A/N: Here is the post date chapter, with everyone's reactions both positive and negative. I have also added in a couple more POV's to see how that helps the story flow. Also a surprise appearance at the end. Comments and theories are all fully appreciated.
As I drove home, my mind raced, replaying every moment of our encounter. I savored the way Santana's laughter filled the air, the softness of her skin against mine. I wanted nothing more than to turn the car around and be back in those arms, kissing Santana until the sun came up. Her parting words, "Text me, so I know you made it home safe," lingered in my mind—so simple, so caring, yet it sent me swooning.
A sudden knock on my window startled me. I glanced over to see Quinn standing there, her expression a mix of concern and amusement. "Are you planning to get out of there any time soon?" she asked, her voice muffled by the glass.
I climbed out of the car, taking a deep breath to compose myself. "I take it that things went well?" Quinn asked as we walked up the path, her sharp hazel eyes scanning me.
"Exactly as planned," I replied, trying to keep my tone light. I needed time to process this whirlwind of emotions and revel in the afterglow of the best date I'd ever been on. I stretched and yawned, my body still buzzing. "Can we do the rest of the debrief tomorrow? I'm wiped."
Quinn gave me a full look over before nodding curtly. "Kurt would murder us if we didn't wait for him." That reminded me—I hadn't seen his car when I got back, nor had he come barreling outside to get every last detail out of me.
"He had a rendezvous and said not to wait up," she added, as if reading my thoughts. "Oh, and Sugar invited herself to brunch tomorrow, so you might want to get that rest while you can." She laughed, giving my shoulder a light pat before disappearing into her bedroom.
As soon as my door closed behind me, I grabbed my phone to send Santana a quick text confirming my arrival. I didn't expect to hear back since it was well past midnight, but my phone beeped seconds later with a simple goodnight text. My heart fluttered at her words, and the realization hit me—I am so royally screwed.
[9:45 AM] Just thinking about last night is making me smile. Good morning, gorgeous -S
Santana's text pops up on my phone, instantly brightening my morning. I can't help but giggle as I read it.
[10:00 AM] Wish I could see that smile in person -B
[10:05 AM] Who says you won't? ;)
Santana's reply sends my heart racing. Is she inviting me over? I glance at my phone, torn between the idea of sneaking out and the guilt of missing brunch. Quinn would definitely have something to say about it.
[10:15 AM] I'm sure Kurt would have my head on a platter if I missed this morning's brunch. Maybe later if your schedule is still free?
"Britt, breakfast is ready and Sugar is here," Kurt calls, interrupting my thoughts. I sigh, disappointed, but also relieved. I'll have to wait until later to see Santana. For now, I'll focus on enjoying brunch with my family.
"Tell me everything!" Sugar squealed, over the clinking of silverware. We were seated on the patio, the morning sun casting a warm glow over the spread of food. I'd hoped to savor a few bites before diving into the whirlwind of last night's date, but Sugar's anticipation was inescapable. .
Quinn and Kurt, though eager, maintained a relative composure. Their excitement was tempered by a sense of respect for my privacy.
"Where did you go? What did you do? Did you get your mack on?" Sugar fired off her questions in rapid-fire succession, her eyes wide with anticipation.
I held up my hands, signaling for a pause. "Whoa, slow down there," I chuckled, taking a sip of my mimosa. "We went to the Kennedy Space Center and did one of their mission simulations."
"Ohhh, you finally found someone to do that with!" Kurt exclaimed, a hint of relief in his voice. He was probably glad to be off the hook.
"Yeah, you're off the hook," I teased. "Santana was in her element. Despite the stress of the simulation, she remained calm and thought things through logically." I couldn't help but smile, a soft glow spreading across my face.
Sugar huffed. "Good lord, you're both nerds. Please tell me you did more than just reenact the boring scenes from Armageddon!"
"We walked through the rocket garden, talked, got to know each other better. Gunther's team set up a picnic for us, and then we went to the planetarium, where..." I trailed off, my heart pounding in my chest. I took a bite of my poached egg English muffin, savoring the moment before dropping the bomb. "...we made out a bit."
Quinn choked on her drink, her face turning a shade of crimson. Sugar's eyes widened in disbelief.
"You did what?" Quinn gasped, choking on her drink.
"They made out!" Sugar squealed, clapping her hands excitedly.
Quinn Fabray was the epitome of composure, a woman who rarely lost her cool. In the nearly thirty years we'd known each other, I had only seen her truly enraged a handful of times. But right now, she was a different person entirely. The vein in her temple throbbed, and her grip on her knife tightened. Her usually serene expression was replaced by a storm of anger that was both terrifying and mesmerizing.
"You said everything went according to plan," Quinn hissed, her voice barely a whisper. Her eyes were narrowed, a storm brewing within them. "What part of the plan included making out with the potential mole?"
The words hit me like a physical blow. The carefree atmosphere of the patio vanished, replaced by a chilling silence. Even Sugar's usual exuberance was subdued by the gravity of Quinn's accusation.
"I see you two finally expressed your suspicions," Sugar said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She turned to Kurt and Quinn, her gaze sharp.
"Wait, what? How did you know we thought she could be the mole?" Kurt asked, his confusion evident.
Sugar shrugged nonchalantly. "Aspergers," she replied, as if that explained everything.
"Brittany, do you realize the danger you could be putting us all in?" Quinn's voice was laced with barely concealed outrage. "How can you be so reckless?"
"Quinn!" Kurt tried to intervene, placing a hand on her wrist.
