"Good morning mi princesa." Santana husked out, in her raspy morning voice that usually drives Quinn wild, but today it just makes her feel as though the ground is slipping beneath her feet and the tears begin to build.
"Hey baby." She replies tearily, pushing herself further into Santana's arms and placing a series of small pecks on the Latina's plump lips.
"Did you not sleep? You look tired." Santana asks, already knowing.
"Not really but it's okay, I'll nap later."
Santana knows there is no point in arguing about this, she also doesn't want to start their morning off on the wrong foot, so she presses their foreheads together and connects their lips.
They are broken apart by a crashing sound from the kitchen.
"We better get up." Santana states, instantly causing tears to drip from Quinn's eyes. She buries her face in Santana's neck for a couple of minutes and waits for them to slow, deeply breathing in the scent of her girlfriend.
Santana doesn't say anything, she just holds Quinn close and places small kisses on the crown of her head. When the blonde reappears from her neck, she gives her a sad smile and shifts from the bed. She grabs her discarded boxers and t-shirt from the night before, slipping them on, along with a pair of shorts. Meanwhile, Quinn also re-dresses in her boxers and t-shirt from the previous night and when they're both dressed, interlocking their fingers, they leave the sanctuary of their bedroom.
When they enter the kitchen, they find Mercedes, Blaine, Kurt and Maribel all standing around, organising enough breakfast to feed the block.
Maribel approaches them and pulls them both into a tight hug, 'Good morning Mija's'. She says, kissing them both on the top of the head.
When Santana looks around at everyone else, they all have somber looks about them, she decides the only way to get through this morning is for her to try and eliminate the impending feeling of doom.
"How long have you guys been up doing this? It looks amazing!"
With this, they all sit around and eat breakfast, mainly questioning the girls date last night. However, Quinn was awfully quiet and kept a tight hold on Santana's hand at all times.
Once finished, Santana got up to go and start getting ready, closely followed by Quinn once encouraged by Maribel.
Santana stripped and headed towards the bathroom but not before inviting Quinn with her, who was more than eager to spend every second possible together.
Once the water was running and both girls were beneath the spray, Santana pulled her love closer and eagerly pushed their lips together. Quinn happily returned the kisses and used one hand to pull Santana closer and the other to stroke her appendage.
As soon as Santana felt the strokes, she pulled back and look at Quinn questionably, who pleaded through her eyes.
Santana ran her hands from the small of Quinn's back, over her butt (which she gave a little squeeze) and to the back of her thighs and lifted her. Pale legs wrapped instinctively around her waist and Santana pushed her back to the tiled wall of the shower and freed one hand to line her dick up, she lowered her girlfriend slowly and they both fell rhythmically into their movements.
They quickly came to climax but neither moved, just stared into each others eyes, embracing tightly.
"This is becoming a habit, you know?" Santana jested, trying to brighten the mood slightly.
Quinn revealed a small smile, "Maybe it should be a ritual?" She replied cheekily, to which Santana laughed and winked.
She lifted Quinn off of her now flaccid penis and back onto her feet.
"Pass me the shampoo, I'll wash your hair." Santana asked. Quinn did as asked and turned around while Santana lovingly and soothingly rans her hands through her choppy blonde hair.
Quinn eventually returned the favour, as well as washing the rest of her girlfriend's body and when she turned her back to the Latina, she was embraced tightly, tanned arms wrapping securely around her waist.
"Everything's going to be okay pretty girl." She hummed, placing soft kisses on the back of a pale neck.
This was all it took for Quinn's resolve to break and a huge sob escaped the back of her throat but she didn't fall, Santana made sure to hold on tighter, her own emotions getting the most of her and a few tears of her own falling.
She dropped them both to the floor and placed Quinn between her legs, engulfing her in her arms. The blonde turned and straddled Santana, wrapping her arms and legs tightly around the tanned girl, just like when they were seven and Santana was leaving her then. They sat embracing, the only sounds were the water still raining down on them and Quinn's cries which lessened eventually.
When Santana realised that the time must be passing them by quickly, she got up with Quinn still wrapped around her and turned off the shower. She gently set Quinn down on the counter top and grabbed a towel to surround her. She swiped her own and they both dried themselves off.
Quinn got dressed and went back into the living room, leaving Santana to get herself ready. She curled up next to Maribel, who pulled her in close and held her, no words needing to be spoken.
Whilst Mercedes and Kurt tried to fill the silence with mindless chatter, Blaine snuck off towards his sisters room.
