CHAPTER 4

A/N: Thanks to Supergirl2121, Mariu4, Itsskik, pacumeme57, Santana is my satan, GltAbbyPow, BizzleB90, elisemiller67 and Marie RieRie England for their reviews. Special thanks to Whit Walk for proofreading this chapter. I alternate between Santana and Brittany POV so watch out, it's indicated when it changes. Enjoy!

THE NEXT MORNING – AT SANTANA'S HOUSE - BRITTANY POV

I spent the night at Santana's and I don't know if it's because of the painkillers or the very comfortable bed in her guestroom but I slept like a baby! I feel guilty for imposing on her like this but I am really grateful for her invitation because I still can't get dressed by myself or walk without someone's help.

I'm having breakfast with the boys in the kitchen while Santana is talking to Melissa in the living room. Even though I can't make sense of their conversation, I can hear them giggling through the open door and Santana occasionally laughing out loud. Of all the people I know – including me - Melissa is the one that makes Santana laugh the most… it's really a talent! And I'm pretty sure that's why Santana fell for her in the first place.

"It's time to go, boys!" Melissa suddenly shouts from the living room and they immediately get up, kissing me goodbye. "Have a good day, Brittany!" She adds.

"Thanks Mel, you too!" I shout back, turning my head just in time to see her giving a tender kiss to Santana.

After shutting the front door behind them, Santana joins me in the kitchen.

"You're not going to Paramount today?" I ask.

"Nope… I switched days with Quinn so that I could stay here and keep an eye on you. Besides, I need to work on my songs so… it's all for the best!"

"Okay…" I reply, hoping it's really not too much trouble for her. "How is it going with your new TV show by the way?"

"Well, so far so good… But we'll only know at the end of the season if we're renewed or not…"

THE NEXT DAY (LUNCH TIME) – AT SANTANA'S HOUSE – SANTANA POV

When I enter the living room, Brittany is still sitting on the couch, with her legs extended.

"Hungry?" I ask, carrying a plate in my hands.

"Oh my God yes, I'm starving!"

"Ok… wait…" I say, placing the tray over her lap. "Here… I made your favorite!"

"Oh that's so sweet!" She says, looking at the food. "But you didn't have to…"

"It's ok, Britt… You're in pain, you deserve a treat! How is your ankle doing?"

"Well, painkillers help making the pain bearable but I took a look earlier and it's not pretty! It's still swollen…"

"It will heal, you just need to rest…" I reply. "But once you're done eating, I'll apply some more anti-inflammatory cream, okay?"

"Okay." She nods. "Oh by the way… You know who called me while you were cooking?" She asks. "Alice!"

"Oh, Alice!" I repeat in an enthusiastic voice. "How is she doing?"

"Not so great actually…" Britt replies. "She's been pretty depressed since she and Greg split up."

"What?!" I say, shocked. "They split up?! When?"

"Um… six months ago already…" She replies, confused. "Didn't I tell you?"

"No, you didn't!" I say, still trying to process that unexpected news. "What happened?"

"He left her for another woman…" She sighs, shaking her head. "A younger woman."

"God, what a jerk!"

"I know…" She nods. "It's been really tough on her, obviously... I wish I could do more than comforting her over the phone but New York is very far away from here… Fortunately, she has quite a few good friends over there but she was just telling me how lonely she feels. I told her to put herself out there again but she said she's not ready to date."

"She should have rebound sex, it helps." I say in spite of myself, making Brittany look at me in shock.

"What?" She eventually asks, frowning. "What do you mean, 'it helps'?" She adds and I look down at my hands, mentally slapping myself for saying that out loud.

"Oh my God, you had rebound sex?" She asks.

"Well… After our divorce, I was not ready to date either…" I shrug. "It was really difficult for me to imagine being someone else's girlfriend after being your wife for so many years… So yes, I opted for rebound sex, to ease the transition…" I add, finally daring to raise my eyes towards her, only to find her looking pissed, with her arms crossed.

"What?" I shrug again. "I have needs, okay?"

"Was it with Melissa?" She suddenly asks.

"What?! No!" I say, offended. "Melissa was not a one night stand! We went on several dates before we even slept together!"

