Disclaimer: I have not now, nor will i ever own glee or its characters (unfortunatley) but that deosn't mean that i can't use them for stories, right? :)

A/N: Here is the next chap, sorry its late - again hehe :) I hope it was worth the wait.

P.S I recommend listening to the songs that are used in each chap, i feel like it gives the story that little bit of oomph, if you feel like trying it then the song for this chap is Picking Up The Pieces by Paloma Faith - a great song by the way - aaannd, thats all i got so read and enjoy!

Chapter Six

The Next Day

26th March 2012

He didn't know what to do, she wasn't answering her phone.

Why wasn't she answering?

He hadn't seen her since she left to go to the store yesterday. She was supposed to come back. She didn't come back.

Where did she go? Who was she with? Was she even with anyone?

Why wouldn't she just answer her damn phone already?

He knew that answer, though, because she was Brittany. His beautiful, precious Brittany and she just never answered her phone. That's who she was, something she just constantly forgot to do and although it could be so very annoying and frustrating at times, James found that he could never hate her for it. It was the simple things about her that he loved the most. Like the fact that she never answered her phone.

But what she did always do was make sure she came home. She would always come back somehow. No matter what happened, even if the two had a big fight she would always find her way back home somehow. And she always made sure that he knew where she was at all times, she never liked to make him worry, she said so herself.

So why was she making him worry now? And where the hell was she?

It was late at night when James suddenly heard the familiar noise of a car engine. He knew that it was her straight away. After hours of sitting and then getting up and pacing in the living-room, of their small two bed-roomed apartment, she was finally home. He quickly walked over to their window, which overlooked their street, and saw a flash of golden-blonde hair. The same blonde hair that he'd woken up to for years now. A small smile graced his tanned, masculine face. He ran both hands through his brown, ruffled hair and sighed a small breathe of relief. She was safe. She was alive. She came back. That was all that mattered. For now.

But when he heard the small pitter-patter of her feet running up the stairs and then flinging the front door open so fast that it hit the wall and bounced back, James realised that something wasn't right. It became more apparent when he saw his fiancé's tear stained face, for just a second, before she lifted her hand to her eyes and wiped away the remaining tears whilst running straight for their bedroom door.

"Brittany!" James called out to her as he watched her run past him.

She didn't answer back. All he got was a small sniffle in reply. "Brittany, babe, what's wrong?" he asked her gently. Still no reply.

And then the next thing he knows she's slamming the door in his face.

Something definitely wasn't right. But what that was he didn't know.

Why didn't she just tell him?

He tried again and knocked on their door, quietly at first, but when she didn't say anything he knocked a bit louder.

"Brittany, please tell me what's wrong? I didn't do anything did I?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.

Even though he couldn't see her, he knew that she was shaking her head. That helped clear that part of his mind at least. But he still wanted to know one more thing.

"Why didn't you come back?" he said aloud. He was only supposed to think that but when he heard more sniffling he knew that he didn't regret saying that last part, because he knew that she was regretting not coming back.

"I'm sorry" and that was all she said before James could see the light turn off in their room.

He decided to just leave it, for now, as he knew that he was lucky to even get that out of her right now. So he slowly walked away and headed for the couch. He knew that she would need some time alone so he would respect her wishes and do just that. He'd find out what was bothering her the next day, for now he was just glad that she was back safe and sound and that she wasn't going to leave him again tonight.

James grabbed the blanket that they always leave on the side of the couch – Brittany did love to snuggle during 'The Little Mermaid' – and grabbed the cushion with his free hand before chucking them both on the side of the couch. Their living-room couch wasn't the most comfortable in the world, but after having their fair share of arguments over the years James had learned to live with it. He quickly took his shirt and jeans off, deciding to just sleep in his boxers – seeing as he couldn't go in their room to get his sleeping-pants – and then placed his keys and phone on the coffee table. He sat on the edge of the couch for a while, his hands running up and down his face, as he tried to think of why Brittany might be upset.

Something must have happened to have made her get in that state; it wasn't very often that the girl cried like that. If she ever did start to get emotional it would usually just be small tears that made her lips wobble, nothing like how he had seen her only a moment ago. Her make-up was smudged and all over her face, she's never been that bad before. Well not recently anyway. She hasn't been like that for years. And James thought that was the way it was finally going to stay. Maybe he was wrong after all.

James quickly got up, shaking his head of all thoughts; he just needed to get some rest. He'd find out in the morning. Brittany was bound to tell him about it then. They both just needed to sleep it all off. James nodded to himself at that thought and decided to pick up his phone and turn the radio on. That always helped him get some dreamless sleep.

He turned a few channels, making sure the volume was low, before finally finding the right one for him and then placing the phone back where he put it. He sat back down again and was just about to lie down and sleep when something caught his eye. It was a small flash. He didn't concentrate on it at first, thinking that it was just his mind playing tricks on him, but then he saw it again. In the corner of his eye. And when he properly looked he could see that it was something small and brown.

He couldn't figure out how it got his attention at first, but then he noticed that it had a shiny metal on it too. James became very curious. He had never noticed that before. It was hiding right behind their small television. He decided to see what it was, his curiosity getting the better of him.

He got up from the couch and walked over to it slowly. His eyes never leaving the shining metal. Once he reached it, he bent down and reached behind the TV to pick it up. When he had a firm grip of it he quickly stood up straight with the object in hand. He raised his right hand and found plain brown wood, so he turned the square object round and found the last thing he was expecting to see. When he did he couldn't help the gasp that came out of his mouth and suddenly everything came back to him.

