A/N: Thanks again, you guys are the best!

Chapter twelve

Santana tapped her knuckles against the hard wood of Brittany's apartment door. Her nerves fluttered erratically in her stomach.

She hadn't seen the injured blonde since their night in the hospital a week ago and she had respectfully given Brittany the space she needed. They spoke through text messages regularly but Santana didn't ask to see her, she waited until Brittany had invited her over.

School had started again and Santana found that she would pass Brittany's sister, Julie, regularly on their way to classes. It felt like a ticking time bomb, for which she was waiting to explode at any moment. Julie knew Santana's feelings for Brittany and Julie also knew about Santana's reputation and how easily it would be destroyed if rumors about her feelings (for a girl) were spread around. It had almost become routine as they passed one another in the hall ways, the young blonde would give her most devilish smirk causing Santana to bow her head and stare at the floor in shame, fearfully knowing her secret could be spread around the school in a matter of minutes.

She often wondered how someone as kind hearted, cool and sweet as Brittany could come from the same gene pool as someone so devious and kind of cruel.

The days went slowly as she waited for Brittany to ask to see her, it only took a week but the week felt more like a few months to the Latina.

There was no answer at Brittany's apartment door but as she listened she could hear movement on the other side. She assumed Brittany may not have heard her or was slow to answer the door because of her injured foot.

Santana pulled her leather jacket around herself a little more, it was freezing on Brittany's doorstep. The Icy air making her uncovered skin sting. She wrapped her knuckles on the door once more, a little harder this time. Finally she heard the safety latch slide unlocked and the door begin to open. The flutters in her stomach had already encouraged a wide smile on Santana's lips as soon as she heard someone at the door.

A head popped out from the behind the door, and her smile quickly faded. It wasn't the person she had expected. In fact it was the person she had least expected.

Cold green eyes looked her up and down, almost hidden behind a dark haired, floppy side fringe.

Hannah.

The two women stared at one another, almost as if they were daring the other to speak first. Hannah's stony demeanor had turned into an almost sour, jealous scowl. Santana felt her own jealousy and insecurities bubble up with heat inside of her but she was determined to be the better person… the better person for Brittany.

"What are you doing here?" Santana asked in low yet polite tone. She was fighting every urge in her body not to tell Hannah to 'get the fuck out.'

Hannah narrowed her eyes. "I heard about Brittany's injury." She said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"And so of course you decided to visit her? So nice of you. A card would have been sufficient." Santana snapped sarcastically with a fake smile supporting her words.

Hannah smiled back equally as nicely and equally as falsely.

"She's just resting so maybe you should come back later." Hannah suggested.

Santana scoffed. "I'll wait, she's expecting me."

Santana noticed the tattooed woman's smile falter and slight lines appear in her forehead. The Latina smirked at what she knew was a defeated frown. There was no way in hell Santana was leaving Hannah alone with Brittany for even more time than they had already spent and she was definitely not letting Hannah win the silent argument they were having behind their disguised words.

Santana's arm that she held behind her back was beginning to ache. Instead of waiting for Hannah to let her in, which she was beginning to think was never, she stepped into the apartment brushing passed Hannah with almost a slight shove.

She walked further into the apartment, hearing Hannah closing the door behind her. She hoped Hannah was on the other side of it, leaving. Unfortunately she wasn't.

Santana looked around the apartment. There were get-well flowers lining Brittany's kitchen counter top and filling up her dining table. She brought her hand from behind her back in front of her and stared at the flower she was holding. For some reason she thought she was being original and romantic. It hadn't occurred to her that everyone Brittany knew would send the blonde get-well flowers. She internally scolded herself for not thinking it through, of course people send flowers to the injured and ill. She felt silly. Other people had sent bunches of flowers and bouquets and special arrangements, it made Santana feel even more ridiculous as she looked at her single flower sprouting from a green gift box with a pink ribbon tied into a bow around it. She frowned.

Santana notice movement in the corner of her eye on the couch. The closing of the door must have awoken Brittany. She stretched her pyjama's covered arms and yawned loudly and adorably. Her golden hair in a messy ponytail. Santana felt her earlier smile returning at the sight of the cosy yet beautiful looking blonde. Her stomach was filled with happy excited butterflies once again.

