This chapter is in thanks to all your reviews! I'm running with the story.
Special thanks to Nikki2213, my new beta.
Chapter 1
Flashback: Kasai-Oriental, Democratic Republic of the Congo
To lone eagle
From unknown
Fly solo. Spears coming.
A dark skinned figure walks out from behind the ivory white pillar of polished marble right into the waiting arms of men, dark as night and carrying war guns.
He hadn't been warned in time, the spears were already upon him.
"Papers," the leader says with a native accent. He snatches them away when offered. "General Palaya has been murdered."
"So I heard," The other says.
"Then you will know that unless you have a woman with you, I must put you under arrest."
The fairer skinned man cocks his head towards the hotel entrance where a woman with golden hair falling over her local garments is being held up in much the same way.
"Are you two together?" The man in charge shouts, it takes the foreigners one second to nod.
"Yes, we are."
The army men let them go and move on to the other visitors.
The businessman grabs the woman by the wrist and marches them towards the bathroom to wait out the army raid.
"Wait, you can't" The woman says as she's pushed into a stall and turns around just as the door slams shut. "You're a guy, you can't be in here." She finishes.
The man turns around, eyes on fire as he leans against the door and breathes in. He pats his back pocket and sighs out in relief.
The woman is still looking at him incredulously, a look he returns. Now is not the time to think of being socially acceptable. But for good measure he rips off his mustache and opens his blazer to reveal a very full chest. "Happy now?"She says catching the white woman by surprise.
"I'm Brittany, I'm American."
"Santana. Same."
They shake hands and for a minute their eyes meet. There is an instant connection.
"You're not Mexican? I thought you were" Brittany says.
Santana chuckles as she puts her mustache back on, "Don't let the tan fool you babe."
Two hours later
They're walking in the marketplace; it's not as busy as usual. Where sellers normally lay their trinkets on the ground and call with grating voices for attention, there is only dust.
"General Palaya made it safe for foreigners to come here and do business. Such trading goes against the UN, which has been trying to take off the heads of powerful diamond dealers for half a century already. I guess they're getting hotter." Santana explains.
They weave through a small alley and appear outside the market on a street downtown.
"How do you know all this stuff?" Brittany asks following Santana's every step.
"I read Time."
Half an hour later: Evolution Bar
To keep suspicion away, Santana links her arm in Brittany's as she leads her from the light into the dark. The quiet of the street turns into the beating of the bass coming from a giant speaker in the center of the dance floor.
"Want a drink?" Santana asks, leaving for the bar before getting an answer.
She finds her girl again in-between hot dancing bodies and motions for her to follow. They escape the heavy ear-buzzing beat and get comfy on their high-stools, close enough for their knees to touch.
The suited girl raises her glass and the other girl's glass meets it halfway with a clink. A full song plays without either girl making conversation with their mouths, but their eyes have said plenty and it's not been innocent by any means.
"You know you were there at just the right time," Brittany says, her eyes rolling back from the lemon taste hitting a sour bud, "like you're my soul-mate."
"Trust me," Santana raises her voice to float over the Hip-hop number playing, "You're my soul-mate."
Well into the evening: Evolution Bar
"Let's dance," Brittany slurs having had one too many shots of tequila. She holds out her hand and waits for Santana to grasp it.
On her order, two more shots are poured from the bottle of tequila Santana had bought – it's nearing empty. "One more," She tells Brittany, and they both slam the strong liquid down their throats.
All around them are sweaty bodies moving with the music but no one flows better than Brittany does.
If I had one wish, we would be best friends
Love would never end, it would just begin
Brittany turns Santana around in one swift movement and presses them together as they grind.
If I had one wish, you would be my boo
Promise to love you, trust me I'll trust you
Hands are all Santana feels, all over her body. She turns around so she can see the person who is making her heart race faster than a bullet.
If I had one wish, we would run away
Making love all day, have us a baby
Their eyes have a silent conversation as finger tips brush over bare skin and send electric jolts through their bodies.
If I had one wish, I'd make you my whole life
And you'd be my wife, make it right this time
The rhythm sets them on fire, their breaths barely enough as they feel the beat in each other.
Hours later at the dawn of a new morning: Brittany's hotel bed
"Do you feel that?" Brittany clutches Santana's hand over her breast where she can feel her heart. "It won't stop pounding."
"Come with me and it never will," Santana says. The extreme seriousness in her eyes causes Brittany's heart to skip a beat.
"Pinky swear?"
Santana takes the outstretched finger and wraps it with hers, "With all the Latin blood in me."
She rolls onto Brittany, ready for round two.
After one week: Movie Theater, NY
"I'll get you more popcorn."
"No, it's ok. The movie is half done."
"There's still the other half," Santana says and stands up.
Brittany gives her a smile and lets her go.
