CHAPTER 59
A/N: Hello! Sorry, I know I haven't posted in a while but I really needed time to figure out this chapter. I want to thank you all for your reviews and feedback on the previous chapter. Keep them coming because they're very precious! Many thanks to pjay413 for proofreading this new chapter! It's a long one, and we pick up right where we left off. Enjoy and watch the POV ;-)
BRITTANY's POV
"Okay, so… Clearly, I handle alcohol even less than I thought, because I'm apparently experiencing auditory hallucinations!" I say, looking at Santana in disbelief.
"You want another baby? You?!" I eventually add a lot lower, so that the kids can't hear us.
"Why not?" She shrugs innocently.
"Why not?" I repeat, raising my arms. "San, it took me months to convince you to start a family. Then, we had our biggest fight ever when I suggested having a second child, and you practically fainted when Dr. Montgomery told us we were expecting twins!" I remind her. "You basically hyperventilate every time you hear the word 'baby'!"
"Don't you think you might be exaggerating a little bit?" She chuckles.
"Am I?!" I say, crossing my arms. "Aren't you the one who always says that 'the Lopez-Pierce baby factory is closed'?" I ask, quoting her words.
"Well… We could reopen our baby factory temporarily, just to create one last collector's item…" She suggests timidly while I just look at her in shock.
"Look, Britt… I know this sounds strange coming from me, but I have been reflecting a lot on my life since my accident, and the truth is that the kids are my biggest success! I mean, just look at them…" She says, pointing at our children who are still playing together, a few feet away from us. "I will never do anything better than them, they're perfect!" She shrugs. "And they grow up so fast… It's really like my dad said, I just blinked and now, Sofia is already in preschool. The next time I blink, she might be graduating high school and the boys will be teenagers… Wouldn't it be nice to have another mini-us we could hold on to for a little longer?" She asks. "You've always said you wanted a big family, so maybe we could just… finish what we've started…?" She suggests.
LATER THAT DAY (EVENING TIME) – IN BED
Ever since Santana dropped the baby bomb on me a few hours ago, I haven't been able to think of anything else… She told me to take the time I needed to figure out what I wanted, but there are a thousand questions crossing my mind every single minute.
It's not like me to be confused about whether having kids or not, but this request is really out of the blue! Santana said so many times that 'we were done having babies' that I had closed that door forever. And until today, I had always been the one bringing up the baby talk, and I did so only after careful reflection. But this time, roles are completely reversed. Santana is ready to move forward, while I'm just trying not to panic! And I guess that's how she must have felt whenever I told her I wanted a baby…
"So…" I suddenly break the silence, while she's reading her book next to me. "Admitting that I would agree to have another kid – and I'm not saying I will – who would carry it…?"
"Well… I was thinking you probably would, considering that you love being pregnant… But since it's my idea, I could carry it if you didn't feel like doing it yourself?"
"I uh… I have no opinion yet, I just have… questions." I admit with a shrug. "So many questions."
"That's okay, honey… Ask away." She smiles, closing her book to focus on me.
"Well, regardless of who would carry it, what um… what timing did you have in mind? You know, to initiate the whole thing…?" I ask.
"When we are ready? There's no rush." She shrugs. "Although I wouldn't want an age gap too big between Sofia and the baby…"
"But do you even realize what this would mean?" I ask in disbelief, seeing how unbelievably serene she looks. "We would have to deal with four kids, San." I remind her. "When I got pregnant with the boys, you were already complaining about having to take care of three children at once."
"I was just scared." She shrugs. "I was still working for Fox Television back then, and you know how busy it was for me, Britt… I was so overwhelmed that just the thought of having more than one kid was terrifying! But it's different now. I make my own work schedule, so I can be flexible, and we have a good routine at home… Frankly, I don't think four would be much different from three." She argues.
"But it's not just four kids, honey… It's a newborn, which means we'll have very short nights again, while still having to take care of three other kids full of energy on the next day."
"I know, but that's only for a few months… After that, they will all sleep through the night, and so will we."
"We don't even have room in the house for another baby…" I sigh.
"Not yet, that's true. But Megan and Sean will be moving out soon…"
"So?" I ask, frowning in confusion.
"Well, I was thinking that we could buy their house…" She suggests, making me drop my jaw for the second time today.
Now she wants to buy the neighbors' house?! But what the hell is going on with her? How come she has all these crazy ideas all of a sudden?