Brittany opened her eyes slowly, blinking sleepily as her eyes adjusted to the light and then the new figure in the room.

"Hey," She said sluggishly, her voice scratchy from sleep.

"Hi." Santana grinned back at her and stepped closer to the couch. Oh how she had missed that voice.

Brittany sat up to make room for the Latina. She rested her injured foot that was enclosed in a medical boot on the coffee table in front of her. She patted the empty spot next to her with a shy smile playing on her lips. Santana's heart warmed at the gesture, she took a seat and cradled the gift flower in her lap.

"What's that?" Brittany asked gesturing to the plant.

"Oh, uh." Santana stumbled over her words. Her cheeks heated as she remembered her embarrassment of getting Brittany yet another flower to fill her apartment. "It's uh, it's for you." She said softly. She always struggled with feelings and being nice because it meant she was vulnerable.

"It's beautiful!" Brittany beamed genuinely. Santana's stomach flipped and she felt her heart swell. Brittany seemed excited about Santana's gift even though she had received dozens of flowers over the week. The blonde's fingers traced gently over the pink petals dotted with white, as though they were the most valuable and fragile treasure. She ran her finger just as gently down the stem and patted the leaves where the stem met the soil in the box as though she was taking it in not only by sight but by the feel of the flower as well.

"I didn't realize you'd have an apartment full." Santana chuckled uncomfortably at her own thoughtlessness.

"None like this." Brittany said sweetly looking up from the gift into Santana's eyes.

Santana felt her breath catch and her heart pause. Those eyes. She had almost forgotten how blue and pure Brittany's eyes were. Santana looked to the plant so she could breathe again. "It's an orchid." Santana explained shyly. "I read somewhere that an orchid represents strength and beauty, and both of those things remind me of you." (She left out the part about the orchid also representing love.)

Brittany's eyes lit up emitting flattery and appreciation. "Thank you," the blonde whispered leaning into Santana's personal space. "It's gorgeous, just like you." Santana felt her girlfriend's hot breath on her lips, her heart began pounding against her chest and she briefly wondered if Brittany could hear it. Her eyelids fluttered closed in anticipation of Brittany's lips approaching her own.

"Ahem." Hannah cleared her throat from the kitchen where she was trying to sort out a better place to put the many gifts people had sent her ex.

"Shit!" Santana yelped and bounded off the couch away from Brittany, startled at the sound of another in the room. She had honestly forgotten about Hannah the moment she laid eyes on the blonde waking up.

"Hannah?" Brittany asked curiously. "I thought you left? I said I'd take care of those."

Santana raised an eyebrow at Hannah.

"I know but then you fell asleep and I realized you'd never get around to finding a new spot for them." Hannah huffed and picked up another bunch of flowers placing them into a vase.

"Well at least I know you didn't break in Santana." Brittany winked.

Once again Santana wondered if winks could kill.

"Hannah, you've been a great help but I'll be fine from here." She said firmly yet still managed to sound kind.

Hannah nodded. "Ok then. I'll see you later."

Brittany smiled and waved as she watched Hannah walk out the door. "Now where were we?" She asked smiling cheekily at Santana.

Santana sat back down but didn't resume where they had left off. "Why was she here?" She asked feeling her jealousy spark something within her.

"Santana." Brittany groaned as though she knew where this conversation was headed. She leaned back against the couch. "A mutual friend told her about what happened. She came over to see if I was ok and then just started tiding up around me. I told her she didn't have to do that and she said she'd just finish up what she was doing and go. I must have fallen asleep and then when I woke up I saw you, I didn't notice she was still here."

Santana nodded slowly. "Why did she come over, she could have called? Why didn't she ask your friend how you were?"

Brittany sighed and Santana realized how jealous and insecure she sounded.

Brittany sat up from leaning against the back of the couch so she could look at Santana properly. "We were together for a long time, Santana." She began. Santana internally cringed, it sounded like she was about to get a lecture. "It's silly to think that Hannah and I would just stop caring for one another." She sat the plant she was still holding on the coffee table in front of her and scooted closer to the Latina carefully so she wouldn't hurt her foot. She reached for the younger woman's hand and held them in her own. "Hannah and I will probably always care for each other, but that's different to loving her. Hannah and I fell out of love quite some time ago, it took me a while to realize that. I don't want to be with her, I just want to be with you. Can you trust me on that?" Brittany looked deep into Santana's eyes and Santana felt open and exposed. She nodded and smiled apologetically to the blonde.

