Thanks to all of the people who have reviewed and/or left alerts. Also just thanks in general to the people who have taken the time to read my stories. There's an overload of Pezberry fluff in this chapter so I hope you enjoy. = )

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the plot, Chord, and my other OCs.

I slowly come to consciousness because of an uncomfortable jabbing sensation in my right side. I open my eyes blearily only to snap them shut quickly as the morning sun assaults my sensitive corneas. It also doesn't help that I slept in my contacts, which are now uncomfortably dry. The jabbing still hasn't ceased, so I force my eyes open and glare at the offender.

"My bad dude but your phone's been ringing off the hook," Finn quickly states, holding his hands up in a gesture of surrender. I grunt as I squeeze my eyes shut and shake my head around softly, trying to comprehend what was just said. I then spot my phone in Finn's left hand and hold my hand out for it.

"Thanks man," I whisper, so as to not wake Santana who's sleeping with her head on my shoulder.

"No problem bro. There's also coffee and food in the house," Finn tells me with a half smile before walking back into the house.

I quickly check the time and see that it's only eight-thirty, and I notice that I have several missed calls and voice messages from an unknown number. That's weird. I yawn loudly and stretch the best I can without jostling Santana too much, deciding that since it's not my dads calling about Chord it can wait until I've had coffee. Lots and lots and lots of coffee.

"Santana...San...Santi...Tana...beautiful...gorgeous...," I whisper, lightly shaking Santana to try and wake her but it doesn't seem to be working. Hmm...What to do...Ah ha! This might get me killed but it'll be hilarious while it lasts.

I gently twist myself around and pause for a moment when she lets out a sigh. She's smiling so I'm going to take the sigh as good thing. I continue to stare at her, she looks so beautiful with how at peace and content she looks, with her hair a mess, in sweats and with no make-up on, and I can't help but pull my phone back out and snapping a quick picture. I quickly stow my phone back into my pocket before proceeding with my plan. I gently grip both of her sides before beginning to tickle her mercilessly.

"Ahh! Stop! Ahahaha! Stop it! Rayden stop! RAY! Hahahaha! Quit!" she screams out immediately and I can't help but laugh along with her and her weak attempts at getting me to stop. "Really Ray quit! I'm gonna pee! Stop I'm gonna pee!"

I quickly stop my tickle attack on her and continue to chuckle as she tries to regain her breath. It takes a few minutes but once her breathing steadies she levels me with a glare that has me sprinting into the house and hiding behind Noah.

"Get back here you ass!" she yells from behind me. I can hear the laughter in her voice, but that doesn't mean I'm taking any chances.

"Save me Noah!" I squeal as I grab his arms and use him as a human shield. Santana and I dance around Noah for a few moments before she lunges and I take off into the kitchen.

"Get back here and take it like a man Berry," Santana shouts. I just chuckle before diving in between Finn and Quinn as they talk at the kitchen table. I crawl as fast as I can under the table and have to stifle my laughter at their confused, and amused, faces.

"What the-" Finn begins.

"Shh! I'm hiding," I whisper, my finger on my lips to emphasize my point.

"Where is he?" Santana asks as she makes her way into the kitchen, a glare painting her face but her eyes shining with mirth.

"Under the table," Quinn tells her non-nonchalantly and my eyes widen in shock that she gave me away so quickly.

"Quinn!" I whine out as Santana drops to her knees and proceeds to crawl under the table. I sit still and let her crawl over to me, opening my arms in a silent invitation with a stupid and hopeful grin on my face. She smiles a sickly sweet smile and then punches me in the arm. Hard. I whimper with a pout on my face, again opening my arms towards her.

"You're a jerk," she murmurs as she finally sinks into my arms.

"Yeah, I know," I say as I squeeze her tightly and kiss the top of her head.

"Is he still alive down there?" Kurt asks as he sets something on the table in front of Finn. "I mean there was a whimper of pain and now it's quiet."

Santana goes to say something, no doubt a hilarious smart ass remark, but I place my finger to my lips before holding it up to signal her to wait. She cocks an eyebrow at me in curiosity and I smirk before quietly crawling to the edge of the table. I position myself so I'm able to spring up quickly and beckon her over to me to do the same. She understands what I'm wanting to do and positions herself in the same way, smirking the entire time. I give her a wink before silently counting to three.