"Who was it then?" She asks.

"It's not important."

"Is it anyone I know?" She insists and I don't know what to say, so I remain silent.

"I don't think we should have this conversation, Britt."

"Oh come on, San… I'm with Nick now, you're with Mel, it's water under the bridge! I'm just curious."

"Are you sure you want to know?" I ask, not convinced.

"Yes!" She replies in a sure voice.

"Ok…" I sigh. "Well… It was Julia." I reply and judging by the angry look on her face, it's clear I should have trusted my instincts and not have this conversation.

"You had sex with Julia Peterson?!" She says in outrage and I'm so surprised to see her so upset that I find myself at a loss for words.

"Are you jealous?" I eventually ask, frowning in confusion. "What happened to 'it's water under the bridge'?" I add. "How can you be okay with me having sex with Melissa for years but not okay with me having a one night stand with Julia Peterson?"

"Because it's so not the same!" She argues. "Melissa is your long-term girlfriend! And you guys started dating when you were available! Do you really need me to remind you that Julia tried to get you in bed while you were married to me?! She is a womanizer who doesn't even draw the line at married women!" She says, raising her arms.

"Ok, yes, she shouldn't have tried to seduce me while we were married, but it didn't work anyway!" I say, raising my hands. "And when she tried again, I was actually single so…"

"Among all the women in the world, you really had to pick Julia Peterson for rebound sex?"

"Why not?" I reply. "She's a hotshot actress and a beautiful woman… who made it clear she wanted me, no strings attached! So, why should I have turned her down?"

"Because she tried to destroy our family, Santana!"

Here we go, she's using my full name now… a clear sign that she's definitely angry.

"Ok, Britt… I know you're upset but…"

"Of course, I'm upset! It's the woman I despise the most on this planet!" She replies. "How would you feel if I had sex with James?"

"What?!" I say, suddenly raising my voice in anger. "Oh my God! You didn't have sex with that asshole, right?!"

"No." She replies and although her voice still sounds angry, I immediately feel relieved.

We stay quiet for a minute until she breaks the silence. "Was she good?" She suddenly asks, taking me aback.

"I'm not answering that, Brittany." I reply firmly, shaking my head.

"Why not?" She asks. "Media keep hinting at her so called sexual prowess so since you actually got in bed with her… is the rumor true?" She insists once more.

"I'm not going to discuss my sex life with my ex-wife, okay?"

"I'm not asking about your sex life." She argues. "I'm just asking about what you referred to as a 'one night stand'. And it happened years ago so… why don't you answer?" She says, challenging me, but I remain silent.

"Let me guess: she was the hottest one night stand you ever had?" She says with an acid edge in her voice.

"Well, she sure knew what she was doing." I eventually reply, getting more and more pissed at her for all these questions.

"What does that mean?" She asks but I keep my mouth shut.

"Was she better than me…?" She eventually adds in such a sad tone that my anger instantly flies away.

"No." I immediately clarify, looking into her blue eyes. "How could a one night stand even compare with the woman who was my partner for 20 years?" I admit with a shrug and she instantly calms down.

"I know it's not my business but… was there anyone else? Between Julia and Melissa…?"

"No." I reply and she slowly nods in silence.

"And you…?" I eventually ask. "Anyone else than Nicholas?"

"No." She replies and just like her a minute ago, I simply nod in acknowledgement.

"I uh… I should get to my songs…" I suddenly say, feeling too uncomfortable to stay in the same room as her right now.

"Oh, sure!" She nods.

"Just shout if you need me." I say. "And don't do anything stupid like trying to get up by yourself, ok?"

"Yeah, ok."

"Promise?"

"Yes!" She nods. "I'll shout as many times as needed, whenever I need something. I promise."

LATER THAT DAY (EVENING TIME) – AT SANTANA'S HOUSE

"Thanks for looking after Britt in my absence, I really appreciate it." Nicholas tells Melissa and me, while helping Brittany walk to the car.

"Of course!" I reply. "We were not going to leave her alone at home in that condition." I add and while Melissa discreetly slaps my arm, Brittany sends me a death glare. I guess the reproach I couldn't help throwing at Nick was not as subtle as I thought.