Santana comes back just as the werewolves gather. She earns a kiss on the cheek when she plops a giant bag of popcorn into Brittany's lap.
"Are you trying to bite me vampire?" She whispers.
"I like the taste of werewolf," Brittany says into Santana's ear and lays her head on her shoulder.
In the street
Brittany takes off and swings around a lamp post to Santana's amusement.
"Get down here Vampire," Santana stretches her hand for Brittany to take but she doesn't.
"Come here werewolf," She says instead. Santana steps closer to the base of the lamppost where her face is mere inches from Brittany's.
They kiss for a few minutes till drops of rain begin to fall. Quickly, Brittany slides down the post and they run for their house a few meters up the street.
Week three after meeting: Coney Island
"Pink cotton candy, my favorite," Brittany says and eats a chunk letting the sugar melt on her lips and tongue. The air is warm and it's a nice day to be out. "Hold this," she hands the fluffy stick to Santana and lifts her camera up to snap a photo.
A sound comes from behind but neither girl start at the loud bang. They turn to see 'Firing Range' written on peeling wood above a gaming booth. They don't even have to ask before walking straight up to it.
Santana hands over five bucks and Brittany gets a gun. A smug smile spreads over Santana's face as Brittany misses the first shot by a long mile and has to step back in reaction. She tries again and does better but still hits nothing.
The man in the booth gets another five bucks as Santana steps up to the line. She warms her arms and shoulders quickly and in a swift movement brings the gun up to aim, and fires. Three bangs go off, the last shot straight into the bulls-eye. "Hot Damn," she says trading the gun for a small stuffed unicorn.
She doesn't try to hide the smile when she sees Brittany's face, surprised and impressed.
"Can I try again?" Brittany asks halting Santana with a hand on her shoulder before she can walk away. She whips out another five as Brittany gets ready.
Five shots sizzle through the air.
Its Santana's turn to stand shocked as Brittany collects her Unicorn twice the size as Santana's.
"Don't look like that," she says nonchalantly, "its beginners luck. But now your baby unicorn has a mommy."
Week Six: Karate class
"Stay focused, that's it Santana," Mercedes calls from the sidelines. Santana dodges a well-placed kick and delivers one of her own in her opponent's stomach. It's a match wrapper.
Santana always feels good after a match, she's got a pretty outstanding record – no one else has been on a winning streak since their first match.
"Brittany would have loved seeing me kicking that guy's ass," Santana says between taking gulps of water.
"You talk about her a lot. You've only known her for what six weeks and I practically know her already by your inability to shut up about her." Mercedes, Santana's best friend nudges her in the ribs.
"I can't help it. She's wonderful and cute, practically a grown version of little Miss Sunshine. She's incredibly smart and witty too." After a beat Santana adds, "She's also a hell of a good shot."
Santana pats Mercedes on the shoulder as she stands up. "Be out in a few minutes," she says and walks towards the showers.
Week six: California Beach
The waves roll hard and fast. Brittany cuts through and enters a tunnel steadying her feet on her custom made surfboard. When she emerges she rides the waves back to shore where her friend Quinn, is sunbathing.
They're both white as the sand and in need of a nice tan.
"What does she even do?" Quinn raises her hand to shield the sun from her eyes as she turns in the direction the sun penetrates her sunglasses.
Brittany swallows a gulp of Gatorade and brushes some hardened sand off her arm. "She's in sports, an agent. I think she's perfect."
Week 8: Formula 1 Circuit, LA
"You haven't answered me yet, why are you avoiding the question?" Mercedes asks.
Santana doesn't seem to hear she's totally focused on the racer in third place cutting a curve dangerously.
"He's gaining on number two," Santana says, eyes never leaving the track.
"I can't believe you dragged me out here to watch this shit."
"Just because you're from the hood don't mean you have to swear at me sistah'."
Racer three passes number two as expected and chases number ones tail.
"She's a programmer. She gets calls at all hours of the day, even at night. Did you know even the Pentagon calls on her? Yeah, she's that good like she's Neo from the matrix or something."
The last lap takes over their conversation and Santana jumps up with a victorious fist pump. "I told you number three was a winner."
"A lucky winner," Mercedes says knowing Santana will sign him or her tonight.
"You bet."
Week 8: Boxing gym
"Damn it, that hurts." Brittany struggles against Quinn, her partner who knows all her weak spots. They've been friends for a few years but it feels like they've known each other for a lifetime.
Another hard hit comes, but Brittany is able to parry the blow with her glove.
"Tell me again why you think this is perfect."
Brittany hits back with equal power and Quinn bounces off the ropes as she regains balance.
"Because we both travel a lot, but when we're together we don't talk about work."
A blow is delivered to her stomach and she reels back, setting her guard up again to block the machine gun gloves of her partner.
"I can leave the office and not think about it…"
Week 10: Pent house in upper Manhattan
"…No questions asked and no demands." Santana sips from her tall glass, some wine dribbles down her chin.
