Chapter 24 - Papers

"Santana can we go down to the studio today? I need to do a few things there." She asked the girl who was sitting next to her on the bed reading one of the magazine she bought for Brittany the day before.

Santana looked up from the magazine and raised an eyebrow in the blondes direction. "Are you sure? Are you up for that? That's a long ways to walk with your injuries. We could take a taxi. I don't-" She rambled.

"Santana. I will be fine. Stop worrying. I need to get there before the weekend is over. So I thought we could go today."

"Ok but I can't help but worry about you. I mean for Pete's sake Brittany you where hit by a car less than a week ago." Santana smiled sympathetically at Brittany.

"Well I am feeling a lot better today. Yeah my side is still killing me but I thinking I am used to it. I feel a lot better just being out of the hospital and at home." Brittany paused and looked around the room. "Uh not at home I guess but- uh here with you. You make it feel like I'm at home even if I'm not in my actual home." She finished and put her hand on Santana thigh and gave it a squeeze. She looked over at the Latina and smiled warmly at her. Santana leaned over and captured Brittany's lips with her own for a slow caring kiss.

"Ok we will go to the studio." She said as she pulled her lips away from Brittany's.

The blondes face broke into a huge grateful smile. "Great."


When Brittany and Santana got to the studio Santana took the keys and opened the door and held it open for Brittany to enter. "Thanks babe." Brittany said as she stepped inside. She stopped and looked around the large room. Santana closed the door and stood next to her. Brittany dropped her head and let out a loud sigh. Santana put her hand on the small of Brittany's back and rubbed it soothingly.

Brittany wouldn't be able to dance for at least another 5 weeks. Just the thought of not being able to was a depressing one. She didn't have any kids classes until the end of January so she wasn't worried about that. She however did have a few adult classes that run until mid-December that she was going to have to cancel. There was just no way around it unless she hired someone to teach for her in her absence. But Brittany didn't have the money to pay someone to teach.

"You'll be back before you know it." Santana said in an attempt to lift Brittany spirits. She knew coming to the dance studio would be hard for Brittany. She just wasn't sure exactly how difficult it would be. Brittany didn't say anything in response she just made her way over to her office. "So what do you have to do while we're here?" Santana asked the blonde as she followed her into her office.

Brittany sat down in her office chair and pulled out one of the desk drawers and started looking around. She shut the drawer setting a couple of folders on the desktop. She pulled open another drawer and rummaged around for a few seconds before shutting the drawer again. Brittany spun around in the chair and pulled one of the drawers of the file cabinet that was behind her open. She found and took out three files spinning around and setting them on the desk. The whole time not acknowledging Santana who had been standing in the doorway.

"Brittany what are you doing?" She asked half curious and half worried at Brittany's mood and actions.

"Paperwork." She pulled a pen out of a cup filled with writing utensils. She opened one of the folders and started scribbling on the paper that was on the top. She finished and closed the folder and opened the next one and scribbled something on that paper too before closing it and moving to the next. After she finished she spun around in her chair again and put the files away.

Brittany turned and looked at Santana. "What?" She said before turning back to her desk and looking over the papers that were still in front of her. Santana didn't know what to do or say so she just stood there in the door. Brittany was definitely acting weird. Santana thought she looked uncomfortable being at the studio. Maybe that's what it was but she didn't know. She just let Brittany continue with what she was doing.

Brittany shuffled through papers and then stopped. She grabbed the staplers from the corner of the desk and stapled the stack of papers that were in her hand together. With the papers in hand she looked around the office before standing up in an apparent hurry. She stepped towards the door brushing past Santana exiting the office. "Lets go." She said as she walked past the brunette into the studio.

The blonde walked over to the stereo and hit the eject button. A cd popped out and she grabbed it and slid it in her jacket pocket. She pushed the tray closed and moved towards the front door. "Ready?" She asked Santana ask she reached the door. Santana nodded her head and pushed the door open. Brittany stepped outside followed by Santana. The Latina turned around once she crossed the threshold and locked the door.

