Okay so this is long, I know. Thus the slightly extra wait for an update. I don't know if I'm fully happy with everything in this chapter but I think there are parts you will definitely like. Thank you as always to everyone who reads, favorites, follows and reviews! You are all magnificent glittery unicorns (or whatever kind of unicorn you want to be)!
Enjoy.
Forget Me Not
Leading up to Thanksgiving, Brittany learns two very important things in her life.
One, never believe a single word that comes out of Santana's crazy ex-girlfriend's mouth. And two, if her brother, who hardly ever picks up the phone to talk to anyone, has been excessively calling for a good few days straight (even though he refuses to leave a message), it's probably because he has something important to talk about.
The day after Brittany has her run in with Camilla Parker, see Santana's aforementioned crazy ex-girlfriend, Quinn's loyalty is immediately called into question by the fierce Latina. At least, that's what Brittany witnesses after she's makes her way to Santana's house after being freed from work early and spots Quinn's car parked along the curb.
Brittany hasn't seen Quinn since that first day that she met her, but she heard Santana raging about her earlier this morning before Brittany went to work. As she approaches the house, she's glad Santana told her she could just walk right in, but Brittany's not quite sure what she's going to walk into. So she's nervous.
The first thing Brittany hears as she enters Santana's house is her girlfriend screaming from somewhere in her living room. Most of the words she's shouting are Spanish and most likely profanity. The second thing Brittany hears is another voice yelling right back at Santana. This one is shouting in English and is distinctly Quinn's.
"Dammit Santana, speak English please! You know I can only understand a few things you're saying but I know for a fact you're not stringing anything relevant together!"
Brittany sets her messenger bag by the door and removes her shoes, taking off her hat and hanging it on the rack by the door before she pads softly towards the other room. She spots Santana almost immediately with one hand anchored to her hip and the other waving frantically in front of her, pointer finger extended accusingly.
"San?" she asks at the same moment Santana opens her mouth to speak, but the instant Brittany's voice registers she deflates and turns to walk towards her, greeting her with a hug and a soft kiss.
"Oh thank God. Finally someone who can enlighten us with a rational opinion." Quinn mumbles from her side of the room as her eyes land on Brittany, who in turn blinks at her.
Santana's hand slides warmly into Brittany's and she gives it a squeeze before she turns back to Quinn and takes a deep breath, "It's okay, I'm calm now. Still pissed at you but much calmer."
Quinn's eyebrow quirks to her hairline clearly surprised by the words that are coming out of her friend's mouth. She glances towards Brittany again and 'hmphs' like she just made a bright though not too incredibly critical deduction.
"My my, has Santana Diabla Lopez been thoroughly tamed?"
Brittany's blue eyes widen as they snap to Santana's rolling brown, "I thought you said your middle name was Amelia?" she inquires, excessively confused and mildly worried that she was either not paying close enough attention to Santana when she told her, or that she just did not completely comprehend her.
"Oh baby," Santana murmurs, pulling Brittany close and kissing her cheek, "it is Amelia, Quinn's just being a bitch."
"Takes one to know one." The hazel-eyed woman shoots back almost immediately. Brittany's eyes slant in a glare towards her as heat rushes through her veins.
"Don't call her that."
Quinn's eyes widen at the intensity in Brittany's tone, she takes a step back and raises her hands in surrender, "Sorry, just a light joke between friends."
Brittany folds her arms across her chest, "It's not a very nice thing to say."
Quinn looks about ready to go on the defense and retort, but Santana steps in to neutralize the situation, understanding that her friend isn't one that lets go easily, and that her girlfriend was simply being adorably protective.
"It's okay, really I'm over it all." Santana says first looking at Quinn and then Brittany and getting their acknowledgment before she runs her fingers through her hair. "Brittany's here now Quinn, so you might as well explain to her why my crazy ex came over to my house last night and tried to impose herself in mine and my girlfriend's life, while claiming she was not only chummy with you but also your damn roommate?"
The words capture Brittany's attention and she turns to Quinn, eager for her response. The other woman runs a hand through her own blonde locks before expelling a sigh.
"I ran into Camilla at the grocery store the other day and she started randomly chatting with me about things, one of which might have been how you lived around here." Quinn begins to explain wincing as she glances at Santana, who feigns indifference and merely squeeze's Brittany's hand, "When I managed to get out of the conversation, I came home to my brand new apartment to find that Camilla was not only living in the same building as me but on the same damn floor, in the apartment across the hall from me."
Brittany blinks again. It's not that she doesn't understand the words; it's more that she's just wondering what it is she might have to say about them.
"My main concern in this whole debacle is that you actually told her where I live." Santana declares.
"I didn't tell her exactly where you live, just that you lived in this neighborhood!"
"But you know she's a crazy stalker and now she does know where I actually live!"
