A/N: Last "Jagged Little Tapestry" chapter (finally!) There's a small time jump from October 7 – proposal day to October 9 – the Thursday between Head over Feet/Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (Wednesday) and You Live, You Learn/You've Got A Friend. (Friday)

Next chapter will also feature a short jump; I'm going to skip the weekend and jump to October 14 (which would be a Tuesday). I'm eventually going to lose my mind trying to keep track of my dates.

xoxoxoxoxo

Chapter 13 – Lima, OH (October 9)

Since there were no Glee plans, Santana sat at a small corner table of the Lima Bean scribbling in her notebook. She usually preferred to use her laptop; it had a music program as well as a writing program so she could work on both music and lyrics at the same time. However, today she'd been having trouble focusing and finally gave up on the laptop. She grabbed her notebook and left the Pierce house for the Lima Bean, hoping the change of scenery and writing tools would help her break through.

She Said Yes was printed clearly at the top of the page but the rest of the page was a mess of scribbles and long sentences that would definitely not make a decent lyric. She sighed and set her pencil down, pinching the bridge of her nose, and reaching for her mocha; which was empty. She sighed.

"May I join you?"

Santana looked up and quirked a brow at a nervous looking Kurt before nodding to the empty chair on her right. He set a cup down in front of her and she looked at him curiously.

"Mocha. The barista said you'd been here awhile so," he shrugged, "I figured you were probably due for a refill."

She nodded. "Thank you." She was willing to listen and not be a complete bitch but that didn't mean she was going to make it easy.

He swallowed. "I talked to Brittany a couple of days ago and apologized to her but I also owe you an apology."

She nodded again as she took a sip of the mocha. "Britt told me she talked to you."

Kurt took a deep breath. "Santana … I am so sorry I interrupted your proposal. I … I have no excuse. I didn't stop to think, I just reacted and I am really, really sorry."

Santana nodded. "Thank you. Apology accepted. And …" she sighed, "I owe you an apology as well. Not for everything I said but some of what I said was uncalled for and unnecessary. For those comments, I'm sorry."

He nodded in acceptance and they sat in companionable silence for a moment before Santana spoke up again.

"I get it. You remember what I was like when I first got to New York. Britt and I were completely over, she was with Sam, and I was a mess. So I get why you're spiraling. You need to understand something, though; no one knows what goes on between two people behind closed doors." She took a breath and ordered her thoughts. "When Blaine proposed to you, I didn't think it was a good idea. It felt, to me, like a grand gesture to … I don't know … mitigate the cheating? But … I don't know your relationship. I don't know your conversations and feelings and thoughts. My relationship with Britt? Isn't yours with Blaine."

She paused again and took a sip of her mocha, trying to decide how much she wanted to share. She sighed and shook her head.

She stared down at her mocha. When she finally spoke, her voice was soft. "I met Britt on June 26, 2008. It was the first day of Cheerio try-outs. I remember the day like it was yesterday … because it was the last time I saw my heart; I shook her hand and left my heart in the palm of it."

She looked at Kurt. "She was my first everything; so I totally understand what you're feeling. Britt and I have known each other for six years. We've done our fighting and making up. We didn't break up because we fell out of love or one of us cheated. I broke both our hearts to try and keep our friendship. In my mind, we were going to find our way back to each other. But that wasn't going to happen if we ended up hating or resenting each other. There was only one time I thought she and I wouldn't get back together; when she went to MIT. I thought that was it for us; then she kissed me and we've spent the past sixteen months in each other's back pockets. We've had our share of fights and whatever but, in the end? I know I want to spend the rest of my life with her. It doesn't matter how young we are; I've loved her since I was thirteen and that hasn't changed in six and a half years."

Kurt looked at her as he processed what she'd said. She knew she'd told him more about her and Britt's relationship, and about herself, than she'd shared with most people and he was probably wondering why she was being so open when she'd always been so closed off.

Truthfully, she wasn't sure; maybe she just wanted him to understand that their relationships were different. They were Brittany and Santana and their relationship was completely different from Blaine and Kurt's.

He frowned.

"What about when she was stranded in the airport without a passport or a phone? You were apart for a month, right?"

Santana just looked at him with an eyebrow raised; waiting for the penny to drop. She saw the moment he realized it; his jaw dropped and his eyes widened.

"OH. MY. GOD! She was in New York the whole time! You'd have razed that island to the ground before you'd have left her there alone. But … why?"

Santana shrugged. "If you repeat this, I'll deny it and they'll never find your body."

He nodded his understanding.

"She doesn't like Rachel, like, at all. She really never has but, with the whole Funny Girl fiasco, she really doesn't like her. Britt is easy-going; she'll forgive just about anyone for just about anything. Except if it hurts me or her sister. Britt can hold a grudge like nobody's business. She didn't want to jump on the 'stroke Rachel's ego' express and spend a month being part of 'the Rachel show'. So she stayed with a dancer friend. That was actually a tough month because we weren't living together but, we survived. We survived the two weeks I was in Iowa. I wasn't exaggerating when I said she was my favorite person."