"No, Kurt, let her finish," I said, nodding for Quinn to continue.
"I know you may not want to believe she could be the mole, but we need to act as though everyone outside of this circle is a threat," Quinn said, her tone calmer than before. "The last time you let your guard down..." Her voice trailed off, but I didn't need her to finish. The scar along my torso was a constant reminder of the consequences of my past mistakes.
Quinn reached across the table and squeezed my hand. "I don't ever want to go through that again, Britt." Tears welled up in her eyes, and I felt a lump forming in my throat.
It was a low blow, but it was the reality check I needed. I'd already been given a second chance at life, a gift that I hadn't always appreciated. I wasn't sure if I could survive a third.
"Santana Lopez, out of bed and in a good mood before noon on a Sunday! That must have been the world's greatest date," Mercedes announces as her friend strolls into the cafe they'd agreed to meet at for a post-date catch-up. She'd expected to receive a text from her friend somewhere closer to two pm than ten thirty am declaring she was on her way. Mercedes had needed to rush through her morning routine to get there by their agreed upon eleven am.
"That Lopez strut certainly says she got some kind of action," David Karofsky, the third member of this tight-knit friend group added in, grinning from ear to ear.
Santana just rolled her eyes as she hugged her best friends before taking a seat. Thankful they'd already pre-ordered her a coffee and breakfast wrap. She takes a bite of her food and a long sip of her coffee savoring the flavors.
"Keep us in suspense, why don't you?" Mercedes says leaning forward, almost tempted to remove the coffee from Santana's hands.
Santana sets the mug down with a teasing smirk. "Hold your panties, can't a girl have some coffee first?"
"You can have all the coffee in the world, once you're done giving us the dirty details of this date with your hot boss lady," Karofsky says, leaning forward in his seat.
Santana's happy, her complexion masks her blushing cheeks. "She was so sweet and she put so much thought into the date, I really only expected dinner and good conversation and she went so far above and beyond."
"Ohhhh someone's swooning," Karofsky teases looking over at Mercedes and they both make love-struck faces at her.
Santana looks over at her friends and shoots them a playful glare, which only makes them laugh harder. She crosses her arms across her chest and huffs. "Keep laughing, see if I tell you anything else."
"Oh c'mon Santana, we're just playing. It's been a long time since you've been on a date," Mercedes says with a wide smile still on her face.
"Also my stellar performance is what won you that date, so I deserve details. My body and most importantly my face was on the line for your love life," Karofsky says pointing to his bruised black eye.
"Wow David, that's a low blow," Santana chimes him playfully. Santana spends the next few minutes recapping her friends on the details of the day, from the simulation to the stroll through the rocket garden and the picnic they had there before moving to the planetarium.
"And then we kissed, which led into a full-on make out session," Santana says, seeing her friends hanging on her every word. There's silence for a moment as they both process and then both erupt in excited squeals right in the middle of the café. Santana sinks down in her chair covering her face. "Can you two pipe down? You're causing a scene."
After a moment the other two finally regain their composure. "So how was it?" Mercedes asks.
"It was so good, even more exciting than the simulator," Santana says with a wistful smile on her face.
"So then what happened? Did you go back to your place or her place?" Mercedes asks, leaning in on her hands.
"We drove back to my place and despite the hot, hot window steaming make out, she was every bit the gentlelady," Santana recounts, before taking a sip of her coffee.
"Oh, Diabla, are you losing some of that Lopez spice?" Karofsky teases.
Santana rolls her eyes, she's had a reputation around her first dates rolling into breakfasts and even on occasion a late lunch, but there was more to Brittany than a one-night stand.
"She's her boss, not like she can't one and done her Dave," Mercedes defends with a little giggle. "Gotta keep her wanting more."
"Wheezy gets it," Santana says, high-fiving her best friend. "There's just so much more to her, I feel like I'm only scratching the surface."
"You like her…" Dave gasps out hand on his chest metaphorically clutching pearls.
"What's not to like?" Santana answers earnestly. "Tall, blonde, Gorgeous, intelligent and philanthropic."
"You've definitely got your swoon glasses on," Mercedes points out.
Santana shoots both her friends a glare she hopes is intimidating despite her hopefully not too evident blush. "Whatever, can we move on to some other topics please?"
"Of course we can," Mercedes says, offering her friend some reprieve. "We can ask David, where he was last night and with who?" Both women turn their attention on the boxer and he immediately flushes.
"I was just having some post-victory fun," He answers coyly. "And who is my business for now."
They both roll their eyes at him, but know he will tell them in time. The trio continue having an animated brunch while catching up on their respective weekends.
The parking garage was a shadowy maze, the only light coming from the dull hum of fluorescent bulbs overhead. The rhythmic thumping of heavy boots echoed through the emptiness as Detective Anderson emerged from the shadows, his face half-hidden in the darkness. A figure stood frozen, their eyes darting nervously as they fumbled with their keys.
"I don't have all night," Anderson growled, his voice a low rumble. "Let's get this over with."
The figure swallowed hard, their voice barely a whisper. "I need more time," they pleaded. "I'm close, I promise."
Anderson scoffed, his jaw clenching. "Close isn't good enough, especially not after that press conference. I need proof, something concrete. My career depends on this!"
"And my life is on the line if I get caught," the figure replied, their voice filled with desperation.
Anderson's eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint in his gaze. "You won't have to worry about what the Pierces will do to you if you don't get me what I want," he threatened, his voice dripping with menace. "You have until the end of the week to deliver." With that, he turned and disappeared back into the shadows.