As the two women argue between themselves, Brittany finds her eyes volleying back and forth between them, depending on who's talking, but infinitely finding that she's paying extra close attention to Santana's lips, and the way her tongue curves around her teeth as she speaks certain words.
Suddenly Brittany has to swallow the lump that's formed in her throat and she finds that she's entirely blocked out the conversation going on around her, until Santana is saying her name and she realizes she's been staring at her girlfriend's mouth for the better part of the last three minutes.
"Sparklers and Roman Candles." She suddenly blurts out, loving the way Santana's mouth quirks to the side in delight. Brittany's not used to people reacting to her random words, blurted to distract from the original situation or conversation, in a pleasant way.
She's particularly not used to it from someone as amazing as Santana.
"Is that it then?" Brittany hears Quinn ask.
Santana nods, her eyes not leaving Brittany's as something glints in them and they shade seductively, "Yeah Quinn, that's all for now. I'm still pissed about this but just do me a favor and don't make it any easier for Cam to stalk us."
Quinn nods silently, recognizing the shift in atmosphere between the other two women, and she definitely doesn't want to be around for what's bound to happen next. She lets herself out without another word.
"Hey."
Brittany smiles shyly, her cheeks pinking as she tilts her chin down and Santana steps into her space, her hands curving around the angles strong shoulders until they lock at the nape of Brittany's neck.
"Hi."
Lips flutter across Brittany's jaw, "Did you want to have dinner and stay the night with me?"
Her heart flips again but Brittany manages to lock eyes with Santana, that nervous lump still there but gradually dissipating as the days, minutes, seconds that she spends with this woman continue.
She nods, "I'd like that."
##################
A little over two weeks after the Quinn visit, and Brittany's excited that Thanksgiving's finally on the horizon. Literally too, as in it's staring Brittany in the face from the second she wakes up in the morning in her own house and turns over to find Santana snuggled up under her covers. A grin spreads across Brittany's face upon seeing her girlfriend.
She scoots over and molds the front of her body against the back of Santana's, sighing at the way her girlfriend's naked tan skin is warmer than any blanket Brittany's ever used. She's so thankful that Santana is here with her today. As she breathes in her girlfriend's scent, another thought pops into her mind.
Suddenly Brittany is bouncing to her knees exclaiming, "It's Thanksgiving!" before she's standing up and doing a little jiggle bob on her mattress.
Still. Completely. Naked.
Santana groans from somewhere below her, until she shifts around and blinks her eyes open to stare up at a dancing, very graceful, sexy, and naked Brittany. She giggles a little, mostly because despite everything Brittany is just too damn adorable not to.
"Baby, what are you doing dancing all the way up there?"
Just like that, Brittany drops back to the bed, lying propped up on her side directly next to Santana with a huge smile still on her face, "I'm just super excited about today! I haven't shared a good Thanksgiving with someone I really care about for a while."
A small smile blooms on Santana's face as she tilts in to brush her lips gently against Brittany's but then she wonders, "You don't celebrate Thanksgiving with your family?"
The elation on Brittany's face fades a little and Santana's heart squeezes in sadness for her girl, "Well when I left Santé Fe a few years ago my parents told me that I had to go figure my life out on my own and that when I had, then I could come back home. I just don't really know what they meant by ready."
Santana is stunned, "You don't talk to them at all?"
Brittany shrugs, "They call me on my birthday and a holiday here and there. Usually Christmas, but they're really busy traveling and everything a lot too so they probably just don't have time and I don't really want to bother them an-"
The rambling is halted when Santana pushes her lips against Brittany's, snuggling further into her girlfriend's body and wrapping her leg over her hip. She presses kisses to Brittany's jaw, "Britt, I'm sure they wouldn't think you were bothering them." Brittany shrugs, and it makes Santana's heart ache, but she decides not to push the issue, not today at least. Today is about being thankful for things. "Well I'm grateful and thankful and so lucky to have you. Not only here but in my arms, and especially in my life."
The words seem to bring a lot of joy back into Brittany's world, more so when Santana kisses her again, and then even more when slender tan fingers start tickling along Brittany's stomach. She shrieks with laughter and tries to roll away, until Santana catches her and pulls her back into a soft kiss.
One thing leads to another and they both spend the next few hours showing each other just how thankful they are to be together and be a part of the other's life.
They finally make it to the kitchen sometime later and get ready to start the Tembleque de Coco that Santana is specially making and the Fig and Pecan Pie that she's helping Brittany make, because it's her favorite, to contribute to Kurt's party. Except that's when Santana determines that they're missing a few key ingredients.
Brittany pouts, she was so excited to start baking and watch Santana be all sexy in the kitchen. Santana laughs and cups her chin, drawing their lips together.
"It's okay Britt, this is actually perfect. You can go get the ingredients while I get changed and dressed and prep everything so when you get back we just add things in and cook them. You can change, we can make out a little, and then it will be time to go."
Santana's plan actually sounds like a very good one to Brittany. She can see no logical flaws in it whatsoever.