"I know their house is even smaller than ours, so we can't live there, and I wouldn't want to move anyway." She continues, before I can react. "But if we bought it, we wouldn't have to worry about unpleasant new neighbors and we would have much more land than we do now… The kids and Penny would have more space to play and run, we could even plant a lot more vegetables and flowers, without having to fight over the same corner of the garden all the time. Plus, we would finally have two garages!" She argues. "And I was thinking that we could move the dance room into their house, because you would have much more space than here. And it would also allow us to transform the current dance room into a bedroom for our baby, and an extra bathroom too."
"A bathroom…?" I simply manage to repeat, struggling to follow.
"Yeah! If there are six of us in the house, we're going to need an additional bathroom." She chuckles.
God, we would be six…
"And I was thinking we could turn some of Megan and Sean's rooms into guestrooms for our parents, or the Gleeks. That way, we wouldn't have to hear my dad's snoring all the way to our bedroom!" She says. "It would also be much nicer for them… They would have a kitchenette and their own bathroom." She adds, making it clear that she has already thought this whole thing through.
"You really want a kid…" I eventually say, understanding that this is not a passing fad.
"I would like to, yeah." She nods. "But if you don't want another one, we don't have to… I'd be okay either way."
"I don't… I don't know what I want…" I say in full honesty, feeling like a truck has run over me.
"That's fine, wifey… I know it's a lot to take in. Just think about it, okay?" She smiles, kissing my lips.
"Do you mind if we turn off the lights? I have to be at Paramount very early tomorrow." She says and I just nod in silence, trying to digest this surreal conversation.
As the room gets dark, Santana snuggles up against me, laying her head on my chest. My arms automatically wrap around her body, while my eyes settle for the ceiling.
She falls asleep just a minute later but I'm wide awake, unable to turn off my brain about the whole baby thing, and everything around it. Do we even have the money to buy the neighbors' house?
THE NEXT DAY – AT PARAMOUNT – IN SANTANA'S OFFICE – SANTANA's POV
"So… The reason I asked you to come here today is because the three of you are going to have a major role in this season." I tell Amber, Naya and Heather, as they sit in front of me. "As you know, the first 8 episodes will mainly focus on Mercedes' tour." I remind them. "Amber, I know you've already seen the documentary Artie shot about the real tour, but if there is one thing I want you to keep in mind at all times, it's this: Mercedes is a Queen. Wherever she performs, she just owns the place and slays. And that's exactly what I want to see in every one of your performances, okay?" I say and she nods in understanding.
"As for Brittana…" I say, turning to Naya and Heather. "You girls need to remember that you are engaged now, so it's as serious as it can get. Every decision that your characters take from now on will impact your couple." I add. "But the main challenge that I see for you this season is that things will move very quickly. A lot will already happen on tour, and once it's over, Santana and Brittany will move to L.A, where they will build a new life together. They will start new careers, and get married… So, they will have to do a lot of growing up within a very short time. And although Brittany and I have always complemented each other, we've been an even stronger team after getting engaged. And I want to see that on screen, okay?" I say.
"Okay." They both nod.
"And um… I guess now is as good a time as any to tell you that once again, you'll have some sex scenes together."
"Yeah, we figured…" Naya says, chuckling.
A FEW DAYS LATER (EVENING TIME) – AT HOME – BRITTANY's POV
"The kids are finally asleep…" I sigh, joining Santana in the living room. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?" I ask, sitting next to her on the couch.
"Well, I have a surprise for you." She says with a mischievous smirk, and I can't help but panic. Since her accident, Santana has been acting in the most unpredictable way and I don't know if I can handle yet another surprise…
"Ok, I really hope you're not considering having a 5th child, because I still haven't made up my mind about the 4th one…"
"No, no… I'm not crazy!" She chuckles. "It's just that I've been working with someone on a 'secret' project for a while… And now, I really would like to share it with you."
"Secret project? With 'someone'…?" I repeat, frowning in confusion. "Oh, God… Please tell me you don't mean Julia Peterson!"
"No!" She immediately says. "Why are you automatically assuming the worst?" She laughs, and that's just another proof that our roles are now reversed, because that's a question I usually ask her.
"I'm working on a new album, with Tommy…" She clarifies. "An EP, to be more accurate."
"Really?" I ask, surprised. "Are you writing the songs yourself?"
