A/N: I don't know why but this chapter was important to me. I don't know that it's all that important to the story but …
xoxoxoxoxoxo
Chapter 12 – Lima, OH (October 7)
Maribel POV:
Brittany and Maribel rode in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Maribel finally had to ask.
"Brittany? How do you and Santana know Jake so well? You've only been there a few times, right?"
Brittany nodded. "The first time Santana took me there was the Friday before we went to Toledo; when we were 'negotiating the terms of our reconciliation'," Brittany chuckled. "We had a really good night. We talked and laughed and cried and danced and we cleared the air on a bunch of things that may have turned into stumbling blocks down the line."
Brittany paused, lost in thought for a moment; Maribel waited patiently.
"We were getting ready to leave when these two guys sat down at our table and started hitting on us. Saying stuff about how two pretty ladies shouldn't be alone on a Friday night. Turns out they had seen the ad and knew who Santana was. One of them grabbed Santana but she moved away and tried to steer me away but the other guy grabbed me. I broke his nose and he was about to hit me when Jake grabbed him and the other guy by the back of their collars. He gave them hell for harassing us then threw them out. He comped our meals and told us we were always welcome; that not everyone was like those two guys."
She sighed. "He insisted on walking us out because, even though he had the guys thrown out he didn't trust that they wouldn't be hanging around the parking lot. He asked Gilda to back him up; she grabbed a shotgun from behind the bar and followed us to the door. We were about half-way to the car when the shotgun blast went off; Gilda said the next shot was taking out a knee and she didn't much care whose." Brittany chuckled and shook her head at that. "We turned around and the two guys were coming up behind Jake holding tire irons. Jake knocked their heads together and told us to go; he'd deal with the sheriff, there was no reason for us to be involved any further." She shook her head. "When I saw him, I thought he was going to give us hell for … being us in his place but he didn't. He was really kind. So we've been back a couple of times and we haven't had a problem since."
"That's amazing. I would never have guessed it looking at him. I was worried for a moment. I guess you really shouldn't judge people, eh?"
Brittany grinned. "Jake is a surprising guy."
"I am so happy, Brittany. I can't even tell you how happy I am that you and Santana are getting married. You're perfect."
Brittany smiled softly. "I'm not. But I am perfect for her. Just like she's perfect for me."
"Can I ask you a personal question?"
Brittany nodded.
Maribel considered how she wanted to ask this; she was of a different generation. She didn't understand some things about Santana's sexuality or Brittany's and she knew it was none of her business.
But.
"Santana used to be with boys, right? But she considers herself a lesbian?"
Brittany nodded. Maribel could see the wariness in her eyes; she didn't want to break any of Santana's confidences.
"You … were with a boy after you and Santana broke up … I …" she sighed softly, "how do you know you won't … I don't know … miss it?"
Brittany let out a small laugh. "I've had three relationships. Only one was serious. I started dating Artie to make Santana jealous but ended up really liking him and eventually loving him. I dated Sam to try and get over Santana; and ended up liking and eventually loving him. I loved them but I was never in love with them. Sam and Artie were placeholders for Santana. I kind of hate that I kind of used them like that even though I did care for them. I just always knew that Santana was my endgame."
She paused again. When she spoke again, it was soft. "I was fourteen when I met Santana. She was thirteen and trying so hard to look scary and badass. I watched her for a few minutes before I approached her. She had her arms crossed and a scowl on her face; intimidating everyone who came near her. But I actually saw her; her eyes were sad and lonely and scared. I knew I needed to know her. I wanted to be her friend. When I introduced myself she tried to be mean." She let out a small chuckle. "I pouted and she caved. We shook hands and … I knew. I left my heart in the palm of her hand. It felt like … coming home."
She shook her head to clear it of the reverie. "Anyway. Santana and I have had this conversation more than once. She worries that I may regret not having a 'normal' life. That it would be 'easier' if I was with a man. I told her that easier doesn't mean better. Artie and Sam were easy. You know, we never fought? Most people think that's a good thing but … if you don't fight about or for something, how much do you really care about it? They were easy but not better. And, honestly, there's a good chance that even if I wasn't with her, another woman would catch my eye. I've never really been into labels or cared much what was between someone's legs. I've always been more attracted to their hearts and minds."
She took a glance in the backseat and smiled.
"That girl back there? Has the biggest heart of anyone I've ever known."
"My Santanita?" Maribel was surprised; Santana had always come across as someone who didn't care about anyone ... except Brittany.
Brittany laughed. "Everyone has the same reaction, mostly because they don't pay attention. Everyone thinks I'm the 'nice one'. I'm just the non-confrontational one." Brittany looked over at Maribel. "She guards that heart because it's so easily hurt. Almost every one of those Glee Club members hurt her in one way or another. She's forgiven them all. Even me."
"You?"