With a smile she swoops forward and scoops Santana into her arms, spinning her around in a circle as the other girl squeals in delight. When she sets Santana's feet back on the ground, Brittany captures those full lips of hers in a kiss before she can speak. "Okay." Is all she says before she squeezes Santana again and then turns to grab her jacket.
As she's walking towards the door, after giving Santana one more goodbye kiss, the smaller woman calls out to her, "Oh babe!" Brittany turns around to see Santana rummaging through her very full, and slightly messy, purse before she procures the keys to her sleek grey Ford Edge. She tosses the keys towards Brittany, who juggles them a little before briefly dropping them, "Take my car, I don't want you breaking down on the way there or back."
Brittany smiles and nods elated, she's super excited to drive Santana's car because it's in way better condition then her beat up and run down Honda Civic, circa 1996, and it has a superb sound system and six disc CD changer.
This is going to be the opposite of fluff nuggets.
###################
Santana smoothes down the nonexistent wrinkles in her brand new never been worn before square neckline, three quarter length sleeve, crazy color/patterned mini dress and fluffs up the ends of her long curled locks, taking deep breaths as she does. She's a little bit nervous about meeting Brittany's friends.
Okay, a lot nervous.
What if they don't like her? What if they think she's too superficial? Or she's not funny enough? Or she doesn't talk enough? Or she talks too much? What if they don't think she's good enough for Brittany?
She's thinking all of these thoughts simultaneously getting herself on the brink of hyperventilation, when she swears she hears something at the front door of Brittany's apartment.
It's been around thirty minutes since Brittany's been gone, closing in on the time she's probably about ready to head back, so Santana pays no mind to the sound under the assumption it's just some apartment neighbors working their way around outside. She finishes applying her make up before daubing a little of Brittany's perfume on her wrist and neck.
When she returns to the kitchen, her bare feet padding across the linoleum, her dark grey pumps swinging from the tips of her fingers in her right hand, Santana swears she hears something at the door again. She checks her phone, no texts or calls from Brittany. She shrugs and turns around to finish up the pre mixture for the pie and her coconut pudding/currant.
That's when there's an actual legit knock on Brittany's door. She checks the time again noticing enough has elapsed for Brittany to be returning. Maybe her hands are full and she needs help. Maybe Brittany locked the door and she can't find her keys.
The thought that it's Brittany at all calms Santana's nerves enough to make her comfortable. Hell, maybe Brittany's just going to surprise her and do a little role-playing. Santana smiles at that last thought before she's dusting her hands off on a towel and walking towards the door.
She swings it open to register just a head of blonde hair and she smiles, inwardly giggling at the way Brittany appears to be cradling a heavy large box in her arms, so high that it's concealing her face. Santana doesn't even register the fact that the long pale arms are much hairier than Brittany's, the figure is slightly taller, and they're wearing clothes that are definitely not Brittany's.
Instead Santana turns away from the door and heads back in the direction of the kitchen, "Come on babe, we need to get this dessert fixed."
Only when she hears two voices distinctly different from Brittany's, one male and one female, call out, "Babe?" does Santana turn around to glimpse at the people that are making their way into Brittany's apartment.
A second later she's brandishing a roller from Brittany's counter and holding it up as a defensive weapon towards the people.
"Who the hell are you?"
###############
Brittany is feeling pretty good about herself.
She managed to find and pick up every ingredient she and Santana need for their baking, in record time might she add despite being completely awkward in the aisles as she avoided eye contact with everyone else present and practically shoved the cash into the cashier's hand and ran out of the store with what she needed before he could even utter a thank you.
Not only was she successful, if not still terribly shy in public with the situation, but Brittany also managed to single handedly hold the best car concert she's ever been apart of in her life, right in the driver's seat of Santana's Edge.
By car concert, she means exactly that. She is rocking out like crazy to the sounds and voices of the best hits of the 90's, 00's, and today. Songs everyone needs in their repertoire if they hope to have a successful concert.
She's singing Whitney, Britney and Katy. Amy Winehouse and Adele (she loves her, she sounds just like banana cream pie.) She's got Michael, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé and just a touch of T. Swift. Not to mention, a few originals from little unknown artists on a special CD she had Kurt burn onto a disk for Santana.
"You're red or yellooooooww…." Brittany sings at the top of her lungs, bouncing in her seat a little and drumming on the steering wheel, pausing when she notices the elderly couple in the car next to her look her way. She blushes profusely and avoids eye contact, humming the words under her breath, until they drive off and she can continue, "You're the only one I can count onnnnnnn!"
By the time she gets back to her apartment, Brittany's genuinely happy. She's still humming the ending notes to "My Headband" when she reaches out to twist the doorknob to enter her apartment only to find that it's already open.
