A/N: Another (probably) unnecessary chapter but it seemed like it mattered to them.

Verizon was chosen because typing "the cell phone store" seemed really lame.

Please note: I am not a lawyer. Everything in this chapter was researched rather lightly (trying to get an answer to a specific question is damn near impossible). Nothing in my research showed this COULDN'T be done, so I did it.

Okay, this takes place in the first week of March-ish. Brittany's birthday was February 23; Susan showed up on that Wednesday (Feb 28), it's 2015 – not a leap year. So this chapter is a week later (Thursday March 8).

I think I made this clear earlier in the fic ... if not: "The Griff" is the Golden Griffin restaurant, it has several apartments above it; that's what Brittany is talking about.

xoxoxoxoxo

Chapter 59

Brittany's POV

"Babe, look what I found on the front porch."

Brittany was working on something at her laptop when Santana came into her room. She glanced up and started to tell the Latina that she'd be done in a minute but interrupted herself, jumping up in excitement.

"Dad! Uncle Rob! What are you guys doing here?" She hugged the two men tightly. "Did you introduce Santana?"

David laughed. "Of course I did. We were hoping to take the two of you to an early dinner?"

Brittany turned her attention toward her girlfriend and pulled her into a hug, kissing her lightly. "You're freezing! Where's your jacket?" She asked, pulling back.

Santana shrugged. "I sorta forgot it in my locker at the Fine Arts Building. I was halfway here when I got cold and remembered."

Brittany shook her head and grabbed a hoodie from the closet, handing it to the shorter girl. "There's another hoodie I'll never see again." She joked.

Santana grinned as she took off her backpack and pulled the hoodie over her head, snuggling into it. "Oh, you'll see it again. Yanno, when we do laundry." She giggled.

"So, dinner?" David reminded the girls that they weren't alone.

"Oh, right. Sorry, dad," Brittany laughed. "San?" She met Santana's eyes and they had one of their wordless conversations.

"They do this often?" Brittany heard Rob ask.

"All the time."

Brittany grinned. "Yeah, we're in. Let me save this real quick."

While Brittany was saving her work, Santana emptied unnecessary items from her backpack before slinging it onto her back again.

"We're ready," Brittany said, pulling on a hoodie.

Xoxoxoxoxoxo

The ride to the restaurant was filled with chatter about Rob's wife, Jess, and his three kids. Santana's head was resting on Brittany's shoulder; Brittany knew she was tired, she always was on Thursdays. She was grateful that Santana agreed to go to dinner; she had a sinking feeling that she was going to need her girlfriend's support.

Once they were seated and had placed their orders, David cleared his throat.

"I wanted to talk to you about your mother."

Brittany shook her head. "No. I don't have a mother, so there's nothing to talk about." If her father was going to tell her not to press charges …

"Okay, Susan, then." David sighed and Brittany noticed how tired he was looking. "Rob is going to the jail tomorrow to serve her with divorce papers."

Brittany blanked for a moment. Did her father just … "Really?"

David nodded.

"Good for you, dad. She doesn't deserve you. Are you okay?"

"Yeah," David sighed, nodding again, "I am. After what she pulled last week, it became clear that staying with her to protect you wasn't working anymore. So there's no reason to stay but, by leaving, I may actually be able to protect you."

"What do you mean?" She felt Santana's hand on her thigh, her thumb tracing soothing circles over it. She was … okay … but agitated and, obviously, Santana could tell.

Rob cleared his throat. "Your dad's made, in my opinion, a far too generous settlement offer. The offer is only good as long as your … um …" he caught himself, "Susan has no contact with David, Janine, Dave, or either of you."

Brittany's forehead scrunched in thought. "How do you know she won't just take the settlement and contact me anyway?"

Rob looked at David, who nodded his permission.

"The way the settlement is structured. Your … Susan … will get a check once a month until June 1, 2017. On July 1, 2017, she'll receive a lump sum settlement plus the deed to the house. If she contacts any of you, harasses you in anyway, including hiring someone to do it, she loses the monthly settlement, your father will sell the house, and she'll get a one time payment of one-tenth of what she'll get July 1, 2017."

"I've already moved all of your things out of the house and into storage. Mine are split between storage and your grandparents' house. I'll be living with them for a bit."

Brittany chewed on that for a moment as the waiter set down their appetizers, salads, and bread. She took a sip of her iced tea. "Okay. Good. That sounds good." She nodded.

"Why July 2017?" Santana asked.

"Because you both graduate in May of 2017, so that will give you a little over a month to get settled wherever you're going to settle. You won't be here where she can easily find you."

Brittany thought about that. "What if she won't sign the papers?"

