Mischances, Stances and Stolen Glances

by ellisbell85

Santana and Brittany are happily married and expecting their first kid. However, an unfortunate event puts Santana in a coma for almost 4 years. When she wakes up everything is certainly... different. Can both of them deal with this new reality?

13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I don't own Glee nor its original characters (if I did it would probably be called The Brittany and Santana Show, and all the other characters would only be there to help advance their plot).

A/N: I know, I know... The delay sucked but it wasn't really my fault... per se. First the Independence Day holiday fell on a Wednesday when I thought it would fall on a Thursday so I could have a long weekend to write. Then I lost 8, yes, eight whole pages and it pissed me off to no end. So, I took a few days to sulk, brood, mope, curse inwardly at myself and my computer mostly (but not exclusively), and let's just say things were ugly. After leaving my frustration on the pavement at my daily morning runs I started again. So (and this is only for the minority of you), I'm sorry about being unable to foresee my many misfortunes. Just know that snappy update "requests" are frowned upon by yours truly, and if you're wondering when a new chapter will be updated, I don't know, try PM'ing me like many of you already do because I'm still trying to perfect my mental telepathy skills.

** This chapter goes out to pahke, because new readers are awesome and I apologize for keeping you awake. As for your PS question: yes, indeed I am. And I'm still baffled by the fact that there are actually people out there that root for Brittany and Artie to end up together. Before I started writing this story and reading your reviews I had no idea there were such people out there. It's like, I don't know the ideal analogy, it's like rooting for... Elizabeth Bennet to end up with Mr. Collins instead of Mr. Darcy, you know what I mean? It's just so wrong and so less. It's just plain old settling :)

Thanks for all the reviews, PMs... and your patience with my busy schedule and/or misfortunes. You're excellent readers! Hope you're still interested in this tale. Enjoy Chapter 13, or as I call it "The Never-Ending Christmas" Chapter. It's *that* long, but hopefully enjoyable. It took a lot of work to try to nail those nuances and try to make *you* visualize what *I* am seeing. I was extremely self-indulgent on this one, I must say. More so than usual and that's a lot :D

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Mischances, Stances and Stolen Glances
||Chapter Thirteen||

Rosa approached the kitchen with Brittany a couple of steps behind her. As they went about to enter the room both women could hear a couple of distinct voices coming from inside.

Santana's animated voice was heard saying, "Then the old lady turned around, yanked the thing from behind and said to me with little ceremony: 'See, was it that hard, buttercup?'"

The brunette was heard laughing out loud along with a male chuckle: Jimmy's, Brittany quickly recognized.

"Look who I ran into outside," Rosa declared with the newspaper in hand as she and Brittany approached the kitchen table where Santana was sitting and having breakfast while on Skype with Jimmy.

Santana turned her head to see who Rosa was talking about and spotted a smiling Brittany.

"Oh, hey, Britt," the brown-eyed woman greeted the blonde with a small smile on her lips. And then she added playfully, "So, Rosa saved you the trouble of breaking and entering, huh?" This earned Santana a dismissive, amused head-shake from the dancer.

"Morning, San," Brittany said sweetly and then stepped forward to behind Santana's chair so Jimmy could see her through the laptop's webcam. "Hey, Jimmy!" She added enthusiastically, glad to see the man again. She really missed her New York friends.

"Britt! Long time no see," Jimmy replied promptly, matching the dancer's tone. Both he and Santana were having breakfast in their bathrobes. Though his was navy blue, and Santana's was white.

"Do you want the newspaper, Tanita?" Rosa asked absentmindedly with the item in hand as Jimmy stifled a chuckle at the nickname. It never got old to him.

Santana glared at him for a second before turning her head to address the short-haired woman, "I don't think so. Yesterday's big headline about Mayor Albright's daughter's 'award'…" she used an air quote, "…winning roses was too touching for me. I'm still reeling from it," Santana said with sarcasm dripping from her voice.

Brittany and Jimmy grinned as Rosa shook her head and asked the blue-eyed woman, "Should I bring another mug for you, corazón?"

Before Brittany could answer Santana spoke, "Yes, please, Rosa. She might as well have some coffee while she waits for Zoey." Rosa went further into the kitchen to grab it while Brittany took a seat at the table with a curious look on her face. "She is finishing watching a movie in the living room and, let me tell you, I tried to get her ready for you but you should have seen the scowl she awarded me with when I suggested we paused the movie…" Santana elaborated with an amused tone before taking a sip of her black coffee.

"She's in one of her moods, huh?" Brittany asked knowingly with a smile in place and Santana simply nodded whilst drinking.

Taking a bite off his cream-cheese covered bagel, Jimmy hinted casually, "Well, I'm in a mood as well because of a film." Both women were watching him on screen.

"Oh, don't even start that again, Jimmy…" Santana replied with exasperation, only stopping her eye-rolling to take the mug Rosa came back to give her.

"What?" Brittany asked with interest, placing her elbow on the table and resting her head on a closed fist.

"How many times have I told you not to feed the animals, B?" Santana quipped offhandedly while fixing Brittany's coffee. The dancer took time to observe the brown-eyed woman fixing her coffee. Santana poured the dark liquid until a smidge over the middle of the mug.

Dismissing Santana's quip, Jimmy said ceremoniously, "Oh, you haven't heard? Santana's been cheating on me…" He shifted his gaze from the blonde to the brunette. Brittany heard him but continued watching Santana as she poured three generous dashes of milk in the mug, filling it completely. "With a cad called Puck, to make things worse. Who on Earth name their kid Puck?"

"I've told you it's a nickname, Jimmy," Santana said in a huff as she put three spoons and a half of sugar into the mug, being obliviously watched by a smiling Brittany. "And you're being ridiculous!" She scolded with a scowl, looking from the task at hand up to the screen of the laptop and back to the mug as she swirled its content with the spoon.

"Am I? All I know is that I wanted to watch Groundhog Day with you through the phone and couldn't because you had lent it to your best bro, Puck," Jimmy whined as Santana absentmindedly handed the mug over to Brittany, who beamed whilst taking the object and having a first sip.

"You're so dramatic… I think you've been hanging out too much with Man Hands," Santana said evenly, holding the man's stare through the laptop screen. "Besides, we watched Rushmore instead."

"Not the same," Jimmy replied like a petulant child and Santana just rolled her eyes again. Then he turned to Brittany and asked, "Aren't you with me on this one, Britt?"

Brittany was still so over the moon with watching Santana make her coffee seconds ago just the way she loved it that she completely lost track of the conversation. "What?" The blonde deadpanned under the scrutiny of two pair of eyes.

"Don't you think Santana is cheating on me with this Puck character?" Jimmy asked again, leaning closer to his own laptop's webcam.

"I'm afraid I can't be too impartial when it comes to Puck," Brittany evaded with a grin, receiving a shake of head from Santana and a matching grin from Jimmy.

"Thank you!" The British man said with his wide grin still in place.

"Just shut up, Jimmy!" Santana used one of her favourite phrases when it came to dealing with her friend.

"The coffee is great, San…" Brittany trailed on with a megawatt smile. Santana didn't know exactly what had warranted her that specific type of smile. "Thank you," the blue-eyed woman added without missing a beat.

"The merit is all Rosa's. She made it," Santana said in her oblivious state, looking around for Rosa, who had already disappeared from the kitchen. Fixing Brittany's coffee just as she liked it was still such a normal, familiar activity to the brunette that she hasn't even realized how much it had meant to the dancer.

Brittany's megawatt smile grew even bigger at Santana's obliviousness. So, she just didn't say anything else. She didn't explain it. She just took another sip of her perfect cup of coffee.

"Is it snowing there?" Jimmy asked the girls, making conversation.

Turning her gaze from Santana to the hazel-eyed man, Brittany answered offhandedly, "Yeah, not as much as yesterday, but it's still snowing." The brunette watched her from the corner of her eye and couldn't help but notice how that blue sweater made Brittany's eyes look bluer than they normally are. And then she immediately chastised herself inwardly for noticing that.

"Yeah, here as well... I can't believe I'm going to London tomorrow to spend Christmas with my cold, unattached parents and my older brother, the wanker," Jimmy complained, popping a grape into his mouth.

The British man and Santana had a lot in common when it came to their parents and growing up with them. Perhaps that was one of the reasons they sort of gravitated towards each other when they first met and became such good friends eventually. The only real difference was that James never felt loved by his parents. Not ever. Cold and unattached were the less troubling of their problems for the tall man. Their critical behavior, their judgmental ways, their unnerving passive-aggressiveness, their patronizing remarks and their absolute love to make not-so-subtle jokes about James's letters from his first year at Eaton, in which the young boy begged to come back home, certainly were his biggest issues with his parents dearest.

"I need some cheering up. Where is my goddaughter?"

"Haven't you been listening? She's too wrapped up in Tinker Bell to grace us with her presence," Santana quipped playfully.

"Well, the only way I have out of this funk is to see her reenactment of you scolding Poppy after she destroyed one of your shoes," Jimmy deadpanned, earning a glare from Santana who also glared sideways at a laughing Brittany. "That kid is hilarious!"

"Yeah, well, she's busy," Santana dismissed in a huff, taking a long drink of coffee. "Besides, our child is not your personal court jester."

"Zoooey," Jimmy called out loudly. Santana widened her eyes as Brittany took another sip of her perfect coffee, highly entertained by the never-changing antics of those two.

"Shut up or I'll turn you off," the brunette warned strangely calm. Jimmy did what he was told after he saw a tan hand going towards the laptop's lid with the goal of closing it.

"I think it's nice that you're giving your family another chance, Jimmy," the blonde piped in, ever the optimist.

"That's only because you've never had the privilege to meet them, Britt," the British man said sarcastically, looking straight at the dancer. "Come on, San… There's still time for you to change your mind and come with me," he added, shifting his hopeful gaze to the brunette.

"Like I told you yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that one: no, thanks," the brown-eyed woman replied promptly and candidly, shaking her head repeatedly for emphasis. "One dinner with your parents was enough awkwardness to last for a lifetime. In fact, you still owe me for that. It's really the type of never-ending debt," Santana added, finishing up her coffee.

"Besides, San's spending Christmas with us," Brittany said matter-of-factly without missing a beat, eyeing the screen of the laptop.

"Uh… no, I'm not," Santana shot back calmly, shifting her gaze from Jimmy to the dancer. "And I've also told you this before," the brunette added, leaning further into her chair's back.

Brittany's brows furrowed slightly as she re-focused her confused blue eyes on Santana. "I thought you were kidding," the blonde stated honestly, putting her warm cup down on the table.

Before Santana could reply, Jimmy beat her to it, "She wasn't. She plans on coming to London with me."

The brown-eyed woman spared the spiky-haired man a glare before turning slightly to face Brittany. "I wasn't kidding. Why would I kid about that? I'm not going to London and I'm not going to your parents', like I said, I'm going to the Orphan's Christmas thing that practically arranged itself at Charlie's," Santana said evenly, crossing her arms absentmindedly.

"That's why I thought you were kidding. Christmas at a bar with Puck and a bunch of strangers? That's –" Brittany countered with resolution, leaning forward a bit due to strong disbelief, but she was interrupted mid-speech by James.

"Wait! Did I hear it right? You're doing Christmas with that twat?" Jimmy asked in a huff whilst holding a coffee cup.

"Ok, you're going now, Jimmy," Santana said in a huff herself. "I'll talk to you later, alright? Bye-bye," She added, moving a hand to close the laptop.

"I'm watching you, Tanita," Jimmy said his last words before being cut off, pointing two fingers at his eyes and then at the screen to fortify his statement.

"You're not serious about Christmas, are you?" The blonde asked softly, locking eyes with the brunette.

"I am," Santana shot back resolutely, holding the stare.

"But, San, you're supposed to spend Christmas with your family and friends, with people who loves you… You know that," Brittany said in the same tone, looking at the brown-eyed woman with tender eyes. After a beat she added, "You should come and spend it with us. Everybody would love that."

Certainly not everybody, Santana thought. They stayed in silence for a while, and then the brunette sighed and replied sincerely, "I don't think that's a good idea, Britt. And don't tell me you don't see how awkward that would be for everybody. I know for a fact it would be extremely awkward for me. I thank you, like I thanked Annie when she called, but it's not my place anymore."

Silence took over them yet again. Their eyes glued to one another's as a handful of different emotions ran through their bodies. Of course Brittany understood… but, it killed her to think of Santana spending Christmas alone, spending Christmas without… her.

So, the dancer broke the comfortable silence when she said in a low tone, "It is your place." She couldn't let the brunette think otherwise. "Like it or not you'll always be a part of this family," Brittany added, emotion laced in her voice as Santana averted her gaze a bit. "And Zoey would love to have her Mama there," she delivered her last and most important point, which granted her the brunette's full attention back.

Why does she have to do that? Can't she see how hard all of this is already? Santana thought as she heard the blonde, internally shaking her head. "Come on, Britt…" Santana trailed on wistfully, actually shaking her head. "You know you're not playing fair," she added, not dropping that piercing blue gaze this time.

"The truth is always fair, San," Brittany shot back with conviction, taking a sip of her coffee just to do something with her unquiet hands.

Santana grinned dryly. Brittany's naïveté was both gladsome and sad. "Well, it may be so in Brittanyland, but not in the real world," the brunette stated bitter-sweetly, fussing with the handle of the stainless still coffee pot.

Brittany searched for those brown orbs, which unwillingly let themselves be captured by distressed blue ones. The blonde hated when Santana went back to one of her old tricks: seeking solace in the darkest corners of herself.