Shifting the bag in her arms so she can see properly in front of her, Brittany wearily glances into her apartment, the scene and the people before her giving a lot of explanation to why she'd had that tingly 'today is too good, something going to try and screw it up' feeling she started having the second she spotted that a vaguely familiar car out in the apartment parking lot.
Because right now in her kitchen she sees Santana wielding a dough roller, that Brittany didn't even know she owned, and two other people looking somewhat terrified for their lives. One of whom she distinctly recognizes, for good reason.
"Brett?" she asks the taller blond haired man, whose identical blue eyes light up at the sound of her voice.
"Quackster!" he exclaims in return and Brittany bristles. She slowly walks into the apartment and towards Santana, reaching out to take her girlfriend's hand, as she gets closer.
"Britt, babe?" Santana inquires in a whisper, entirely confused at what's occurring before her eyes. Brittany squeezes Santana's hand again but her eyes slant towards the other woman standing in her apartment. She's shorter, long black hair, and dark brown eyes.
"Why are you here?"
"Is that really a way to greet your guests dear baby sister?" Brett speaks up again and Santana's eyes widen in recognition. Of course that's why she thought he looked so similar to Brittany.
Still, she'd like an explanation about things, "Okay will someone please explain to me what's going on?"
Brittany appears to be in a staring contest with her brother, both of their blue eyes glaring relentlessly, though Brittany's somehow seem fiercer as if she has more to prove. Santana's light hand squeeze draws her out of her determined trance and she realizes that this is not the time or place to be thinking of the past. She can't risk jeopardizing her and Santana's present and future with that.
"Baby," Brittany starts, her eyes warming as they turn to focus on Santana for a few seconds before glancing back in the direction of their guests, "I'd like you to meet my brother, Brett, and my once best friend Tina Cohen-Chang." She introduces the other two people in the room before slipping closer to Santana. "And this, Brett and Tina, is my girlfriend Santana Lopez."
Brett's face lights up at the information, "Well, I'll say Quackster, you really did right for yourself this time. Much better than old what's his face." He says before leaning in towards Santana and with a hand at his mouth as if he's whispering to just her he asks, "How much is she paying you to pose as her girlfriend?" before he winks at her and grins like he hasn't just said something entirely offensive.
Tina on the other hand shifts unevenly on her feet from her corner of the room, looking as uncomfortable as ever.
"Why are you here Brett, I didn't invite you and so far you're not exactly giving me any reasons to ask you to stay."
"Quacks, I know it's always taken you a little bit longer than others to figure things out bu-"
Frustration bubbles up in Brittany and words leave her mouth in determination.
"Stop calling me by that nickname, you know I've never liked it, and you're in my house right now so tell me why I shouldn't just ask you to leave?" she interrupts, her grip tightening on Santana's hand.
"Because I'm your brother and there's no reason for you to do that."
Brittany still remains unconvinced and Brett seems to shuffle uncomfortably in his spot.
"How about we talk in private." He says, it's not a question and if the way he steps forward and takes Brittany by the arm leading her down the hallway to her bedroom is any indication of how he expects things to go, Santana's slightly worried about the whole situation.
When the siblings reach Brittany's bedroom, Brett swings her inside and folds his arms across his chest, "You're being awfully rude to your company."
Anger flares up in Brittany's body again, twenty years of being pushed around by Brett and everyone else is over. She's finally had a little bit of freedom this past year or so and managed to figure out what she's been missing. What life can be like surrounded by people who actually care and who aren't condescending or making you feel less than you are every other second.
"I'm not a little girl anymore Brett, I haven't been for a long time, so don't treat me like one." She states and it seems to effectively shut Brett up for a second so she continues, "Mom and Dad told me to go out and figure things out on my own, to learn how to deal with being an adult before they would consider me one. I was young, and naïve and not even near ready to be trying to handle things on my own. Sometimes I still don't think I am, but when I met Santana everything started changing, for the better. She doesn't make me feel dumb, or less than anything, she makes the insecurities dull a little more everyday that I'm with her."
Her words come out with more conviction and confidence than Santana's ever heard, and even though she's actively not trying to listen in on the conversation, yeah right, she can't help but swell with pride at the things that Brittany continues to say about her and them.
"I've never seen her like this." Santana's eavesdropping, aka active listening, is interrupted by the other woman standing in Brittany's apartment. Santana eyes turn towards Tina who, despite her statement, still appears to be providing a look of indifference.
"What do you mean?" Santana inquires.
"When I knew Brittany, she'd never raise her voice to anyone, let alone Brett."
"Maybe that wasn't her fault, and besides things change." The second that Santana finishes her statement, Brett comes sulking down the hallway, a dejected look on his face.
"I know it's not really my place to ask because we don't know each other, but I was really hoping to have a little more time with my sister." He starts to say and Santana raises her eyebrow at him. She glances down the hall and hears a paced thumping coming from Brittany's bedroom. Without another word she heads down the hall to make sure her girlfriend's okay.