"Boo!" we scream as we spring up from under the table. Kurt screeches loudly before throwing himself into Finn's lap, Finn almost falls out of his chair before he's able to steady himself and catch the flying Kurt, Quinn jumps pretty high in her seat and then scowls in our direction while trying to hold in her laughter, Noah stumbles backwards and is now sitting in Artie's lap from where they were walking into the kitchen, and the rest of the group is laughing their asses off along with us from the other's reactions.

"Oh...my...Cheesus!" Santana manages to gasp out in between her laughter. We both have to sit down because we're laughing to hard to stand.

"Oh damn...that was pretty awesome," I sigh out after I'm able to calm down, five minutes later. Santana's still chuckling quietly and Quinn's finally given up on her scowling.


"So I'll pick you up at two tomorrow?" I ask Santana as I'm standing in Kurt and Finn's driveway. Everyone beside Noah, Artie, and Mercedes are currently leaving because of other plans.

"Two sounds good. Are you taking me to lunch or something?" Santana questions with a shy smile on her face. Quinn and Brittany are intently staring at us through the car windows and I can't help but chuckle at their frustrated expressions, because even with their windows down we're talking soft enough that they can't hear.

"Or something," I reply with my patented smirk. Santana stares at me for a moment with a calculating look on her face and my smirk turns into a grin. "You're not going to be able to figure it out, but I will say this; wear something old and that you won't mind getting dirty. And also you'll need to bring an extra set of clothes as well."

"Come on Ray! You can't tell me something like that and then not tell me where we're going," Santana whines with a pout. This was spoken loud enough for Quinn and Britt to hear and I roll my eyes with a fond smile as they perk up slightly.

"I can and I will. Bye beautiful," I whisper as I kiss her on her cheek and walk over to my jeep. I wave as I pull out and breath a sigh of relief when Quinn's car is out of sight. I almost caved at San's pout and that wouldn't have be nice. I really want to surprise her with this date and I really hope she likes it.

As soon as I walk into my house I'm assaulted with the amazing sound that is Chord's laughter and I can't help the smile that takes over my face. I hurriedly shed my shoes and drop my bag beside the door before heading into the living room, and I'm greeted with both of my dads on the floor playing with Chord.

"Hey," I greet as I join them on the floor. I immediately pull Chord into my arms and huge him to me tightly. Even though I was only away for a night I still missed him like crazy.

"Hey bud, how was your night?" Daddy asks as he stands up with an exaggerated groan. I roll my eyes at his dramatics, even though I'm just as bad.

"It was pretty awesome. I found out that Santana likes me, and she also agreed to go out with me tomorrow," I tell them with a beaming smile.

"Yeah? That's great son. Are you going to need us to watch Chord?" Dad questions as he crawls over to the sofa to sit with his back against it.

"Only if you don't already have plans, cause if you do I can ask Mama Ruth," I say, staring at Chord the entire time.

"Nonsense. I mean if Ruth is wanting to watch him, but otherwise it's not a problem," Daddy says as he walks back in from the kitchen. He's carrying a bottle, three glasses of tea, and a big bowl of popcorn. "We were just fixing to sit down and watch a couple of movies," he explains, seeing my questioning gaze on the popcorn.

"Awesome, lets do it," I say as I stand up and drop into my recliner. Daddy hands me Chord's bottle and my tea, and I begin to feed him as they set up the movie.


I'm standing on Santana's front porch dressed in a pair of faded and ripped jeans and a plain black v-neck, and I'm nervous as hell. I was able to get Brittany to tell me what Santana's favorite flower is, a lavender rose, so I have a bouquet of those. I finally build up the courage to ring the doorbell and am met with the sight of what looks to be her father. I gulp under his intimidating gaze and have to clear my throat a few times to be able to speak

"Um...H-hello sir. I'm Rayden Berry," I introduce myself and I hold my hand out for him to shake. He stares at it for a moment, then back to me with the same intense gaze, before shaking my hand. He squeezes my hand tightly and it kinda hurts, but I keep my eyes locked with his and don't let it show.