As the dancer dejectedly pondered, Santana spoke firmly, "We should just stick to the plan. You get Zoey on Christmas Eve and I get her on Christmas Day. Next year we switch and so on." Brittany was about to say something, but Santana stopped her as she spoke first, "Please, don't fight it, B…"

"Just promise me you'll at least try to take my offer in serious consideration," Brittany pleaded softly, reflexively reaching out to grab Santana's hand on top of the table. She was surprised when Santana actually allowed her pale, warm hand to hold the brunette's tan, cold one. So, the dancer instantly smiled.

Brittany's hand felt nice around hers. It was undeniable. So, she decided she wouldn't fight it this time. Truth was: she was tired. So tired… Looking the blonde straight in the eyes, Santana replied just as softly, "Have I ever made you a promise I couldn't keep?" And she fell silent after that, just holding the other woman's stare.

Brittany's smile dropped a bit. The answer to that question was: never. So, taking the brown-eyed woman's silence, Brittany got her answer. Loud and clear. She knew how stubborn and resolute Santana could be. When the brunette put her foot down there was no turning back. Her pride would never allow that.

"Should we go look for Zoey? The movie must have finished by now," Santana said with a tentative smile, moving on to brighter subjects whilst retracting her hand and standing up from the breakfast table.

The blue-eyed woman nodded, matching Santana's smile as she followed the brunette to the living room where their daughter was currently at.

As they entered the living room both could see that the movie was still playing because Tinker Bell was flying around the screen with a little girl, so it seemed. Santana and Brittany hadn't spotted Zoey yet, since all they could see was the back of the French styled sofa, and before they could reach said piece of furniture Brittany stopped in front of the Christmas tree with a wide smile on her face.

"Zoey told me you two went tree shopping together," the blonde said with glee in her tone of voice while eyeing the tall tree up and down. "It looks beautiful, San," she added, shifting her gaze to the brunette who had promptly stopped by her side.

"Yeah, I wasn't feeling like putting up a tree but the little bug was set on it and… well, I couldn't say no to –" Santana started to reply nonchalantly but was cut off by a voice coming from the sofa. Both women turned their heads at that direction.

"Shh…" Zoey vocalized with exasperation from the sofa as she briefly stuck her head over the back of the piece of furniture and went back to her movie.

Santana and Brittany exchanged an amused glance among each other, their two pairs of eyebrows shooting up in sync.

"I believe our child just shushed us, Britts," the brown-eyed woman said with an amused tone, smiling widely. Her voice had unconsciously lowered, though.

"I believe she just did," the dancer shot back in the same fashion. Her voice had also lowered, but the kid still could hear them. "And you know what they say about kids who shush their parents, don't you, San? Yeah, they say Santa finds that to be very naughty behaviour," Brittany added playfully as she and Santana grinned widely together.

"Yes, I've heard that as well," Santana said wickedly, nodding her head for emphasis.

A few seconds later Zoey stuck her head over the back of the sofa again and said meekly and apologetically, "I'm sorry, it's just that the end is the best part." This time Poppy showed her head as well. She had been lying down with the kid the whole time.

"I'm sure Santa can let this one slide, Z," Brittany said soothingly with a broad smile, not wanting to mess with their girl further. Zoey smiled and gladly went back to the movie.

Brittany's eyes were roaming the beautiful tree when they fell on a specific ornament, one that she clearly recognized and that brought a toothy smile to her features.

"Oh, My God! Look at this…" Brittany said with excitement – albeit in a hushed tone to respect their daughter – while pointing at the ornament without dropping the smile. "I can't believe you still have it."

Santana smiled as well as she looked at the round, handmade, red and green paper ornament that featured a picture of herself and Brittany when they were wee kids. They had their arm around the other's shoulders, and both wore wide grins that were adorably missing a couple of teeth that had fallen out.

"Yeah, I didn't know my parents had kept it," Santana replied in the same hushed tone as unforeseen emotion filled her voice. "Zoey and I found it when we decorated the tree," she added, looking from the dancer to the ornament.

"What were we? Six? Seven?" The blue-eyed woman asked, slightly knitting her eyebrows together.

"Six, I think," the brunette replied offhandedly, twitching her mouth to one side and closing one eye as she conjured the memory. "I know I made it, but I don't even remember where or how…" she trailed on, still partially lost in thought.

"I remember we made it at school. I'm sure I have an identical one back at my parents," Brittany said matter-of-factly, looking sideways at brown eyes.

"Oh, yeah, I think I remember now," Santana said wistfully, recalling hazily that the day she brought the ornament home and Nina Lopez actually allowed her to hang a crooked, paper made ornament on her perfect, elegant and flawlessly decorated Christmas tree was one of those rare days she actually felt loved by her parents. That was a good Christmas, Santana thought to herself.

Seeing the shift of mood in those dark chocolate eyes, something she was very good at, Brittany decided to change the subject to something lighter. She said playfully, "So, there's a question that I've been dying to ask you…" Santana turned to face her, expecting said question with a calm semblance. "Have you been a good girl or a naughty girl?" Brittany asked with a smirk and a bit of a flirt. The hushed tone they were still using gave her words an extra cheeky bounce as they rolled off her tongue. "Santa wants to know…" She trailed on with a wink that still managed to send some heat to the brunette's cheeks.

Matching the dancer's smirk, Santana shot back lowly and huskier as she upped the flirtation a notch or two, "Well, you know me… I'm always very, very naughty." And she winked back. Two could play this game, she thought.

This time the heat went straight to the blonde's cheeks and she cursed her alabaster skin which, unlike Santana's tan one, betrayed her and turned pink for anyone with a pair of functional eyes to see. The brown-eyed woman smirked wider at the effect she still totally had on Brittany, who could only gulp hard and move along with the conversation.

Fidgeting and clearing her throat, a flushed Brittany replied as she held Santana's confident stare, "Uh, I'm sure Santa Claus will let Santana Claus slide, too." And Brittany flashed the brunette one of her adorable smiles, and Santana was sure that the blonde was actively trying to break her because she was one more artifice away from stepping forward and kissing those pink lips senseless like once upon a time.

Apparently Zoey wasn't that immersed in the movie, and their tones weren't that hushed, because when she heard the mention of Santana Claus the little girl giggled from the living room sofa and repeated the name with amusement, which made her moms break eye contact and look that way briefly to exchange another Zoey-induced adoring smile.

Refocusing her attention on the blonde by her side, Santana said without thinking as the previous playful spirit still ran through her veins, "And I'm sure Santana Claus won't let you slide. No special present for you this year."

The minute the words were out of her mouth and she watched Brittany's face as she registered them, the brunette regretted speaking them. She didn't mean anything unpleasant or awkward with the teasing. Honestly. It just flew out of her mouth without afterthought.

Santana stirred awake in the middle of the night. Without turning around or opening up her eyes she instinctively moved her arm behind her underneath the covers to pull Brittany closer to her body. The brunette was feeling a bit cold. Instead of touching a warm body the tan hand came in contact with the coldness of the sheet. That was enough for Santana to bring herself to open her eyes and turn around to find the covers half pulled down and an empty space beside her. She turned around again to look at the alarm clock on top of the nightstand. It read 4:01 AM. Uttering an unhappy sigh, Santana pulled the covers down and her body up, and then swung her legs over the edge of Brittany's high school days' bed, coming to a sitting position. The brown-eyed woman hung her head against her chest for an instant and ran a hand through her messy bed hair.

The brunette left Brittany's old room and started to make her way downstairs after passing by the bathroom and seeing it unoccupied. As she walked down the Pierces' carpeted staircase, Santana couldn't help but look at the many family photographs that adorned the wall alongside it. She could see each one of them clearly despite the darkness. A few of her wife as a baby and little girl brought a small smile to her lips. They never failed to do that every time she walked up and down those stairs and focused on them. Some even featured her alongside the blue-eyed woman, and there was even one or two from their wedding day. Santana couldn't help but think about her mother and how the woman had said more than once in the privacy of the Lopez home how tasteless she thought those "shrines" – her exact word for it – to be. Santana actually always thought of it as warm and sweet. No wonder her mother couldn't grasp it; the brunette thought as she walked down the last step.

Santana turned right and continued walking slowly the length of the small hallway, when she turned left into the living room she saw her wife leaning against the small arch that led to the kitchen. Brittany was serenely lost in thought, watching the Christmas tree as the twinkle lights cast a beautiful shine over her stunning face. Santana smiled lightly and briefly, the blonde hadn't registered her slightly afar presence yet.

Santana leaned against the living room wall and crossed her arms across her chest. And then she said hoarsely, startling her wife, "Trying to catch Santa Claus in the act again?" The brunette flashed Brittany a puckish smile.

"Please, it's been ages since I believed in him," Brittany countered offhandedly in a low tone, fully recovered from being startled but moments ago. "And I only tried that once," she added with a scoff.

"We are certainly getting old, babe… but high school wasn't ages ago," the brown-eyed woman teased lightly, smile still in place. "Besides, I can think of two… no, scratch that, three times you tried that."

Brittany, who still leaned against the kitchen's entrance arch, dismissed her wife's teasing with a repeated shake of her head and a pointed look shot her way. The message was clearly received and abided by an already satisfied Santana.

"The bed –" Santana began to say from her place against the wall, her voice reaching the normal level of highness now that sleepiness was dissipating from her tone, when Brittany cut her off.

"Lower…" the dancer trailed on using a low tone as she pointed towards further in the living where her cousin, his wife and their son slept. Christmas at the Pierces could get very crowded when both Rob's brother and Annie's sister decided to come with their respective offspring… and their offspring's offspring.

"I don't care if I wake Hairy Harry and his child of the corn," Santana spat but kept her tone low as she wrapped her arms closer to her chest.

"Don't say that, babe. He's just a kid…" Brittany whispered softly, and after receiving a pointed look and a cocked head from her wife she added with a smile, "A slightly aggravating kid, but a kid nonetheless." She knew she was being kind; the seven-year old boy – Harry Junior – was absolutely insufferable. The whole family, apart from his parents, thought so.

"Whatever you say to delude yourself, Britts…" the plastic surgeon woman let out whilst shaking her head for emphasis. "Like I was saying, the bed was cold. Come back, babe," she almost whined out. After a beat, Santana added, "What are you doing down here at this time anyway?"

Brittany didn't answer. She simply lifted the tall glass of water that was on her right hand, hidden from the brunette's eyes by the partial darkness as Santana walked over to her wife. Somehow unable to keep her distance any longer. The dancer smiled at her wife as she stopped in front of her and offered the brunette the glass. Santana took it promptly and while she took two long gulps of water Brittany walked over to the Christmas tree, stopping in front of it to admire it better.

Seconds later the blonde felt Santana standing close behind her. The brunette's breath hot on her pale neck. It still surprised Brittany the effect her wife's simple proximity had on her. No words were being spoken, which only made the moment more intense. Her blue eyes caught sight of the glass that Santana was handing back to her from behind, and when she took it she felt a pair of strong arms wrap themselves around her midsection. It felt really nice, so she placed her free arm on top of them as she took another sip of her water.

"It's so beautiful," Brittany said softly, eyeing the tree and its lights up and down whilst feeling Santana's chin resting on her left shoulder.

The dancer felt her wife nodding against her shoulder and suddenly the brunette's hands were travelling from the blonde's midsection to her stomach. Brittany instantly smiled at that as she promptly placed her free hand on top of Santana's. The blue-eyed woman wasn't even showing yet. She was still in her first trimester but the brunette had loved to do that from the moment Brittany told her she was pregnant.

The dancer broke the comfortable silence. "You shouldn't talk about Harry Junior, you know, babe? They say your kid picks up all the trades you complain about other people's children," Brittany stated playfully with kids in mind.

Santana scoffed. "There's no way our kid will be anything but awesome. I mean, it'll be our kid and we're completely awesome," the brown-eyed woman stated matter-of-factly through a small grin. Only talking about their kid was enough to put a smile on her face.

"Point taken," Brittany concurred with a grin of her own, feeling Santana hold her slightly tighter.

"Can you believe it? Next Christmas we'll have a baby with us, Britt. Our baby," Santana said tenderly as Brittany turned her head a bit to look at her wife's face and see that they had a matching goofy smile plastered on their mugs. "I can't wait for that…" the brunette trailed on with elation, moving her hands underneath Brittany's on top of the dancer's stomach.

Little did they know that that very Christmas was the last they would be spending together before mischance decided to drop them a visit and disrupt their treasured outlines for a happy future. The best-laid plans of mice and men…

"Neither can I, San," Brittany spoke sweetly. And then she turned around on her wife's arms, placing her own around the shorter woman's neck and feeling Santana's snake around her waist. Brittany slowly leaned in, like gravity was pulling her forward, and captured the brunette's full lips with hers. It was sweet, and tender, and unrushed, and intimate… Their lips moved gracefully against one another's. Brittany put all the emotion possible into that kiss for some reason. She just felt the uncontrollable need to do so, to kiss her wife with everything she had.

After a moment that felt like centuries, Brittany pulled back and she could see Santana's eyes still closed, which brought a smile to her lips as the plastic surgeon finally opened her eyelids to expose those warm dark chocolate orbs she loved so much.

"What was that for?" Santana asked with a husky voice and a foolishly happy smile on her face while holding her wife's stare.

Brittany shrugged as Santana tucked a strand of blonde hair behind the dancer's ear with affection. She honestly had no idea, but she answered in earnest. "For being you," Brittany smilingly stated softly, her arms still around Santana's neck as she kept a strong hold of the empty glass behind the brunette's back.

Santana's smile widened and it reached her eyes. A part of her still couldn't quite believe how lucky she turned out to be.

"Let's go to bed," the brown-eyed woman said, pecking the blonde quickly on the lips before letting her out of her hold.

Brittany nodded and intertwined their fingers before they started heading upstairs.

"About lunch tomorrow with my parents…" Santana began to say but Brittany knew where she was going before the brunette even finished her train of thought.

