Chapter 32

Disclaimer: I don't own glee or this story


8pm

Santana walked past the family room with a basket of laundry and stopped to glance at her wife and kids. Brittany was sitting next to Taylor on the couch, helping her study for a spelling test, while Skylar sat in her lap, straddling her and staring at her sister, while she held Brittany tightly, clearly fighting her sleep. Both girls were super attached to Brittany, happy to have her home, so Santana cooked dinner and cleaned up the kitchen alone, wanting to grant them that time together. Since they secured the new house and got the keys before they headed back to New York Santana wanted to start packing and get the process moving quickly to get them all back under one roof permanently, so she was washing clothes so she could separate them into piles to take and piles to donate.

"Momma." Skylar sighed, leaning back to look up at Brittany.

"Yes, baby." Brittany said softly, kissing the top of her head. "It's almost bedtime for you." She added, leaning back on the couch a little more, so Skylar was more reclined. She locked eyes with Santana, who smiled at her and grabbed a thin blanket out of the basket at her feet. She walked over and covered Skylar, who looked up at her and exhaled against Brittany's chest, fearing that the Latina was taking her up to bed. Santana kissed her on the top of the head and noticed her clutch tighter to Brittany, the blonde hugging her tighter.

"You can stay with your momma." Santana laughed, kissing Taylor on the temple. "Ready for your test?"

"I think so." Taylor nodded. "It's a lot of words but I think I'll be ready."

Santana sat down on the floor in front of the fire and nodded to Brittany, indicating she was ready to talk. Brittany stood up and carried Skylar over, sitting next to her and patted the floor for Taylor to join them, which she did quickly.

"So, Tay, aside from me missing you like crazy and wanting to see you and hug you and everything, the reason that I'm in town is because we got the house all settled in Arizona." Brittany smiled.

"Whoa!" Taylor smiled happily. "So we are moving this week?"

"Not quite." Santana smiled. "You have a week of school to finish first, but your mom is going back on Sunday night..."

"Are you going back too?" Taylor asked.

Santana shook her head. "No, baby, I'm going to stay up here with you and help your mom pick out furniture and stuff through FaceTime." She told her, wrapping her arm around Taylor when she moved closer to her. "I really wanted to be down there with your mom to pick out the house and do a few other things with her, I will be going down there on Thursday and staying until Saturday afternoon, so we can get some more things situated. "Then I'm going to come back up here on Saturday and we'll finish packing everything up and then the two of us will fly back to Phoenix for good on Tuesday morning."

"Where's Sky going to be?" Taylor asked.

Brittany rubbed the tiny Latina's back and locked eyes with Santana. "Sky Sky will be with me when your mom comes back next Saturday to finalize things and get you."

"Don't you have to work?" Taylor asked. "Where will Sky be?"

"I only have to work on Monday, but I'm going to work from home, and if I have a meeting, then we will work through that. There are day care facilities in my office building right on my floor."

Taylor frowned but nodded. "So I don't have to stay with Aunt Quinn anymore?" Taylor asked.

"Just for the two nights I'm going later this week." Santana nodded.

Taylor looked between her moms and nodded. "So this time next week we'll be in Phoenix?"

"Yep." Brittany smiled, adjusting to Skylar, who was fast asleep now.

"Cool." Taylor blushed, leaning more into Santana.


"I can't believe we are leaving the house furnished and buying new furniture." Santana raised an eyebrow at Brittany as she sat on the side of the bed, putting lotion on having just showered. "Are we sure that's what we really want to do?"

Brittany shrugged. "Do you want to have movers move it?"

"We can get it shipped, save some money, besides. I like our furniture." Santana replied.

Brittany nodded as Santana lifted her legs into the bed and scooted to the headboard. "Okay, well let's look into a moving company and see how much it'll cost, we might be without furniture for a day or two."

Picking up her phone Santana shrugged.

"We can get some air mattresses. I'm not worried about money, but I just don't want to spend frivolously either, you know? The cost of living is cheaper than New York and I want us to have a good nest egg for the girls' college tuition."