She turned back expecting Brittany to be standing there waiting for her. But the blonde wasn't there. She looked around and saw Brittany halfway down the block. She ran after the blonde. "Brittany wait." She yelled.

Santana caught up to Brittany as they reached the end of the block. "What's the hurry?"

Brittany shook her head and looked at Santana questioningly. "Huh? What?" The blonde asked furrowing her brow.

"What's the hurry?" Santana repeated looking into Brittany's eyes hoping they would tell her something.

Brittany turned her head and looked for traffic before crossing the street. Santana realized Brittany was walking again and followed. Brittany walked with her gaze down towards the sidewalk in front of her. "I just need to get back. I have a bunch of phone calls to make. Ok?"

"That's fine Britt but you have all afternoon. I wanted to know what the hurry was. You should slow down. Take it easy. You're injured remember. I don't want you to have any setbacks from overdoing it."

Brittany stopped and turned towards Santana. She stopped abruptly trying not to run into the blonde. "I know I'm injured for Christ's sake. I'm in pain every second of the day. It's all I can and think about. But I'll be fine. And don't tell me what to do. You're not my mother." She almost yelled at the Latina. She turned around and continued walking back to Santana's apartment.

Santana stood frozen in her place. She was stunned. She didn't know this Brittany. Brittany had never spoken to her like that. She had never seen the blonde even raise her voice to anyone. She had never heard her yell. She had never seen Brittany angry. It scared her. She got herself together and followed Brittany down the sidewalk walking a step behind her silently the rest of the way back.

When they got back to Santana's apartment she unlocked the door. Brittany entered the apartment and went directly to the bedroom and shut the door behind her. Santana shut the front door and let out a deep sigh. She wasn't sure that was happening. She wasn't sure what to do. She decided that for now she would just leave Brittany alone. Give her some space maybe that's all she needs. Santana thought moving into the kitchen and making herself a sandwich.

Brittany took off her jacket and put it on the chair. She went over to the bed and sat down with her back against the headboard. She reached over to the nightstand and grabbed her phone. She looked down at the paper in her hand and dialed the first phone number.

Brittany dialed number after number either talking to or leaving a message with all her students in her adult classes telling them that classes would be canceled. And that there would be no classes until the first of February.

When Brittany finally finished calling all of her students she had one more phone call that she had to make. She swiped her hand over her face and picked up the phone and dialed the number she knew by heart.

"Hello Pierce residence."

"Hi mom it's Brittany."

"Oh hi Britt. I just talked to you a couple days ago. Is everything ok? Are you alright?" Brittany's mother asked worried as to why Brittany was calling her when she had just talked with her daughter two days ago.

"Yes mom I'm fine." She said with a sigh. She wished everyone would stop worrying about her.

"Ok. So then what do I owe the pleasure?" Her mother said lightening the mood.

"I wanted to talk to you about Christmas this year. As you might have guessed I will have a modify my plans somewhat. Ya know with my injuries and all."

"Yes dear." She said waiting for Brittany to continue.

"Well I was thinking-" Brittany closed her eyes thinking her new plan through before saying it out loud. "I was thinking that since I can't drive I would fly there. Well Santana said no to driving. But pretty much everything else will go as normal. Fly in on Christmas Day and fly out on the day after New Years. Is that alright with you and dad?" She asked waiting for her mother's response.

"Ok so if I have this straight you will be flying not driving and you will get here on Christmas day and leave on January second."

"Yep. We will be there the 25th thru the 2nd." Brittany said confirming there plans.

"Wait. We. Does that mean Santana's coming with you?" Her mother asked excited.

"Yes." Brittany said with a dramatic sigh.

"Britt how come you don't sound excited about Santana coming along? Is something wrong? Are things not going well between you two?"

"Oh I am excited that she is coming with. I really am. I can't wait til you guys meet. But-" Brittany sighed again. "I may have yelled at her before."

"Brittany what? That's not like you."

"I know."

"Well what happened? Why did you yell?"

"We went over to my studio. I had to do a few things there and pick up some paperwork so I could call me students. It was hard. When we got there everything overwhelmed me. I can't dance for like six weeks and I had to cancel my classes you know. I was upset and frustrated." Brittany stopped feeling ashamed at her actions.