"We're going," Brittany simply replied knowingly.

"But…" the brown-eyed plastic surgeon barely piped in as they slowly walked.

"No buts, San… They want to spend time with you. You know they love you."

"Do I?" Santana asked rhetorically and doubtful, which earned her a pointed look from her wife. She did know. Sometimes.

Little did she know back then that that very lunch would be the last time she would ever get to see her parents alive. Flash forward to the future and little did she know she wouldn't even be able to remember what were her last words to Martin and Nina Lopez. C'est la vie, right?

The dancer placed her empty glass on top of a sideboard on their way to the bedroom and in no time they reached her old room in comfortable silence. They were met by the dark sight of the turquoise flowery, birds-and-butterfly wallpaper that Santana always thought it was so Brittany, and the brunette took her place on the right side of the twin sized bed with the dancer on her right. Both exchanged quick goodnights and went about sleeping.

Seconds later, Brittany said excitedly as she inched closer to Santana's back, "San!"

Santana, who was seconds away from falling asleep, winced at the shrieking sound. "Hmm?" She hummed sleepily, slightly annoyed at her wife's perkiness in the middle of the dead night.

"I forgot to say Merry Christmas. It's past midnight, babe," the blue-eyed woman said less loudly, but just as jolly in the brunette's ear while snaking her arm across Santana's waist.

How could Santana stay annoyed at someone as adorable as her wife? She couldn't. She never could. It was that simple. Turning around to face the blonde in the dark of the room, Santana smilingly replied in the sweet tone reserved just for her lady, "Merry Christmas, B." And she received another peck on the lips.

After a lingering look, Santana finally said, "Ok, let's go back to sleep now, babe. You know how cranky I get without it." And then it was her time to lay a peck on the dancer's lips and turn around to sleep again.

Less than a minute later she felt Brittany's arm around her waist grip tighter, and next she felt her wife's front being flushed hard against her back. She knew what that meant even before the pale hand started to make its way under her grey tank top.

Despite her full knowledge, Santana still asked sheepishly without turning around, "Britt, what are you doing?"

"You know what," Brittany replied huskily directly into her ear before nibbling on her wife's earlobe, her furtive hand finally reaching high enough to graze the swell of a perky breast.

All Santana could reply was a low, sexy moan.

"It's Christmas already… so, it's time for Santana Claus to hand me," Brittany mischievously emphasized the double meaning word as she cupped a whole breast, "my special present."

Feeling the effect of the throbbing shot directly to her core and not being able to handle it any longer, Santana swiftly turned around and topped her wife. From Brittany's surprised smirk the brunette knew she had been keen on the move.

"I think that can be arranged," Santana husked in the dancer's ear before beginning her assault on the pale neck she had always been obsessed with. The ridiculously premature moan elicited by her wife, much like her own seconds ago, was fuel enough to power her through.

"You're so easy, Santana Claus…" Brittany uttered huskily and mischievously as she tilted her head more to the side to give her wife better access to her neck, feeling a smile against the already marked flesh there.

Feeling a mix of awkwardness and sadness – not to mention a case of even hotter cheeks – Brittany decided to change the subject, but all she came up with was another memory of them. They were becoming harder to dodge these days.

"Remember when you gave me a shiner for Christmas?" The blonde asked, looking down at her feet but unable to fight a sly grin.

Santana dropped her jaw in disbelief. She knew what the blonde was talking about. "I did not," she replied in a huff, a bit louder than the voice level they were keeping for Zoey. So, she repeated lower, but still in a huff as her gaze went from Brittany to the sofa and locked back on the dancer, "I did not. If I remember correctly you were the one who wanted a tree, and it's not my fault you couldn't handle your end."

"Well, if someone hadn't refused to pay the kid the forty dollars to deliver the tree directly to our living room none of that would have happened," Brittany countered playfully, holding the brunette's stare.

"Thirty dollars to carry a tree for half a block? Yeah, I don't think so. Go rip off another sucker," Santana said smugly, crossing her arms across her chest. She was still a sophomore in college, and Brittany was temping and trying to land a permanent dance gig: money was tight. Her parents supported her, and Brittany's always helped their daughter when they could, but Martin and Nina always made it absolutely clear that their money was their money, and Santana had to work to have hers. And she agreed with them and was also thankful for the way they raised her. She valued her dollar.

Zoey approached them in her green sheep-filled flannel pajamas and with Poppy on her heels. The movie had finally ended.

"Hi, Mommy," Zoey greeted Brittany with a smile as she put her arms up to be picked up, which the dancer promptly obliged.

"Hey, sweetie," Brittany replied softly, matching their daughter's smile and placing a kiss on her brown hair. "Hi there, Poppy," she added cheerfully, looking down at the dog who wagged her tail upon hearing her name. "How was your movie?" The blonde enquired, shifting her gaze back to their little girl's big blue eyes as Santana watched them with adoration.

"Awesome!" Zoey said a bit too loudly, wrapping her small arms tightly around her mommy's neck.

"Great!" Brittany replied pleased, returning her eyes to Santana. "It would be worth every penny if it meant we wouldn't have to carry a Christmas tree up eighteen flights of stairs," the blue-eyed woman said, picking up where they left off in the conversation. She always did do that, the brunette thought.

"Well, that wasn't my plan. The plan was to take the elevator, nice and easy, but someone decided to pick out the biggest tree on the lot despite the fact that our first apartment together was the size of a shoe box," Santana shot back without missing a beat, unable to keep an amused grin off her face as she uncrossed her arms.

"Well, we would have been fine if you," Brittany said with a wide grin, dropping the whole 'someone' charade, "didn't feel the need to stop abruptly in the middle of the stairs while we were carrying it."

"I did say 'turn'."

"There was no room left to turn."

Zoey attentively watched them back and forth with a grin on her pretty pink lips.

"Well, I still don't know why you had the trunk of the tree to your face level," Santana said animatedly, talking profusely with her hands as amusement still rushed through her brain.

"I told you I was trying to turn as you told me to," Brittany explained matter-of-factly, also still amused whilst holding Zoey against her hip.

They locked eyes for a moment and burst out into laughter. That Christmas had been fun, to say the least. Their daughter joined in the laughter just to not be out of the loop.

Zoey thought for a moment about what she had just heard and couldn't help but wonder. "Where was I?" She asked softly, not remembering any of that despite wishing she did. Sounded like fun and she instantly felt sad for not remembering, or not being there, whatever the case might be. "I don't remember that," she added innocently, looking from her Mommy to her Mama.

"You haven't been born yet, Zo," Brittany replied with a smile, still also sort of chuckling from before.

"It was many years ago, kiddo," Santana reinforced in the same fashion as the chuckling Brittany.

A flash of disappointment crossed the little girl's face. "I wish I was," Zoey said lowly, wearing her Mommy's trademark pout.

"We wish, too, baby," Brittany replied soothingly, holding the girl closer against her body as Santana stepped closer to run a comforting hand up and down their kid's back.

A moment of silence fell upon them as they pondered about what had just happened. It broke both women's heart to presence an ounce of sadness in their daughter's demeanor, however fleeting or inconsequential it might have been.

Brittany broke the silence when she said, "I think it's time for us to go, huh, Z?"

"I'll walk you guys," Santana offered simply, retracting her hand from the kid's back.

After Brittany took one step forward, Zoey announced jollier, "My drawings." And she stirred on the blonde's lap to be put down, which Brittany complied with. "Mama and I were colouring earlier," she added with a smile, looking from Brittany to Santana before directing her slipper-clad feet to the coffee table that had crayons and paper spread all over it.

Brittany and Santana exchanged a smile before the brunette said softly, "I'll help her out."

"Alright," the dancer replied, taking the time to wander around the living room for a bit.

She looked sideways and watched Santana kneeling on the silk Persian rug beside their daughter by the coffee table as they gathered up the drawings. Poppy looked at them from her sitting position next to Santana. On the sofa Brittany could see a white fleece blanket and a pillow covered by a big smiley monkey case, it made her smile as she pictured Zoey lying there all cozy and happy watching her movie. The dancer moved forward towards the front of the room and stopped near the corner to examine some picture frames that sat on top of the closed grand piano. It surprised her to see them because Mrs. Lopez only ever kept a vase with fresh flowers or some bowl with decorated balls on top of the shiny black surface. There were several pictures of Zoey – some that she even had been present while Santana took them – some of Quinn, Rachel and Jimmy that she didn't remember, which probably meant they were new and she didn't even want to think how badly she wished to have been there, too… A couple of Maggie and her family, Danes, one of Richard… Among them all there was only one of her – Zoey's birthday, cake time – and that most certainly stung the most, but she was at least satisfied to still be a part of her ex's universe, no matter how small her part had been reduced to. Her frown turned a bit upside down, though when she spotted the framed photo she had given Santana her first day back home: Mr. and Mrs. Lopez holding baby Zoey. It was front and center and the fact brightened up things and gave Brittany some perspective and heart back.

Santana watched Brittany's back near the piano from the corner of her eye and she knew the dancer was studying the pictures. Sometimes she wished she hadn't given up the piano. She actually enjoyed the private lessons when she was a kid and it made her parents very proud. Santana loved the undivided, full attention she always received when she got to play something for Martin and Nina. But as she got older and started to realize that her parents weren't exactly heroes as she thought, that they had their flaws, their many flaws, she quit the piano. It was meant to hurt them. Deliberately. She didn't have many other ways of accomplishing that, so she did strike where she knew it would hurt. After all, they hurt her first… it was only fair to hurt them back. Whatever way possible. The doctor regrets that now. She can still play a little, but that is totally not the point.

"All done, Mommy," Zoey proclaimed with a bunch of paper sheets folded in her hand, shaking both women from their thoughts.

"Ok, let's bounce then, baby," Brittany said, mustering up some cheerfulness as she turned around.

"I'll walk you ladies out," Santana replied, mustering up some cheerfulness as she closed the crayons' little duffel bag after she finished picking them up and putting them inside it.

The three, plus Poppy, started their walk towards the foyer in easy silence and upon arriving Zoey said, "My bike, too." And she flashed them a manipulative, sheepish smile. The kid was a fast learner.

Brittany shook her head but smiled at their daughter's antics. "No, Zoey, you won't need it. It's too cold outside and I've told you there's no riding inside doors," the dancer said with little resolve.

"But Mama took me riding yesterday morning while she ran," the little girl replied meekly, batting her eyelashes.

It was Santana's turn to flash Brittany a sheepish smile as she shrugged.

"She did, didn't she?" Brittany rhetorically asked and even though she wanted to appear stern her smile betrayed her. "Well, she's definitely spoiling you," she added uncontrollably softer, holding brown orbs with unwilling adoration.

"You took me, too. Remember? Last week when we went to Grandma and Grandpa's," Zoey said innocently, looking up at her with big blue eyes.

"She did, huh?" Santana said with a huge grin plastered on her face. It was her turn to be smug. She certainly loved their kid to death. "How curious…"

"And Aunt Ally –" Zoey began again, not knowing when to stop before Brittany did that for her.

"Ok, fine. Clearly we all spoil you too much, young lady," the dancer stated playfully, cutting their daughter off and matching Santana's grin as she looked down at a beaming Zoey.

"I'll go get it," Santana said with a more controlled smile. "I think it's in the laundry room. Do you want to change her first?" She added after taking a step towards her destination but coming to a halt.

"Nah, I'll do it back home," Brittany replied evenly.

"Alright. Her coat and Uggs are in the coat closet," Santana informed as she resumed her walk towards the laundry room with Poppy by her heels. The doctor didn't know why – she always treated the dog curtly – but Pops had become extremely infatuated with her.

When the brunette came back, carrying the pink bike with her good arm – the stitches were still there in her forearm, thank God they would be coming off before New Year's Eve – Zoey was already in her comfy boots and Brittany was closing up the girl's pink parka over the pajamas.

"All bundled up," Brittany announced in a theatrical voice, kissing the kid's forehead as Santana reached them with a smile at the cute scene.

"Ready for the North Pole, huh, bug?" Santana joked as she placed the bike down and received a puzzled look from Zoey.

Brittany only smiled as she took her own black overcoat from the foyer's closet and also took the opportunity to grab Santana's long navy-blue pea coat and tossed it the brunette's way.

Santana shed her white, fluffy robe, revealing plaid pajamas underneath and put on her pea coat. "Grab my boots, too, please, B," the brown-eyed woman asked and Brittany promptly obliged, passing over the pair of boots that were identical to Zoey's, only bigger.

Quickly slipping them on, Santana said as Zoey had mounted the bike and pretended to be riding in place, "Thanks."

Looking from Santana's boots-clad feet to Zoey's, Brittany uttered sweetly, "Aww… how adorable!" The remark earned her an eye-roll from Santana and a toothy smile from Zoey. "I want one two," she added without missing a beat.

"Yeah, well… let's get a move on, women," the doctor said, trying to sound exasperated but failing miserably at it. "And you stay here. It's cold out," she added, gaze directed at Poppy as Zoey decided to kneel down to kiss her dear pet goodbye. The kid always hated leaving her behind.

They made their way outside and Santana took the car keys from Brittany as she headed to the blonde's silver Focus on the driveway to place the bike she was yet again carrying into the trunk. Turning the alarm off with a click of the button Santana proceeded to open up the boot and place the bike and drawings inside. When she was closing the trunk the brunette felt something hit the back of her pea coat with force. She knew quite well what it had been: a snowball. Which only meant one thing: it was on. So on. Whoever the culprit may be.

Turning around to face Brittany and Zoey standing side to side with impish grins on their pretty faces, Santana asked eerily calm as she arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow, "So, who just signed their death sentence?"

Zoey wasn't exactly sure what her Mama had meant, but she giggled nonetheless and merely pointed sideways at her Mommy, because she knew what the blonde had done only meant trouble.