"I get it." Brittany agreed. "Well tomorrow morning, let's look up some moving companies and get some rates, then get started on moving some things to the condo."

"Good idea." Santana replied, tossing her phone on the bed side table. "B, I'm so excited, even if I don't always come across as super super excited, just know that I am, baby."

"I know, but I know you and know you won't relax until we are completely settled and everything is in order down in Phoenix." Brittany smiled. "So are you sure you want to take the time off of work?"

"Positive." Santana nodded. "This is a big move for the girls, so I need, they need a little structure for a while. I'll start actively looking in a few months, making calls and everything, but for now the focus is all on you and your career."

Brittany stared at her wife and sighed. "While I appreciate that and love you so much for that, I don't want you or your career taking a backseat to me and mine." She told her softly yet sternly. "We are a unit, okay? Both of our careers matter."

Santana leaned forward and kissed her softly. "I know, B, I just...I'm just saying I don't mind taking a step back right now, that's all."

"Love you." Brittany winked.

"Love you more." Santana smiled brightly as she pulled the covers back and slipped under them. "You know what else I love?"

"Hmmmm."

"The fact that we will be able to sleep without this flannel blanket in two weeks." Santana laughed as Brittany crawled and laughed flush on her, kissing her deeply.

"You don't like that we have to cuddle to stay warm?" She teased.

The Latina nodded. "Oh I do, but we'll be able to sleep naked now...and not freeze our tits off."

"Classy." Brittany laughed as she rolled off her wife and cuddled close to her. "Good night."


"B." Santana pointed to the big letter puzzle on the floor before glancing at Skylar, who was standing next to her mother, looking at the puzzle with her.

"B." Skylar mimicked.

"H." She stated pointing to another piece.

Skylar smiling and happily mimicking her again as Brittany came in the house from picking up boxes so they could start packing up clothes. Skylar looked around quickly at her puzzle pieces and picked up a letter before running over to Brittany, who was trying to get her boots off after setting down a stack of boxes.

"More boxes are in the car, San." She told her wife as Skylar held up the puzzle piece.

"J!" She told her mother proudly.

Brittany raised an eyebrow at the letter K in her hand but smiled. "K." She told her daughter tapping as Santana reached for the J and held it up. Brittany bent down and tapped the puzzle piece. "K." She repeated, kissing her on the forehead, Skylar staring angrily at the piece.

"Come here, Sky." Santana waved her over and held out the puzzle piece to her daughter, who grabbed it and ran back over to Brittany.

"J." She told her mother quietly, handing it to her.

"You are so smart!" Brittany praised her loudly. "Oh my goodness!" She continued, finally getting her boots off and clapping, Skylar blushing before jumping around happily.

Santana finally stood up and grabbed her sneakers from the side of the couch, putting them on quickly, before she walked over to Brittany, leaning down to kiss her quickly. "I'll grab the rest of the boxes." She told her wife before heading outside.

Brittany nodded and held Skylar's hand as the little Latina pulled her over to the puzzles. "Play wif Sky." She told her mother. Brittany knew they needed to get started on packing, wanting to get a good portion done so they could have it shipped back with Brittany when she left but she didn't want the girls to get in the shuffle and commotion with the move so she smiled and sat down with Skylar on the floor, glancing up at Santana as she brought in the remaining boxes.

"I'll start putting these together, did you get tape from the post office?" She asked, kicking her shoes off since they were full of snow.

"Yeah, in the bag." Brittany replied, picking up a Barbie doll and making it dance around with the doll Skylar was holding. "I'll help in a minute...I just want to..."

"Spend time with her, you were away for almost two weeks." Santana smiled as she dragged the boxes over to the couch and went back to get more, stacking them neatly before grabbing the bag, Skylar watching her closely, knowing that Brittany almost always bought her something when she came home with bags. Santana laughed when Skylar stared at Brittany before jumping up and running to Santana, leaning on her leg.

"Bag."

"Si, baby, this is a bag." Santana nodded.

"Sky bag?" She asked, cocking her head to the side slightly before glancing back at Brittany, who was laughing.