"Do you need any help?" I ask Nicholas, trying to be nicer.

"No, it's ok, I've got it." He replies, successfully helping Brittany sit in the car, placing Penny on her lap.

"Ok, well, take good care of her!" I say. "My children need their mom to be healthy and well."

"Will do!" He replies. "Have a good night!" He adds while Brittany waves goodbye, before driving away.

"Don't you think he was feeling guilty enough already?" Melissa asks me with a disapproving look, crossing her arms. "He couldn't have predicted that she would get injured while he was in Dallas."

"That's true but he could have also come back home once he heard about it!" I argue. "What kind of man leaves his girlfriend all alone at home when she can't even walk by herself? If you had got injured, I would have taken the first flight to be with you!"

"I know but not everyone is as great as you, San…" She says, kissing my lips.

ONE WEEK LATER – AT BRITTANY'S HOUSE

"Any clue what it is about?" I ask Britt as we both make our way towards Gabriel's bedroom.

"None!" She shrugs. "He just said he needed to talk to us both and that it had to be tonight."

"Hey bud!" Britt says, knocking on our son's open door. "Mama is here, can we come in?"

"Yes." Gabriel says, inviting us to sit on his bed.

"So… what did you want to talk about, mijo?" I ask, curious.

"It's about my birthday…" He replies. "I um… I invited Stella and… she said she'll come." He adds timidly.

"Aww, that's great news, buddy!" Brittany comments in an over-excited voice.

"Yeah but um… I… I need your help…" He says, looking embarrassed.

"With what?" I ask.

"Well… I… I…" He mumbles, pausing for a second. "Since Diego and I will have a party here, I was planning on… inviting her to dance but… I can't dance."

"What are you talking about?" I frown. "You have been learning dance with your mom ever since you were a baby! You're an amazing dancer, just like your brother and sister!"

"Yes, when I'm performing choreography with a group! But I don't know how to slow dance with a girl!" He argues, looking down at the floor.

"I can teach you how to slow dance." Brittany offers. "It's easy! Come on…" She says, getting up from the bed before playing a slow song on her phone. She holds her hand out to him but he shakes his head no, obviously too embarrassed.

"Um, ok… You want a demo first, perhaps?" She suggests and he nods his head in approval. "San?" She says, turning towards me.

"Me? But…" I object but she cuts me off.

"Your son asked for your help." She says, using that argument on purpose so I can't interject further.

"Fine…" I sigh, getting up to stand in front of Brittany.

"Ok so… watch closely, buddy. For a slow dance, girls usually put their hands here…" She says, placing my hands on her shoulders. "If she's comfortable with you, she might even wrap them around your neck." She adds, nodding at me to remind me that I'm supposed to demonstrate what she says. "And you, you'll put your hands here…" She adds, placing her hands on my waist.

"And not higher or lower than that, ok?" I warn, turning to Gabriel. "And don't get too close to her either, leave some space between your bodies. If Stella wants to close the space, she'll get closer to you."

"Ok…" He nods, listening attentively.

"So… once you are both in position, you just need to move your feet like this, to the rhythm of the music… and spin slowly at the same time, to move in circle…" Brittany explains. "And don't forget to maintain eye contact with her."

"Oh no, no, no…" Gabriel suddenly says, panicking. "I can't look into her eyes while we're dancing, I'm way too shy for that!"

"It's going to be one awkward dance if you never look at your partner…" I say. "Besides, you have your mom's blue eyes and that's a real asset, trust me!"

"But won't it be creepy if I keep looking at her?" He questions.

"Well, you don't have to stare at her like you're hypnotizing her…" I reply. "Just talk to her while you dance and it'll come naturally. And don't hesitate to smile because that's definitely going to make her fall for you!"

"And if you feel like it…" Brittany says. "You can grab her hand and do this…" She adds, lifting my arm, to encourage me to spin on myself. "Or you can guide her backwards, in a dip…" She says, making me lean back.

"What is this? 'Dirty dancing'?" I ask Britt. "It's the boy's first dance with a girl, let's keep it simple!"

"Fine…" Britt shrugs. "Do you want to try with mama now?" She asks our son.

"Can you just show me once more first?" He replies.

