The rest of the weekend was spent lounging around, soaking up the sun, and avoiding any talk or reality or what would happen when they got back to Lima. However it was hard to avoid thinking about it on their drive home. Neither one really decided to leave, they just both started getting ready and before they knew it they were on the highway.
The drive back was silent, but they held hands the whole way, drawing strength from each other. Santana drove past her house when she saw Brittany's mom's car and went around the block again. She could feel Brittany's hand start to tense as they got close.
Finally she parked and they got out of the car, leaving everything in it but their phones. Brittany held tight to Santana's hand. When they got to the front door, Santana stopped. She looked at Brittany and kissed her. Then she whispered, "I love you and no matter what happens we'll be okay." She kissed Brittany's cheek and turned to the front door.
With one last look to Brittany who looked nervous, Santana opened the front door. They didn't see any of their parents as they walked into the house. They went through the living room and into the kitchen before they found Santana's dad coming down the stairs. "Hey girls, you're back before we thought you would be." He hugged them both and put his hands on his hips. His jeans had paint smears on them and his shirt was dusty.
"Where's mom?" Santana asked, looking around.
"She's upstairs," he beamed. "C'mon. We're almost finished with your surprise." He nudged Brittany's shoulder, "I really hope you like it Brittany."
Santana and Brittany exchanged a questioning look as they followed him up the stairs. He led them to the top of the stairs and down the hallway to the end of it. He opened a door at the end of the hallway held it open for them. It was the door that led up to the attic.
Santana looked at her dad who was smiling at her. Brittany slid her hand back into Santana's. Attics in general gave her the creeps. All those boxes that you couldn't see through and the cobwebs screamed horror movie. Santana knew this and walked up first, keeping Brittany's hand firmly in her own.
"Honey, the girls are here," her dad called up past them and then followed them up.
Their moms appeared at the top of the stairs before Santana and Brittany could make it all the way up. They both smiled down at them, both in paint stained clothes.
Santana frowned, "What's going on?"
"It's your surprise," Brittany mom grinned. She looked wistfully down at her daughter.
The blonde again looked to Santana who shrugged. She took the last step into the attic and finally saw what the big deal was about. Her jaw dropped open. Brittany was donning a similar look next to her.
The parents watched their daughters and the girls surveyed the room. All the dusty boxes had been moved out. The floor had been refinished and polished. The sloped roof had been painted a light lilac color that framed Santana's bed. There were nightstands on each side of the bed and a wardrobe on the opposite wall. There was a small area by the wardrobe that was closed off by curtains, but one of the curtains was pulled back revealing a small, cramped bathroom.
Brittany's mom put her hand on Brittany's shoulder, trying to restrain tears. She kissed the side of her daughter's head.
Santana walked over to the wardrobe and opened it, finding it divided in the middle. Half her clothes and half Brittany's. She turned back to look at her dad who just smiled and nodded.
The quiet was broken by Santana's mom who looked at her daughter's outfit, "Is that my throw?"
Santana looked down at her new sundress. Which was made from a throw that she was sure her mom would never miss. "Yes?"
Her mom just shook her head, her smile not leaving her face. She looked at Brittany, "What do you think Brittany?"
The blonde looked hesitantly at Santana's mom, "Is this for…us?"
She got an affirmative nod and then looked to Santana. She searched Santana's face for the smallest reaction. A smile formed on Santana face and she hugged Brittany and then she hugged her dad, then her mom. She even hugged Brittany's mom.
"You okay?" Brittany's mom asked her.
Brittany looked at her mom and nodded. She let out a small smile. She wanted to ask if this meant that her dad was really kicking her out, but she didn't want to ruin the mood. Santana looked damn near ecstatic.
"I've never met a married couple who lived in separate houses. At least not a married couple who actually liked each other," Santana's dad rested a hand on Brittany's shoulder, "And since we had the extra room, we figured that you two could move over here."
Santana could see through her dad's veiled attempt to take away from the probability that Brittany's dad didn't actually want her back in the house. She moved to Brittany's side and wrapped her arms around Brittany's waist. She rested her chin on Brittany's shoulder, "You okay?"
The blonde took a deep breath and nodded. She looked at Santana with a sad smile that Santana could see right through. Santana looked to Brittany's mom for help.
Brittany's mom looked at Santana's parents, "Can we have a minute?"
"Sure," Santana's dad nodded, "C'mon Santana, we actually have something to discuss with you."
Santana was reluctant to leave Brittany, but eventually did with a quick kiss on the cheek and a reassuring squeeze.