Santana dug in the bag and pulled out the big cookie Brittany bought her and broke it in half handing it to her. "Half now, half tomorrow." Skylar jumped around happily before accepting the cookie and running over to Brittany, who kissed her on the cheek. "What do you say?"

"Graci." Skylar mumbled as she took a bite, sitting in Brittany's lap, happily eating.

"Close enough." Santana laughed as she set Taylor's cookie on the table and grabbed the tape from the bottom of the bag. She noticed a bottle of champagne and smirked.

"Yes, that's yours." Brittany laughed when Santana pulled out a box of chocolates as well, her eyes widening at the expensive candy that Brittany rarely bought for her.

"Should I jump up and start dancing around excitedly?" She teased, quickly opening the chocolates and popping one in her mouth.

"What do you say?" Brittany teased.

"Graci." Santana mimicked Skylar while laughing when Brittany leaned forward and grabbed a chocolate.


Santana sat next to Taylor at the piano and watched her practice, frowning when she would miss a few notes. Santana reached forward and stilled her daughter's hands. "You aren't focused, what's going on?"

Taylor shrugged. "I'm nervous about momma being there tomorrow."

"Why?" Santana asked her, turning Taylor to face her more as Skylar came running through the living room, a breadstick in her hand, laughing loudly with Brittany chasing her.

"Sorry." Brittany mouthed before scooping up their daughter and kissing all over her face as she carried her back to the kitchen, where she was starting to pack up some kitchen items for them.

"Because I want to impress momma, and I don't want to mess up." Taylor tried to explain. "Like, I wanna do really good so that she's really proud so she doesn't feel like she surprised me and came home for no reason."

Brittany, who was listening from the kitchen doorway, waited to see how Santana handled the situation before walking in and interjecting, she saw Santana discreetly glance towards the kitchen, briefly locking eyes with her.

"Tay, you know the most awesome thing about momma?" Santana smiled when Taylor shook her head.

"Wait!" Taylor screeched happily. "She's super nice and always makes everyone smile and stuff."

Brittany blushed as Skylar ran up to her and hit her on the leg. "It." She told her mother before running away. Brittany looked down at her daughter, running with her teddy bear footed pajamas on and laughed as she chased after her slowly.

"Yep, and aside from that, she's proud of everything you do." Santana told her. "You could just go bang on the keys randomly tomorrow and your momma would still brag about you." She laughed. "Seriously, Tay, your momma loves you so much and if by chance you do mess up by accident tomorrow, it won't make her any less proud, but what I do know she would want you to do is relax and focus." She finished.

"Then afterwards we can go shopping for Phoenix?" Taylor asked with a smirk.

Santana laughed. "Sure, we can go look at a few things for Phoenix."

Brittany carried Skylar in the living room, the baby now holding a sippy cup with warm milk in it and handed her to Santana, who cuddled her close and carried her to the couch, where she kissed the top of her head and began to rock her to sleep. Brittany sat next to Taylor at the piano bench and smiled.

"Can I get a preview, so I know which parts to cheer the loudest on?" Brittany asked.

Taylor blushed and nodded. "Okay, but you can't laugh if I mess up." She told her mother sternly.

Brittany held up her pinky fingers and nodded. "Pinky promise I won't."

Taylor linked pinkies with her and glanced at Santana, who gave her a thumbs up, Skylar reaching for her mother's immediately to hold. She began to play the number, adding in the few changes Santana suggested and practiced with her to liven it up nervously. She paused at one part, forgetting the next time, to which Santana softly told her the key, having memorized the performance herself already. Taylor nodded and continued to play the remainder of the song.

"Whoa...you are getting so good." Brittany praised her. "That was awesome, Tay." She told her quickly, giving her daughter a high five.

"You think it was okay?" Taylor asked with a big smile.

"Of course." Brittany replied. "That was amazing, baby, so proud of you."

"Told you." Santana sang softly with a smile.

"Tay!" Skylar kicked her legs.

"Finish your milk." Santana sighed. "It's bedtime."

"Wif Tay." Skylar nodded and leaned back with her sippy cup.