"I guess, I never really thought about it. I mean, you and Britt were always adorable together but … I'm sorry, I just never considered that it was as serious as it, obviously, was and is. I just … I don't know."

"You're not the only one who didn't take us seriously. We were, and are, pretty private about our relationship. I've told you more today than I've ever told anyone. I just want you to understand that we're not you and Blaine; the circumstances of my proposal weren't the circumstances of Blaine's. Once we got back together last year, I knew I was going to marry her. I started ring shopping in June because I knew, once the tour was over, we'd finally have to settle down somewhere and start doing something about our futures. I don't want to move to New York as her girlfriend. I told my mom about this song … I only remember one lyric: but those dreams move on if you wait too long." she sang softly. "I'm not taking any chances of us getting comfortable just being girlfriends and not taking the next step. She's too important to me to risk losing her again."

Kurt nodded. "I get it. And I am sorry. I … really didn't think."

"I know. I don't know what's going to happen with you and Blaine. I honestly think you can do better but, like I said, it's your relationship and I don't have the insight into it. Just like you don't have the insight into ours."

"Where is Britt?"

Santana laughed. "She went to her old dance studio to 'show off her rock and brag about who her fiancée was'." She shook her head, smiling, still riding the high of Brittany saying yes.

Kurt laughed and they slipped into an easy silence, sipping their drinks, each lost in their own thoughts.

"You were right, you know?" Santana said suddenly. "Yesterday. What you said to Mason and Jane. It was pretty and they sounded good together but it was nowhere near competition worthy. You were a little too harsh, I mean, it was only their first time singing together and their first mash-up but your criticism wasn't off base."

"Yeah. Rachel told me that Mason and Jane talked to her and agreed with me; that they wanted to be the best and they couldn't get there if we coddled them."

"Good. They recognize it. They're good. All four of them are. They need the guidance."

They chatted for a few more moments until Santana's phone buzzed with a text from Britt asking where she was. She sent a quick reply, packed up all her stuff, gave Kurt a quick hug, and headed home to her fiancée.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

"How was the studio? I forgot to ask." Santana asked as they were getting ready for bed.

"Awesome. I got some dancing in and those bitches were totally jealous of my fiancée's awesome taste in rings. Then I told them who I was marrying and, I swear, a couple of them cried." Brittany grinned as Santana laughed.

"Because you were off the market and they missed their chance, I'm sure."

Brittany shook her head. "Nope," she popped the 'p', "totally because I took the hottest woman in the world off the market." She gave Santana a sweet kiss as they climbed into bed.

"I saw Kurt today."

"Is he still breathing?" Brittany looked at her seriously.

Santana laughed. "Yeah, we had a good talk, I guess," before she could continue, Brittany's phone rang.

"Hang on, honey, it's my mom."

Britt sat back up and answered the phone. "Mom? What's going on? I've been trying to reach you all week."

"What? Is everything okay? Do I need to come there?" Santana looked concerned as Brittany's voice rose and she started getting upset so Santana moved over to sit closer to Britt and gently scratched her back, letting her know that Santana was there and everything would be okay.

"That's because dad's phone is on his nightstand. What about Courtney? Do I need to bring her home? "

Santana couldn't hear the other side of the conversation so she just stayed near Britt, trying to keep her calm.

"Okay. Can I talk to Boji?"

There was a brief pause.

"Hi, Boji. How are you? Is everything okay? Do you need me to come help? Mom didn't tell me before she left, I had no idea. Uh huh. Okay. Yeah. If you do need me to come, please let me know? Love you, too, Boji."

Another brief pause. Brittany seemed a little less panicky but Santana could feel the anxiety coming off her fiancée.

"Okay. Let me know when you're coming back for sure. I'll call Cindy tomorrow and make sure Court has everything she needs. Okay. Give my love to Moni and dad. Love you, too, mom." She hung up the phone and dropped her chin to her chest.

Santana didn't want to say anything if Brittany wasn't ready to talk so she simply wrapped her arms around Britt's waist and held her close; Brittany turned in Santana's arms and buried her face in Santana's neck.

Santana could feel the tears on her neck and shoulder so she simply held her girl, gently stroking her back. It took a few minutes but Brittany finally calmed down and pulled away, wiping the tears from her face.

"That was my mom."

"What's going on?"

"Moni broke her hip last Saturday; that's why she and dad left town so suddenly."

"Is she okay? Do we need to go there?" Santana was concerned; from what she heard she didn't think Whitney had told Brittany to come but Britt might want to go anyway.

Brittany shook her head. "She's going home tomorrow. Mom and dad should be back no later than Tuesday she said. They just need to set up services for Moni and Boji. I sorta get why she didn't put it in the note but, still …" she trailed off.

