So here's the last chap before the epilogue which will be post tonight as well...

Enjoy!

3 Months Later

Santana's leg shook nervously and Quinn gripped her thigh and squeezed. "Stop that."

"I'm nervous, I can't help it."

"What have you got to be nervous for? We already know that they're going to find you to be a competent guardian."

"Maybe..." Santana mumbled running sweaty palms down her pant legs.

"God, you're hopeless how does Rachel even put up with you."

"Not by telling me I'm hopeless that's for sure, bitch."

Quinn shrugged. "Hey, I'm not screwing you, so you won't be receiving any love letters from me."

"It's ok, I'll write her all the love letters she wants." Santana turned at the familiar voice and saw Rachel standing behind them, bright smile adorning her face.

"Baby, what...? How? What are you doing here?" She slipped out of the chair and hugged her diva.

"As if I was actually going to bide my time sitting around on some New York stage while the fate of our family is decided."Rachel replied matter-of-factly lightly kissing the other woman's check. "Michelle had business with backers in Cleveland so I basically demanded that she allow me to hitch a ride, if you will, here."

"Well, then I must remember to thank her for succumbing to your diva tantrum." Santana smirked.

"Oh, I forgot, how rude, Michelle," Rachel turned slightly and a strawberry blonde appeared in the doorway behind her and Santana frowned at the beautiful woman whom Rachel had been spending so much time with.

"Michelle Bradshaw, Santana Lopez...San, Michelle...oh and Quinn Fabray-Raymond."

"Ah, the illusive Girlfriend, pleasure to meet you." Michelle smiled offering her hand to Santana who took it schooling her face into one of indifference.

"Fiancee." Santana corrected when the director released her palm and she instantly dropped her hand to Rachel's waist.

Michelle followed her hand's movement then looked back into Santana's dark brown eyes with a smirk. "Well, hope I'm invited to the wedding. Rach, I'll just come back in an hour or so. It was great to meet you, Santana...Quinn." Michelle offered them a slight wave and exited the waiting area.

Rachel glanced at Santana and shook her head slightly. "Really San? Possessive cavewoman routine working out for you?"

"Me Santana, you Rachel, Rachel Santana love dwarf, love dwarf long time...oouh." Santana smirked and Rachel couldn't help but chuckled at the Latina's antics.

"You're not as cute as you think you are." Rachel pushed her side gently.

"I'm fuckin' adorable and you know it." The Latina touched their lips softly as Ms. Jenkins rounded the secretary's desk and smiled benevolently at them.

"Well this is a surprise, I thought you were in New York preparing to make your debut."

"I was but I wanted to hear the decision firsthand. So...?" Rachel snuggled more deeply into Santana's side preparing herself for the worst.

"Ms. Lopez and by extension, Ms. Berry it was decided by the agency that the best interests for Mateo Xavier Lopez are served if he remains exclusively in your care and custody until his eighteenth birthday. Your request for guardianship has been unilaterally approved."

Rachel screeched excitedly and hugged Santana bouncing up and down. Quinn smiled an brushed errant tears that began to form in her eyes. They'd actually done it, the most unlikely pair and they'd done it.

"I love you, Rachel, Estrellita.." Santana pressed a palm into the diva's cheek.

"Me too, I love you too, San." Rachel turned her head slightly placing a kiss into Santana's tan palm.

"God, get a room you too, I feel like vomiting and it's not morning sickness." Quinn quipped, she may be happy for the pair but that didn't mean that she wanted to see them making googly eyes at each other for a moment longer.

Three Weeks Later

Santana watched as Mateo ran through the airport dodging other travelers to get to Rachel. He'd spotted her before she had and she couldn't stop him from bounding over to her. She stood back and avidly watched their reunion. It had been a crazy couple of weeks. She and her brother had finally gotten the house packed up with help from David (Quinn's husband), Puck and surprisingly Leroy Berry. She guessed when he agreed to a truce he was putting forth full effort. Quinn had wanted to help, but a week and a half ago her water broke and twelve hours later Ashley Renee Raymond made her appearance. She was a beautiful baby with a small tuff of strawberry blonde hair and one hazel and one brown eye.

She smiled at the thought of little hmm...Pezberrys filled her head. Sure, the reality of having children with Rachel was far off, but it was future she wanted. She adjusted her grip on their carry-on and resumed her maneuvering through the baggage claim area.

"Hey you." Rachel smiled softly up at her over Mateo's head.

"Hey babes." Santana smiled bending down to kiss her lightly.

"How was the flight?"

"Oh, you know, crowded and annoying. Glad we won't have to do that again for a while."

"I'm glad you're here, I missed you." Rachel slipped her hand into hers.

"We missed you to Rae, and Santi taked me to see mami and papi and she tolded them alls about you and her and our fam'ly."