"Si, Taylor has to go to bed too." Santana nodded in agreement, knowing Skylar was more apt to go to sleep if she knew Taylor was as well. "Run through it one more time, Tay." Santana told her, taking the sippy cup from Skylar, who was just shaking it on her face at the moment.

"Don't do that." She told her in Spanish, shaking her head at her as she took a tissue and cleaned her face.

Taylor nodded and began to play as Brittany grabbed her phone and started to record her, a big smile on her face.


"Okay, good luck." Santana winked at Taylor giving her a big hug, Skylar holding her mother's leg tightly in the crowded hallway.

"Thanks." Taylor nodded as Brittany fixed the ribbons in her hair and straightened out her little black glitter blazer. Taylor paired her blazer with a pair of dark pink jeans, a white collared shirt with pink flowers on it and a pair of black Ugg boots, Santana opting against the Mary Janes she wanted her to wear because of the sudden snowstorm when they woke up that morning.

"Knock 'em dead." Brittany told her, giving her a high five before picking up Skylar when Taylor ran down the hall to join her teacher and the other kids in the recital.

"Tay!" Skylar screeched, waving at her sister frantically. Taylor turned around and sprinted back to the baby and kissed her on the cheek.

"Wish me luck." She smiled at Skylar, who blushed and nodded.

"Luck." She mimicked as Taylor tickled her and ran back down the hall.

"Let's go get our seats." Santana suggested digging in her purse to make sure she remembered the box of goldfish for Skylar to snack on during the recital so she didn't get antsy.

"Sorry I'm late." Quinn came running in, pulling her hat off of her head and shaking out the snow.

"You're on time." Brittany smiled, as Santana stared at her as Skylar immediately smiled and reached for Quinn, the blonde waving at the baby and smiling at her.

"It's fine." Santana finally spoke up. "Let's let Aunt Quinn get her coat off so you don't get wet." She told her daughter.

Quinn followed the pair inside the auditorium and took a seat next to Brittany, Santana left a spot between her and Brittany, sitting Skylar in her own seat, the baby looking around quickly. "You have to sit still, no standing, or you'll fall." Santana told Skylar softly in Spanish, setting a few toys in her lap. Skylar picked up a stuffed animal, holding it tightly and nodded to her mother. Santana then pulled out Skylar's cup and set it in the cup holder, Brittany watching her wife, noticing she didn't pull a pacifier out.

"Where's her...?" Brittany started to ask.

"Do not say it." Santana cut her off quickly. "She doesn't need it, she's fine, she's quiet."

Brittany rolled her eyes and put up her hand, signaling she didn't want to start an argument. "Did you at least pack one just in case, or do you plan on letting her scream?"

Santana glared slightly at her wife. "You've been moody today, what's wrong?" She asked quietly. "And of course there are like four in here."

Quinn glanced up at the two, but heard their hushed conversation so she looked back down at her phone, making sure she had enough room to record Taylor.

"I'm sorry." Brittany shook her head. "I just wish I didn't have to leave tomorrow morning and go back to Phoenix, it feels like I just got here."

Santana nodded. "We're right behind you in a few days, baby. Let's just enjoy the rest of the day, okay?"

"I love you." Brittany smiled.

"Wuv you." Skylar mimicked, bouncing her stuffed animal on the chair between her legs.

Santana laughed and kissed the top of her head. "Love you, Smiley. You know I love you, too, B." She added. "Quinn, we are going to lunch after this, why don't you join us?"

Quinn looked up quickly. "I would love to."

"Provided the blizzard holds up." Brittany added. "If it's too bad we are going to cook at home, but you are more than welcome to come over to the house."

"Sounds good." Quinn nodded as the lights dimmed and Taylor's piano teacher walked out on the stage.

Skylar looked around quickly and reached for Brittany immediately, not liking the darkness. "Momma!" She said loudly, earning a few awwwwwww from women in the audience. Brittany mouthed a sorry to the people around her as she lifted Skylar in her lap, allowing the baby to lean back on her chest. Santana slid over to Skylar's seat and wrapped her arm around Brittany's chair, handing Skylar her stuffed animal again and holding up her finger to her mouth when the baby looked up at her, so she knew to stay quiet. She then opened Skylar's goldfish for her and handed her the box, smiling when Skylar's eyes widened at the bright colors and began to stare at them one by one as she ate them.