"Are you still worried about the age difference?" Santana asked. She thought she might as well get all of her insecurities out in the open at once.

Brittany looked at their hands regretfully and nodded.

"And that no one knows I'm gay or whatever?"

Brittany nodded again but looked up this time. "It'll take time to adjust to a relationship so new and different." Brittany smiled gently. "Just like you need time to adjust to your sexuality. Just because I'm nervous about it doesn't mean I won't support you every step of the way. I know how hard it can be and I don't want you to feel pressured into coming out of the closet… or cave or Disneyland." She frowned in thought. "I don't know why it has to be a closet."

Santana giggled. "Thank you." She whispered. "I have told somebody though, well they found out." Santana admitted.

"Really?" Brittany asked surprised. "Who?"

"Quinn." Santana sighed and rolled her eyes.

"How did it go?" Brittany asked intrigued.


Quinn and Santana were sitting on the kitchen floor of the Lopez house.

"Can you stop staring Quinn? Jeez!" Santana said exasperated. At first she had been scared about Quinn finding out about her and Brittany, terrified in fact but now she was just getting annoyed.

"So are you a lesbian?" Quinn asked still staring at Santana. Her eyes scanned Santana's face looking for answers she'd missed.

"For the hundredth time, I don't know." Santana sighed, her shoulders slumping.

"Ok, I'm sorry I just need to process this." Quinn said finally looking away from the Latina. Santana felt relieved Quinn had stopped staring at her like she had just found out that the Latina was a mermaid or some kind of mythical creature. That was until she realized the blonde was re-reading Brittany's message on her phone that Quinn still held in her hand.

"Give me that." Santana said reaching for the phone and snatching it out of her friend's hand.

"I knew something was going on," Quinn reflected. "But I didn't think it was this."

Santana nodded and looked down at Brittany's message on her phone. She held back a grin as she re-read the sweet words.

"…Have you ever had a crush on me?" Quinn asked curiously.

Santana screwed her face in disgust. "What? No!"

"Wow, you don't have to look so disgusted." Quinn smirked.

"I think nice girls are my type." Santana quipped.

Quinn laughed. "Ouch."

Santana felt like a weight had lifted off her shoulders. Quinn wasn't freaking out. That was good right?

"You could have told me you know?" Quinn said softly, Santana didn't know how to react to the kind voice the hazel eyed blonde was using.

"What, so you could blackmail me or something." Santana snorted a laugh.

Quinn smiled and shook her head. "I wouldn't do that." She said sincerely.

Santana gave a thankful smile while absentmindedly tracing her fingers around the outside of her phone.

"Come on," Quinn said standing up and holding a hand out for the Latina. "Let's go get a coffee and you can tell me everything." Santana took Quinn's hand and scrambled to her feet still wary of the blondes niceness.


Santana stroked her thumb slowly over the back of Brittany's hand taking in the feel of the dancer's skin, soft and warm. Santana's stomach tickled with joy. "She took it really well." Santana shrugged still baffled at her best-friend/nemesis's reaction.

Brittany's eyes sparkled wildly.

"What?" Santana asked sensing the blonde's mischief.

"Nothing, I just feel really proud." Brittany said as a smile appeared on her face. She leaned in for a kiss but Santana didn't join her.

"There's one other thing." Santana said pausing Brittany's actions. The dancer sat up a little, her bottom lip jutting out forming a small adorable pout, causing Santana to melt.

"I just want to take it kind of slow." Santana said hesitantly. She felt heat rise to her cheeks. She had never wanted to take relationships slowly, but this one seemed different. For the first time it felt real and Santana had never felt so vulnerable, it scared her. She didn't know how to be in a relationship with another woman.

"Totally fine." Brittany nodded and smiled softly and Santana knew it was genuine. "Does that mean I can take you on a date?" Her eye's sparkled with the thought of a date.