"Alejandro Lopez, Santana's father," he tells me in a no nonsense tone as he finally releases my hand. "C'mon in, Tana should be about finished," he says as he turns around and walks into the house. I shake my hand out, mouthing an ow, as I step inside and he shuts the front door.

"You have a lovely home sir," I say as I follow him into the living room and take the seat across from him that he gestures towards.

"Thanks but the wife's the one who decorated, I just handed over my card," he tells me with a smirk and it's the exact same one as Santana's. I just smile nervously and wait for the 'talk' that's fixing to happen. "So...you're taking my Santana out on a date, is that correct?"

"Yes sir."

"What are your intentions towards her?"

"Honestly I just really like her sir. I have since the moment I first saw her in school," I tell him sincerely. He studies me for a moment, I guess to judge my sincerity, before nodding.

"She seems to really like you, so I'm going to leave you with some words of wisdom son...Hurt her and I hurt you," he tells me, completely serious. I swallow nervously before giving him a small smile.

"I won't sir, I promise."

"Good. So Santana tells us you're new in town?" he asks, his seriousness and threatening demeanor completely gone.

"Not really. I lived here about six years ago before we moved up to New York," I answer, completely at ease now that I know I'm not going to die.

"Really? If you don't mind me asking, what made you return?"

"Um...," I begin nervously, not wanting to lie to him but not wanting to tell him the truth either.

"Hello," an older woman says from the entryway into the living room. I immediately jump up and hold out my hand towards her, introducing myself.

"Hello ma'am I'm Rayden Berry."

"Nice to meet you Rayden. I'm Maribel Lopez, Santana's mother," she tells me as she shakes my hand. She gives me a warm smile before going and sitting at her husbands side. "I hope you're not giving him to much trouble AJ, Santana won't be happy if you scare him off," she tells her husband with a smirk.

"Well if he scares off that easy then he doesn't need to be dating my baby," Mr. Lopez huffs out. I smile at them as I sit back down in my chair.

"So Rayden, you were just going to tell me why you and your dads moved back to Lima. Did one of your dads get a better job offer?" Mr. Lopez asks again. I swallow thickly before deciding on the truth. Lying's not the best way to start off a relationship, even if it is just to her parents.

"Not exactly sir. I believe you work at the hospital with my father Hiram correct?"

"Yeah I know Hiram, he's a great guy," Mr. Lopez tells me and I smile.

"Well you see sir, when I was in New York-"

"Hey," the shy voice of Santana interrupts me and I sigh in relief.

"Hey," I breath out as I stand from the chair and take in her appearance. She looks amazing even though she's only in a pair of older black skinny jeans, a regular red WMHS cheer shirt, and a pair of old black and red running shoes. Her hair's in a ponytail and I can tell that she only has the bare minimum of make-up on. I don't think there's any way possible for this girl to look anything but gorgeous.

"Sorry I'm late," she says as she walks further into her living room.

"No, no, it's fine," I tell her quickly as I pull her into a hug. We stay like that for a few moments before Mr. Lopez clearing his throat causes us to break apart. "You look amazing by the way."

"Uh huh," she says sarcastically and with a roll of her eyes, but I can see the faint blush coming up her cheeks and the smile playing on the corners of her lips.

"No really you do. Oh! And these are for you," I try and tell her before remembering her flowers and handing them to her.

"Thank you. These are my favorite," she tells me with a huge grin that she's trying to contain. I don't bother to contain my own smile as I answer.

"I know. I was able to get the information off of Britt. So...shall we?" I ask, trying to shake my nerves.

"Yeah, just let me put these in some water."

"I can do that mija," Mrs. Lopez says, rising from the couch and taking the flowers from Santana.

"We'll continue our talk later," Mr. Lopez tells me as Santana leads me towards the front door.

"I look forward to it sir," I lie as I open the door for Santana. She grabs her bag containing her extra clothes and her purse before sending me another smile and walking out of the house. We head over to my jeep and I open her door for her and once I know she's completely in I shut it and head over to my side.

"So where are we going?" she asks, excitement practically rolling off of her in waves.

"You'll see," I tell her with a smirk and a chuckle before pulling out of her driveway.

So next chapter is the date! What do you think it's going to be? I hope you enjoyed that chapter and I also hope you take the time to review in the pretty little box below. Please? Thanks for reading! = )