"I know babe. Did she say why they hadn't been in touch?"

"Her phone died and she forgot to grab a charger and dad couldn't find his phone; because he forgot to take it. I heard it ringing and didn't even think to answer it. She finally had a chance to go to Walmart and get a charger. Boji didn't know they hadn't called me."

"I heard you mention Courtney?"

"Yeah. Jessica's mom, Cindy, said she's fine there until mom and dad get back. Maybe we could pick them up Saturday for a movie or something? Just to give Cindy a break. I mean, they're not toddlers or babies so they're pretty self-sufficient but, still, Court's been there all week."

"Okay, babe, whatever you want. You wanna take them to the zoo in Toledo? I mean, we can do an overnight or just go for the day."

Brittany nodded. "Yeah, I'll talk to Cindy tomorrow, see if she wants us to take the girls for the night. Give her and Chet a chance to go on a date or something. We can pick them up tomorrow and then go to the zoo Saturday morning?"

"That works if that's what you want, sweetheart. You okay?"

"Better, yeah. It just kinda caught me off guard." She shakes her head. "I was expecting something like 'your father wanted some of that special steak sauce from that one restaurant' or something equally ridiculous because that would be just like them, you know? Just … go somewhere on a whim."

Santana nodded. "Yeah. I get it. I remember them doing that when we were younger. Just pack Courtney in the car and have you stay with me or Quinn because we had Cheerios." Santana smiled.

"Yeah. Before that, they'd pack me into the car, too. I had to remind them that I had school. I usually missed a Monday or a Friday or both. I'm glad they at least left Courtney home so she didn't miss a week of school." She sighed.

"Come on. Let's relax and cuddle a bit." She moved to her side of the bed and then pulled Brittany into her arms.

Brittany cuddled into her side, her head on Santana's shoulder. Santana felt the girl relax into her embrace and kissed the top of her head before reaching over to turn out the bedside lamp.

They were quiet for awhile.

"Oh, you were telling me you saw Kurt?"

Santana smiled and filled Brittany in on her and Kurt's conversation.

"Wow. You really kind of opened up to him."

"I didn't really mean to but, I wanted him to really get what I was saying. I mean, he cheated on Blaine senior year and, yeah, it was 'only' an emotional cheat but that's bad enough. They managed to work through that; he goes to NYADA and Blaine actually cheat-cheats on him. Thing is, Kurt wasn't completely blameless. I'm not saying what Blaine did was right but Kurt wasn't answering calls, cutting calls short, not calling Blaine back … just, kind of, ignoring Blaine and not communicating and leaving Blaine wondering if Kurt had moved on. And, in a way, he kind of had. Not to a new guy but to a new life that didn't include his high school boyfriend. Then Blaine does this over-the-top proposal that just felt like a 'grand gesture', you know?" She pauses to consider what she's saying. "Do you remember one of the reasons I gave you for our 'unofficial' break-up?"

"You mean the 'energy exchange'?" Brittany snorted. "Still not sure what that means. Or … unofficial break-up."

Santana smiles and kisses the top of her head again. "I always believed we'd get back together. I always believed that we were meant to be and that we'd find our way back to one another. Unofficial was to give you an out if you found someone. Or if I did. I didn't want either of us to be in Kurt's position of emotionally cheating on the other. I would never do what Blaine did but ..." she paused and took a deep breath, "that energy exchange between me and the girl in the library made me realize how easy it would be to fall into a friendship that crossed a line. I don't have a better way to explain it."

She felt Brittany nod against her shoulder. "I actually get it. I mean, Sam and I were friends and then crossed a line. I wouldn't have acted on anything if we were together but … yeah, I can see how I may have fallen into an emotional cheat. He was there to listen when I couldn't reach you."

Santana nods. "Exactly. I wanted you to be free to be you. I was hurting you and that was the absolute last thing I wanted to do. I wanted us to still be friends … because I did believe we'd get back together. I love you. I've always loved you but I think it would have been a lot harder to put us back together if we ended badly."

Brittany leaned up and placed a soft kiss on the underside of Santana's jaw.

"I love you, too. Have I mentioned how happy I am?"

"You may have," Santana chuckled.

Brittany snuggled deeper into Santana's side. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"I don't think you even realize how much you talk to me now about feelings and stuff … and how much that means to me."

"Britt, I'm trying to be my best self and I don't want to do anything that would screw us up. And, honestly, I love talking to you. You really are my favorite person."

"You're my favorite person, too."

They fell silent and Santana felt Brittany get heavy in her arms and heard her deep and even breathing signaling that she had finally fallen asleep.

Santana followed her shortly after.

Xoxoxoxoxoxo

A/N: (halmeoni) (hal-abeoji) are Korean for Grandmother and Grandfather, I came up with Moni and Boji by imaging how a toddler just learning how to talk would end up saying those words.

The song mentioned is (again) Billy Ray Cyrus – Could've Been Me

xoxoxoxoxoxo