Santana felt torn, she really wanted to go out with Brittany but she wasn't ready to be seen in public on a date with a woman… was she?

Brittany must have sensed Santana's apprehension. "Don't worry, I don't do boring public restaurant dates, where you have to almost yell across the table because of the noise of other diners and where there are rules."

Santana smirked. "Rules?"

Brittany nodded. "You know, like eating with knives and forks, no elbows on the table, no kisses on the first date, who's going to pay the bill, ordering food that won't make you look like a messy eater… all that etiquette stuff." Brittany shook her head at the thought. "And then you have to sit there for hours trying to think up conversation with so much pressure of it being the first date."

Santana burst out laughing. Could Brittany be any cuter? She had never thought of it like that. It was all true except Santana hardly took it seriously. She'd make her date pay, she'd order what she felt like, barely listen to the conversation and the night always ending with making out in the back seat of her date's car.

Brittany frowned. "What?"

Santana's waited until her laughter died down. "What are your dates like then?"

"You'll have to come on one to find out." Brittany winked.

That heart-stopping, breath-taking wink.

"Ok." Santana whispered trying to get over how her whole body seemed to react to the smallest of acts from Brittany.

"Ok." Brittany smiled back. She leaned in once again and captured Santana's bottom lip between her own before Santana could stop it again.

Everything around them blurred into nonexistence. It was just Santana and Brittany and the rush of chemistry between them. Brittany cupped her hand under Santana's jaw as their lips worked together, sparking every time they moved. It had been too long since their last kiss. Santana relaxed into Brittany's touch and scooted closer without breaking their kiss. Their movements became faster and more desperate. Both trying to drink in more of one another. Santana's stomach flipped when Brittany's tongue entered her mouth. She let out a muffled sigh. Her whole body craving Brittany, buzzing for Brittany.


Eventually their make out session slowed as they both remember their agreement to take things slowly.

"How's your foot?" Santana asked distracting herself from her worked-up self.

Brittany looked at her medical boot sadly and sighed as if she had forgotten about it for the briefest moment. "It's fine." She said a forced smile forming on her lips, her eyes lost their early glint of happiness.

"Britt." Santana cooed seeing through her act. She pulled the dancer into a hug not knowing what to say or how to make it better. "You can talk to me you know." She said resting her head on Brittany's shoulder and closing her eyes reveling in their closeness and the safety she felt. She hoped Brittany felt the same.

"I just feel so disappointed." Brittany said, her voice shaky as if she was holding back tears. "So, so disappointed."

"I know." Santana whispered and rubbed her hand up and down the injured dancers back. She suddenly felt determined to make Brittany's time with her broken foot as fun and happy as possible. At least to distract the blonde from what could have been.

They unwrapped themselves from their hug. Remaining close. "We need to go on a date before the wedding." Brittany said out of nowhere as Santana was learning that she often did.

Her eyes widened at Brittany's statement and she quirked an eyebrow. "Whoa, Britt." She spluttered. "Taking things slowly remember."

Brittany giggled as she realized how she must have sounded to the Latina. "I mean," She clarified. "I have been invited to a wedding to take photos… thanks or no thanks to Sebastian… I was hoping you'd be my plus one. No one would have to know you were my date they'd just think you were my absolutely gorgeous helper." Both Santana and Brittany blushed. "But I don't want it to be our first date, so we should go on one before then." She smiled.

Santana's heart felt like a helium filled balloon rising and swelling in her chest. She didn't even bother to hide her huge smile, even if she wanted to she didn't think she could.

Not long ago she had felt trapped, confused and scared in her everyday life but now things were new and exciting, she had begun to look forward to things again and it was all thanks to the stunning blonde that sat next to her, who she was lucky enough to call her girlfriend.

She pecked Brittany's lips. "I can't wait." She grinned.


The next day at school Santana could hardly wipe the smile off her face, she didn't acknowledge Brittany's sisters glares in the hallways, she didn't care that Finn and Rachel were now the cheesiest couple ever, she didn't even notice Quinn's subtle teasing about girls who walked past them or Puck's unsubtle winks that could nowhere near compare to a certain dancer's. She and Brittany were a couple, they were going on a date in two days' time and it was going to be perfect.