She steps into Brittany's bedroom and finds the woman sitting on her bed, clutching the extra large Lord Tubbington to her chest, sniffles escaping her nose as her foot kicks out repeatedly at her bedside stand.
"Oh Britt." Santana coos as she walks quickly to her girlfriend and stretches her hands out, Brittany releases Lord Tubbington from her grasp, much to the cat's delight as he springs from her lap in his new found freedom and goes slinking out the door with his tail swishing behind him, and grabs Santana's hands.
Santana doesn't say anything, just rubs her thumbs soothingly over the skin on the back of Brittany's hands, her eyes locked on blue as she waits for her girl to speak.
"He wants us to go to Thanksgiving dinner with him at Breadsticks, because they're open." Brittany breathes out, sadness in her tone. Santana lifts one of Brittany's hands to her lips and liters her knuckles with light kisses before Brittany continues, "I told him that I already had plans with my family. You and Kurt."
A soft smile breaks out across Santana's lips before she leans up and captures Brittany's with them, pulling back after a few seconds with a tender look in her eyes, "I don't know why he's here Brittany, or if he even deserves to have any of your time, but he is your brother."
"But he's been an ass to me my whole life and now he's dating…" Brittany trails off without finishing and Santana thinks she picks up on what's going on. She's not going to question it, not if nobody wants to talk about it right now, but if there's one thing she's learned from her own back turning, it's that sometimes redemption might be worth it, especially if it falls into your lap.
"But you're you Britt," Santana says, pressing their joined hands against the spot on her girlfriend's chest where Brittany's heart beats against her ribcage, "and you're strong and beautiful and…dating me." She says adding a wink to try and lighten the mood. It works as Brittany sniffles out a giggle.
"If I had the chance to reconcile with my family, especially bit by bit and they were the ones that approached me, I'd take it. Even if they're not so much the ones I care and respect in my family, they're still a part of me."
It takes a few seconds for Brittany to consider Santana's words, but she understands what she's saying. It's a different kind of family, but Brett and even Tina are still a part of Brittany and she should give them a chance or at least hear them out.
She nods and stands from her seat, whipping her eyes, "Okay, but I meant what I said San, you're still the family that's most important to me. Will you come with?"
Santana smiles and kisses her girl, "I wouldn't have it any other way."
##################
They take Santana's Edge to BreadstiX, Brittany riding shotgun and holding Santana's hand across the center console, the music just loud enough that no one from the backseat can speak up or be heard. Brittany's not ready to have an intense conversation in confined quarters.
Only when they arrive and have been seated for a good ten minutes does anyone care to speak up, and Brett happens to be the first.
"It's really good to see you Quackster."
Brittany ignores her brother's words, choosing instead to slide her hand into Santana's as they wait for their food.
Santana, thinking she's going to diffuse the situation, is the next to speak, "So how do you know Brittany exactly?" she ponders in the direction of Tina who opens her mouth to answer but is cut off by Brittany supplying an answer instead.
"A long time ago we sort of used to date, we were best friend's senior year and after high school I kinda asked Tina if we'd be anything more. We were, sort of, for a little bit and then we weren't. I haven't seen her for five years."
Tina nods solemnly to confirm Brittany's statement.
"Which is why we thought it best to come and talk to you first Brittany." Tina then says. Her eyes briefly shift to Brett who nervously nods, "We have some news and we want to be sure you're okay with it."
Brittany stares blankly at the people across the table from her, despondent to their 'consideration' mostly because if she knows her brother as well as she thinks she does, she has a feeling about what he's going to tell her next, and that she's not going to be overly joyous about the news.
"You see, baby sister," Brett starts before taking a deep breath, "Tina and I are engaged, we're getting married."
Somehow even though she expected them, the words still squeeze something inside of Brittany. She's not sure what it is because she's not terribly upset about the situation. Maybe a few years ago when she was still hung up on Tina she would be, but now she has Santana and things are amazing.
Maybe it's the fact that she just doesn't want to deal with them right now in general. Not tonight, not on Thanksgiving when things are supposed to be perfect with just her and Santana and their friends.
She finds herself sliding out of the booth before she turns apologetically to Santana, "Excuse me, I'm just going to…I need to use the restroom." Brittany then quickly walks in the direction of that section of the restaurant.
Almost immediately Santana is on her feet, sending the other side of the table an angry glare, but to her surprise Tina stands up as well.
"I can go talk to her."
Santana's eyebrow arches, "Excuse you but I think I should be the one to go talk to my girlfriend. You're part of the reason she's in the bathroom right now."
"I was actually hoping to talk to you," Brett speaks up from his seat and Santana's glare turns in his direction. "Please Santana, if Tina can't get Brittany back out here in a few minutes then by all means go, but for now can I speak with you?"
If only for the sake of ripping Brittany's brother a new one, Santana relents and watches Tina walk towards the bathroom.
