Brittana future family fiction ~ this is nothing but happy fluff so it's not Steinbeck but it is sweet and fun and happy and the world could always use more Brittana
No D/D, no real angst
Unedited – All mistakes are mine / I don't own anything related to Glee / The kids are my own invention.
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Current age of the kids! Our ladies are about 38 years old.
Danielle Alexandra Lopez – 15 years old
Jason Santiago Lopez – 13 years old
Michael Rafael Lopez -9 years old
Abigail Lucia Lopez - 7 years old
Chapter 5~ The breakdown of the Lopez family ~ 2031
Brittany had been having trouble sleeping, ever since she saw that special on the television about the breakdown of the American family. It had been another Friday night alone for her as Santana had been working late and Michael was upstairs playing video games, Abby was sleeping over Rachel's so they could watch a musical marathon while Quinn was out of town, Jace was in the basement on the laptop researching something technical and Danielle was still at the mall with her friends.
It had listed a bunch of symptoms of a home in need of repair; lack of a set family dinner, everyone off in different places and never spending time together anymore, lack of common interests between family members, breakdown in communication between family members or worse the only communication was by notes left on the refrigerator or by cell phone and text messages, lack of intimacy between spouses, no alone time between spouses. The list had gone on and on and Brittany realized many of those things fit her family.
Brittany had decided to open her own dance studio and not just be a dance teacher but be owner and boss and make her own decisions and that had taken some real time and effort. Santana had been completely supportive but then she had been handed a big case at work that left her working lots of extra hours. The kids were all growing up and doing their own thing and were scattering in different directions and no one sat down at the same time to eat together anymore.
For the first time ever in their young lives Abby and Michael were spending time with caregivers that were not their mothers and Brittany was very upset about that but Santana assured her it was just temporary and it was more like play time with friends for the kids. They were not being abandoned, instead they were seeing two strong talented women making a successful home and career work but Brittany was not so sure.
It led to the first semi-serious argument the two women had in years. Brittany had actually raised her voice at her love, "I didn't have babies to let strangers raise them." She stormed around the bedroom trying to get ready for bed.
"Babe, you are not being reasonable, strangers are not raising our children, we are, they spend an extra hour or two playing with their friends until one of us picks them up. What exactly is the big deal with the after school latchkey program B? What are you not telling me?"
"Santana Francesca Lopez, don't you dare tell me I'm not being reasonable. First we all drift apart, then strangers raise our kids, then they wind up on drugs or juvenile delinquents or teenage parents or in jail! Don't you dare roll your eyes at me, I am being completely reasonable!"
Although Santana was a woman herself, she really was at a loss at times like these about what to say or do to calm her wife down so she usually said or did the wrong thing like now, "Babe, is it your time of the month? Can I get you a cup of tea, heating pad, some midol? Can I get you something?"
Brittany got scary calm and her bright blue eyes flashed fire and Santana felt her blood freeze as the realization that she messed up big time became really apparent, "Yes, you can get me something, you can get your pillow and blanket out of my bedroom and put them in the den where you will be sleeping for awhile until you understand my concerns about our children.
Santana realized she just always seemed to say the wrong thing at the very worse time, it was a gift, not everyone could piss off the kindest gentlest person on the planet. She just really didn't understand where Brittany was coming from this time. No one else was raising their kids, just them. She sighed and went to grab her pillow and blanket. Santana was used to being in the doghouse, like she said, it was a gift.
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Brittany was in her bed that night tossing and turning, she knew she had been too hard on Santana and she felt terribly guilty about it. She never could sleep without the Latina holding her close. She looked over and noticed it was close to 3am so she flipped the covers off and stood up and put her bathrobe on over the silk pajamas and headed down to the den.
Santana was tossing and turning on the most uncomfortable couch on the entire planet. Most of the times, when she understood how she screwed up she was fine with serving her time in the doghouse but she was a little confused how she had upset the blonde beauty this time.
The brunette heard the den door creak open slightly as light filtered into the room and she saw her wife outlined in the doorway. It always took her breath away how much B looked like an angel.
The blonde sighed and went to pull the door shut but Santana spoke up, "I'm still awake B, are you ok babe?"
The dancer quickly came into the den and shut the door behind her. She walked over to Santana and pulled her Latina into a tight anxious hug and kissed her softly on her lips, sniffling softy as tears started to make an appearance.