"You got some on your clothes daydreamer," Mercedes says then quickly escapes, mingling in with the rich and famous before Santana can follow.
Santana puts the glass down and checks that no red stains are visible on her white collar or gray suit, "Bitch."
Week 10: Beth's Bakery, NY
"Get the door for me?" Quinn says as she lifts a heavy tray laden with sugar oozing cinnamon rolls and shoves it in the oven. "How's the sex?" she asks with a smirk.
Brittany smirks back as she shuts the oven door. "Hot as that oven."
Week 12: Helicopter, NY
Brittany sits back and wiggles in her chair where she is strapped down. She looks to her right at Quinn who is looking through her night vision binoculars at the tops of each rundown building.
"You know it's not only about the sex, even though that's out of this world." She says, lifting the helicopter higher at Quinn's signal. They still haven't found what they're looking for.
Week 12: Back of plane at 35,000 feet
"If I have to do one more thing with you, I just might kill you." Mercedes breathes in and out with her eyes closed and hands over her ears.
"So you're really not going to jump?" Santana asks. She receives a glare in return.
"I need a distraction before I throw up. Tell me what's so special about having sex with her."
Santana thinks for a minute with dreamy eyes, her thoughts far away
"After, when we're lying in bed and I just look into her eyes, there's something so familiar there. It's like I know all of her, not just her body. And I'm telling you, those eyes are mysterious as the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean but when I look into them, those secrets become sparkling clear."
Helicopter, NY
"It should scare me; she can read me like a book. But you know what? I don't care." Brittany hoists the helicopter up higher and heads back to base.
Quinn puts an arm on Brittany's cuff and pulls her goggles down.
Plane, 35,000 feet off the ground
"Aren't you scared? It's kind of risky." Mercedes shouts as the plane door opens and wind rushes in at a breath taking speed.
Santana prepares to jump, checking her parachute one more time. "A girls got to do what a girls gotta do. Want to hear something real scary?"
She waits a beat, putting her hands on the edge of the door's frame to push off. "I asked her to marry me."
Mercedes doesn't have a chance to react before Santana is gone, freefalling through the air.
Helicopter, NY
"What did you say?" Quinn grips Brittany's arm even tighter, eyes as wide as an owl.
Brittany flicks the necessary buttons as she prepares to land on the 'X' mark.
"I said yes."
Four weeks later in March, Backyard
"She's got it, don't worry," Santana whispers as they both smile for the cameraman. An old friend of Santana's that they hired for the occasion.
"It's not that I don't trust her," Brittany whispers back and squints at the spark of the flash, "but if those cream tarts don't make it to the table before my mother does, we are going to have a problem."
Once all the guests are in they make their way to the canvassed area to begin the ceremony. There are only three rows of ten chairs divided down the middle where Santana and Brittany walk hand in hand.
At the front is a pastor from the church down the street. One, which neither Santana nor Brittany has gone to regardless of multiple invitations from their neighbors.
They both smile at the small crowd of friends and family and alternately look at each other and smile even bigger.
When Santana had asked, Brittany hadn't hesitated. They both knew after three months that they wanted this.
"I don't have much to offer," Santana had said, holding the diamond ring out to Brittany on top of the highest skyscraper in New York. "All I have is an average house with an average garden with no flowers to speak of. I have noisy and annoying neighbors, and I come with anger problems. I can promise you my best though; you won't have to worry about a thing. So, will you marry me?"
It was enough. From the beginning all Brittany had wanted was for her heart to never slow its pace, and that's how it's been from the moment she'd met Santana.
"Yes," she had said and pulled them back into the party, ring on her hand.
They miss most of what the pastor had said, from the looks of both mothers it was touching. Both fathers hold out tissues for their wives to wipe their eyes.
Brittany and Santana only hear the most important part, when they say, "I do" to each other.
Then the pastor announces, "You may now kiss the bride," and cheers erupt.
Dinner is simple with everyone sitting at one long table, the brides sitting at the head. Brittany leans back and relaxes knowing the cream tarts are in place.
That night they consummate their marriage well into the 's a joyous day. A day neither Santana nor Brittany will ever wish to take back.
A large photo of their family and friends surrounding them around a tall skyscraper cake with two bridal figures on top hangs on the wall of their bedroom. They see it every night before they go to sleep.
End of flashback
Santana shakes hands with Dr. Richards and Brittany does the same.
Dr. Richards tells them to come back if they need another session to which Santana says, "It won't be necessary."
She holds out her hand and Brittany grabs it, intertwining their fingers familiarly as they walk across the office and are seen out by Dr. Richards.
The moment the door of Dr. Richard's office closes behind them, their hands slip out of each other's in a practiced motion and they walk down the halls independently as if they are strangers.
Song: One wish, Ray J
R and R