"You'd better hope that she doesn't say anything to make it worse."
When Santana takes her seat there's a few seconds of really awkward silence from Brett's side. She finally determines he's not going to start the conversation, so she figures she might as well get some answers to the burning questions she's had since Brittany's older brother and fiancé showed up.
"Why do you call her Quackster?"
Brett's blue eyes glance up from the surface they were focused on, he frowns a little but proceeds to explain, "When we were younger she'd always make the quacking sound of a duck because she saw them once on a trip my parents took her on, after that it kind of stuck."
"And what about when she asked you to stop calling her that?"
He shrugs and sighs, "She never really asked us to stop. She never asked anyone to stop, not even the bullies in high school. It was just how she was."
Santana is appalled, "You're her older brother. You're supposed to protect her from bullying, not contribute to it. I know so little about you and your family because Brittany refuses to talk about any of it but the more I learn the more I understand why she doesn't want to talk. Why she's so insecure sometimes and why I don't blame her for wanting to it all."
"You don't understand, our parents they're…different. They don't act like normal parents and there are so many things about both of us that they don't approve of. They've always tried to brush it off and ignore it, us, act like it doesn't exist. Brittany always got the brunt of it, she still does."
"There's not a single person out there that can say they have perfect parents, or families, every one of our families is dysfunctional in someway or another. The worst part of yours is that you saw the bad and you knew, but you let Brittany deal with it on her own."
"I'm not proud of it, that's why I'm here trying to make up for it."
"By bringing her ex-girlfriend here and telling her that you're now engaged to her. Bang up job you're doing there sport."
"The Tina thing was never planned, and that's why I came to Quac-Brittany first. I needed her to know, I want her to know that I'm going to try and make up for it. Even if that means confronting our parents about everything first, at least she knows about it and won't be blindsided later."
Santana studies the man for a few seconds, "I told her to give you a chance. It doesn't mean she will, but it's likely. She's so entirely selfless. I just hope that I made the right decision encouraging her."
Brett nods his gratitude before he acknowledges, "I'm going to try as hard as I can to make it up to her."
The word "Good" leaves Santana's mouth just as Brittany and Tina reappear walking in their direction. Santana offers Brittany a warm smile that is returned immediately, and Brittany leans down to press and kiss to her full lips before she scoots into the booth and takes Santana's hand in hers.
Even though the air is still a little tense, the four of them manage to make it through their Thanksgiving dinner with small, small talk and amicable behavior. The meal doesn't last very long before they're all getting up to leave.
After they all climb back into the car and drive back to Brittany's apartment. The ride is again silent except for the soft sound of the radio and Santana's humming voice which makes tingles erupt all over Brittany's skin.
They park, they exit, and Brittany has every intention of ignoring her brother and just getting to the comfort of her and Santana in her apartment but she doesn't realize that Brett has followed them to her apartment door until Brittany hears his voice call out to her from behind.
"Brittany." It's probably the first time in years that he's used her first name. She stops but doesn't turn around, and Brett proceeds to speak, "Can I just have a minute, that's all I need."
Blue eyes flicker to caring brown, Santana's ready to cut a bitch if Brittany needs her too, but the taller woman simply shakes her head and leans in to press her lips against those of her girlfriend's.
"I'll be okay."
Santana nods before kissing Brittany's lips again and turning to step into the apartment, throwing a glare over her shoulder at Brett.
When it's just the two Pierces, Brittany turns to her brother expectantly. He takes a deep breath and runs his hand through his shaggy blonde hair.
"I screwed up sis, a lot." He starts. Brittany makes no motion to respond. "I haven't been a good brother to you, I know that. Even though I probably don't really deserve it, I'd like to try and make it up to you."
Brittany's first instinct is to tell Brett to forget about it, when she wants to reconcile she'll come find him, but then she remembers Santana's words. Things can be on Brittany's terms and she can finally start getting some answers about everything. It's not going to be easy, but at least she'll be in control.
"Santana suggested that it might be a good idea to give you a chance, and since I trust her even more than Lord Tubbington's gut intuition," Brittany starts to say as Brett holds his breath, "I'll give you a chance. This doesn't mean I forgive you, and that won't come anytime soon, but at least we can see if we're able to work towards that."
Before she even finishes, Brett throws his arms around his sister in a hug, "Thank you Brittany, that means so much to me." He says before pulling back and smiling down at her, "That Santana, she's quite the amazing girl. You two are perfect for each other, don't ever let anyone tell you that you're not."
With a nod of gratitude towards her brother, they discuss the next time they can meet up, in a couple weeks, before Brett goes down to Santé Fe to deal with the whole confronting the parents' thing. He leaves with a wave and Brittany turns to go back inside her apartment.
She's immediately wrapped up in the arms of her girlfriend who tilts her chin up softly and connects their lips.
"Everything okay?"
"Yeah, I'm going to at least see what he has to say. According to Tina he really has changed a lot." Brittany says with a light shrug.