All the nights of tears and trauma, trips down memory lane. The many nights of talking about the past and the present. All the times that he had to hug and whisper sweet reassurances to a broken body. All those nights of trying to hold in tears as a broken face became tear-stained, mascara smudging right in front of him. He had never seen her cry that much before, well not for a while anyway. And then suddenly James had it all figured out. He looked back down at the brown picture frame in his hand and let one small tear fall down his face.

He thought he'd never have to deal with this again. Deal with her again. But here she was, looking straight back at him. In all her smiling glory.

Santana Lopez.

It was bad enough that Brittany and he had to see her face everywhere they went, on billboards and magazines, but to actually have her in their house. That was just plain wrong.

He looked at the picture once more, and looked at how happy Brittany looked, back when she was sixteen and had everything all set out for her. He looked and stared at her smiling face, making her eyes crinkle a bit at the corners. He could see the way they twinkled as they stared back into the eyes of the girl James had never met but was always envious of.

Her best friend Santana Lopez.

His eyes turned cold and hard as they bore into the happy memory he was witnessing before him.

Both teenagers in their McKinley high cheerleading uniform, Brittany had her arms wrapped around Santana's neck as she held the girl closer to her. Santana had her face to Brittany's as she placed a gentle kiss onto her rosy red cheeks. Even though she was sideways it was evident that the girl was smiling into the kiss. Brittany was facing the front, but her eyes were looking at hers, they were both staring into each other, and it was almost like they were the only people in the world. They both looked so free, so happy; anyone could feel their love for each other just by looking at this one picture. And that's what made James' eyes flash with anger the most.

How did the picture get there? Why was it still here in their flat?

James' jaw clenched. She had no right to be here. Even if she was just a memory. She was supposed to be a memory Brittany had forgotten about long ago.

So why hadn't she?

James knew why, because she was Santana freakin' Lopez. She would never just be a memory to her, and he knew it.

James' anger was becoming so strong and powerful that he was just about to throw their perfectly smiling faces onto the ground, when he finally acknowledged the song playing in the background. James immediately turned to his phone and instantly remembered turning the radio on. He didn't remember the song switching, but then again it was a while ago since he had turned it on so there was bound to be another song by now.

He didn't think he had ever heard this one before, the melody was one he didn't recognise, but he did find the voice to be familiar. It was a kind-of calm, girly voice, he figured he must have heard Brittany play one of her other songs before, because this one sounded new. He wasn't sure what made him fully listen to it until he started to hear the lyrics of the song, and he realised that fate or karma must really be against him today, because what would be the chances of them playing this song, tonight, after what he had just been through as well. This night was just getting too weird for his liking.

# I found a photograph behind the TV

You look so happy, are you missing the way it used to be?

James didn't realise that he had been thinking that question, until now. Is that really how she felt? Did she still miss her? Most importantly, did she miss them?

And I have changed this room around more often lately

It's clear that me and these four walls

Still know it's hers and yours

She had been quite closed off and distant recently. She had become quieter, not her usual talkative self, and he found she wasn't as bouncy as she used to be. Sometimes she would just sit there and stare, she had been daydreaming a lot more than usual. He didn't really know when this had started but if he had to guess he would say it was when he proposed. Everything was perfectly fine until they both decided to take the next step in their relationship. Now she was quiet and her walls seemed to have gone shooting up. And now, he knew why.

Perfect heart, she's so flawless

She's the other woman

Shining in her splendour

You were lost

Looking at the picture James could see that she really was flawless. He had always thought that, with every picture he saw of her. But that was just it; she was flawless, in pictures. He knew what she was really like because of what she did to Brittany. What she made her go through, everyday. All the pain, she really wasn't that perfect after all. When he thought about it, he really didn't know what Brittany saw in her.

Now she's gone

And I'm picking up the pieces

I watch you cry

But you don't see that I'm the one by your side

He was always there for her. Everyday. He had never left her. He would never leave her. He just couldn't do that to her. Unlike her, he knew what he had and he intended to keep it. He knew she was too good to lose.

Cause she's gone

In her shadow is it me you see?

Cause all that's left is you and I

And I'm picking up the pieces

She left behind

But just like the song said, she was the other person. And he was the one that had to clean up the mess she had made. He would never call someone as perfect as Brittany a mess, but her heart sure was. She was completely broken when they had met. And she still was even years after that. And he was the one that had to pick her up when she fell.

And she did fall. A lot.

But he never gave up on her.

Are we liars in denial?

Are we smoke without the fire?

Tell me please, is this worth it

I deserve it

Were they breaking apart?

No, James knew that Brittany loved him. He could tell. He knew they were worth it.

But did she? Where they enough for her?

James knew they were because he made it so, everyday. Brittany loves him; James wasn't going to question that. But still, apart of him just didn't know anymore. He looked down at the picture once more and saw just how happy they were. He began to question if they were ever that happy too? James seemed to think so.

But did she?

Cause she's gone

And I'm picking up the pieces

I watch you cry

But you don't see that I'm the one by your side

James decided to sit back down on the couch, and take slow, deep breathes. But it still didn't stop the tears from falling. He remembered every night he ever witnessed Brittany crying, those tear-stained mascara running cries. And after all those years of being strong and holding in the tears, he finally broke down too. As he listened to the song come to an end he realised that it was going to be a long night.

Cause she's gone

In her shadow is it me you see?

Cause all that's left is you and I

And I'm picking up the pieces

She left behind