So, this is really really short, only excuse I have is that I've been hella sick and I'd rather give you an update on schedule then none at all...with that being said this fic doesn't have much longer to go...and I hope this shortness doesn't make y'all too mad...

Enjoy!

The next day Santana woke up bright and early. Last night when they'd gotten home Rachel had calmly explain that Stefan was her very persistent agent. She'd been unable to hide her relief and Rachel had giggled at her jealousy, but what could have developed into an argument ended up being the two laughing and kissing in the foyer. She couldn't help herself, she had more fun with Rachel than she'd allowed herself to have in a long time.

She quietly exited the room making sure not to wake Rachel. She walked into the kitchen to find her little brother eating a bowl of cereal with a drip drop trail of milk leading from the fridge to his chair. She smiled at him and stepped over his milk trail to make a pot of coffee.

"Mornin' Santi." Mateo said around the spoon in his mouth.

"Mornin' kiddo." She stretched.

"Santi, how come mista Berry do'sn't like you?"

"Come on now, Matt, who could resist me? It's not that he doesn't like me it's that he's protective of Rach, that's how parents are with their kids."

"Oh..."He smiled again and went back to enjoying his cereal.

Santana fixed herself a cup of coffee the way she liked it and sat across from her brother so that she was able to gaze out into the rest of the house. Everywhere he eyes landed there was a picture or trinket...a relic of their parents. She'd never really allowed herself to pay it any mind, never really lingered in any of the familial areas. She'd spent most of her time in the spare bedroom, kitchen or the sparsely decorated den area (that she'd been using as a makeshift office). She'd stuck to the places in the house that reminded her of her parents the very least.

"Hey, Matty, what would you say to like cleaning up a bit, maybe...I dunno putting away some of Mami and Papi's things?

"Cleanin'?"

"Yeah, just you know...we can't take all of this stuff to New York so maybe we can...uh...slim it down some...?" She tried to sound braver than she felt.

"I can take E.L., right?" He asked referring to the blue elephant won at the fair.

"Of course you can, you can take everything of yours."

"Me, you, and Rae are gonna live at your place?"

"Yeah, sure..." She smiled again though she was unsure what would happen once they returned to New York. She was currently sharing a small apartment in the Bronx with another associate editor. She knew Rachel's place wasn't much bigger than hers. Though the idea of pooling their resources and getting a bigger place together had flitted through her mind once or twice since they'd started really dating. She worried that maybe she was getting ahead of herself and pushed those thought out of her head more concerned with what today held for her.

"O-k...wanna hol'hands up th'stairs?" He asked innocently tossing his dish into the sink.

"Yeah, that'd be nice." She gulped down the rest of her coffee and grabbed a handful of big black garbage bags from under the sink. She took his small hand as they approached the stairs.

At the bottom of the stairs Santana's heart began to pulsate. She was so anxious that she felt like she would pass out. She looked up at the stairs and then took in a deep breath. She felt her little brother squeeze her hand reassuringly. The pressure of his tiny, warm palm urging her to take the steps she needed to. They ascended the stairs hand in hand only faltering a few times on the way up.

When they reached the loft area at the top of the stairs Santana felt relief mixed with dread. She finally got up the stairs and with only a few tears, but now she had to go into the bedroom at the end of the hall. She didn't know she was ready for that yet. She didn't think that holding Mateo's hand would make her anymore ready for it.

"Hey Matty, how about you go clean your room and I'll go clean mine and you think about what you think we absolutely have to keep and what we should get rid of, kay bud?" She gulped looking away from her parent's closed door.

"Ok, Santi, I'mma makes a really good list." He released her hand and galloped off to his room.

"Yeah...ok..." She smiled weakly and walked slowly to her own room.

Awesome cookies to those who remembered the Stefan from earlier...you rock!

The next chap continues this one and afterwards theirs a little angst in store...

Ink