He didn't bother with knocking, just opened the door to find Santana staring at her reflection in the mirror. Hair tied in a tight low bun, free of make up, pressed and wrinkle free fatigues and a solemn look on her face.
"You look good sis."
Santana turned from the mirror to look at him, "We're doing the right thing, yeah?"
He approached her carefully and took one hand to lead them both to sit on the edge of the bed.
"You know we are." He replied confidently, to which Santana avoided his eyes and looked downwards.
"Are you- Are you having seconds thoughts? Because you know you can't go in there with this mindset S." Blaine asked worriedly.
"No. No. Not second thoughts. I'm just- I'm worried B. I know there's no room for that right now, but I can't help that I'm worried about everything here."
"I know. But them three out there." He paused to point to the door for emphasis. "They're going to look after each other. There's no one else I would rather leave our partners with than Cedes, she's strong enough for us all, okay? Everything here is gonna be good, you just need to worry about getting back here in one piece, so that you and Q can spend your lives together."
Santana nodded along before wiping the corner of her eye and standing up. "Yeah. You're right. Come here." She gestures for him to stand and brought her brother into a tight hug. "You need to do all that too. You need to come home because he'll be waiting. You have all of that ahead of you too and I can't do life without you. We're both going to make it back, safe and sound."
They're broken from their embrace by a timid knock on the door and they turn to see Quinn standing there with bloodshot eyes.
"I'm sorry. We.." She paused, intaking a big, calming breath, "If we're going to be on time, we need to leave now."
The siblings nod, Blaine pats her shoulder once more before leaving and giving the girls a second alone.
Santana opens her arms and Quinn falls into them, squeezing the Latina's waist tightly. "Do you have everything?" She mumbles, almost incoherently.
"I think so." Santana replies as Quinn brings her hand up to pat the left breast pocket of her fatigues.
Santana smiles and pulls out the photo Quinn gave her before she left for training. "It's the first thing I packed. It's my most prized possession out there. You're my angel."
Quinn replied with a watery smile and took the photo to place back in its residence. They shared a quick kiss before Santana picked up her bags, slinging them over her shoulder and interlocking their fingers and moving out.
They all clambered out of the apartment and into two cabs as no one felt like driving. Maribel, Santana and Quinn went in one and Blaine, Kurt and Cedes in another.
Maribel sat in the front as the two girls sat in the back, Santana surveying the surroundings of the city she's come to love and appreciating the underlaying beauty of New York, while Quinn watched between her girlfriend and stared at their connecting hands resting in her lap, admiring the difference between their tones.
As they arrived at JFK, they all climbed out of the taxis, paid and began to make their way into the airport and through all usual precautions such as security, as this can be arranged for family of departing soldiers.
Quinn and Santana maintained close, touching one an other at all times, drawn to each other, needing each other like a child needs its security blanket.
When they arrived at the gate, Quinn took in all of the families who were also gathered. Some men and women who were older, more experienced, who had obviously been deployed before and some were young and obviously inexperienced, looking terrified.
It appeared the younger didn't have the confidence that her girlfriend carried, with her shoulders and back straight and stoic face. But Quinn could see the hint of worry in her usually bright brown eyes, but thinks she'd be more concerned if she couldn't see that.
Soon, Santana's flight is announced over the tannoy and she rises from her seat, ready to say her goodbyes.
Kurt embraces her first and not many words are exchanged, "Be careful, we sort of need you to come home, otherwise, who's going to do our DIY?" He quips, trying to bring some lightheartedness, which Santana appreciates. She tells him to look after himself and they break.
Mercedes comes over next and they hug tightly. "Be safe girl. Come home soon. We all need you."
"I know Cedes. I'll do what I can and I'll be home as soon as possible. Look after my girl?" She pleads.
"You know I will."
"Make sure you all look after yourselves. None of you walk home alone in the dark, okay? The three of you. You all meet, none of you go anywhere alone." Santana begins to rant but is cut of quickly.
"S I promise. I got this. Everything here is going to be fine. Make sure you write me and I'll be sure to write back. I've got her."
Santana pulls her back in, "Thank you Cedes."
"No need. Come home safe soldier." Cedes replies earnestly, placing a kiss on the Latina's cheek before walking away.
Blaine comes over next and no words need to be spoken between the siblings, they're just sure to hold each other close. When they separate, Blaine whispers, "Look after yourself. Get home soon."