Brittany gasped and said playfully, looking down at the little girl, "You little tattletale!" And then she bent over and tickled Zoey, who had her parka's furry hood over her head as she chuckled and giggled more profusely.

Santana, who had been watching them with amusement while furtively preparing a fat snowball of her own, said in a mock ominous tone, "I hope you are ready to face the consequences of your action, Pierce."

Next thing the brunette knew Brittany was darting to her left but with no avail: the snowball hit her hard on the right side. Both women and Zoey started running through the front yard's grass, which was then covered by snow, throwing snowballs at each other and laughing out loud like they were all four-year olds.

Santana grabbed Zoey to use her as a shield against Brittany's attack, who cried out that that was not fair, only to hear a reply that they had talked about their different approaches concerning the word earlier on. Their little girl wiggled out of her Mama's grip and Brittany felt eager and let herself get carried away by her opening, throwing a fast ball at the unprepared doctor that crashed hard against Santana's face. The brown-eyed woman's jaw dropped as she slowly and dramatically wiped the liquid from her red face and shook the water off her hand with a repetitive motion.

Brittany winced remorsefully, placing her hand over her mouth in disbelief and shock. "I'm so sorry, San. I – I didn't mean to… I got carried away and… and I wasn't even aiming at your face, I swear," the dancer tried to explain apologetically while both women heard Zoey laughing her little ass off at what had just transpired.

Santana locked brown eyes on clear blue ones with a dead serious expression, but it soon morphed into an up-to-no-good one. She broke into running after Brittany, who ran away from her in circles with all her might. After a while of chase the brunette finally tackled the dancer. Brittany's tall body was trapped between Santana's thighs as she straddled her and with one strong hand the brunette pinned down long arms above the blonde's head by the wrists. The action sent Brittany into a fit of chuckles.

"You think that's funny, huh?" Santana asked calmly, looking down at Brittany with a glint in her eyes. The blonde nodded through chuckling while Zoey jumped up and down on the background, totally psyched. "And how funny do you think this is?" The brown-eyed woman added in question, grabbing a handful of snow with her free hand and letting it hover above the dancer's head.

Brittany squealed as an icy cold drop hit her face. "Please, San, don't…" she pleaded, squirming under Santana's weight and still laughing animatedly.

"What do you think, Zo?" Santana asked, looking back at their daughter with a devilish grin on her face. "Should I give her a snow facial?" She added wickedly, shifting her gaze back to the blonde.

More than the battle itself they found themselves in, Brittany's breath was taken away by the sight of Santana's smile and her dimple, which was so more prominent on the doctor's left cheek. She missed that dimple. More than she had imagined. These days she wasn't rewarded as much with the sight of it. Not as much as she would like to, anyway.

"Yes!" Zoey all but screamed, jumping higher and more energetically in place.

"Zoey!" Brittany chastised playfully through laughter and squealed after another drop whilst squirming with more force.

All the heavy squirming caused, uh, friction and all of the sudden both women were very much aware of their compromising position. Brittany's laughter immediately died down in her throat as Santana held her stare with warm dark chocolate eyes. Those piercing blue eyes that the brunette was so much fond of seemed like they were calling her and all Santana felt like doing was leaning down, pressing her body flush against Brittany's and finally capture those even pinker lips due to the cold weather with her own. My kingdom for a kiss upon her shoulder… and God only knows what for one on her mouth! Right there she fully understood those words.

Brittany must have felt the same way because Santana saw something familiar crossing through her eyes and, seconds later, the dancer was leaning upwards because Santana had long ago relinquished hold of pale hands and arms. Both could see their visible breaths due to the cold weather hitting on the other's face ever so gently, much like a caress. All the doctor had to do was lean down the rest of the space and meet Brittany halfway. Santana felt tempted to tuck a strand of golden hair behind the dancer's ear. She even let her hand travel with a mind of its own towards it, like Brittany's hair had some strange gravitational force, but before she could do so Santana pulled her hand back. Exactly like someone who had been burned before… because she had been. Badly. While Santana was lost in thought Brittany realized the unconscious movement her body had made and let it fall back against the ground with a thud as a subtle frustrated sigh left her mouth. How something so, so very right could be deemed so wrong? The blonde pondered dejectedly.

Throwing the snow back to the ground, Santana stood up quickly and tried to ignore her rapid heartbeats and the amazing sensation running to her core. Brittany rose to her feet feeling exactly the same. Unbeknownst to one another.

Santana killed the palpable tension by picking up Zoey with a flourish that earned her a giggle and headed towards Brittany's car, who got the message and started following with her head hanging low.

"We're done with the snowball fight?" Zoey asked with disappointment all over her tone, looking into her Mama's eyes.

"I think we've had enough for today, mi hija," Santana replied evenly and the blonde behind her couldn't ignore the hidden intonation. Seeing the kid's copycat pout, the brunette added with an empathetic smile before kissing Zoey's rosy cheek, "We'll have another next time." Their little girl smiled back with satisfaction. She never got tired of spending time together. Just the three of them.

After placing Zoey in the car seat, buckling her up properly, saying their mushy goodbyes and closing the door, Santana walked over to Brittany, who stood by the front of the vehicle still very much caught up in their shared moment minutes ago.

"Will you bring her over on Christmas Day or should I pick her up?" Santana asked casually as she leaned on the side of the front of the car beside Brittany, trying to ignore the fact that she also was still very much caught up on their previous moment.

"I'll bring her," Brittany replied softly, instinctively looking sideways in search of the brunette's eyes.

"Ok," Santana drawled out, pushing herself off of the car and taking a step towards her front door. "Drive safe, Brittany," she added, consciously using the blonde's full name to create some distance after having let her guard down more than she should have. One step forward, two steps back…

"Will you really not come?" The dancer asked barely above a whisper, making Santana come to a gracious halt and stare at Brittany in the eye with a pointed look.

The look was answer enough. The blue-eyed woman sighed.

"My aunts and uncles and cousins won't be coming in this year," Brittany said tentatively, making it sound like that was a definitive plus with her tone. And in some regards it was. Santana couldn't stand Harry and his son or Brittany's other cousin, Barbara. She liked Barbara's sister, Joanna, though. And Harry's wife, Lucinda, wasn't intolerable either.

"You make it sound like that's a plus," Santana countered aloofly, taking the step back towards the blonde whilst crossing her arms defensively.

"We've never liked most of them," Brittany said with a hint of a smile. The intimate nature of the pronoun tugged on both of their heartstrings, but it rubbed the brunette the wrong way as well. She brushed it off, though. Santana had been trying not to be confrontational this whole time during their strangling situation, and to her regular standards she was succeeding. Old Santana – pre-Zoey and pre-Brittany (to some extent) – would have exploded ages ago.

"In this case I would prefer to have them there. Their presence would actually be on the pro side of the list on whether I should or shouldn't attend. You know, more buffers," the brown-eyed doctor said with a tinge of petulance.

"And if I had said that they were coming you would say that you'd prefer it they didn't. They would definitely be on the con side. You know, too crowded or too annoying," Brittany shot back knowingly, holding Santana's stare with a smug little grin on her lips.

She does know me too well, Santana thought. Unwillingly smiling, the brunette said, "I won't say you're right… but I won't say you're wrong either." She could never lie. Not to Brittany.

Brittany shook her head repeatedly as her grin became wider.

"Ally's leaving to college after Christmas," Brittany stated matter-of-factly. "I'm sure she told you this already but she would love for you to come. Say goodbye and all," she added, feeling the need to try once more. If at first you don't succeed, try again. And again, and again, and again; they would have added if they knew Santana.

"I know, and we already had coffee a couple of days ago to say goodbye."

"It was worth a try…"

"Drive safe, Britt," Santana said with a weak smile, resuming her walk back to her house. Damn it, she thought. Another slip. "The roads are very icy these days," she couldn't help but add.

After a couple of strained goodbyes and half-hearted waves, Brittany and Zoey and Santana went about their way.

---

"Do you think she will like it?" Jenna hopefully asked Paula, holding up an open rectangular maroon velvety box as they sat having lunch at Wal-Mart's break room.

Eyeing a yellow gold tennis bracelet inside the box, Paula put down her sandwich and replied evenly, "Yeah, I'm sure she will love it but, Jenna… that looks really expensive. It must have cost you a kidney or something."

"I had some savings…" Jenna shrugged nonchalantly, placing the box on top of the table they were having lunch. Paula shot her a probing look and the green-eyed woman felt the need to add, "I just wanted to, you know, give her something nice. Something that stood out, something Brittany would remember."

Paula shook her head with a tight-lipped smile as Jenna took a bite of her own sandwich. "Just a wild guess…" the chubby brunette quipped, looking at her friend in the eye, "Does this have anything to do with Brittany's ex?"

Jenna took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as Paula kept watching her whilst taking a sip of her bottled juice. "I don't know…" the petite blonde muttered, but she knew her friend wasn't buying it. "Yeah, I guess the two may be related…" she trailed on, averting her gaze for a while. "Santana just –" Jenna added but decided to rephrase with a shake of her head, "She is a doctor, you know... Successful, young; well, younger than me, good-looking... Have you seen her house? The woman is clearly rich and I… and I don't want –"

"Ok, I'm going to stop you right there," Paula cut the blonde off with a resolute tone. "I thought we talked about insecurity and how unattractive that is," she added with a playful smile. "Remember me and Dwight?" The brunette said and Jenna nodded, getting the other woman's point. "Yeah, that's what I mean."

"I can't help it sometimes, ok?" Jenna said dejectedly, pushing her sandwich's plate away from her. Her appetite was definitely gone. "Brittany mentioned something about her and Santana deciding that they weren't exchanging presents this year, but when we were hiding Zoey's presents and the others I saw one with Santana's name on the tag... And then, my mind started to work overtime and I knew that if Brittany was giving one to Santana she must have picked up something for Brittany as well, and I got nervous and bought the bracelet," she babbled on without catching a breath.

"I get that, sweetie, but didn't you tell me that you and Brittany finally talked and that you were ok with everything and felt reassured that she really loved you?"

"Yes, but –"

"No, buts… You're gone drive yourself crazy otherwise." Small pause. "This is not a competition. Remember that, Jenna. You are the one who has the girl. You win."

"You're right…"

"And didn't you tell me Santana has a new lady friend?" Paula asked with a smirk, done with her sandwich as well.

"Yes, Riley. Thank God for small favours," Jenna quipped with a smile and Paula chuckled.

"See, things are improving," the brunette woman said cheerfully. "You're certain Brittany loves you and her ex is moving on. Don't you agree with me?"

Yes, those were indeed Jenna's perceptions. Whether they were product of tunnel vision or not that was something to be debated. Fools in love… So, the blonde's smile got wider and she retrieved her fancy present from the lunch table with satisfaction.

---

Christmas Eve came faster than anyone imagined. Santana stood in front of her bathroom's mirror putting the final touches on her flawless light makeup and adjusting her long cascade of dark hair. She decided to wear a boyfriend cardigan on top of a striped shirt, dark wash skinny jeans and a pair of sexy high-heeled, knee-length boots. Casual but nice, the last thing she wanted was to keep brushing off advances of questionable men at Charlie's.

She took a few steps back to admire her work on the mirror with more range. Happy with the end result Santana went back into her room, plopping down on her bed to turn the laptop off. There was a picture of Zoey riding her pink bike on the screen, which brought a distinct smile to the brunette's face. She had been going through photos earlier to select some to develop. The sight of her adorable kid on the screen made her want to look at more photos, so she started pressing the forward arrow and smiling more and more as the pictures rotated. It must have reached the end of the photos because one of Brittany holding a puppy Poppy popped on her screen. A photograph that she was sure she had deleted many moons ago. You're such a sucker, Lopez; came the voice in her head. Again, it sounded strangely like Coach Sylvester. Santana took the time to study the image, study it with the kind of dedication and worship that only Brittany could get out of her – if you didn't count Zoey, obviously. Shaking her head at the pathetic levels of weakness her love for Brittany took her, Santana closed the laptop without bothering to turn it off. Thinking about the dancer like that always managed to rile her up. Wouldn't she ever be able to shake the blonde? So, Santana forced herself to think of Riley. She needed the ginger's help to continue taking steps forward. Away from Brittany. For everyone's sakes. Too bad the green-eyed woman had gone to Alaska for Christmas to spend it with her father and her six brothers. Riley invited her over but it was too soon and her huge family was extra intimidating. She had called only once when the ginger and her sister-in-law went to main land to shop, because the island her dad lived on had no cell reception and phone connections were a rarity due to weather issues at this time of year. Santana sighed as her mind worked overdrive. She missed Riley at some capacity.

Her musings were stopped when she heard her bell ringing. Who the… The thought trailed off in the brunette's mind. Rubbing her lips together one more time to even out the lip gloss, Santana got up from bed and made her way downstairs. On her walk towards the front door, Poppy, who had been lying on the doctor's bedroom's hardwood floor, decided to join her beloved owner.

Reaching the double doors with the dog hot on her heels, Santana opened it up and gasped. "What are you doing here?" She asked after a second of disbelief, her face dead blank.

"Wow, nice to see you, too, S, and Merry Christmas," Quinn quipped in her double-breasted ivory wool overcoat and big red purse slung over her shoulder as Rachel appeared behind her with a wide smile on her face. "Smile a little wider, won't you?" The petite blonde joked with a chuckle, taking in her friend's appearance and baffled behaviour.

"Sorry… Merry Christmas, Q," Santana said animatedly, shaking her head repeatedly to come to her senses as she wrapped the blonde in a hug. "I'm just surprised to see you guys."

"Merry Christmas, Santana," Rachel piped in as both women locked eyes whilst Santana hugged Quinn.

