A/N

Since you asked so nicely, here's the next chapter. Just cause it's friday ;)

Ratings and disclaimer from the first chapter apply.

Chapter 4.

Santana was exhausted as she entered her condo. She dropped her bag on the floor and threw herself on the couch. She picked up her phone from her jeans pocket and called her mother before she'd be too tired.

"Santana! Are you at home?" Anita said as she answered.

"Yes, I just got in. I'm beat so I'm just gonna grab something to eat and then head straight to bed. I just thought I'd call you first." Santana said.

"I'm glad you're home safe. We'll talk more tomorrow, good night honey."

"Night mom."

Santana put her phone down on the table and closed her eyes for a second. She was deadbeat. Luckily she had some frozen pizza in the freezer so she got up and threw one in the microwave before she'd become too tired to move.

After she'd eaten she opened a beer and went back to the couch and slumped down. She turned on the TV with no real intention to watch anything, she was too tired. After a few minutes of zapping through every channel she turned the thing off and decided to go to bed. She could really use a good night's sleep after only getting a few hours of sleep last night, or rather this morning.

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Her bed had never felt more comfortable. She checked the time, it was only 8.15pm but she didn't care. She closed her eyes and relaxed against the mattress and could feel she'd be asleep shortly. Just as she was about to doze off her phone beeped and she winced.

"For the love of God who is texting me now?" she growled as she picked up her iPhone to check her messages.

A number she didn't recognize had sent her a text message and her heart started to beat faster as she thought about who it might be. Her guess was right, it was Brittany.

Hi Santana. I hope I didn't wake you with this if you'd gone to sleep, your mom told me you were really tired. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that I had a really nice time last night talking with you and again this morning (but don't think you're forgiven for the Newfoundland comment ;)). I usually don't make new friends very easy, it takes a lot to gain my trust and for me to let someone in but with you I feel like I've known you forever. It's so easy to talk to you and I feel really comfortable in your company. You're a very easy person to like Santana Lopez and I just wanted you to know that. Sleep tight! / Brittany

Santana had a huge smile on her face after she'd read Brittany's text. She just had to text her back before she'd go to sleep.

You didn't wake me but I am dead tired :) Can't go to sleep without texting you back though :) I feel really comfortable in your company too and I also feel like I've known you forever. You have to admit, the Newfoundland thing was kinda funny ;) You're a very easy person to like too Brittany Pierce.

She hit send and then started typing again

I can't wait to see you again...

Her thumb hovered over the send button. She read the words on the screen again and again then deleted them. She really couldn't wait to see her again but she couldn't send that, could she? No, definitely not.

Anyway, I'm gonna sleep now. Thanks for the text, talk again soon okay? Good night :)

She hit send. Seconds later Brittany answered.

Definitely! Good night Santana.

Santana put her phone away and laid back down on her pillow. She fell asleep smiling.

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Monday went by rather quickly, she left early for work and stopped by the grocery store on her way home. She made dinner and after she'd eaten she decided to call her mother.

"Santana hi!" Anita answered as she saw her daughter's name appear on the display.

"Hi mom."

"How was work?" Anita asked.

"Same as always I guess. I really can't wait to get some time off, I could really need it." Santana said and sat down on the couch and rubbed her neck.

"Speaking about that, I've invited Brittany and Nathan to come with me and Jack to the cottage next weekend and wanted to ask if you would like to join us?" Anita said.

"Yeah, of course I'll come, it sounds like fun!" Santana said, not hesitating a second at the chance of seeing Brittany again.

"Lovely! However Jack and Nathan will only join us the first day, they're going on a fishing trip on Sunday with Jack's brother and a friend of Nathan's so they'll be gone for 4-5 days." Anita explained.

"Okay, well should I bring anything with me when I come?" Santana asked feeling utterly happy with the prospect of spending more time alone with Brittany without her fiance being there. Not that she didn't like Nathan, she did. He was a really nice guy but with him not being there, Brittany would be all hers.

Now that sounded completely wrong, she thought the second that thought entered her mind. That was not what she'd meant. Of course Brittany wouldn't be hers in that sense of the word, just free to hang out with her more without having to be interrupted by her boyfriend. That's all.

"Santana? Are you still there?" Anita wondered from the other side of the line. Santana had spaced out thinking about Brittany and didn't hear her mother's reply to her question.

"Sorry mom, I kinda disappeared for a second. You were saying?"

"I said that no, you don't have to bring anything with you. When will you get there? Sometime on Saturday or?" Anita wondered.

"Yeah, I work late on Friday otherwise I would have driven up to the lake straight after work but I'll leave early Saturday instead." Santana answered.

"We'll be there when you arrive. I gotta go but we'll talk some more later this week. Love you honey." Anita said.

"Love you too mom. Bye" Santana said and hung up.

She put her phone down beside her on the couch and thought about the upcoming weekend. She couldn't help but feel a tingling sensation in her stomach just thinking about spending time with Brittany again. She hoped the rest of the week would go by quickly.