Once the entire Lopez family was in the kitchen, they all sat at the table. Santana folded her hands in front of her. She looked at her parents who were both looking right at her.
"Well," her mom started, "I don't know if you two have talk about it, but we were wondering if you wanted to have some sort of formal wedding or a reception of some kind."
Santana shrugged. She couldn't care less. She had Brittany and that was what counted.
"If you do," her dad added, "You can plan it all yourself if you'd like. We have a Santana wedding fund that we've been growing ever since you and Brittany were pretending to get married on the playground at your elementary school."
Santana chuckled. It seemed like it was all destined to be. They got married when they were little and they were married now. She had to ask, "You have a wedding fund for me?"
"We have a Santana wedding fund, college fund, Brittany's college fund. First house fund and so on," her dad rattled off, "If we thought you'd need a large amount of money for it, we started to save for it."
Santana studied them, "Did you say Brittany college fund?"
Her mom nodded, "She's been like part of the family for such a long time it just seemed natural. It's not as much as yours because it got started a lot later, but since you both got into the same college and are planning to live together, I don't think the difference matters much."
The Cheerio stood up from the table and walked around it, pulling her parents into a three-way hug. She'd taken them for granted for a long time and now they did something like this and she truly appreciated them.
Up in Brittany and Santana's new bedroom, Brittany and her mom sat on the bed together. Her mom was explaining that her father still loved her, but was having a difficult time with the situation. Her mom seemed a little more than pissed at Brittany's dad, but was trying not to show it.
"You're always welcome to come home," her mom ended with, "You're my baby and I love you."
Brittany sniffled and nodded, her eyes on the ground.
Her mom stroked her hair, "You've grown up so fast and soon you'll be in college." She took a deep breath, "You're going to do great things Brittany. You're beautiful and talented and you have the support of me and your new in-laws as well as your constant guardian and now wife." Brittany smiled and nodded. Her mom continued, "I just wish you would have grown up a lot slower."
Brittany leaned into her mom and gave her a hug, "I love you mom."
"I love you too," her mom replied, "And you have to promise me now that you'll come home for Christmas every year when you're in college."
Brittany grinned, "I promise."
Her mom looked around at the newly minted bedroom, "Are you going to be okay in here? Do you need anything? Blankets? Santana's mother and I are going to get your desk later today because I know you like it."
The blonde Cheerio looked around the room. It was pretty great for only having been worked on for three days. She couldn't see anything huge missing, but her desk was going to be nice to have. She shook her head, "I like it."
"I knew you would," her mom smiled, "You were always rather independent." She rubbed Brittany's arm, "Let's go downstairs. I think Santana's parents were talking about having some kind of barbeque."
Brittany nodded and stood with her mother. When she turned around though, she saw Santana walking up the steps and stop at the top.
Brittany's mom smiled at the two, "I'll give you two some times to get used to it." She disappeared down the stairs.
Santana walked over to Brittany and sat on the edge of her bed. The blonde dropped back on the bed.
"So," Santana looked her over, "Is this okay with you?"
"Is what okay?"
"Everything," Santana offered, "This is happening really, really fast. We were planning to live together when we moved out, but we still have three months of school and," She smiled, "We're married."
Brittany leaned into Santana. She rested her head on Santana's shoulder, "I like this room."
"Me too," Santana stroked her hair, "I've been begging for my parents to let me move into the attic for years. If I'd have known all I had to do was get married…."
Brittany giggled. She kissed Santana's cheek. She sat up and took a deep breath.
"So you're okay?" Santana asked.
Brittany nodded, "My, um, my mom said that my dad is still doesn't want me to move back in with them."
"I know," Santana rubbed Brittany's back, "I'm sorry."
"It's okay. I wanted to live with you anyway."
"He'll change him mind," Santana turned sideways on the bed and crossed her legs toward. "My mom wanted to know if we wanted to have an actual wedding or a reception or something. Do you?"
Brittany shrugged, "Why would we get married again?"
Santana grinned, "I thought that too. So do you want to have a reception? We could invite all of our friend and family and get totally fabulous dresses."
"Sounds fun," Brittany smiled.
Santana looked at Brittany, smiling. This was all surreal. They were married. They got to live together and soon they would be graduating. They were going to college together. Life was just starting for them and she wasn't scared at all. She had Brittany. Forever and for always.
"I love you," she whispered, like it was their little secret.
The blonde giggled and kissed Santana, "I love you too."
Santana deepened the kiss and moved so that Brittany was laying on her back on their bed. Their parents could wait a few more minutes. They were going to break in their new bedroom.
The End. Hope you enjoyed it.