"Then Rob will leave her sitting in the jail until she either signs them or someone else bails her out." He shrugged. "I don't care either way, to be honest. If she's in jail, she can't bother any of us. I'm pretty sure one of the stipulations of her release will be to stay away from the two of you anyway."

"Okay."

Chat drifted to other topics before David exclaimed, "Oh! Hey, I found this in your arts cupboard." He handed her the picture of the unicorn.

Brittany laughed. "Wow. The picture that created a need for that cupboard." She showed Santana the picture. "I told you about that, right, San?"

Santana nodded. "It's adorable." She glanced at Brittany. "Just like you."

Brittany pecked her lips. "I love you."

"Love you, too."

"That's not all," David unlocked his phone and scrolled for a moment before sliding it across the table to Brittany. "Swipe left."

Brittany took the phone and her jaw dropped. "She's gonna flip." Brittany giggled as she noted the amount of glitter scattered about the house. She turned it so Santana could see it and Santana burst out laughing.

"Wow. You weren't kidding, Britt. She really does have a smile that outshines the sun." Rob uttered in awe.

"Briiiiiiit! Oh, my, god!" Santana ducked her head, hiding it in Brittany's shoulder.

"You didn't believe me when I told you I told ALL THE PEOPLE about you? I mean, I literally told everyone I knew, honey. I wanted everyone I knew watching out for you. Even in Buffalo because I didn't know where you were from or anything." Brittany grinned and kissed the top of Santana's head. "I really wanted to find you. So glad I did," she whispered softly.

Santana picked her head up and smiled shyly at the blonde. "Me too."

xoxoxoxoxoxo

At the end of dinner, David sighed and looked at the two girls seriously.

"So, after we finish up here, I want to go to Verizon. Santana, I don't know your cell phone situation but I do know that Brittany needs a new phone – that we should have taken care of after the shooting – and we need to change numbers and remove Susan from my account.

"You should change your number as well; Susan's had access to Brittany's cell records all this time which means she probably has your number. If you'd like, I can add you to my plan and get you a new phone as well."

"That's not necessary, David. I've, um, been responsible for my own cell phone since I was eighteen." She shrugged. "But, yeah, I probably should change my number."

"I know it's not necessary but I would like to take care of it none-the-less." He responded.

Brittany squeezed Santana's hand and met her gaze. Brittany letting Santana know that she should take David up on his offer, Santana balking, Brittany pleading, Santana acquiescing. All done without a word.

Brittany heard Rob whisper to David. "Are they actually having a conversation right now?"

If David responded, it was non-verbal as Brittany didn't hear an answer.

Santana sighed. "Alright, David," her shoulders sagging in defeat, "thank you. But as soon as I graduate …"

David grinned, the first full grin Brittany had seen on his face, "We'll talk then."

Santana laughed and shook her head. "You Pierces and those eyes are going to be the death of me."

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

They'd taken care of the cell phones and were driving back toward town. "Yours or Santana's?"

"Mine tonight. Santana's tomorrow, Saturday, and Sunday." Brittany answered, a little distracted.

"You okay, honey?" David glanced up at the rear-view mirror and caught his daughter's eye.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. How long are you here for?" She shook herself from her reverie.

"Depends. Is Santana singing this weekend?"

"Yeah, we play every Saturday now." Santana spoke up.

"Then we're leaving Sunday morning. I want Rob to hear Santana sing." David grinned

"Sounds good. What are your plans?"

"Tomorrow, Rob's going to the jail. Tomorrow night, Rob and I are going to pretend we're twenty-one again; we're going to play pool and shoot darts and drink ourselves stupid. Lunch Saturday?"

Brittany nodded. "Okay, that works. San?"

Santana nodded. "Yeah, I have to go to the library Saturday morning but lunch sounds good."

"Good." They pulled up outside of Brittany's house. "Britt, have you looked into what we talked about? A new place?"

Brittany nodded. "Yeah, my friend Jenah put in a good word with the landlady over at the Griff. She's currently renovating three of the apartments and said I can move in June first. I'll be right across the street from Santana."

"Good. Let me know how much and I'll write a check for the year's rent."

"Dad …"

"Britt …"

"You know you don't have to do that."

"I know but I can and I want to. I have the ability to help you, so I'm going to. Let me."

"Fine." She shook her head with a small smile.

"Glad to know I'm not the only one susceptible to David Pierce's wiles." Santana grinned.

"Oh, hush."

They exited the car and hugs were exchanged.

"Good luck tomorrow, dad."

"Thanks, honey. I'll call and let you know how it goes and I'll see you on Saturday."

Brittany nodded and slipped her arm around Santana's waist, leading her to the house, knowing her father wouldn't leave until they were safely inside.