"Merry Christmas, Berry," the brunette doctor replied uncharacteristically warm as Quinn let her out of the hug and Rachel took her place. "I thought you guys were going down to Florida to spend the holiday with Judy," she added in earnest, unwrapping the petite theater woman as Jimmy came into view balancing three pieces of luggage on his hands and shoulders. "Jimmy! You, too?" Santana cried out a bit too enthusiastically for her liking as the British man approached the three ladies from the rental car. "I thought…" Santana trailed off in confusion.

"Yeah, well, Rachel and I decided to ditch Judy this year and Jimmy whined so much about going to London that it was a no-brainer for him to join us," Quinn offered simply, tugging her coat closer to her body. The evening chilliness was at full force, the snow had given a small break, though.

"Come on in, guys… It's cold outside," Santana said unceremoniously, stepping away from the door to let the two women in. James stepped through the threshold seconds later and the brunette closed the door as Quinn and Rachel cooed at Poppy.

"Merry Christmas, San," Jimmy finally said with a bright smile, placing their luggage on the foyer's marble floor and hugging the even smaller woman next to his tall figure.

"You too, Jimmy!" Santana replied softly, matching his smile into the hug. "I can't believe you guys came," she added in a surprised tone, pulling back from the hug. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It was a last minute decision, really," Rachel said in her high-pitched tone, straightening her body as her wife remained bent over indulging Poppy's need for attention. "We didn't want to get your hopes up in case we didn't manage to find a flight."

"You people sure flatter yourselves a lot," Santana joked with a wide grin. "Judy must have been pissed with a last minute cancelation," she added with an easy laugh.

"That made the decision even more enjoyable," Quinn replied with a smirk. "Besides, she has my perfect sister, my perfect niece and my perfect brother-in-law to keep her happy. She won't be missing us," she added honestly and a tad bitterly. Judy had come a long way when it came to Quinn and Rachel, but she still didn't completely approve them. Every so often she would make not-so-subtle remarks and comments whenever they visited or called.

Rachel placed a sympathizing hand on her wife's shoulder and received a sweet smile in return.

"What about your dads?" Santana asked, looking at Rachel.

"This year was the Fabrays' turn," Rachel explained and Quinn rolled her eyes. "My dads went on a musical cruise," she added with a jealous, tight-lipped smile.

"I don't doubt it," Santana quipped as her friends proceeded to removing their coats. The warmth inside began to be felt. "And I can't believe you turned your parents down," the brunette doctor added, shifting her gaze to Jimmy.

"Yeah, told them to sod off," James said with a lopsided smile and received a pointed look from Santana. "Ok, I told them an emergency surgery appeared out of nowhere," he added in a low tone, passing his coat over to the woman of the house followed by Quinn and Rachel.

Taking a gander at Rachel's reindeers Christmas sweater, Santana sighed, "Oh, Dwarf…"

"What?" Rachel asked with confusion, looking down at her sweater while Jimmy kneeled down to play with Poppy and Quinn smiled at Santana's antics.

"Nothing," Santana replied with amusement, going to the foyer's coat closet to hang the coats inside.

"You better back off of my wife, Lopez," Quinn stated playfully as she watched Santana's back by the closet. Rachel laced their arms.

"I said 'nothing', didn't I?" Santana replied matter-of-factly, looking over her should at the blonde.

"So, were you on your way out to Puck's bar?" Quinn asked casually as Santana turned around after closing the coat closet.

"I never –" the brunette doctor began but amended, "Who…" Santana trailed on, furrowing her eyebrows at the blonde.

Quinn merely directed her gaze down at Jimmy, who still played with Poppy on the floor. Feeling eyes on him, the tall man looked up.

"What? I didn't know it was some sort of secret," Jimmy said evenly, cupping the dog's head with both hands affectionately. "Right, Pops?" He added playfully, redirecting his gaze to the pet.

"That means you really didn't accept Brittany's offer, huh?" Rachel asked with a tinge of exasperation as she stood by Quinn's side. "Stubborn," the diva mumbled in sing-song voice for hers and her wife's ears alone. She knew better than to poke Satan with a short stick.

Shaking her head repeatedly, Santana trailed on with frustration just like seconds ago, "Who…" And her eyes began to roam around the room, falling on an unsuspecting James.

Feeling eyes again on him, Jimmy huffed, "Don't look at me this time."

"Britt…" Quinn trailed on matter-of-factly, answering her friend's sort of implicit question.

"You all realize we talk way too much amongst ourselves, right?" Santana rhetorically asked, crossing her arms across her chest.

"I think it's exceedingly healthy to share personal information with friends. Matter of fact it is the sole way –" Rachel began one of her speeches but was cut off by an impatient Santana.

"Yada, yada, yada…" the brown-eyed woman interjected, rolling her eyes. "Get over yourself, Man Hands," she added with bite.

"Zoey's coming tomorrow, right?" Quinn asked with a tender smile, trying to brighten up the mood. Their goddaughter always brought smiles to anyone's lips. Santana shot her a look and before the feisty brunette had the chance to ask, Quinn amended with a smug grin, "Before you ask, you told me that, San."

"Yes, she's coming," Santana replied with an unconscious smile. "And we really do talk too much," she added in quip, receiving laughs from all her friends.

"So, are we just going to stand here in the foyer, ungracious hostess?" Jimmy quipped playfully, rising to his feet with a smile.

"Do you guys want to go to Puck's bar or stay in?" Santana asked evenly, uncrossing her arms.

"I vote for staying in," the hazel-eyed man replied without skipping a beat. "I don't like the guy," he added scornfully.

"You don't even know him, doofus," the brunette doctor countered nonchalantly.

"I don't feel like going to a bar," Rachel said honestly.

"Q?" Santana asked, shifting her gaze to the blonde.

"I don't care either way," Quinn replied offhandedly.

"Guess, we're staying in, then," Santana proclaimed with an apathetic shrug and Jimmy smiled wider. She really didn't care either. Truth was, she was happy to be with her friends; no matter where. "Go grab yourselves a guest room. Meet you back in the kitchen," she added, and her friends began to grab their luggage and head upstairs. "You should know I don't have a feast or any supper prepared. We'll have to figure something out," Santana called out to their ascending figures as she walked to the kitchen.

"It's fine," came Quinn's voice.

"I'm calling the magnolia guest bedroom," came Jimmy's giddy voice from afar.

"We are the ones who always stay in the magnolia bedroom, James," came Rachel's annoying voice.

Shaking her head with amusement, Santana continued her walk towards the kitchen.

In no time they were all reunited once again in the house's kitchen. Jimmy leaned on the side of the kitchen's island, propped up by his elbows; Rachel sat on one of the island's stools; Santana stood behind another stool with her hands on its back as Quinn neared the fridge.

"So, what are we to do?" The hazel-eyed man asked casually.

"We could order some take-out," Rachel offered evenly.

"I think you've forgotten we're in Lima, Berry, not New York. I doubt they'll deliver anything on Christmas Eve," Santana said in her usual assertive tone.

"It's fine. Let's see what you've got here," Quinn said calmly, turning around to the fridge's double doors and opening both. The stainless steel doors were almost completely covered up with Zoey's drawings. "I think we can hustle up some nice pizzas. You have lots of potential toppings here and, you know, homemade pizza dough is –"

James cut her off promptly, finishing her sentence, "…your specialty. Yeah, yeah, we all know that by now, Quinnie." And he flashed her an impish smile.

"Continue being cute and you'll go without eating," the petite blonde warned with narrowed eyes, pointing a finger at the man.

Santana and Rachel smiled as Jimmy contained himself from making an eating joke. Instead, he replied with a meek smile, "Got it..." Santana shot him a challenging look that clearly read 'chicken shit'. So, he added under his breath, but loud enough for the brunette doctor to hear, "…Mom."

Both doctors exchanged a smile as Quinn inspected the fridge further, taking out stuff they would need.

"You know what we could use right now?" Quinn said, still taking out stuff from the fridge. "Some wine. Do you have any?" She added, landing her eyes on Santana.

"Do I have any?" Santana scoffed with a smirk. "You really have to ask, Q?"

"Guess not," Quinn shot back ironically, mirroring her friend's smirk.

They were all a little bit of winos. Once upon a better time, whenever Santana and Brittany, or Quinn and Rachel, would throw a casual dinner party for the two couples – only ladies allowed, Jimmy always pouted that he had to sit those dinners out – they would go through at least three bottles. Far more if they arrived at each other's homes earlier to chat whilst dinner was made.

"James Edward, why don't you be the gentleman I know you are and go fetch us some wine from the cellar?" Santana asked ceremoniously, shifting her gaze to the British man.

"Yeah, us hot mommas need our juice," Rachel chimed in, trying to be funny and laid back, which only earned her some out loud laughs from her friends. Even her wife couldn't contain herself. "What?" The diva asked indignantly, looking at each one of them.

"Please, honey, just don't," Quinn said through laughter.

"I'll be right back," Jimmy said as he went to do what he was asked, also with a smile still playing on his lips.

Before he could leave the kitchen, though, the tall man heard Santana casually say, "I think I'll call Puck to join us."

Stopping on his tracks, Jimmy took a few steps back and stubbornly piped in, "What? I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not? Nobody, not even Puck, should spend Christmas alone with a bunch of weirdos. I mean, it was fine when he had some awesome company such as myself, but now it's just sad," Santana put it, ever-so-modestly.

"Really? Sad? That's a bit of an overstatement, don't you think?" Jimmy replied evenly, playing it down.

"You're just saying 'no' because you're being ridiculously jealous," the brunette doctor stated. "What do you guys think?" She added, redirecting her gaze to the married couple. "I should add that Puck have perfected the art of appletini making," Santana finished slyly with a smug grin.

"He's in," Quinn curtly said with a resolute nod.

"Without shadow of doubt," Rachel added with an identical nod.

"Guess you lost this one, my friend," Santana said with a victorious smile, turning her gaze back at the tall man. "Think of this as exercising your Christmas spirit," she joked.

"Fine, I'll be the bigger man," James said with an annoyed tone, shooting his friends a less than pleased look.

"You are the bigger man," Santana replied with a smile, throwing her longtime friend a bone. "And your martini is still the best drink I've ever had," she added, and the man beamed.

Jimmy was about to say something when Quinn beat him to it, "Please, don't make another James Bond analogy starring yourself. You'll only lose this moment of coolness." He closed his mouth and obliged, leaving the kitchen as the ladies shared amused smiles.

"FedEx delivered the presents I sent you two in time?" Santana asked, making conversation as she stole an olive from the stuff Quinn had placed on the kitchen island. "It better have because I stood on that line for ages so you received them in time."

"We received them," Quinn replied evenly.

"And we loved them," Rachel sort of completed Quinn's sentence and they smiled sickeningly sweet at each other, making Santana roll her eyes.

"Did you get ours?" The hazel-eyed woman asked and Santana nodded her confirmation while chewing her olive. "We sent Zoey's along with Brittany's," she added as an afterthought. "Hope that's cool…"

"Cool is my middle name, sister," Santana joked lamely and they all laughed at her expense, including Santana. She really was in a better mood already.

---

Jenna and Zoey sat on their living room sofa watching some TV as they waited for Brittany to finish getting ready so they could all head for the dancer's parents to enjoy their Christmas Eve.

"So, Zoey, have you been a good girl? Think Santa's gonna bring you lots of presents?" Jenna asked with a smile, looking down at the kid sitting beside her.

"Yep," Zoey replied simply with a huge grin, certainly keen on the new topic of conversation.

"Yeah, I think so, too," the petite blonde said ceremoniously, putting an arm over the girl's shoulders.

They fell in comfortable silence for a couple of minutes and then Zoey's demeanor sort of changed. She seemed preoccupied and the green-eyed woman noticed.

"What's the matter, sweetie?" Jenna asked with a slight frown, looking down at the kid again.

"I shushed Mommy and Mama the other day…" Zoey trailed on with a concerned look on her pretty little face. "But I said sorry. Do you think Santa will be mad? Mommy said he wouldn't," she added hopeful.

"I think he won't mind this one time," Jenna said with a reassuring smile. "He knows you're not a naughty girl."

Zoey seemed pleased with that answer because her big blue eyes sparkled.

"Yeah, Mommy was naughty, though," Zoey deadpanned innocently with a mischievous grin on her lips as Brittany started walking into the living room, catching the end of their talk, "Mama said Santana Claus…" Zoey giggled at the word, she had truly loved it, "…won't be bringing any special presents for her this year." Apparently the movie wasn't the only thing the kid was watching intently that day.

Jenna caught Brittany's blush as she replied with confusion, "Oh, really? That's interesting…"

Recovering from the embarrassment, Brittany asked in an attempt to change the subject, "So, ladies, how do I look?"

Zoey turned around, noticing her Mommy's presence for the first time. The tall blonde wore a beautiful soft knitted white jumper dress that featured a fabulous cowl neck. The look was neatly finished off with a wide belt that marked her narrow waist perfectly, and black tights that made her legs seem longer than they already were. The high-heeled ankle boots on her feet made the outfit even hotter.

"Very pretty," the little girl stated in her long-sleeved navy and pink dress paired with cozy white tights.

"Beautiful, honey," Jenna said softly, locking eyes with her wife and offering her a sweet smile.

As Zoey got distracted by the TV commercial, Brittany mouthed silently the word "presents" to the woman on the sofa. And then, the dancer made a motion that indicated that she was closing a car's trunk. Jenna smiled wider at her wife's adorable antics and simply nodded her head before rising to her feet and walking towards Brittany.

"Before we go I wanted to give you something," Jenna said softly, approaching the blonde and walking past her into the kitchen area.

"We'll do presents later," Brittany replied in the same tone, her artificially curled hair bouncing against her shoulders as she turned around to watch her wife walk towards one of the kitchen's cabinets.