"You too little bro. You be careful, be sure to get home." They peck each other's cheek before Blaine takes Maribel's position embracing Quinn while she says goodbye to her daughter.
Maribel takes Santana's face into her hands and looks deeply into her daughters eyes, which mirror a young Emilio. "I am so proud of you Mija. Make sure to come home safely, I need all of my children. When it gets tough, remember all the good you have now in your life and all the good there is to come. You have a girl that's waiting to be your wife and a future family to have, you're doing this for them. I couldn't have asked for a better daughter. And please please, don't go out of your way to be a hero, you already are." She adds with a teary chuckle.
"Thank you Mami. I'll do my best, I promise. Te amo."
"Te amo Mija."
As they pull away from their embrace, Santana looks into her mothers eyes once more, "Look after my girl? She's going to need her Mama."
"Like you even have to ask." Maribel replied with a wink as she moved away, back towards the others.
Santana then looked up to see shiny hazel orbs watching her from her brothers clutches. She signalled with her head for her to come over and opened her arms.
Quinn moved quickly and threw herself into her girlfriend's body. Her dam broke immediately and howls racked through her body. Santana held her, placed kisses on the crown of her head, as she'd been doing for the last few days and murmured reassuring words.
"It's going to be okay darling.. I'll be home soon.. I love you.."
Quinn lifted her head from Santana's chest and wrapped her arms around her shoulders, clasping her hands around the back of Santana's neck.
"I don't want you to go.." She cried.
The words broke Santana's heart, knowing that she had caused her girlfriend this pain.
"I'll be back soon." After Santana had said these words, the announcement for the soldiers to board was heard. Quinn gripped her tighter and pulled their bodies closer.
"Please don't go Tana. I need you. Please, please don't leave me. I love you. You can't go." She repeated the same phrases over and over.
Santana tried to keep it together, not wanting to cry but Quinn was making this extremely hard.
"Quinn, please.. I need to go."
"No. No. This isn't fair." She sobbed into Santana's chest.
"I love you. I love you so much and I'll be back soon. I promise."
"Don't make promises you can't keep Tana, you know you don't know when you'll be back." The blonde wailed.
"Quinn, please don't do this now. I need to go." She exclaimed, trying to wriggle from Quinn's confines, who only gripped her tighter.
"No.. I'm sorry. I'm sorry baby, I didn't mean it." Quinn leant up to place quick kisses to Santana's lips. "Write me and call me every day?"
"You know I can't do that Lucy Q. But you know I'll write you whenever I can and I'll call you and Skype you when I get the chance."
"Make sure you do. I don't care what time it is Santana. Promise me you will?"
"That I can promise. And remember.." She drawled out, placing her hand on Quinn's chest, dragging out the chain from beneath her t-shirt, the one she gave her the first time she left.
Quinn looked down and then up into teary chocolate orbs. "Protect me?" She whispered.
"Always." Santana replies honestly. She then raised her wrist to show Quinn the matching bracelet they have, Quinn bringing up her own to match. "I will always protect you. I will always carry you with me, as you carry me with you."
"I love you Tana. Come home to me."
"I love you too Lucy."
They then connected their lips in a long, needy kiss. When they broke away, it was to the announcement of last call and as they looked around, there was only a couple of soldiers left to board.
Their limbs dropped away from each other and Santana looked around, noticing all of her friends and her Mami were in tears. She saw Blaine approaching with her bag and turned back to Quinn.
"Bye baby." She said as she took the luggage from Blaine and turned. There was suddenly a firm grip around her wrist, tugging her back.
She turned back and hazel eyes were staring right back at her. "Santana Lopez, don't you dare say goodbye."
Santana pushed their lips back together quickly before realising what she had said. "See you later." She whispered in between quick pecks.
"Better. I love you lovebug. Be safe." Quinn managed to say before she felt another sob ripple through her body.
"I love you more pretty girl." She said, turning back to the others. "I love you all, look after each other." And with that she swivelled quickly, only looking back before she stepped into the connecting runway. She gave a sad smile to her family before she was gone.
Quinn crumbled under the weakness of her legs and Blaine caught her just before she hit the ground., holding her close. The others sat beside them and they all shed tears for their friends, for Santana, for Quinn and for the fact they knew they would be doing this again in three days time.
Santana sat on the plane and took out the photo of her and Quinn. She kissed it before silently shedding the tears she'd been holding in. The only hope in her heart being that she knew her girlfriend would have a great support system.