Month 8:

After the weird exchange the night Brittany was in the hospital, Santana makes a really big point to avoid Brittany. As much as Brittany was the one who looked like she was going to make the move, Santana had wanted it and that makes her feel really weird. She shouldn't be developing feelings for the woman carrying her baby—as weird as that sounded when she actually said it in her head—but somehow it's happening. There's just something about that woman that Santana can't shake and she figures the only way she's going to survive until the baby is born is to throw herself into work as much as she can.

Santana is absolutely dreading the shower that her mother is throwing for her but as much as she protested, claiming that she didn't need people to buy her gifts, her mom was insistent. She just felt kind of weird about it since someone completely unconnected to her was carrying her baby but there is just no talking to her mother. Though it might be weird, Santana invites Brittany. Even though she's really trying to avoid her, she just feels like it would be awful if she went off to her baby shower and left Brittany to her own devices. At first, Brittany's a little strange about coming, but then she agrees and Santana breathes a weird sigh.

The morning of the shower, Santana spends a lot of time getting ready. Thinking of what Brittany would say, she pushes aside her skirts and suit jackets and finds a simple cream and grey dress in the back of her closet. Maybe it's not the traditional frilly baby shower dress, but at least it's not black and nothing about this baby having is traditional. When Santana goes out into the living room, she's surprised to see Brittany in a relatively conservative dress. Normally she's in her fun printed t-shirts and jeans and Santana can't even believe something like that existed in her wardrobe.

"You look really nice." It slips out of Santana's mouth even though she feels really weird commenting on Brittany's appearance.

"Thanks. I figured I needed to buy something that was appropriate. I'm going to stick out like a sore thumb at this thing."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I assume everyone there is going to be like you, and then there's me, I don't know, I feel weird."

"You don't have to come if you don't want to." Santana assures her.

"Do you want me to come? I mean, this is all about you, and I'm going to walk in all big and pregnant."

"I don't even want this shower, Brittany. I'm not worried about you taking attention away from me."

"Are you sure? You've been really weird…"

"Just busy." Santana shrugs. "I'm trying to get as much done as I can before the baby comes."

"Okay then." Brittany sounds strange and Santana can't help but feel like Brittany's annoyed about it. But she doesn't want to say anything about it, she doesn't want to make this a thing and instead, she just grabs her purse and walks toward the door.

The shower is being held at a restaurant in Lower Manhattan and Santana gets a cab to take them there. She's so glad her mother didn't try to surprise her because she probably would have flipped out if that was the case. At least she's prepared for all her aunts to talk about why she decided to do this on her own instead of settling down and for her friends to look at her sort of sympathetically. Only Mercedes has been really supportive and she figures she'll just stick by her as much as possible throughout the whole thing.

Much to Santana's embarrassment, her mother is all over Brittany when they arrive. She insists on touching her belly a thousand times and cooing over her granddaughter who isn't even born yet. Santana goes to the bar and orders a scotch and soda, figuring the only good thing about not being able to carry her own baby is the fact that she can drink at the baby shower. Her aunts are actually better than she expected, keeping their opinions about her situation to themselves. Brittany kind of blends into the background and Santana feels this intense desire to check on her but she just can't find the time amid talking to everyone else.

After she's forced to open up the gifts in front over everyone, acting like a wipe warmer is all she ever dreamed of and more, her mother taps on a wine glass and insists that she give a speech. Santana rolls her eyes to herself but then she notices that across the room, Brittany noticed and is laughing into her hand. There's something about that which calms her down and Santana stands up from the giant chair that was wheeled into the front of the room and holds up her scotch.

"I just wanted to thank everyone for coming, it really means a lot to me that you took time out of your busy schedule to be here for my baby shower. I know that I'm not doing this traditionally, and I'm really grateful to Brittany for giving the opportunity to be a mom. This is the thing, the whole idea of having a baby is a huge risk. I'm not normally as risk taker, but sometimes, you just have to do it. I think maybe I'm learning that the best things happen when you step outside of your comfort zone and I'm really glad to be on this path."

Maybe Santana is a little tipsy when the shower ends, but she thanks everyone at the door and arranges for an Uber XL to help get all the gifts back to her apartment. Brittany sort of shifts between feet waiting for Santana and she's surprised how subdued the normally outspoken Brittany is in the midst of all of Santana's friends and family. They get in the truck together and Brittany continues to be really quiet. Santana chalks it up to the fact that maybe she's tired, she is eight and a half months pregnant after all and she doesn't say anything about it.

Once everything is upstairs and tucked into the baby's nursery, Santana and Brittany find themselves on the couch together. Brittany doesn't bother to turn on the television and Santana finds the silence little unsettling. She goes to touch the remote, but then Brittany's hand is n top of hers and she jumps a little from the contact.

"Did you mean what you said today, about how the best things happen when you step outside of your comfort zone?" Brittany asks, staring intently at Santana's face.

"I…I don't know how to answer that."

"I think with a yes or a no." Brittany laughs a little, then burps. "Sorry. I have so much gas right now from that pasta."

"I guess it's a yes. I was kind of put on the spot having to give a speech, but having a baby was a really big risk and even though she's not here yet, I feel like the risk was worth it."

"I'm going to take a risk."

"What kind of risk? I mean, I feel like you've already taken some huge risks going back to school, becoming a surrogate—"

"Santana, just shut up for a second."

"What?"

"Just shut up." Brittany leaned in and before Santana knew it, Brittany's lips were on hers. In her head, she could hear her brain screaming about how unprofessional this all is but her body reacted to Brittany's, kissing her back.

Everything about the feel of Brittany's lips on Santana's own felt right and she kept kissing, kissing, kissing, weaving her hands into Brittany's hair and pulling her closer. Brittany slipped her tongue into Santana's mouth and Santana curled her own around it. Then, she felt Brittany's belly press against her and she was brought back to reality. She shouldn't be doing this, she should be the one who is responsible and she pulls back, studying Brittany's face.

"Wow, that was really good." Brittany murmurs, arching her back to likely get rid of a cramp.

"Brittany, we—"

"Don't say we shouldn't do this. I know that felt as right for you as it felt for me. I know that you've been weird because everything between us is getting too real."

"How did you…?"

"I'm good at reading people. As soon as I almost kissed you that night, you started completely avoiding me. You missed the season finale of Beat Bobby Flay."

"I can't have the feelings I feel for you. I just can't."

"Well that's ridiculous." Brittany rolls her eyes. "Or do you think I'm just a baby maker and not a person?"

"It's not like that at all. Of course I see you as a person."

"Then there's no reason why you can't fall in love with me."

"Love? I…"

"Look, figure your shit out. You can't kiss me back like that and then act like you don't have feelings for me. I'm going in my room." Brittany stood up and then collapsed back down onto the couch. "Holy shit."

"What?"

"I think my water just broke."