A/N: Wrapping this story up, very soon. Lots of love from you guys, I'm eternally grateful for you!

Back in Santana's POV for this one.

Enjoy!

Something I Need (One Republic)

I loved to watch her sleep.

That ever existing crease and worry on her face melted away and she returned to being the angel from my dreams.

I had come so close to losing her too many times now and if I had it my way...it wouldn't happen again.

Quinn had come to mean the moon and stars to me.

I couldn't lose that...I wouldn't lose her.

I didn't know if this was a forever thing but I knew that it could be.

Being with Quinn made me understand where I belonged.

I loved Brittany beyond measure and I never would want to forget that.

But I had to give this a chance.

Quinn had opened me up to a version of love that I had never known and now that I felt it, there was nothing short of death that could keep me from it.

The sun had barely risen as I quietly drove my car towards the hospital.

I had to do this now, so that I wouldn't lose my mind or my will.

My body was tired and so was my soul but this had to happen and it had to be me.

When I snuck into Britt's hospital room, I silently thanked God that my father being the chief surgeon had so much pull.

I took a moment to just take in her being awake and present.

She had restored my faith in life and God.

My prayers had been answered.

Even if we weren't together, I needed her to survive.

This life was just better with her in it.

She was all alone and in true Brittany fashion, she was already awake.

I stood in the doorway and watched as she scribbled in a notebook.

Not many people got to see this side of Britt, the side that was nerdy and poetic.

It was something that used to turn me on.

Now though it just made me nostalgic and happy.

"Are you going to come in or are you just going to stand there and be creepy?"

Not once had she lifted her head or stopped writing but she was hyper aware of my presence...like always.

I smiled to myself and took a deep breath as I moved completely into the room.

I sat in a chair and pulled it forward, so that I was as close to the bed as possible.

She was still looking away from me and it made my chest tighten up.

"Just do it." She whispered.

"What do you mean, B?"

"Sam already beat you to it. He told me everything that I forgot. I've been expecting you."

Her eyes finally raised and I could see how swollen her face was.

For a moment, I swear that my heart literally stopped.

Good job, Trouty!

"B..." I whispered as I reached forward and took her hand.

She gripped it tightly and then brought it to her lips, kissing it and then putting it against her chest.

I felt her heart beating under my fingertips and smiled.

There was no way that I would ever take her heart beat for granted.

"I love you, Britt. That hasn't changed and it never will. You know that...right?"

"And yet you can't be with me." She sighed and threw her head back.

I watched silently as she broke apart right in front of me.

Her face wrinkled up and she shook almost violently with sobs.

When I first broke up with B, I had kissed her and walked away from her.

When she sent me to New York a few months later, she kissed me and walked away from me.

Neither one of us waited around to deal with the aftermath.

I didn't want things to be like that again.

She was mourning a relationship that we had built together.

And so I climbed in the bed and wrapped myself around her.

She sighed and buried her face against my neck and let me hold her.

We cried together and I never let her go.

By the time that the hospital was a buzz again, the tears had dried up and things felt different.

Better maybe?

"B?" I whispered as I pulled away just enough to look at her face.

She smiled softly at me and quickly wiped a stray tear away.

"Don't you dare say that we can still be friends, Santana...I just can't do that right now. Please? Just...I need time."

She needed space now and I got that.

There was no way that we could go back to being best friends right away.

I had thought that back in the choir room when I first broke her heart, that we were doing the mature thing but really...it was just stupid and short-sighted of me.

Evidenced by me showing up later to reclaim her like she was piece of property.

Epic failure on my part.

Things were different this time.

Whether better or not...it just felt like this was how this was supposed to happen.

It felt mature and respectful of our bond as friends and lovers.

"Tell me that someday...when the time is right...that we can be close again, B."

"I hope so." She whispered before leaning forward and kissing my lips.

Our third goodbye kiss.

I kissed her back and then wrapped my arms around her once more.

"I love you, Britt Britt."

"I love you too." She whispered as she hugged me back.

When I got back home, Q was sitting in the kitchen discussing politics with my father and laughing really loud.

The sound of her laugh gave me chills and made me smile.

It felt good.

Even if it was too soon.

I felt heavy and light at the same damn time so I just waved to them and then walked up the steps.

Suddenly, I was feeling exhausted.

Everything in the past couple of months had taken a toll on me.

It had all just been weighing on me and I needed to just rest and take it all in.

Hopefully, the sadness would go away soon.

God only knows how badly I need to just be happy again.

Sleep swallowed me within moments and I was never more grateful.

When her arms hugged me tight a while later, all the heaviness had lifted from me.

Her touch seemed to give me hope and relief simultaneously.

She was like a sedative.

"You okay, San?"

"I will be."

"Is she okay?"

"I hope so."

"It's over?"

"Yes...finally."

"So, what happens next?"

"We sleep for a bit and then we pack up and hit the road."

"Yea?"

She couldn't disguise her happiness if she tried.

"Yea...now let me sleep and maybe we can squeeze in a quickie before we leave."

I laughed out loud when I heard her fake snoring seconds later.

I turned towards her and pressed kisses all over her face until she opened her eyes again.

After feeling all of that heaviness, I couldn't just throw away a light moment.

She just brought me so much joy.

And peace.

"I can't sleep with you doing that." She scowled before winking at me.

"I know." I whispered as I traced my fingers over her every outline.

"You don't care do you?" She cocked her eyebrow and smirked.

"Nope."

"Did you need something?"

I pressed my lips to her face again and then squeezed her tight.

"Everything that I need is right here...with you."