"Querida, what's the matter, please talk to me, I can't stand to see you upset. Did I cause this?" Santana's dark eyes filling with tears at the thought of hurting her wife.
Brittany sat down next to San on the side of the coach and shook her head and sniffled, "No, I did this and then I totally overreacted. I'm not mad at you, please come back to bed, I can't sleep when you aren't next to me."
The brunette hugged her wife tightly and said, "Of course I will, I don't sleep well without you either, but something has you upset babe and we need to talk about it. Will you explain it to me tomorrow?"
The tall blonde looked at the floor in embarrassment, "You'll just think it's stupid."
Santana put two fingers under the blonde's chin and raised it so they were looking in each other's eyes. The dark chocolate brown eyes were flashing fire and Britt was surprised, "Since the moment I met you, I've wanted to know everything you think, feel or dream of. I love everything about you; it thrills me and excites me. I want to share every single minute of my life with you. I have not once in all these years found you boring or stupid. Please don't ever say something like that to me again; it hurts me because you are perfect mi corazon."
Brittany threw her arms around her soul mates neck and cried happy tears into the side of it, "We can talk tomorrow after we get some sleep, ok?
Santana put her arm around her wife's waist and led her up the stairs to their bed.
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The next day after Brittany explained all about the breakdown of the American family and how it was creeping into the Lopez family, Santana came to a decision. First she got her wife calmed down and off to the dance studio, then she called a family meeting with the kids.
"…and that's why your mom has been acting so different and upset lately." Santana finished explaining Brittany's concerns to the kids.
"Acting nutso you mean." Michael muttered under his breath. Santana leveled him with the HBIC glare and he swallowed the lump in his throat, "upset sounds good, upset works."
"So we need to fix this and I need your help, all of you. I want you to each go somewhere alone and spend an hour writing out your schedules and any ideas on how we can have more family fun time. I'm going to order lunch and we can get together, eat lunch and work out a plan to fix this. I don't like when your mom is upset so we need to fix this."
All four kids started grumbling loudly and complaining as one until Santana put two fingers in her mouth and whistled loudly.
"Knock it off, this is for your mom, remember her, the tall beautiful blonde who gives her life for you heathens, the one who would give you her only remaining kidney; which just for the record, I wouldn't so don't ask." She glared at all of them one at a time and they all smirked back, knowing she was so full of it and just acting tough. "Is she really asking so much of you guys, just to spend a little more time with you and with all of us as a family, build some traditions, make some memories for when you have your own kids, which will not happen for at least 30 more years by the way?"
Each of the kids sat back lost in memories of their kind, gentle mom and all the ways she made their lives special.
"Mami, remember when Chris used to be a jerk and embarrassed me in class and Mom taught me that really cool dance and when he tried it he fell on his face in front of everyone and he got so embarrassed he was going to quit dance class?" Santana nodded, "And what did she have you do?" Dani continued, "She told me that people only bullied people to cover their own fears and I should be nice to him and teach him the dance." The Latina smiled fondly, "Sounds like your Mom, what happened then?" Dani laughed, "I taught him and Chris became my best friend. Mom said she was really proud of me that day!" Dani beamed remembering how special it felt to make her mom so proud.
"Jace?" "It was my first science fair and the switch failed and my volcano wouldn't blow up and so Mom ran to the vending machine and bought a can of V-8 juice and poured in into the volcano until it spilled over the sides. It was so disgusting looking and it smelled so bad! Then she stood behind the curtain making volcano eruption noises until everyone including me was laughing so hard, but it was because Mom was so funny and not because I was a nerd like usual." Santana smiled and nodded remembering how funny Britt was that day and how she took all the attention off Jace's embarrassment, who walked away with 2nd place that day.
"Michael?" "When I fell out of the treehouse over in the Snyder's backyard and broke my arm. I was crying so loud and it hurt so bad. I looked up and Mom was standing right next to me, she heard me yell and ran through the backyards till she found me. She picked me up and held me in the backseat when Mr. Snyder drove to the hospital. I was trying so hard not to cry like a girl and Mom started to sing me those crazy duck songs of hers and it took my mind of all the pain. When I came home she made me peanut butter and chocolate chip pancakes to cheer me up. It was awesome!" Santana grinned, "She also made those pancakes shaped like ducks if I remember correctly!" Michael laughed out loud nodding and smiling at the memory of his crazy mom and not remembering the pain or fear he felt that day.