Santana's fingers brush lightly over the frustrated wrinkles on Brittany's forehead, trying to ease them and sooth her girl, "I'm sorry all of this happened to you."
Brittany shrugs again, "S'okay. Not your fault."
"But you know I'm here for you."
"I do," she responds, shifting so she can wrap her arms fully around Santana, "I actually thought it was you who came for me in the bathroom."
"I wanted to be there."
"I know, Tina told me." Brittany informs her, "It would have been nice to have you there too, but I'm glad that Tina and I got to talk. It really helped to get a lot of what I've been holding in for a while off my chest."
"Did she say anything to you?"
"Just that she was sorry how things turned out. When we…dated, if you can even call it that, we were never really anything beyond handholding and a few hugs. I always thought she just wasn't ready for that, I was too clouded by the feelings I thought I had for her that I never really noticed it wasn't really what she was looking for at all." Brittany explains, her head dropping slightly until Santana cups her cheek and she looks up to meet warm honest brown eyes.
Brittany smiles, "Now I realize it wasn't anything I needed either. And I'm glad that it happened, because somehow everything that's occurred in my life has brought me to you."
Santana smiles in return and places a feather light kiss to pink lips, "You brought yourself here Brittany. Your compassion and dedication is one of the reasons I was so attracted to you in the beginning, that and your adorable awkwardness."
"I'm so thankful that I got put on your route, and that I kept coming back to your house no matter how nervous it made me. I couldn't believe you still wanted something to do with me time after time, but now I feel like this is how it was always going to be. You and me." Brittany tells her.
"Where's all this confidence coming from baby? I like it."
"You make me want to be more confident Santana," Brittany says with a smile, "and knowing that and talking to Tina made me realize something else about you, a-and I." Her voice wavers slightly at the end, riddled with a mild bashfulness.
She takes a deep breath and collects her thoughts and feelings holding them somewhere inside of her, maintaining them just below the surface even though they're bursting to spring forth. Her hands grip tighter onto Santana's waist as she draws her closer.
"I know what real feelings are now San, because I have them…for you," she starts to say and falters a little as those nerves finally do creep up and attempt to get the best of her. Santana's hands wrap firmly around her neck, anchoring them together and reminding Brittany that she's there and she's not about to go anywhere, "I guess what I'm trying to say S-san is I've known this for a while, but you…you're amazing and I'm so lucky that you want to be with m-me…"
Santana tries to interrupt but Britt kisses her softly, halting her, "Please, let me just say this before I'm too n-nervous too and then you can say whatever you want," Santana nods and Brittany takes a deep breath, "I think that…what I've realized Santana is that anything in this world is possible, and because of that I-" gets interrupted again by the doorbell.
Brittany silently curses her bad luck with people's insanely horrible timing. With a sigh and a peck from Santana, she turns and shuffles towards the door refusing to lift her feet very high off the ground so she literally looks like she's stumbling. If Santana could see the front of her face, Brittany's sure she'd giggle at the pout that rests there.
Despite her less than enthused mood, mostly because of yet another person cutting into her time with Santana, Brittany's somber disappears the moment she swings open the door and meets the eyes of the person on the other side of it.
"Kurt!"
The man himself flashes his best friend his signature smirk, quite the canny diva resemblance, before he lifts the items that rest in his hands up to the blonde woman in front of him.
"Brittany." He says, the smile never leaving his face. Kurt glances over Brittany's shoulder as he sees she has company, "Ahh, so this must be the infamous Santana?" he asks before letting himself in, walking as though a line of royal aids are to follow him inside.
Santana smiles awkwardly from her spot in the center of Brittany's living room, her eyes darting in nervousness towards her girlfriend looking for direction, before she gives a small wave, "Uh hey. That's me."
"If I couldn't tell from the stunning features that Brittany so often goes on and on and on about, I certainly would have guessed merely by the fact that you're standing so comfortably in her living room." Kurt says, making his way to the kitchen counter where he sets the trays in his hands down and turns back around to find Brittany and Santana have followed him, the former having taken her girlfriend's hand in her own.
He smirks again, knowingly. "I take it that there's some logical explanation for why you missed my party, yet again, or is there something that I should know about Brittany?"
Brittany's eyes go wide and she furiously shakes her head, "No, no, no! We uhh, well you see there was…" she starts but finds herself tripping over her words and not being able to fully explain herself while also not knowing if she wants to fully disclose and then discuss the fact her once estranged brother suddenly popped back up in her life.
"That was partially my fault because I forgot to mix the ingredients properly for the dessert we were brining and then Brittany here decided to distract me and make me feel better and we got…a little caught up." Santana steps in and flawlessly lays down a believable story.
Not only is Brittany super impressed that her girlfriend was so smooth and confident with the whole telling of the story but she's majorly turned on at the thought that they're so completely on the same page right.
