Back again and getting closer and closer to the end. I only own some ideas, some characters, and a few mistakes. Don't Sue Me...

Enjoy!

Two Days Later

Rachel stared out into the darkened theatre and closed her eyes belting out the solo song that she'd memorized to wow the director and producer watching. She smirked knowing she had the part. She could just tell; the entire theater had gone silent and she could tell she had all of their undivided attention. She was glad because it meant that leaving Lima, that leaving Mateo and Santana hadn't been for nothing. She envisioned Santana standing in the back of the theater giving her a big thumbs up and mouthing that she loved her. She blinked once an focused back on reality and ended the song flawlessly.

"Bravo, bravo, Rachel," The director, Michelle Brandshaw stood and clapped, "when Stefan told us about you we were skeptical, even listening to your demos we didn't believe, but wow! Wow!"

She smiled widely as one of the producers, Timothy Gerkins stood and walked towards her the stage lights glaring off his glasses. "You were wonderful, Ms. Berry, " He extended his hand to her and she took it, "welcome to Solstice, welcome to Broadway."

"Thank You so, so much! I promise you won't regret this." Rachel beamed.

"How about we take our new star out for a celebratory lunch." Michelle suggested leaning against one of the end seats.

"I'm sorry, raincheck, I have to call my girlfriend, my dads, or course Kurt and Noah..."

"Girlfriend?" Michelle frowned at the revelation and Timothy chuckled at his partner and renowned player. It was always refreshing for him to see her rebuffed, even if he was sure the little star didn't know she was doing so.

"Well, then raincheck it is." Timothy smiled again and ushered Michelle off.

Rachel waved goodbye to the pair and dialed Santana's number taking a seat on the edge of the stage.

"Hey Babe." The Latina's husky voice made her smile impossibly wider.

"Guess who just got the lead in the new Broadway show, Solstice?"

"Hmmmm...let me think...April Rhodes?" Santana chuckled.

"Seriously, San? April Rhodes, she'd entirely too old for the part, plus duh, I can totally sing circles around her, I..."

"Stop your head mid-spin, babes, I was just kidding. So, you got the part?"

"Like there was ever any doubt." Rachel replied smugly swinging her feet.

"None on this end, but I could have sworn I spoke to a very very worked up little diva like an hour ago who was wailing about the big bad casting team not liking her. Must have been my imagination."

"How's Matt?" Rachel asked changing the subject.

"He misses you, he keeps reading me The Littlest Duckling and frankly I want to kill Britts for giving him that book and you for teaching him to read it."

"Awww, San you know when you talk about murder it's so sexy. Besides, you should be proud of him, I am."

"I am to. I'm proud of you too Estrellita, and he and I are going to be there front row center opening night."

"I dunno about Matt, San...the play has a lot of adult themes."

"Who cares you only have one first opening night on Broadway."

"I made it San..." Rachel smiled wistfully her nerves calming to normal.

"You sure did, Rach, you sure did." Santana grinned and wished that she was in the city already so that they could really celebrate.

Santana hung up the phone after talking an hour and a half with Rachel. She'd talked to Ms. Jenkins again this morning and had tried to convince her to speed up her final evaluation, but it was a no go. So she just had to wait it out.

There was a knock at her door and she assumed it was Hiram dropping off Mateo. Since, Rachel had left Hiram had taken an interest in spending time with her brother. He'd gone out of his way to make them both feel welcome, but she'd refused to return to the Berry household.

She opened the door and was unexpectedly met with the hard brown eyes of Leroy Berry. She ignored the tall man and wrapped an arm around her brother in a half hug. "Hey kiddo, did you have a good time with Rachel's dads?"

"Ya, Mr. H showeded me how t'make wegan cookies and Mr. L helpeded me make this fa you." He smiled toothily and handed her a necklace made from colorful macaroni.

"Oh, it's beautiful. Next time you have to make one for Rach or else she's gonna be so jealous of me. Why don't you go put that on my night stand."

"Ok. Bye Mr. L, thanks." He waved back at Leroy running off.

"Yeah, thank..." She went to close the door only to be met by Leroy's foot holding it open.

"We need to speak."

"I really don't think that's a good idea." She tried closing the door against his foot.

"You've never been married," Leroy slipped into the house and paced away from her, "in our almost 35 years of marriage we've never had a fight, not like this...this is the first time that my husband has refused to talk to me. Do you understand that? All these years and you waltz in an neither my daughter nor my husband will speak to me in more than one word sentences."

"I don't know what that has to do with me. I didn't tell Rachel about our...um...altercation, so I don't know how she found out and I've spoken to her everyday and she hasn't mentioned you at all. So...?" She gently closed the door then turned to glare icily at him.

"One day you're going to have a child, or your brother will grow up and kids are going to be cruel. You'll watch them get hurt more and more everyday. You'll feel helpless to change a bunch of bratty schoolkids minds and urge a lazy, incompetent administration into action. You'll work hard to reinforce their confidence and make them believe that they are destined for greatness...you'll want nothing but the absolute best for them."

"Not if it makes me believe that no one is ever good enough or deserving of them. I wouldn't do that. I would never deny them happiness." Santana replied quietly.

"I want nothing but the utmost happiness for my daughter."

"So do I. What you don't understand is that we're on the same side, Mr. Berry. You want Rachel to be happy, so do I. If I didn't make her happy I'd want her to find someone who did, but I do and she makes me happy, but I'm sure she'd be happier and Hiram would be happier if we could at the very least coexist peacefully."

"I'm trying."

"Is that what you call this? Every time you see me you can't wait to tear me down and then you seem surprised that I'm fighting you back." She leaned against the wall and crossed her arms.

"Fine, we'll agree to disagree..."

"No, you're wrong about me Mr. Berry, you've always been wrong about me. You need to see me as an adult Santana. I adore Rachel. I love her. I wouldn't take back any of the shit between Rachel and I cuz it made us get to this point. She is the most wonderfully forgiving and sweet person I know other than Britts and she shares that with me...she makes me better. If you gave me half a chance you would have already seen that."

Leroy sighed heavily and stopped pacing. He looked up at Santana peering at her with dark brown eyes. "You're right. I've been a stubborn ass and I didn't give you a chance at all. I know that Rachel is happy, she wasn't this happy with any of those knuckleheads she was bringing home in high school. Fine, Santana, but if you hurt my little girl..."

"I know, I know, Mr. Berry..."

Leroy walked towards the door and turned back to face Santana. "Leroy..." He let himself out the door clicking softly behind him.

So? How are we feeling about the Leroy/Santana truce? You can't fault a man for wanting the the best for his kid or being overprotective...it happens.

Ink