"I know, but I want to give you this one now," the green-eyed woman countered, fighting a smile as she grabbed a rectangular paper-wrapped present from inside the upper cabinet. "I hid here so you couldn't find it," she added proudly, closing the cabinet with the present in hand. "Merry Christmas, Brittany," Jenna finished with excitement, handing the taller blonde the object and laying a lingering kiss on her wife's lips.

"Thanks, Jenna!"

"Go on, open it!"

"Alright," Brittany replied with a giddy look on her face as she unwrapped the paper and uncovered a rectangular maroon velvety box. She shot Jenna a short look before opening it up to discover a classy tennis bracelet. "Jenna, it's beautiful," the dancer said, looking up at her smiling wife again. "But it looks expensive, honey… You shouldn't have. We never –"

Jenna interrupted her mid-sentence and stated with confidence, "Shh, don't worry about that." And the petite blonde went on to take the bracelet out of the box and put it on Brittany's wrist.

The action sent the blue-eyed woman into another memory, the memory of her and Santana when they bought matching bracelets as a pledge of eternal friendship back in high school. The thought brought a sweet smile to her face that Jenna mistook as result of her own actions. Brittany shook the thought. What she was doing wasn't fair at all. She promised herself that she would work hard. Those thoughts definitely didn't fall into that particular category. She had been slipping more and more lately.

"I wanted to give you something nicer this year," Jenna added softly, closing the bracelet around the pale wrist of the taller blonde while Zoey still sat on the sofa, captivated by whatever program had started.

"Well, it really is beautiful. I love it. Now I feel bad for getting you a comfortable new pair of loafers for work," Brittany replied with a sheepishly grin and then added without skipping a beat, "And for just spoiling the surprise by telling you what I got you." She shook her head in self-reproach.

"I'm sure I'll love whatever you bought me, honey," Jenna stated lightly with a smile, sealing the statement with a long kiss.

"Ok, we should go now. My parents must be anxious already."

"Let's."

Moving into the living room, Brittany asked her daughter animatedly, "Ready to go to Grandpa and Grandma's, Z?" To which the little girl replied with a nod, putting her arms up to be picked up. The TV had been making her sleepy. "Alright, let's get going."

---

Christmas Eve at Santana's was going rather well. After Santana called Puck, the man arrived shortly after. He had declined the offer at first but didn't need much push to cave. Puck arrived with an announcement that he had brought a case of booze, to which Quinn remarked that some things really never change. Their reunion was a bit awkward at first, before everyone took their time to familiarize with one another. Jimmy, of course, initially gave a hard time to the other guy. A favour which Puck didn't feel shy about returning, obviously. At one time the bar owner made a quip about the British man's carefully constructed spiky hair, and Rachel made sure to argue that Puck didn't have much ground to make fun of him since they all very much knew about his mohawk days. Both guys went on with it for a while longer as they all yapped away, ate pizzas and filled on booze; enjoying a casual, laid-back holiday in the cozy kitchen that felt pleasantly warm by the ever presence of a pie in the oven. After Santana mischievously asked whether she should bring them a ruler to measure, compare and contrast their dicks, Jimmy and Puck loosened up; falling into civil, nice chatter about sports and other guy stuff.

Yes, Christmas Eve was going better than Santana initially thought it would be. Her friends, and Puck, were a nice distraction. Even though, every once in a while, her mind couldn't help but drift off to a certain blue-eyed dancer and their perfect offspring. Habits…

---

"So, Jenna, how were Christmas sales this year?" Rob asked with interest, putting some food in his mouth as the rest of the family also sat at the table with him.

"They were good. Better than last year," Jenna informed casually in her grey trousers and orange blouse as Ally entertained Zoey with funny faces from the other side of the table.

"Well, it's good to know that folks aren't letting the bad economy prevent them from shopping their little hearts out," the older man quipped with a lopsided smile.

"Dad…" Brittany warned lightheartedly with a pointed look as she stopped cutting some of Zoey's meat on the kid's plate.

"What? It's only the truth," Rob replied just as lightheartedly, taking a sip from his tall glass of beer. "Now, will you pass me the salt, pumpkin?" He added in question to his first born with a sweet smile on his face, and Brittany obliged.

Eyeing her husband dump a fair amount of salt into his food, Annie scolded, "Robert, that's too much! The food is salty enough as it is."

"You know me, honey… I like to live a little. Carpe diem, or whatever they call it," the sandy blond man replied, stopping with the salt after surveying his wife's less than amused expression.

"Yeah, well, carpe diem won't contain your cholesterol and blood pressure from sky rocketing," Annie warned before taking a sip of her wine. "Speaking of which, you should schedule a check-up one of these days."

"Nah, there's no need," Rob countered dismissively. "Besides, I don't like doctors. Aside from Santana and James, of course," he added with a smile and Zoey's eyes lit up at the mention of the name, even though she had been feeling sleep come for a long time.

"Mama saves 'lifes'," Zoey chimed in with the only knowledge she possessed on the profession, flashing everyone on the table a proud smile and Brittany might as well have melted at the sight. The dancer was trying hard, but Santana-related thoughts had been seeping through her mind the whole evening.

"She certainly does, sweetie," Annie said tenderly, locking eyes with her granddaughter.

Silence fell upon them for a while, and Ally felt like she couldn't stop herself anymore.

"Look, I really like you, Jenna and I mean no offense with this," the teenager said evenly, looking at her sister-in-law in the eye. "But…" Ally was about to add but felt her sister's intense gaze on her. Looking briefly at Zoey, she decided to amend, "…you-know-who should be here right now. It's just not right. She has been coming to Christmas with us for as long as I can remember. She shouldn't be alone."

"Allison…" Annie warned her youngest daughter, shooting her a peculiar look.

Looking down at her oblivious daughter, Brittany turned her gaze back at her sister. She was being extremely unfair. "Mom asked. You asked. I asked, ok? I practically begged. You know how she is…" Brittany said evenly, trying to keep her voice neutral not to tip her perceptive kid as she held Ally's stare. "Do you think this is easy for me?" She added barely above a whisper and Jenna started to feel more awkward by the second.

"Girls…" It was Rob's time to issue a soft warning.

"No, Brittany, I know it isn't, but –" Allison tenderly said in earnest and Brittany could see the softness in her kid sister's eyes, but the teenager looked down briefly at her almost finished plate of food, shook her head and decided to change gears, "You know what? Never mind. I'm going upstairs to my room… I promised Lily I'd phone to save her from her relatives for a bit. Call me when dessert is out, please."

Ally flashed Brittany a sympathetic smile before heading to her room.

"Someone is deciding to call it a night," Annie said softly, trying to diffuse the tension as she pointed at Zoey.

Brittany looked sideways at her daughter and could see her heavy eyelids going down and barely managing to go up again. It brought a smile to her face as she proceeded to take Zoey from her chair and cuddle the girl in her loving arms. She chanced a glance at Jenna, who seemed to be holding up well together after Ally's impromptu ambush.

"I think it's safe to bring in the presents now," Brittany said softly in a somewhat hushed tone to not wake the sleeping kid in her arms.

"I'll bring them in from the car," Jenna announced with a reassuring smile meant for her wife.

"Thanks, Jenna," the dancer replied.

"And I'll work on Santa's cookies and milk. Make sure to leave enough teeth marks," Rob said with a broad smile whilst getting up from the table.

"Don't spoil your appetite. I'm bringing over the dessert in a moment," Annie informed, matching her husband's smile as he walked away.

Brittany had been watching her daughter's, their daughter's sleeping face the whole time. Deep in thought, simply mesmerized by her perfect little features… Dropping an adoration-filled feather kiss on Zoey's forehead, Brittany looked up and caught her mom staring at them. They locked blue eyes for a short while and exchanged a small, bittersweet, tight-lipped, knowing smile. Mothers always know…

---

Back at Santana's place everybody had probably eaten more than they should. Everybody also sported a nice buzz due to some intense booze consumption. Santana made sure to check herself, though. The last thing she needed was to become weepy and certainly give everyone a pathetic show of all those embarrassing, hurt feelings she kept securely locked inside herself. Jimmy and Puck had already witnessed more than enough at the strip club.

They moved the party from the kitchen to the living room to have some improvised dessert: ice cream with smashed cookies, which were beaten mercilessly inside of a zip-lock bag with a rolling pin by an enthusiastic Quinn and an over enthusiastic Santana. The liquor didn't have legs, but it sure made its way to the living room as well. Go figure…

Eyeing the grand piano with a spark in her eyes, Rachel said excitedly as she stood by the lit fireplace with a bowl of ice cream in one hand and a spoon on the other, "I think we should sing some Christmas carols."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Berry," Santana replied with annoyance in her tone, sitting comfortably on the sofa with her feet up on the coffee table – if only her mother could see her now – as she took another spoonful of ice cream from her bowl and gladly put it in her mouth. "We already know you're in love with the sound of your own voice. No need to sing to advertise it."

"I think it could be fun, San. Just like old times," Quinn backed up her wife with a smile, cradling her ice cream bowl as she leaned further into the beautiful Napoleon armchair she was occupying. "Jimmy can play," she added, shifting her gaze to the tall man who sat beside Santana.

"Yeah, let's cheer this night up a notch," James exclaimed with enthusiasm, placing his ice cream bowl next to Santana's wine glass on top of the coffee table before standing with a flourish.

"You can't sing, though, Jimmy," Rachel warned with a diva tone of voice, putting her bowl on the mantelpiece next to her wine glass before making her way to Jimmy who walked to the black piano. "You can't carry a tune to save your life," she added matter-of-factly.

"Yes, I remember that, thank you. You never do let me forget," Jimmy replied sarcastically, glaring sideways at the petite brunette by his side.

"I'll take the first one. Solo," Rachel said with untamed joy as she helped Jimmy remove the photo frames from the piano to open the instrument.

"Shocker!" Santana muttered loud enough for everyone to hear whilst trading her bowl for the wine glass to take a long sip.

Puck looked on at their exchange from his armchair with amusement while devouring his ice cream. Quinn was right, some things never really change.

"You can have the next one, Santana," Rachel added promptly, ignoring the female doctor's remark.

"Thanks for the kindness, Dwarf," Santana quipped sardonically without missing a beat. "But I don't sing anymore," she added nonchalantly. Santana refrained from adding the 'except for Zoey' part. She heard enough jokes as it was from Jimmy about the whip having exchanged hands from a blue-eyed blonde to a tiny blue-eyed brunette. No need to add more fuel to the fire… It was their private thing, anyway. Hers and Zoey's, and she liked it that way. "You guys are welcome to knock yourselves out, though."

"Since when?" Quinn asked lightly, trying to conceal a worried look but failing miserably as she held her friend's stare. "We always used to have plenty karaoke nights in New York," she added for good measure.

"Since I woke up, if you must know," Santana replied curtly, sending Quinn a look that clearly read 'just drop this'. Quinn reluctantly obliged as Jimmy sat on the piano stool and Rachel, like the diva she is, positioned herself dramatically next to it to perform the song she selected to sing.

"I'll be singing The Christmas Song," Rachel solemnly announced, clearing her throat as Santana shot Quinn a brief 'are you kidding me?' look and they exchanged easy smiles before the ladies and Puck turned their full attention to Rachel and Jimmy, who had began to play the first few notes.

Rachel sang it very well, and then Puck and Quinn followed her with a nice duet of Jingle Bell Rock, who managed to bring a grin even to Santana's lips. Jimmy insisted on accompanying Quinn as she sang Santa Claus is Coming to Town and after they were done, a hyper Rachel addressed Santana.

"Come on, Santana… If you're really not going to sing, at least choose something for me to sing to you."

"I have no requests," Santana said shortly, crossing her arms across her chest as she sat on the exact same position from many moments ago.

"Spoilsport," Jimmy cried out from the piano with a mischievous grin on his face as Quinn and Puck returned to their seats.

"Fine, I want to hear River," the brown-eyed doctor stated with a resolute tone, taking another sip from her wine glass, which had been re-filled not long ago.

"River?" Rachel asked with uncertainty, stealing a quick glance at her wife, who looked less than enthusiastic with the request while Santana merely nodded her confirmation.

Yeah, leave it up to Santana to choose the most depressing, heart-wrenching Christmas song ever; Quinn thought sadly. Sometimes she really worried about her friend. The brunette tried to hide her funk, but the petite blonde knew. She knew the woman was suffering.

"Alright," Rachel replied weakly, going to the piano's side as Quinn decided to change seats and take one beside Santana, who looked at her with a pair of suspicious brown eyes and a raised eyebrow but both said nothing.

The repetitive first notes began to sound through the living room as Jimmy expertly hit them and then Rachel's smooth voice was heard, "It's coming on Christmas. They're cutting down trees. They're putting up reindeer and singing songs of joy and peace. Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on…"

"She has a nice voice," Santana whispered to Quinn by her side. After a beat, she added, "Don't tell her I said that."

Quinn looked sideways at her friend with a sly smile on her lips and replied in the same hushed tone, "Your secret is safe with me."

"I've heard that one before," Santana quipped, returning the smile.

Rachel kept singing with her eyes closed, "I wish I had a river so long. I would teach my feet to fly. Oh, I wish I had a riverI could skate away on. I made my baby cry…"

The doorbell rang but it didn't faze the theater woman one bit. Puck eyed the lady of the house from his seat.

"It's probably Mrs. H…" Santana said to Quinn in a low tone before sighing. "That woman hears me sneeze and think I'm being too noisy," she complained with a scowl, preparing to stand up.