"Oh?" Kurt says.
Brittany nods a sad pout on her face, "Yeah we're so sorry Kurt. We really did want to go."
The man takes a moment to study the two women in front of him, he can't be sure of the truth but the fact they look so adorable and happy makes it hard for him to call them on it. Not to mention the fact that it's impossible to allow Brittany to be sad.
He shrugs, "Well no bother, it was a rather dreary get together this time around anyway. My friend from college was supposed to show up with his a capella friends but it turns out they disbanded shortly before this evening and then he found out his girlfriend was leaving him for someone else. So needless to say he was very drunk, very loud, and not at all entertaining."
Kurt finishes his spiel to find Brittany merely blinking at him, probably somewhere between deciding on how properly to respond to that or not even fully listening at all, and Santana shifting slightly in her spot and wondering if she's supposed to respond.
"Annnnyyway," Kurt starts up realizing he's already lost his crowd, "I thought since you two couldn't make the trip I'd at least bring you some food. Besides I was so hoping to meet you Santana."
That snaps the shorter woman out of her haze, she glances up at him and arches her brow, "Did you?"
"I've heard so much."
Brittany's eyes go wide, sure that Kurt is about to embarrass her or test Santana. Neither of which she wants to deal with right now after everything else she's been through today.
"Wow Kurt thank you," she cuts in, stepping towards him and giving him an extra large bear hug, holding on until he physically has to push her away. She inwardly smirks, knowing that her hug has done the job.
"But I suppose you two are probably tired and ready to get to bed." He eyes Brittany first who nods solemnly, trying to play off sleepy (and nailing it like a boss.) "Uhuh," he then says continuing to side-eye his friend until he determines it's useless. He claps his hands together, "well I will say it was a pleasure sort of meeting you and I look forward to the day we can actually talk sometime soon."
He steps forward and holds his hand out for Santana who readily shakes it, "You as well. I'm sure we'll find something interesting to talk about."
With a nod to both of them he takes a few strides towards the door until Brittany steps forward and calls out to him, "Happy Thanksgiving Kurt, and thank you again."
"Happy Thanksgiving to you as well Brittany, and Santana." He responds inclining his head to them before he opens the door and takes a step through, "Oh and just remember, if you miss the Christmas/New Year's party then I will be forced to never invite you to anything again."
And with that he's gone leaving Brittany to chuckle a little at her friend's antics. He's so kidding. She hopes. He's kidding right?
"So," Santana interrupts Brittany's inner panic, and it's an interruption she gladly accepts as her girlfriend steps back up to her and wraps her arms around her neck, ghosting her lips across a pale jaw, "you were saying earlier?"
The nervousness creeps back again as Brittany recalls just exactly what she was going to say, but then she realizes how silly she's being. Everything's going to be alright.
"Well what I was going to say…" she starts but that doesn't sound right. "What I meant before was…" she tries again feeling a little more confident about her words, but then she remembers that she should also add, "and I understand if you don't-"
Her rambling is of course cut short, "Britt, baby, please. You can tell me."
Brittany looks into Santana's eyes and see's that glint she was hoping for staring back. She nods, "Santana Lopez, I'm in…"
But she's once again she gets cut off by Santana's lips pressing into her firmly and kissing her breath away.
When they break apart Santana is beaming up at her and she blurs out, "I'm in love with you too Brittany Pierce."
Surprised and stunned beyond belief, Brittany's eyes go wide, "How did you…?"
"I had a hunch." Santana responds with a giggle, pecking Brittany's lips again. "But I wouldn't be opposed to hearing you say it."
That makes Brittany chuckle softly, "I was trying too." She teases poking her girlfriend in the ribs.
"Well I promise I won't interrupt again."
Brittany smiles and then nods taking another deep breath, "I love yo-" but she gets interrupted once again by Santana's lips pressing into her own.
"Sorry, couldn't help it."
Santana's still smiling even as she says the words, and Brittany just shakes her head and cups her girlfriend's cheeks, "That's okay, it's one of the reasons that I'm so madly in love with you, Santana Lopez." Brittany says before she kisses Santana who immediately sighs into her mouth.
The break for air leaves them resting their foreheads against each other's. Brittany smiles first, and Santana matches it.
"Happy Thanksgiving San, I'm so thankful for you."
"Happy Thanksgiving Britt," Santana replies and strokes her thumb across Brittany's cheek, "I'm forever thankful for you and us."
/
That's how I decided to deal with that. What do you think of Brittany's family dynamic? And while we're on the topic of Thanksgiving (even though it's long gone, I know!) what's everyone's favorite type of pie (or dessert, and it doesn't have to be Thanksgiving, just in general?) I prefer coconut cream pie (or anything with chocolate!) You got me. I'm addicted to chocolate.
Thanks again all you awesome sauce individuals!
Song Credit:
"My Headband" Lea Michele aka Rachel Berry (Glee throwback)