"Abby?" "When I got the chicken pox, I had spots all over and it was so awful and I itched so much but I fell asleep after I had some medicine and when I woke up she had bought me that big stuffed leopard to snuggle and gave me a bath with that oatmeal stuff and let me have ginger ale and popsicles and she sat with me and we watched movies for 3 days until I stopped itching." Santana leaned over and kissed her youngest on her nose, "She said the spots made you even more beautiful and unique than you were already!" Abby sat up taller and smiled, she knew her mom was the prettiest lady ever and everyone said she looked just like her. She was proud of that.
Santana let the kids really think about all those great memories for a minute before she softly said, "Don't you think we can spend just a little bit of time and effort making a super-Mom like that happy, just a little bit?"
This time there was no grumbling or complaining just heads nodding in agreement, "Alright, pizza or tacos? Then let's meet back here in an hour with lots of ideas!"
Everyone took off to their favorite spot in the house to think.
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Brittany came home Saturday evening and walked in the back door. Dani was in the kitchen making popcorn and Jace was getting drinks for everyone, "Hi Mom!" Dani said cheerily as Jace smiled at her.
"Hi babies, what's up?" Brittany said looking confused.
"Welcome to the first weekly Lopez movie night!" Santana said from her spot leaning on the doorframe, "We have 4 kids, 2 movies, snacks, pizza and now our favorite tall blonde dancer mom! I'd say we are ready to begin this first of many special evenings!"
Santana took her arm and lead her out to the living room which had been decorated with bean bag chairs, tables, pillows and blankets. Michael was putting paper plates and napkins on the table and Abby was rearranging the bean bag chairs, both walked over and hugged their mom's legs when she walked in the room.
"Hi Mommy, look how much fun we are going to have!" Abby started chattering excitedly, "Look what else we have!" She grabbed Brittany's hand and pulled her into the hallway that leads to the garage. She stood still and proudly pointed to a large bulletin board calendar all filled out.
Santana came up behind her wife and put her arms around her waist and said, "Everyone's schedule, we each have a different color so we always know what everyone is doing. We all agreed to eat breakfast together as a family every single day. See here, no one is doing anything on Tuesday nights so that will be Lopez family game night!"
Michael took over, "We are all gonna pick some games we love and we will eat dinner all together, do dishes and play games until bedtime."
Dani walked up and leaned on her tall blonde mom and said, "Sunday mornings we are all going to go out to eat breakfast, then we are all going to go to the duck pond and feed the ducks and throw around the Frisbee and play soccer and stuff."
Jace finished, "And if it's raining we can go to the aquarium or a museum or something."
"The important thing is that we are all agreed to do it together, as a family, right guys?" Santana said as everyone cheered loudly.
Brittany stood there unable to speak with tears pouring down her cheeks and a big smile plastered on her face and both hands on her cheeks trying to hide the tears and not upset her kids.
Abby tugged on her shirt until Britt looked down at her little clone baby, "Isn't it awesome Mommy, don't you just love it?"
Brittany just burst out laughing and crying at the same time as she knelt down and picked up her youngest and hugged her tightly, "I do love it baby, I just love it!"
Everyone started out to the living room as Michael muttered to himself, "All that work and she's still acting nutso." Santana just sighed as she smacked him in the back of his head. Michael turned around and gave her the infamous Fabray one eyebrow glare, "What was that for? She was laughing and crying, at the same time!"
"Remind me to teach you a little bit more about girls buddy! C'mon before they get all the mushroom pizza!" His Mami smirked.
Michael laughed and pushed his Mami gently as he ran in front of her, "beat you too it!"
"Oh you cheat!" Santana laughed back and tried to catch up.
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Halfway through the second movie, Brittany looked around the room at her kids all sprawled out enthralled by Jurassic Park. She could see their happy beautiful faces in the soft reflection of the light off the television screen.
She realized how lucky and blessed she really was and how silly she was to have been so worried. She looked around to locate Santana who was down on the floor nestled between Jace and Michael.
Her blue eyes sought out the dark warm chocolate brown eyes of her beloved and just like she thought, Santana was staring at her as well. They just had radar that way. Santana whispered, "I love you! Are you happy mi amor?"
Brittany hugged a sleepy Abby closer to her chest and leaned her head on Dani's shoulder and whispered back, "Never happier baby, never happier!"
Both women smiled in contentment and turned back to watch the rest of the movie.
Hope you liked it…