Halfway through the recital Skylar eventually turned to straddle Brittany and was fast asleep while Santnaa cringed at several of the performances, Brittany laughing at her wife, and Quinn, who was making the same face. "Taylor is so much better than the rest of her class." Santana whispered.

Quinn looked over at the Latina and laughed. "I worked with her a little while you were gone, I hope it's okay."

"I thought one of the melodies she added sounded familiar, it's the same melody you would play in highschool." Santana replied as Quinn nodded shyly. "More than okay, thanks for doing that."

"Next up is Taylor Lopez-Pierce on the piano."


"The snow is so ridiculous." Brittany sighed. "I hope I can get my flight out in the morning, I have meetings Monday morning."

"Relax." Santana sighed, walking next to Brittany, who was looking out their bedroom window. After the recital, in which Taylor got a standing ovation, they came back to their house since the snowstorm was worse, Quinn followed them over and played with Skylar while the pair fixed lunch, and Taylor called Berkeley on FaceTime to tell her about her recital.

Quinn decided to do some work since she had her laptop and her briefcase so she relaxed on the couch, while Skylar napped next to her, and Brittany and Santnaa continued to do some more packing, wanting to get the rest of Brittany's clothes down to Phoenix.

Brittany exhaled when Santana stepped in front of her and pulled her into a hug, sliding her hands under Brittany's t-shirt, and massaging her lower back. "How has your back been?"

"Good." Brittany replied, linking her hands around Santana's neck. "Can you find me a doctor down there, or are we going to fly back and forth for my appointments?"

"We can fly back and forth for now, but I'll call my dad and see if he knows anyone in that area, and I'll talk to your doctor this week and see what recommendations he has. You feel a little stiff right now, why don't you take a bath and relax." Santana suggested. "I'll run your bath water for you, since Sky is down for her nap, now's the perfect time."

"We can take a bath together later, I want to spend some time with Taylor." Brittany smiled, kissing Santana softly. "9pm bath date." She winked at her wife before leaving the room and heading down the hall to Taylor's.

Santana smiled and stared at the piles of clothes neatly folded, waiting to be boxed, and sighed. "Later." She made her way downstairs where Quinn was moving Skylar to a pallet on the floor carefully.

"She won't wake up, don't worry." Santana laughed when Skylar started to stir, Quinn's face frowning slightly. "She's just settling back in her sleep."

"Oh." Quinn nodded. "She was kind of rolling in her sleep, and I didn't want her to roll off the couch."

"It's cool." Santana shrugged, sitting down on the recliner. "Britt and I were talking earlier, and with the way the snow is, you can stay here for the night, the roads look really bad, that is if you want."

"Are you sure?" Quinn asked. "I know with Britt in town and the move, you are super busy right now with packing."

"We are definitely busy, but the roads are too bad." Santana told her. "The guest room is all set up already, a few boxes with some of the girls' things are packed up and labeled, but it's not too bad."

"Thanks." Quinn replied.

Santana stood up to leave the room, but paused. "Do you know why I suggested we have Taylor stay with you while we go back and forth during the move? We could have easily called any of our parents and kind of rotated them, but I suggested you first." She turned to face Quinn.

Quinn shook her head. "I'm still shocked to be honest."

"I know you are going to AA meetings, I'm not snooping on you, but I got called into a surgery late one night and I was running in. I heard your voice and stopped, I saw you at one of the 24 hour meetings. I listened for a little bit, and I know you're sober.

Taylor and Skylar are like your own kids, they keep you sane. I knew that if Taylor stayed with you it would help you stop drinking, well stay off of alcohol."

Quinn stared at her, opening her mouth to speak but closed it quickly.

"I'm worried that when we move, you'll go back to drinking." Santana said softly. "What can we do to help you stay sober?"


Thoughts?