Quinn placed a hand on Santana's shoulder to stop her and said, "I'll go. I still bear a grudge from that time the old hag ratted me out to Judy." Seeing Santana's uncertain gaze, the blonde clarified, "Senior year… You threw that party here when your parents were out of town... I got drunk, vomited on Mrs. H's lawn…"

"Oh, right," Santana replied with a smirk at the memory, and Quinn nodded as reinforcement before standing up and leaving the living room towards the front door.

After a while she was opening up one of the front double doors. "What are you doing here?" Quinn asked the other person standing in front of her with surprise.

"What are you doing here?" Brittany repeated the question with a broad smile taking over her features. She carried a passed out Zoey, who peacefully rested her sleeping little head against the dancer's right shoulder. "And why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

Shaking her head and stepping away from the door to let her friend in, Quinn replied evenly as she matched Brittany's smile, "We decided to come last minute."

"Did everyone come?" The blue-eyed woman asked with a happy tone of voice, stepping inside the house as Quinn ran a hand through Zoey's hair and closed the door behind them.

Quinn knew that everyone meant her, Rachel and Jimmy. It was just how they worked. So, she nodded instantly.

"I couldn't pass the chance to blow Judy off, and Jimmy felt exactly the same about the Grahams. So…" Quinn announced with a snarky tone considering the subject, but she was happy to see Brittany again. She sorely missed her. She and Santana... That everyday contact was something you couldn't appreciate fully until you lost it.

"Meaning: you all wanted to be here for Santana," Brittany replied with a satisfied smile, reinforcing her hold under Zoey's thighs as a big yellow plastic bag that was slung on her arm dangled. Their little girl was sure growing.

Quinn looked down briefly with a sly smile and then looked back up into her friend's eyes. "You always were an expert in decoding phrases," the petite blonde said with warmth.

"Well, you kinda have to be one when you're with someone like Santana," Brittany joked with a grin, which quickly morphed into a wistful one when she considered the words she had just said.

Quinn flashed her a knowing smile and caressed the other woman's upper arm for comfort. Just then the taller blonde heard Rachel's singing voice in the background, "I'm so hard to handle. I'm selfish and I'm sad. Now I've gone and lost the best baby that I ever had. Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on…"

Brittany had been so wrapped up in the shock of seeing Quinn and their easy conversation that she hadn't even noticed it before then. Such a sad song… "Rachel's singing already, huh?" She asked and received a knowing smile from Quinn. "This song is so sad…" The dancer added sincerely with a fainter smile, not one to ever filter thoughts from her head.

"Yeah," Quinn conceded without missing a beat. "Leave it up to your wi –" The hazel-eyed woman stopped herself before saying something stupid. It was the alcohol talking. Paired with the familiarity of it all. Brittany noticed the slip, though. "Leave it to Santana to request the saddest Christmas song ever," she corrected her sentence. It was meant to come out as a joke but both women failed to identify the punchline.

Brittany smiled out of politeness and Quinn felt even worse for saying it. She had managed to filter that thought earlier in the living room, but it just slipped seconds ago. Yeah, she should definitely cut off on the wine after this.

Desperately trying to change the subject, Brittany said with a genuine smile after assessing her friend's flushed face, "I see you winos couldn't keep away from the red, huh?" She still vividly remembered all the dinner parties they had back in New York. Only ladies allowed. She missed those days…

"It takes one to know the other, sister," Quinn quipped rapidly, glad about the brightened of the mood. She wanted to ask whether Brittany knew about Santana not singing anymore, but she had stuffed her foot in her mouth enough for one day. She would broach the topic on another occasion. So, Quinn said instead as she started walking towards the living room, "Come on, join the five of us."

"Five?" Brittany asked with a confused tone as she followed her friend. She never had been good at math, but wait… Was Riley there? Had she come back?

"Puck's here, too," Quinn replied with little consequence.

"Puck?" The dancer asked with surprise.

"He has the appletinis," the petite blonde stated like it was the most obvious thing in the world. The booze buzz had definitely gotten to her.

Brittany scrunched up her eyebrows and just shrugged it off as they finally reached the living room, passing by the twinkling Christmas tree that was then filled with presents most likely destined for Zoey, in time to hear Rachel's last lingering verses, "…and singing songs of joy and peace. I wish I had a river I could skate away on," and Jimmy's final notes.

"I would clap if my hands weren't occupied," Brittany said from the back of the living room, causing everyone to look at her and Quinn, who stood beside the dancer.

"Britt!" Rachel exclaimed with a wide smile, making her way towards the dancer and her wife. "I'm so glad to see you!"

"You, too, Rach!" Brittany replied promptly, matching her friend's smile as the petite brunette wrapped her and Zoey in a light embrace to not wake the apparently sleeping child.

"How's Zoey?" Rachel asked without dropping the smile. "We should probably keep it quiet, guys," she added with concern.

"She's great, thanks," the blonde replied politely, searching for Santana's eyes as the doctor made her way towards all of them. "And don't worry about this one. When she's out, she's out."

"Britt," Jimmy acknowledged the dancer from the piano with a small wave and a warm smile.

"Hey, Jimmy," Brittany replied enthusiastically, giving him a head nod since her hands were holding their kid whilst Santana stopped beside her. "Puck," she added, acknowledging the guy on the armchair with less enthusiasm. He still sort of irked her.

"Brittany…" Puck trailed on with his usual smirk placed on his face. "Long time no see," he added casually.

"What are you doing here, B?" Santana asked with surprise laced on her tone, but an unconscious smile made its way to her luscious lips as she caressed Zoey's back with gentleness. Brittany noticed that Santana looked very hot in that outfit and her chiseled cheekbones seemed even finer with the flush Brittany knew was wine induced.

"S and I thought you were Mrs. H," Quinn said with a giggle – she certainly have had too much to drink – while snaking an arm over Rachel's shoulders.

"Wow, thank you very much," Brittany quipped sarcastically with an easy smile.

"It was because of the noise," Quinn felt the need to justify.

Turning back to Santana, Brittany said softly, "I wanted you to have her earlier, so, you know, you guys could do presents together on Christmas morning." And she flashed the brunette her megawatt smile, one of the many ones that always reduced Santana to mush. Brittany left the part where she didn't want Santana to be alone out. Besides, she wasn't counting on their friends dropping by, but she was most definitely happy about that. Knowing the doctor had spent the holiday with people who love her and people she loves back made the dancer feel very warm inside.

"Thanks, Britt," Santana replied weakly with a sweet smile on her face, touched by her ex's considerate gesture. "Let's put the munchkin on her bed," she added. Turning to her friends, Santana finished, "We'll be right back. Entertain yourselves…" She and Brittany started walking towards the living room's exit when Santana turned her head and playfully said, "Don't break anything, kids."

Puck watched Zoey as Brittany carried the little girl by Santana's side, and Quinn beside Rachel made their way back to the sitting area. Jimmy came from the piano and started chatting with Rachel whilst Puck took the opportunity to walk towards Quinn.

"Do you ever think about her?" Puck asked in a low tone, almost timorously as he kept his gaze on Brittany and Santana's departing backs.

Following the man's gaze Quinn instantly knew what he meant. How could she not? The hazel-eyed woman took a slow, long breath and replied evenly yet tenderly, "Every night." After a beat, she met her need to ask, "You?"

Puck took the question into consideration, met the blonde's gaze and said honestly, "From time to time… Yeah..." And they exchanged weak smiles before being dragged into the other two's conversation.

Meanwhile, Santana and Brittany made their way up the marble staircase in veiled silence.

"Want some help?" Santana asked, breaking the silence as sprang to her mind that Brittany was carrying Zoey and a bag up.

"I can manage, thanks," Brittany replied with ease.

Santana's hand unconsciously lifted itself up to hover over the small of Brittany's back in a protective manner as the dancer climbed the steps a bit ahead of her. At that moment Brittany didn't need the actual touch to really feel Santana's hand's presence there, and the notion alone brought a peculiar smile to her face. They reached the white door of Zoey's bedroom, there was no mistaking it from the wood letter 'Z' that was painted in pink and hung on the door from a wide silky brown ribbon with a bow on the top. Santana opened the door and both women entered the girl's room after the brunette dimmed up the lights some. Brittany instantly spotted Candy sitting on the corner of the purple room. She had been in there before and the dancer had loved what Santana had done with the room. From the white furniture, to the colourful toys on the wall shelves, to the puzzle like foam mats in a corner, to the little lady tea table, to the three squares of animal-related artwork that hung over Zoey's bed… Everything was perfect.

"You didn't have to bring her tonight, you know?" Santana spoke in a hushed tone as she pulled the covers down and looked at the blonde. Why does she always have to look so good? Santana wondered inwardly.

"I know, but I wanted to," Brittany replied in the same tone, holding Santana's stared as she gently placed Zoey on the bed. The thought of you alone in this big house nearly killed me, Brittany added in her mind. No way could she say that to proud Santana. "I was driving to Puck's bar to find you when I passed by here and saw all the lights on. Figured you were in," the dancer added, placing her bag on the ground and proceeding to take off the kid's shoes. "It was nice of them to come," she finished with a smile, searching for Santana's eyes as the brunette grabbed a nightgown from the white dresser.

Santana simply nodded as she came back with the nightwear clothing in hands. Brittany busied herself with taking Zoey's coat, tights, and dress off with extreme ability, or so it looked like for the brunette woman who watched them most closely.

"What about you? I mean, how will you give her your presents and all?" Santana said still in hushed tone, taking over and putting the nightgown on their daughter with as much delicateness as possible. It was Brittany's turn to watch unabashedly proud.

"She dozed off by the end of dinner. After dessert I woke her up and told her it was Christmas already, and that Santa had brought her her presents. She already opened them all, don't worry," Brittany informed with an appreciative smile on her lips while watching Santana wrestle with the last sleeve. "She was excited to come but she couldn't fight sleep in the car," she added with motherly amusement.

"Well, thanks for bringing her," Santana said genuinely after finishing with her dressing duty, looking up to meet those mesmerizing blue eyes. "I mean it," she added softly to convey the strength behind her words before refocusing her attention on Zoey. She placed a light kiss on the kid's head and pulled the covers back up, which seemed to stir the heavy sleeper a bit.

When Brittany leaned down to kiss her daughter as well the contact sent big, darker blue eyes slightly open. "Mommy?" Zoey asked a bit groggily, reaching out for Brittany's hand and holding it.

"Go back to sleep, baby," Brittany cooed tenderly, rubbing a soothing thumb where the girl's hair met her forehead with her free hand. It was one of Zoey's favourite places to receive caresses.

Santana couldn't help but notice the look of sheer adoration their kid was sending Brittany. It made her heart swell because that was the same look Zoey awarded her and, sometimes, she really wondered what exceptional great thing she had done to earn and deserve that sort of fantastic privilege.

Looking sideways, Zoey spotted Santana and beckoned hoarsely, "Mama…"

The brunette immediately complied and edged their girl's bedside; Brittany on one side, and Santana on the other. "I'm here, cariño…" The brunette trailed on in the sweetest of tones as Zoey grabbed her big hand with her small free one, without letting go of Brittany's in the process. "Listen to your Mommy and go back to sleep, ok?"

"So, sing to me," Zoey asked whiningly, tugging on her tan hand.

Santana could never say 'no' to their daughter. So, she shot Brittany a look that clearly stated that she didn't want the dancer present for that. It was not like she could bluntly say that in front of the kid, after all. Brittany got the hint with displeasure and reached over with her free hand to grab Rainbow from the bag she earlier discarded on the floor.

The blue-eyed woman then placed the stuffed unicorn next to Zoey and said with a smile, "Mommy's gotta go, baby. I'll see you soon, ok?" And then Brittany tried to pull her hand but Zoey held it tighter while emitting a whimper.

"No, I want you to stay," the blue-eyed girl mumbled, whimpering again with a sad expression on her pretty face. The kid was sleepy, and cranky, and unwilling to not have her wants met. And at that moment she wanted both her mommies there with her, which was actually quite an ever-present, latent desire that she didn't have words to express yet.

Brittany wanted to look sideways to gauge Santana's expression but she didn't. Instead the blonde said as sweetly as she could muster, "Sweetie, I can't s –"

Santana cut her off, looking at Brittany in the eye, "It's fine. You can stay." She hated this… but she hated the sad look on Zoey's face a hundred times more. The truth is she would always take it for her daughter's sakes. Brittany smiled and took a seat on one of their daughter's bedside after Santana had taken one on the other.

Zoey smiled sleepily with satisfaction while still clutching a pale hand and a tan hand with her little ones over the covers.

"What do you want to hear?" Santana asked softly, even though she already knew the answer. Ever since she made this parody for Zoey moths ago the girl had become completely smitten by it. She still wasn't pleased with Brittany's presence, though. She didn't sing anymore, damn it! Only for Zoey.

"Zoey girl," Zoey said promptly, fighting sleep to sound as enthused as she felt.

Brittany felt just as enthused as the kid… and a million times more curious as she smiled down at the smiling Zoey. Secretly thankful to the girl for making Santana let her stay for this.

"Really? I had no idea," Santana joked with a sincere wide smile and Zoey actually got it since she smiled wider as well. She really did ask to hear that a lot. She thought it was so cool what her Mama had done, because they had heard the original one together before in some car rides and to transform a song seemed mighty clever for the four-year old.

Brittany had no clue about what was so funny, and deep down she knew what a shame that was. The thought that this would be rectified shortly gave her a nice feeling, though.

Santana cleared her throat theatrically, just as Zoey liked, and began singing while holding the kid's gaze,

"You can't fool me, I saw you when you came out,
You got your Mommy's taste but you got my loud mouth…"

Zoey giggled at Santana's comical voice when she sang 'loud' and Brittany smiled broadly; yes the famous – or infamous? – Pierces' broad smile.

