINALLY over you. You have done enough damage to her for multiple lifetimes. She doesn't need any negative energy around her and to be frank, that is all you ever bring to the table. You ooze negativity. Keep your distance. You owe her this much." He looks her up and down disapprovingly. "Stay the hell away from her, or I promise you, you will regret it." With that, he moves to his feet and makes his way back over to the bar. He doesn't even wait for Dani to respond. He says his peace and walks away without a second thought. Dani doesn't deserve a second thought. As he approaches he places his hand on the small of Santana's back. He leans in close to her, kisses her cheek and whispers, "Lady Hummel's got your back."

Santana smiles and hands him the red wine she ordered for him. They clink their glasses together in silent understanding to their friendship.