Santana blushed at her brother's revelation. Before they'd left she'd needed to see them again, so they knew everything was going to be alright. Mateo had cried, well honestly they both had, but she figured he was adjusting so well due to his age. She worried that he wouldn't remember their parents due to the same, but she would never allow him to forget them and she knew Rachel wouldn't either.

She knew her parents would have been delighted that she and Rachel were in a relationship. They'd liked the girl and knew that she was a good-hearted person. She's sure that they would approve of them, but it had been cathartic to speak to them. To lay flowers at their grave-site and to reassure them; wherever they were that their children were going to be okay.

"They had nothing, but positive things to say about you." Santana kissed the diva's temple. Rachel smiled demurely and let go of her hand briefly to grab their huge checked suitcase, surprising Santana with her chivalrous gesture.

"Well let's go, we've got to get home, tonight's the opening night for the play, Solstice and I hear the leading lady is a hottie." Rachel grinned taking hold of Mateo's hand and strutting from the airport, Santana watching her butt as she followed.

Rachel led them out into a slick black limo and Santana had to admit it was a pleasant surprise although she was sure she'd gotten the use of it from Michelle Bradshaw, whom she had almost instantaneously disliked. She watched as Rachel whispered something to the driver and he nodded opening the door for them to take seats. Rachel snuggled into her side and Mateo sat on the other side playing with the automatic partition button.

"I really missed you." Rachel whispered planting kisses along her jawline.

"Oh yeah?" Santana smirked.

"Mhmm."

"Matt, stop with the button please." Santana groaned breaking away from her hot girlfriend.

"Okies." He grinned and bopped his head to the song filtering through the speakers.

"He's going to be crashing so hard later...where are we going?" Santana asked noticing the unfamiliar scenery.

"Home of course," Rachel smiled widely as the limo halted, "trust me?"

"With everything." The door was pulled out and she followed when Rachel stepped out.

As soon as she was outside her hand was encased in Rachel's and she was greeted with the site of a beautiful rowhouse. She glanced a Rachel confused. There was no way that they could afford this place.

"Come on, if you think this is nice wait until we get inside." Rachel pulled her along and Mateo walked by their side.

When Rachel opened the door she was surprised to find all of their boxes and some of furniture from her apartment scattered about. The inside of the home was even more gorgeous than the outside and Santana marveled in the space.

"I um...I found this place and I knew...I just knew that this could be the place for us."

"It's beautiful Rach, but there's no possible way we could afford it."

"Oh, we can definitely afford it San, I-um...I already signed the lease and got Marie to help me get your stuff out of your old place and Leroy helped me re-route all your moving vans." Rachel smiled brightly, then frowned when Santana didn't respond.

"I've been presumptuous haven't I?" She asked worrying her lower lip.

Santana grinned and turned to Rachel. Had she been the Santana of last year she might have felt the overwhelming urge to run, but all she felt was the fluttering in her stomach again. Rachel had done this, gotten them this great, spacious place to live and she loved it. She loved it and she loved her.

"No. Not presumptuous, right. This is so right for us, Rach," She touched her cheek, "I love you." She smiled kissing her lips.

Santana held Mateo's hand in one hand and a bouquet of stargazer lilies in the other hand. The play had been such a sucess. It was sold out and just as she said Mateo and her were sitting front row center. Now they were waiting backstage for Rachel to emerge from her dressing room. Rachel had decided to skip the after-party in favor of a dinner out with them and she loved her all the more for putting them before the cast.

"Hello Santana and who's this little cutie?" She turned to find Michelle walking towards them.

"I'm Mateo..." He offered his small hand and she took it and shook it once.

"Cute and good manners, oh my." Michelle smiled.

"The play was excellent." Santana tried to make appropriate small talk.

"Mm, the play and the leading lady."

"Well I suppose I'm inclined to believe that anything she does is amazing."

"Rae was so beautiful and Santi couldn't ev'n blink."

"I bet no one was blinking, Mateo." Michelle smirked and Santana fought the urge to hit the woman. She didn't know why she had such a visceral reaction to the woman, she'd been nothing short of polite, but Santana knew her type. Hell, she'd been her type: a player and she didn't like the slightly predator look she gave Rachel.

"You know you can calm down." Michelle said quietly.

Santana glared at the woman, the nerve, telling her to calm down! She had yet to see her truly worked up.

"I knew from the moment she said your name that I didn't stand a chance. She's so in love with you that it's hard to stomach. No offense, but I probably know everything about you, she talks about you so much. One would think that she'd one the best prize in the world."

"No," Santana mumbled as the dressing room door opened and Rachel appeared with a 100-kilowatt smile, brown eyes set only on her, "I'm the winner."

Mhmmm...oh yeah!

Ink