Chapter 2

Santana watched fondly as Brittany took a bite of her massive ice cream sundae, Brittany's unparalleled appreciation for the dessert filling her with a feeling on indescribable joy.

If Brittany was happy, she was happy. Simple as that.

"You're really enjoying that, aren't you Britt?" Santana asks with a shake of her head, taking a bite of her own ice cream.

"It's delish! Like a mash up of rainbows and stars and glitter," Brittany says seriously, before a huge smile graces her face, "Thank you for bringing me here"

"Of course Britt, it's no big deal," Santana shrugs, "You're my best friend. Whatever you want, you just tell me," Santana smiles, immediately regretting it when she saw the spark light up in blue eyes.

"Hold my hand," Brittany says simply.

Santana's head snapped up, frantically looking left and right and she tried to see if anyone heard Brittany, although there were only two more people who were seated quite far away. Once she was convinced that no one was in hearing range, she turned back to Brittany with a deep frown on her face.

"Keep your voice down," Santana says in a hushed whisper, "We've talked about this before Britt, never in public. What if someone heard you? Don't you get it?" the Latina says harshly, making Brittany pout and look down at her hands.

"There's no one even here," Brittany mutters, "And no. No, I don't get it. What are you so afraid of Santana?" Brittany asks, blue eyes intensely looking into brown.

Santana shifted uncomfortably in her seat, knowing that when Brittany initiated a serious conversation, she meant business.

"What would people think Britt? You've seen it with Kurt. I don't want that happening to me and I certainly don't want you going through that."

"It doesn't matter Santana. I'm not like the fragile china plates your mom owns, I don't break that easily," Brittany says firmly, "And nor do you. You know that nobody will bother you or me because they are so terrified of you going all Lima Heights on them. And I can protect you San, you know that. This is about you and me. The rest of it doesn't matter.

"It does Brittany!" Santana says, her voice a harsh whisper, "It does! I would lose everything!"

"Everything?" Brittany repeats in disbelief, "What is everything to you, Santana? Cheerleading? Sleeping with Puck? Popularity?" Brittany questions, "Do your feelings for me mean nothing? You can't even risk that, those stupid, material things, for me?"

Santana looks at the hurt evident in the blue eyes she loves so much, her own glistening with tears.

She couldn't fathom how in one second Brittany and she had switched from laughing over ice cream to a fully fledged argument about their relationship.

"I...I'm not ready Britt"

"When will you be? It's almost been a year Santana. You know that we're not just best friends. You know that we're so much more"

"I do, Britt, but I can't do this yet"

"I'm not asking you to declare your love for me to everyone, but you can't even hold my hand public. And I don't know how I much longer I can do this, waiting around for you," Brittany says, abruptly getting up from her chair and staring down at Santana.

"I don't know how much longer I can be second best Santana"

"You're not Britt," Santana panics, getting onto her feet too, "You're not. You're the most important thing. You're everything Britt."

"Yeah, well it sure as hell doesn't feel like it. Don't follow me Santana, because right now? I'm done"

Brittany walks away from Santana, who's too shocked to react, sitting down on the chair in defeat. Brittany had never expressed her feelings like that before and it had left Santana reeling. Brittany had had enough.

As the seriousness of Brittany's ultimatum hit her, Santana was left staring at Brittany's unfinished, melted sundae, tears in her eyes.

She had fucked up so bad.

She had no idea what to do anymore. She was so, so scared.

All she knew was that there was no Santana without her Brittany.

Suddenly her phone beeped, and she pulled it out of her bag in a daze, tears springing to her eyes when she saw who it was from.

Perfect fucking timing.

From Puckerman : Hot stuff, my parents are out. Come over?

Special thanks to Monika, Mich and Sabi for their much appreciated help and criticism :)