They went through the boxes carefully unpacking each memory. It took a few hours because Brittany explained each one to Rachel who wouldn't ask, but would ponder the object until the blonde would read her and let her know what it meant.
At around, one Rachel yawned enough to know she was way too tired to drive home. Brittany insisted that she stay and went as far as calling Puck to let him know Rachel was at her apartment and would be until the morning.
As soon as Rachel's head hit one of the pillows that she picked out with the bed she was asleep with her best friend shortly behind her.
When Rachel woke up the next morning she heard soft music floating under the closed bedroom door. She slowly stretched and yawned before sitting up. She closed her eyes and recognized the song. With a light smile on her face she slid out of the empty bed and walked to the door. When she opened it, she saw that Brittany had moved all of the boxes up against the wall and was using the living room as a dance studio.
The light behind her and the wooden floor under her made this part of the apartment feel more like home than anywhere else at the moment. Brittany always danced with her heart and it was always evident in her powerful movements.
Young and full of running,
tell me where is that taking me
just a great figure eight
or a tiny infinity.
Rachel had watched Brittany dance for enough years to know that the contemporary movements in this impromptu dance were full of pain and heartache. Her heart went out to the blonde. Rachel knew heartbreak, but that was nothing compared to this. Rachel had lost a few boyfriends, but Brittany lost the love of her life.
Love is really nothing
but a dream that keeps waking me.
For all of my trying
we still end up dying;
how can it be?
Don't say a word; just come over and lie here with me
'cause I'm just about to set fire to everything I see.
The fact that two minutes had gone by and Brittany hadn't noticed her yet made Rachel feel a little like a voyeur. This was a private moment between Brittany and the song and here she was, watching it while knowing what an intimate moment it was supposed to be.
Just as she started to turn and walk back into the bedroom to lay down and wait for Brittany to finish, she caught a shimmer around Brittany's eye. It was the unmistakable streak of drying tears under closed eyes.
I want you so bad I'll go back on the things I believe.
There, I just said it; I'm scared you'll forget about me.
So young and full of running
all the way to the edge of desire.
Steady my breathing, silently screaming
I have to have you now.
When she first heard about what happened, Rachel was sure that she'd never be able to forgive Santana. However Brittany assured her that it was okay to still be friends with Santana. That she had already forgiven Santana and that Rachel should too. Although Brittany never said it out loud, Rachel could always see that miniscule shred of dying hope that someday Santana would come to her senses. But as the days went on that hope started to fade, as did the bright smile on Brittany's face. That's when Rachel knew she had to do something.
Wired and I'm tired;
think I'll sleep in my clothes on the floor.
Or maybe this mattress will spin on its axis
and find me on yours.
Don't say a word; just come over and lie here with me
'cause I'm just about to set fire to everything I see.
However the plan she devised was starting to seem like it may turn out to be more torture than healing for the blonde so when the song faded out, Rachel stepped fully into the living room. Brittany finally saw her and smiled, "Good morning."
Rachel couldn't help but smile back, "'Morning."
"Happy Hanukah," the blonde grinned walking over to Rachel and hugging the shorter girl.
Rachel chuckled, "Happy Hanukah."
"Can you have coffee on Hanukah?" Brittany asked curiously, "Because I really need some coffee."
"We can definitely go get some coffee," Rachel answered happily.
They went down to the coffee shop on the corner and sat at a tiny table to two in the front corner. Rachel wrapped her hands around the dark mug containing her latte. She took a deep breath before breaking the silence, "After seeing your reaction to all this I have to tell you…Santana's going to be at our Hanukkah party tonight. Quinn and I were going to surprise you both, but right now that doesn't seem like a good idea.
Brittany was quiet for a moment before adding with a nod, "Okay."
"I understand if you don't want to come over," Rachel looked up from the table studying the dancer.
After a full minute of silence, Brittany brought her eyes to Rachel, "I'm still going."
"Really?" Rachel asked. She had to admit she was a little surprised. After all the tears the night before, she was sure that Brittany would never want to see Santana again unless the other girl was on her knees begging to be given another chance.
Brittany nodded, offering no other explanation than that. The blue eyes lowered to the table again as she began chewing on her lip.
Rachel decided to try to lighten the mood, "It's because you really want me to make latkes again, isn't it?"
Brittany giggled and shook her head, "Never again."
"Hey I didn't burn them that bad," Rachel playfully defended herself.
"Beth thought they were rocks," Brittany retorted with another laugh.
They joked round until they decided that they better go help Puck decorate. It was already pushing eleven in the morning and they had until dusk to construct the perfect Hanukkah party. Plus they were both sure that Puck was laying on the couch watching football instead of decorating so nothing had been done yet.
Quinn made sure that there was a kitchen counter between them when she dropped the bomb on Santana that Brittany was going to be at the party. She thought for her physical wellbeing that she could tell her roommate. Santana was older and had calmed down a lot since high school, but she was still Santana.
However, instead of blowing up like Quinn thought she would Santana just continued to eat her cereal and let out an indifferent shrug.
"So you're okay with it?" Quinn asked, taking a step back from the counter.
Santana nodded like it wasn't a big deal. However the second Quinn said Brittany's name her hands started to shake and her heart started to hammer. She was trying to keep her composure so she pretended not to care while mentally going through her closet so she could find something that would make everyone look at her, especially Brittany.
Quinn shook her head. Just as soon as she thought she had Santana figured out, something like this happened and she'd have to go back to Santana 101. She looked at the clock behind her and saw they had a few hours until the party. "Well I'm going to go take a shower so we can get there on time."
Santana just nodded, keeping her eyes on her food. She wasn't hungry anymore, but Quinn would know something was up if she just chucked the rest of it like she felt like doing. However as soon as Quinn closed the door to her room, Santana dumped her remaining cereal down the sink and ran into her room, throwing open the closet doors. As soon as she picked out the perfect outfit, she jumped into the shower.
She noticed that the shaking in her hands was getting worse as time went by and by the time she and Quinn were ready to leave she was sure if someone saw her hands they would think she was having a seizure. So she shoved them in her pockets and took a few supposedly calming breathes before following Quinn out the door.
The song Brittany is dancing to is "Edge of Desire" by John Mayer. For the record I didn't really want to put the song in bold, but me and the italics had a fight and they won so I had to change it. Hope you enjoy.