"Ok Brittany but why did you yell?"

"So I did what I need and we left as fast as possible. I was hurrying down the sidewalk. I just wanted to get away from there. I sort of left Santana behind when she was locking the door. When she caught up to me she told me I should slow down and take it easy. She didn't want me to overdue it." She huffed out recalling the earlier events.

"I snapped I guess. I told her I was fine and not to tell me what to do. And I said 'you're not my mother'. I raised my voice at her mom. I basically yelled at her. And now I feel terrible about it." She explained as tears started to build in her eyes.

"Oh my. Well sounds like you might owe someone an apology." Brittany's mother suggested.

Brittany sniffled into the phone. "I know. That's what I am going to do next. After I am done talking with you."

"Well I won't keep you then. Get on with it. I need to see my daughter and her girlfriend standing on my doorstep come Christmas Day."

What her mother said brought a smile to Brittany's face. "Ok. Thanks mom. Can't wait to see you on Christmas. Love you. Bye."

"Bye Britt."

Brittany hung up the phone and set it down on the bed. She took a deep breath and then pushed herself up off the bed. Her side killing her in the process. Time for another pain killer. She thought and left the bedroom heading for the bathroom. The opened the cabinet and took out her pills popping one into her mouth. She swallowed it with a couple gulps of water. She looked at herself in the mirror letting out a big breathe of air preparing for what she had to do next.

The blonde walked out of the bathroom and down the hallway. She stopped at the end and looked around. She spotted Santana sitting at the kitchen table her arms folded on the table with her head resting on top of them. Brittany silently walked over to the Latina trying not to startle her. She gently placed her right hand on Santana's back. The brunette immediately sat up at the unexpected contact.

Santana lifted her head to look at Brittany. She turned in her seat so she could she her better. "Brittany." Santana gasped out not expecting the blonde to be standing there. "What are you-" Santana didn't finish her sentence because Brittany had placed her index finger to Santana's lips silencing her.

"Shh." Brittany said following her finger. Brittany removed her finger and brought her hand up to Santana's shoulder and set it there. "No talking." Santana looked up at her expectantly.

"Ok about earlier today. First of all I am sorry. I never ever in a million years meant to yell at you. I feel terrible that I did. I was upset. I was sad at seeing the studio knowing that I wouldn't be able to dance for a really long time. I was mad that I had to make calls to my students and tell them there wouldn't be anymore classes this year. Or until February for that matter. I was all just too much and it got to me. I should have never taking my frustration out on you. For that I am sorry." She gave Santana an apologetic smile and squeezed her shoulder with her hand.

Santana stood up from the chair and put her hands on each of Brittany's hips. She moved in closer until their bodies where nearly touching. She stood up on her tippy toes and placed a soft warm forgiving kiss on the blondes lips. She came back down to stand flat on her feet. Hers eyes staring up into Brittany's. Brittany brought her left arm up over Santana's shoulder and locked her fingers together behind Santana. The cast forcing her to not be able to do anything more.

Santana grinned up at Brittany. "Does this mean I'm forgiven?" Santana nodded her head still grinning at the blonde. "Good. My mom will be glad." Santana looked at her curiously waiting for an explanation. "I was just talking to her. I told her about Christmas. That you would be coming with me." Brittany said smiling from ear to ear.

Santana brought her hands around Brittany's back pulling her into a tight embrace. She rested her head against the blonde shoulder. She took in Brittany's scent before pressing her lips to the spot of Brittany's neck just below her ear. "I love you Brittany." She said and squeezed the girl tighter.

Brittany craned the neck so she could look into Santana's eyes. "I love you too Santana." She kissed the brunette on the cheek before wrapping her arms around the smaller girls shoulder holding her tight. They stayed there in a tight embrace for a while just soaking in the comfort of being in the others arms.

Eventually Santana pulled back a little and looked up to Brittany's face. "Are you hungry? I could make you something." Brittany nodded her head and kissed Santana on the forehead before letting her go.