Brittany looked over again and smiled sadly. "Sophomore year, I accidentally outed her but, because I was just a ditzy blonde, it was discounted. She forgave me. Junior year, I broke her heart when I chose Artie – even though I wanted her – and, I accidentally outed her AGAIN. She was furious with me but she didn't call me names, didn't even really yell at me or even try to hurt me with her vicious words. The next day, Artie called me stupid and broke my heart. I went running to find Santana because … she's my person. She's my Santana. She had a scowl on her face when she saw me coming toward her but she must have seen the heartbreak in my eyes or something because her eyes softened; her face and whole demeanor softened and she pulled me into a tight hug. My second senior year, I didn't tell her about Sam. She had to find out from Tina. All of it. She forgave me; truly forgave me. We've talked about it but, in the middle of an argument? She's never once brought it up."
Brittany wiped a tear from her eye and sighed. "Finn. Mercedes. Quinn. Tina. Rachel. They all hurt her in one way or another. Now Kurt. Which, I forgot to tell her that he apologized to me. She's already half-way to forgiving him; when I tell her that he apologized and then he apologizes to her? She'll forgive him. She'll forgive Raphael if he apologizes to me. He won't even have to apologize to her; as long as he makes it right with me, she'll forgive him. She'll forgive Alma."
Maribel sat in silence thinking about this. "She forgave me," she says, her voice soft.
"Yes. She did." Brittany shrugged. "I don't think you know how much it meant to her that you stood by her when she came out. That you stood up to Raphael and Alma and anyone else in the family that had something negative to say."
Silence fell again as Maribel considered what Brittany had said. She was learning quite a bit about her daughter.
"Did she ever tell you about performing in Funny Girl?"
"No, I knew she was the understudy but she quit to run off to Europe with this blonde dancer she knew." Maribel smiled as Brittany grinned.
"Rachel was stupid and got herself into a jam in LA and wasn't going to make it back for her performance. Kurt was freaking out. Santana went on for her. And she absolutely killed it. She was brilliant. Santana had nothing to gain by it; the only reason to do it was to help Rachel. Rachel had given Santana a lot of grief about that understudy role; Santana forgave her. Went on and saved Rachel's ass from getting sued into a debt so big her grandkids would be paying it off."
"That's Santana. And most of them still don't see it." Brittany shook her head. "The only one who really gets it is Mercedes. She knows that Santana is one of the best friends you'll ever have. She finally saw Santana … senior year, Mercedes started figuring it out."
"She's probably going to kill me for telling you all of this. And then she'll forgive me." Brittany smiled.
"And what about you? Have you forgiven her?"
"Yes. A long time ago. When she broke it off, she broke both our hearts. It felt so wrong and, even now, she'll tell you it was a horrible decision. Thing is, though? It worked out the way it needed to. She saved our friendship which is why we were able to rebuild our relationship."
"You love her very much."
"More than anyone will ever know or understand. She's my person."
Maribel smiled. "She's your lobster?"
Brittany smiled and shook her head. "Lobster males are hoes. Friends was wrong." She laughed. "She's my Shingleback lizard."
"Your what?"
"When we were younger Santana referred to herself as a lizard once. I teased her about it a lot. Still do. When we were at the Toledo Zoo, we saw a lizard called the Shingleback. They mate for life."
Maribel chuckled. "The two of you are beyond cute together."
Brittany laughed again.
"Mari?"
"Yes?"
"What will you tell Raphael?"
"I will tell him that he needs to get his head out of his ass and that I will be at my daughter's wedding … with or without him."
Brittany nodded. "I think Alma not being there will hurt more."
"You're right. Alma had a hand in raising her. A big hand. Raphael was, at best, tolerant." Maribel sighed. "He loves her. He truly does. He just never knew what to do with her. She was always guarded; she never seemed comfortable around him … or me. I know it's because we weren't around very much. We made mistakes and Alma was the one who primarily took care of her. Then I find out that Alma was borderline abusive." Maribel shook her head. "My poor girl. Made her strong and tough, I suppose, but the cost was too high."
Brittany thought about it for a moment. "Maybe. Then I wonder if she'd still be Santana if things had been different. I feel so special because she chose me. She let me in. If she was open with everyone; would we be what we are?"
"An interesting way to look at it, carina." Maribel sighed. "Thank you for being so open with me. Some of these questions … Santana would scowl at me for. I'm not trying to judge or pry; I just want to understand, you know?"
"I do. And you're welcome. I don't think I told you anything she wouldn't want you to know. She probably never would have told you any of it but I don't think she'll be upset that you know a little more about her."
"She's right, you know? You are a genius."
"Like I told her; I'm just the foremost expert in the field of Santana Lopez."
Maribel laughed at that and they spent the remainder of the drive chatting about inconsequential things.
Xoxoxoxoxo
A/N: For some reason, having Brittany and Maribel talk seemed important. This is much longer than I anticipated; I did not think it would be its own chapter.
Much of what Brittany tells Maribel in this chapter can be found in more detail in my other fics: The Spaces In Between, Negotiating the Terms Of Our Reconciliation, and Where In the World Is Brittana.