"And you will always have a part of me,
Nobody else is ever going to see,
Zoey girl…"

Santana always sort of choked when she sang those verses because the emotion behind them was so true and so strong that it did things to the brunette. That night was no different, perhaps even more enhanced because of a certain someone, and she avoided turning her gaze to Brittany's eyes – even though she was dying to do so – afraid of what she might catch there and what the implications might make her do.

"With your cards to your chest walking on your toes,
What you got in the box only Zoey knows,
And I would never try to make you be,
Anything you didn't really want to be,
Zoey girl…"

Her voice reached a higher tone on those last three verses and even without looking at the dancer she knew that Brittany knew the ramifications and intensity behind those lines. Her parents… It always seemed to come back to them, right? Brittany gulped dryly and felt tears welling up in her eyes as she tried to catch Santana's gaze with no success, so she turned back to Zoey, who tried hard to fight sleep with an adoration look in her eyes. The strong bond between their kid and Santana elated her. The brunette was even a better mother than her wildest dreams had ever presented her with.

"Life flies by in seconds,
You're not a baby Zoey, you're my friend…"

The emotion was reaching higher grounds as Santana sang with all she got, and the words touched them, hitting hard at everything they had been through. Brittany had to catch one stray tear that defied her orders and decided to slide down her cheek. She wanted so much for Santana to look at her and really see her, read her somehow like she always did… but the brown-eyed woman was holding on tightly to her avoiding stance.

"You'll be a lady soon but until then,
You gotta do what I say…"

Santana shot Zoey a mock serious look paired with pursed lips while wiggling a warning finger at the girl with the hand that wasn't still caught in the kid's intense grip, causing her to sleepily giggle. Brittany couldn't contain a chuckle as her hand was also still claimed by the little one.

"You nodded off in my arms watching TV,
I won't move you an inch even though my arm's asleep,
One day you're gonna want to go,
I hope we taught you everything you need to know,
Zoey girl…"

Zoey's eyes were getting extremely heavy, and the little girl was almost falling asleep when she subconsciously dragged Brittany's hand to Santana's. The blonde held it gently and the brunette let her, she even held back against better judgment. They were too caught up in the moment as Santana finally looked at Brittany while singing the last two poignant verses, and she held those piercing blue eyes that conveyed so much understanding, and sweetness, and… love. Something she did and didn't want to see at the same time. Brittany couldn't show that to her. Didn't she know that?

"And there will always be a part of me,
Nobody else is ever gonna see but you and me,
My little girl,
My Zoey girl."

Santana sang the last few verses as she continued holding the blonde's stare with as much accuracy as she could handle considering the rush that was going through her head and the electricity that Brittany's touch was sending through her entire body, making her tone waver and her heart beat faster. The effect the dancer still had on her was undeniable, much to her dismay. Singing the last verse she reluctantly, but willingly, returned her gaze to Zoey, who had passed out in the interim.

Pulling her hand back with some resistance from Brittany, Santana cleared her throat again and said matter-of-factly, "She fell asleep."

Missing the contact but still glad that she was able to enjoy that private show, Brittany replied tenderly, capturing Santana's gaze again practically by force, "Yeah, she did." After a quick beat, she added in the same tone, "That was…" The dancer had trouble finding the right word to describe the magical moment, so she went with the most simple definition she could come up with, "…beautiful, San."

Santana shrugged the compliment off, but still faintly smiled as she carefully got up from Zoey's bedside. Brittany followed suit after grabbing her discarded yellow plastic bag from the floor. Both gave one final loving look to the kid sleeping next to the stuffed unicorn and made their way out of the bedroom after Santana dimmed off the light completely and let the star nightlight on.

"Let's rejoin the circus people," Santana joked to cut off the weird tension after closing Zoey's door almost all the way through. She always left a small gap unclosed because the girl liked it that way.

As she took one step towards the destination, Brittany grabbed her wrist and said softly, "Wait…" And the brunette obliged, wearing a confused look on her face. "I want to give you this first," the dancer added with a coy smile, taking out a wrapped present from the yellow bag and handing it to Santana. "Merry Christmas, San!"

Cautiously taking the present with a raised eyebrow, Santana replied matter-of-factly, "I thought we had agreed on not exchanging presents." It wasn't really an agreement. Santana had said it, Brittany had countered it, and eventually the blonde gave up, planning on getting something either way.

"We had… but I wanted you to have this," the blue-eyed woman stated resolutely as Santana shot her a well executed, but very unconvincing annoyed look.

"Well, thanks," the brunette said genuinely, reluctantly smiling at Brittany. After a beat, Santana added as they still stood in front of Zoey's bedroom, "I have something for you, too." Brittany's small smile turned into a full-blown one. "I knew you wouldn't stick to our agreement," Santana said knowingly, shaking her head at the dancer's smile but secretly pleased by it. She was such a walking-talking contradiction these days… "Wait here, I'll grab it. It's in my room," the brown-eyed doctor finished, walking towards her old bedroom.

Shortly later Santana was back with her present to Brittany in hands. "Where's the one I gave you?" Brittany enquired with curiosity as she eyed the item on Santana's hand, trying to guess what was inside.

Handing the present to Brittany, Santana answered evenly, "I left it in my bedroom. Merry Christmas, B."

"Aren't you going to open yours?" The blonde asked as she was about to unwrap hers.

"Not now, and I think you shouldn't either," Santana said with a strained tone as she put her hand over Brittany's to stop her unwrapping. The last thing Santana needed was another awkward moment.

Judging Santana's features, Brittany nodded deciding to cave even though her curiosity was eating at her.

"Let's go downstairs," Santana said, starting the walk towards there already while Brittany followed, leaving the empty plastic bag on top of a passing sideboard at the hallway.

As they reached the foyer, Santana said, "You might want to leave your present here," and she gestured to the round wooden table on the center of the room, "We don't want those meddlers prying." She meant 'she' but what the hell, right? Semantics…

Brittany obliged and left the present on the table before they headed to the living room.

As they entered the room Jimmy, who sat on the cushy Napoleon armchair, said jokingly, "Wow, took you two long enough… Were you inventing the bed first so you could put it together and then put my goddaughter on it? Because, you know, if these were the old days I'd say you two were… How do you say it, Santana? Getting your 'mack on'…" he used air quotes "…upstairs." And he laughed, receiving an approving snicker from Puck.

Brittany blushed with embarrassment and Santana reddened with anger. "Just shut the fuck up, Jimmy! The only thing we were inventing was cement, you know, to build you some nice shoes. How do you feel about sleeping with the fishes?" Santana said in a huff as she and the blonde neared the sitting area of the living room.

Puck snickered again and Jimmy's smile fell. Quinn and Rachel giggled. Yeah, both of them have had enough.

"Hey, Britt, let me get you a glass of wine," Quinn said with a lazy smile, getting up from the sofa where she sat next to Rachel. Looking around the coffee table for a clean glass, she added, "I'll grab you a wine glass on the kitchen."

Brittany waivered her off with an easy smile, cornering the sofa as she replied like Santana wasn't even in the room, "No, it's fine. I'll drink from San's. Which one is hers?" Rachel pointed at the desired glass as Quinn sat again and filled the half-empty glass, which Brittany grabbed with no reservation.

"By all means…" Santana said ironically, cornering the sofa herself. "Feel free to have my glass," she added sarcastically and Brittany merely shot her a cheeky smile.

They all fell in easy conversation. Drinking, smiling, laughing out loud like old times... It had been a long time since Brittany actually felt like she was in the right place, like she belonged. She missed the feeling. And right at that second she remembered that Jenna, her actual wife, was waiting for her outside in the car. Of course it was too good to be true, the little voice inside of her head chimed in before being categorically shut down.

"Yeah, Richard let me assist on the bypass –" Santana talked to Jimmy when Brittany interrupted the two's side conversation inside their main one.

"Sorry, guys, but I have to go. Jenna is waiting for me outside," the dancer said awkwardly as an afterthought, standing up while placing her glass, well, her and Santana's shared glass on the coffee table. They had been taking sipping turns for the last few minutes.

Santana felt the jealousy monster showing its head again. So, she decided to do what she did best: act nonchalant, aloof and cold. "Ok, you know the way out," the brown-eyed woman said with no emotion in her tone. If you looked up the word 'stoic' in a Pictionary you'd get a shot of her face right at that moment.

"Ok," Brittany replied meekly and a tad hurt, holding those cold brown eyes. "Merry Christmas, you guys," she added, trying to sound chipper as she looked around at everyone.

"I'll walk you out, Britt," Rachel offered as she sat comfortably snuggled against her wife, but her standing up motion hadn't being made.

"It's fine, Rach. You don't need to get up…" Brittany trailed on. "I'll walk myself," she added, walking towards her destination after exchanging quick goodbyes. She didn't hear Santana's.

Brittany grabbed her present on the foyer's table and let herself out, being hit by the strong wind as she jogged to the driver's side of her car. Jenna waited inside listening to music with a not-so-pleased expression on her face.

"I know, I know…" Brittany said apologetically as she closed the door behind her, put the present on the car's dashboard and buckled her seatbelt. "Q, Rachel and Jimmy came over and I just lost track of time catching up. I'm sorry."

Jenna replied with a tinge of annoyance, "Nah, waiting…" she looked at the digital watch on the car's dashboard "…35 minutes outside was a total delight."

Brittany started driving and looked sideways at the green-eyed woman as she said, "Why didn't you knock and asked for me? Or honked the horn?"

"I was tempted, trust me. But I didn't want to seem obnoxious," Jenna said in earnest as Brittany drove them home.

Silence fell upon them as the dancer didn't know what else she could say.

"I see she got you a present as well," the petite blonde announced, eyeing the wrapped item on top of the dashboard. Brittany simply nodded in response, keeping a watchful eye on the icy road ahead of her. "Very nice of her," Jenna added even though not entirely genuinely.

---

The first thing that Brittany did as they arrived home was to plop down on the couch to open her present from Santana. She was not even trying to hide the fact that curiosity was beyond eating at her at that point. Jenna took a seat on the Barcelona chair to watch her wife open it. Curiosity was also eating at her despite her strong attempts to fight it.

Brittany tore the paper off, an action that clearly betrayed her paper-saving personality, and her eyes finally fell on it as she gasped. Jenna looked confused as her wife held in front of herself with awe an apparently old navy-blue t-shirt with both hands. The look on Brittany's blue eyes was enough to make Jenna feel a heavy clench in her heart. Her wife's eyes glimmered with untamed joy, its blue colour even bluer than before so it seemed to her and, if the petite blonde wasn't mistaken, she even spotted some teary wellness behind them as Brittany smiled what Jenna called her 'million-dollar' smile. Comparing and contrasting was the natural route her mind would go.

Brittany came back down from her jubilant high and turned the t-shirt over for Jenna to see. It was in fact a plain, old navy-blue t-shirt with 'Columbia' written on the front in wide white letters that were somewhat faded from age, the green-eyed woman assessed. Obviously another inside joke she would never be aware of.

"I can't believe she gave me this…" Brittany announced with a giddy and yet disbelieving tone of voice as she smiled brightly and turned the t-shirt back to her again, sort of clutching it against her chest. And then, unconsciously bringing it over to her nose to smell it, hoping there would be at least a faint scent of Santana on it. There wasn't. It smelled like a freshly washed piece of clothing, but it was worth the try.

That was the type of reaction Jenna unknowingly expected when she handed Brittany the tennis bracelet earlier that night. And to think that Santana achieved the result with an old piece of clothing… It seemed rather unfair to the green-eyed woman. She remembered Paula's words to her, 'This is not a competition. Remember that, Jenna. You are the one who has the girl. You win'. But then, why she always felt like coming in second place when it came to Santana? It was a question that was hard to swallow. One she wanted to avoid, but also one that she had no clue as to whether she would really like to keep having to ask herself the rest of her life. Especially when one was thinking about their own wife.

---

Santana was ready for bed. Everyone else had already retired to their own room and Puck had already gone home after they declared that the party was officially over. As the brunette was more than ready to slide under the alluring covers, she spotted Brittany's present on top of the bottom side of her bed. Santana grabbed the thing and placed it on her nightstand. On one hand she wanted to open it, but on the other she didn't. It was from Brittany, and she clearly still harbored plenty resentment towards the lost love of her life. So, she slid under the covers and turned off the nightstand lamp, facing away from the present and closing her eyes to catch some sleep.

Minutes later she turned the lamp back on and grabbed the present, placing it on her lap after she sat up against the bed's headboard. Who was she kidding? In a battle against Brittany she was always bound to lose. Once upon a time, willingly so. These days there was a struggle, but the results were the same. Santana tore off the paper. She was never one to salvage it – that was Brittany, her mind wandered on its own volition. When her eyes came in contact with the object on her lap, Santana breathed deeply and slowly let it out. The brunette sighed as her tan and long fingers traced the cover of their beautiful wedding album. She couldn't believe Brittany had actually given it to her. She weakly smiled whilst opening it up with anticipation. One page by one her smile grew wider as her eyes captured and she briefly relieved the memories behind those many shots of familiar faces. They were so happy that day… Not only that day, Santana wistfully assessed in her mind. After a while she reached the end of the album… and the irony was not lost on her as she shook her head repeatedly, put it aside and went to sleep.

---

Hope you liked the long, long chapter. Didn't want to leave you with a torture device a.k.a. cliffhanger. Anyhow, I just LOVE to add more cracks... Don't you?
Review, please! ;)

As for the slow pace I get your frustration, folks. I do move at a glacial pace (with lots of mundane, day-to-day interactions that I simply love as I said before), but I'm afraid there is nothing I can do to change that. I wouldn't be able to alter my way of writing even if I wanted to. That being said, I strongly believe in the subtle drops that eventually will overflow the glass. Using a hose would be faster... but it wouldn't be as pretty or as delicate. Hang on because when it happens will be right and (hopefully) believable ;)