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Never had a Friday evening felt so good. She'd picked up some takeaway thai food on her way home which was delicious and now she was watching a comedy and sipping on her second glass of wine. Her bag was already packed and she couldn't wait to go up to Minocqua tomorrow. Her phone beeped, indicating she'd received a new text message. She was slightly disappointed when it wasn't from who she'd hoped it would be. It was from her colleague and friend Melissa who just wished her a nice vacation. She typed a reply and left the phone on the couch while she walked into the kitchen to get some popcorn.

When she got back to the couch her phone blinked so she picked it up to see if Melissa had sent her another text but the new message wasn't from her.

This place is amazing! I could totally live here. I'm sitting on the pier with my feet in the water right now, it's lovely! Can't wait for you to get here tomorrow and show me around :) B

Santana's heart jumped in her chest as she re-read the text. The Can't wait for you to get here tomorrow and show me around part really stuck with her and she briefly thought that if she hadn't had those couple of glasses of wine she would've jumped in her car and started driving up to Minocqua tonight. She started typing back:

Yes it is quite a place though there are a few places around there that's even more impressive ;)

Brittany's reply came quickly:

There is? Well you're gonna show me all of them :)

Santana smiled as she read Brittany's reply. She started typing and hit send:

Maybe... ;)

Why was she flirting with her? Cause yes, she was definitely flirting.

Brittany's reply came within seconds:

Maybe?

Santana smirked and typed back:

It depends...

Brittany was puzzled and replied:

On what if I may ask?

Santana smiled as her thumbs swiped over the screen:

On whether or not you'll forgive me for the newfoundland thing ;)

Brittany chuckled, she thought about what she should reply to that.

Okay, if you show me one place that is more impressive than it is here, I'll forgive you for comparing me to a drooling dog.

Santana laughed and quickly typed:

Haha, deal! :)

Brittany smiled and wrote one last message:

So I'll see you tomorrow then. Drive safely.

Santana answered:

I will. See you tomorrow Brittany.

Brittany put her phone back in her pocket and looked out over the water. She was really excited to spend the next couple of days in this place. Her thoughts wandered to Santana and thinking about spending more time with the brunette made her feel even more excited. Those thoughts were quickly pushed away though because she shouldn't feel this excited over spending more time with Santana.

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Santana was up early the next morning and had already eaten breakfast. She was almost ready to leave. While she brushed her teeth she walked around in the apartment and packed the last things she needed then she was ready to go. She had a little more than seven hours on the road ahead of her and she planned to make it to Minocqua with as few stops as possible.

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Finally turning off the main road she only had a few miles left before she'd reach the cottage. Every time she drove down the old dirt road that lead to the cottage she'd be filled with a sense of peace and calm. This time however, the peace and calm was replaced with something that could only be described as the complete opposite. Her heart was racing and her palms started to feel sweaty. Turning off the engine she took a couple of deep breaths to calm herself before she got out of the car. Her mother was already on her way to greet her.

"Hi honey! I'm so glad you're finally here!" Anita said and pulled Santana into a tight hug.

"Me too mom but you're kinda suffocating me here." Santana said playfully.

Anita released her daughter and smiled.

"Pssh, you're my daughter so I'm allowed to suffocate you with my hugs."

Santana smiled back and grabbed her bag from the trunk.

"Where's everybody?" Santana wondered. Mostly she wondered where Brittany was but she couldn't say that to her mother.

"Jack and Nathan are inside packing up for their fishing trip and Brittany went out for a run about thirty minutes ago." Anita answered as she walked beside Santana on their way up to the cottage.

Santana nodded and looked around, this place really was something else. She inhaled deeply and closed her eyes as the smell of the forest and lake filled her nostrils.

"God I've missed this place." she said as she exhaled.

"Are Brittany and Nathan staying in the cottage or in the boathouse?" Santana wondered.

"In the cottage." Anita answered.

"Great! I mean then the boathouse is free?"

"Yes the boathouse is free. I know how much you love it there so I put Brittany and Nathan in the guestroom." Anita told her.

Santana smiled and bounced off towards the boathouse. It was located next to the pier and wasn't particularly large. Santana and her mother had made a complete renovation of the place a couple of years ago. What originally was meant to be a place to store a boat had turned into a single room with white walls and wooden floor. The decoration was simple and bright, the only furniture the room held was a double bed, a rocking chair and an antique bedside table. It was simple but Santana had fallen in love with it instantly and every time she visited the cottage she always stayed in the boathouse.

She opened the squeaking wooden door and stepped inside dropping her bag on the floor by the double bed. This was her haven and as she stepped towards the large landscape window and looked out over a glassy lake the peace and calm that had been nowhere to be found finally appeared. God she loved it here. She took a last lingering look at the beautiful landscape outside the window then walked back out and up to the cottage.