"Ok, but just once more." Britt agrees as I place my hands back on her shoulders. "You need to try yourself a few times, bud… Practice will help you feel more comfortable, and more confident."

Brittany and I demonstrate the slow dance once more for our boy and although I'm having fun, I suddenly get intimidated when her blue eyes meet mine. I can't recall the last time we danced together, I don't think it has happened since the divorce. And her face hasn't been this close to mine in a very long time either. I'm starting to think it's not appropriate to slow dance with my ex-wife when I have a girlfriend but her eyes are so mesmerizing that I can't manage to look away. Fortunately, the song eventually comes to an end and our bodies separate from each other.

LATER THAT NIGHT – AT BRITTANY'S HOUSE – GABRIEL'S BEDROOM

"I really, really like Stella but… I don't know if she feels the same!" Gabriel tells us. "What can I do to get her to like me?"

"You should never have to do anything to get anyone to like you, bud!" Brittany replies. "You want people to like you for who you are! So, just be yourself and if it's meant to be, you guys will get together." She adds with a smile but Gabriel turns to me, apparently not satisfied.

"You know your mom has the best advice in the world, I can't top what she just said!" I reply.

"But you always say that I am just like mom." He suddenly tells me, making me confused.

"So? Anyone knowing you and your mom says that, mijo! You guys are like clones, and not just physically!"

"Well, then tell me what made you fall in love with her, maybe that will help me with Stella." He suggests and I find myself in a very uncomfortable position. Once again, I find this conversation inappropriate but he looks so sad, with that damn "Brittany" pout on his face, that I can't turn him down.

"There are many reasons, mijo…" I eventually say, shrugging. "I first noticed her because she looked like an angel, with her blond hair, her blue eyes and that magic smile of hers." I say, avoiding looking at Brittany while I say that.

"And she passed all of that on to you, so it's definitely a plus! That's why you really shouldn't hesitate to make eye contact with Stella and smile at her!" I advise. "And… your mom was just the sweetest person I knew! She was a ray of sunshine, who was kind to everyone! And that's again qualities that she gave you, so she's right when she told you to just be yourself!" I add. "And I guess another reason why I fell for your mom was because she was such a talented dancer! But since you and Stella are in the same class, she already knows you're a talented poet! So, don't overthink it… Any girl would be lucky to have you, you're a catch!" I shrug.

Just like his mom was.

LATER THAT NIGHT – AT SANTANA'S HOUSE

It's later than usual when I finally get back home.

"Hey!" I tell Melissa, before giving her a kiss. "Sorry, I meant to come back earlier but Gabriel insisted to speak to both Britt and me tonight. So… I had to drop by her house on my way back."

"Oh, it's fine." She replies with a smile. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, he just wanted to discuss a few things about his birthday and… girls."

"Girls?" She repeats, raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah…" I sigh. "Now it's official: all my kids are teenagers…" I add, taking a seat on the couch. "Why do I find that so depressing?"

"Aww…" She says, sitting next to me. "I think it's because you're a very nostalgic mama-bear…" She adds, caressing my cheek.

"I guess…" I admit, snuggling up against her, placing my head on her chest.

"What if I told you I just got something that will cheer you up?" She says.

"Ooh, is it a naughty outfit?" I say, wiggling my eyebrows.

"No, sorry…" She chuckles and I immediately pout. "Naughty things will have to wait, at least for a few hours, because… I just managed to book us a table at 'The hit place'!" She adds, and I immediately sit up in surprise.

"What?!" I say, not believing my ears. "But I have been trying to get a table for like an entire year, they are always overbooked!"

"I know… But if you still feel up for it, we can eat there tonight, at 9:00 PM."

"Oh my God, you're kidding!" I say, suddenly very excited. "But how did you manage that?"

"I can't give away all my secrets, honey! Otherwise, how will I keep surprising my lady?"

"Oh, your lady is definitely surprised!" I say. "You're the best!" I add, pulling her into a long kiss.

"See, I told you I could cheer you up!" She smiles. "But we should go get ready… We don't want to be late!"

A/N: So what did you think of this chapter? Do you still want me to continue? Please let me know in the reviews! Thank you!