"Yes." She nods. "I started after the boys were born, but I got even more inspired during my recovery, and I managed to write 5 songs in total."
"Oh, can I hear them?"
"Well, I have only recorded two so far…" She says. "One about the kids, and… one about you."
"About me?" I repeat, dropping my jaw in surprise. Why would she write a song for me when she has already written 'Songbird'?
"Yeah. It's called 'Wifey'..." She whispers, suddenly looking all shy.
"Oh, honey…" I grab her hand to squeeze it, feeling very moved. "But please… don't make me wait any longer. Let me listen to it!" I plead eagerly.
A LITTLE WHILE LATER
Santana has not even been singing for two minutes yet and I'm already in tears. I didn't think it would be possible to write another song as beautiful as "Songbird", but she did. Every word of her new masterpiece touches me deeply and I can hear so much emotion in her beautiful voice that it moves me to the core.
Minutes pass and although I do my best to listen in silence, I'm a crying mess by the time 'Letter to my children' ends.
"Aww… You're ok, darling?" Santana asks, gently caressing my cheek.
"God, San…" I eventually manage to say in a shaky voice, wiping my tears. "That was so beautiful that I… I just…" I trail off, finding myself overwhelmed by emotion. Unable to speak, I whisper a barely audible "I love you" and press my lips on hers, to give her my most heartfelt kiss.
"You're so talented…" I finally say after a moment, shaking my head in disbelief. "And these songs are such a wonderful gift…" I whisper, reuniting our lips again.
A FEW DAYS LATER (MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT) – AT HOME – SANTANA's POV
I'm still in bed when I hear Brittany coming back to our bedroom, after checking on Gabriel.
"Is he okay?" I mumble against my pillow, in a tired voice.
"He was okay, but he felt a bit warm, so I checked his temperature and he still has a bit of fever." She says. "And even though he was not crying, he kept asking for you, so I decided to take him with me…" She suddenly adds, making me turn around. I find her standing by our bed, with our baby boy in her arms.
"I hope you don't mind?" She asks.
"Of course not." I say while she hands me Gabriel.
"Does your ear still hurt, baby?" I ask our son, who just nods silently in response. He's being brave but I can tell that he's really unwell because his eyes are all shiny, almost watery.
"You'll feel better soon, mijo. I promise." I say, kissing his forehead while gently caressing his blond hair.
"He's indeed a bit warm…" I say. "But it's looking much better than it did earlier."
"Yeah, I guess the medication is finally taking effect." She replies, getting under our sheets.
"You want to sleep here, with mommy and me?" I ask my boy.
"And Elvis?" He asks in his baby voice, hugging his stuffed dinosaur against his chest.
"Of course, Elvis too." I smile, patting the spot between Brittany and me.
THE NEXT MORNING – IN BED – BRITTANY's POV
The daylight wakes me up and I startle when I find myself face to face with Gabriel's dinosaur. As I lift my head and catch the sight of Santana spooning our little boy, I can't help but smile. They are both sound asleep, so I make sure not to move too much as I check Gabriel's forehead. Thank God, his fever seems to be gone, at least for now.
As it's still pretty early, I decide to stay in bed for a while and just watch them sleep. They're so cute together that I wish I could take a picture, but I don't want to risk waking them up. While I keep my eyes on them, I eventually get lost in my thoughts, until I find myself pondering Santana's "baby request."
I still haven't made any decision, but I must confess that the thought of Santana with a newborn in her arms is giving me butterflies. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all… Four kids is a lot to handle, but like Santana said, she has a better work schedule than she did when the twins were born. Now, she's coming home at a decent hour every night, and she has a lot more time for our family. But there is still the space issue… And I don't even know if we can really afford to buy the neighbors' house… Even if we have money, it's still Los Angeles and housing is so expensive here…
A FEW DAYS LATER (OCTOBER) – EVENING TIME – IN THE BEDROOM
"Ok, I'm all packed…" Santana sighs while getting under the sheets, next to me. "I left my itinerary and all contact details on the fridge."
She and Quinn are going to Denver tomorrow, and I hate the idea with every fiber of my being. After what happened during her last business trip, I just want to keep her in L.A. where she's safe. But I know it's silly, because the truth is that she'll never be 100% safe anywhere, not even here.
Santana knows her trip stresses me out and she even tried to get out of it, but Patricia Miller said that a new investor really wanted to meet them in person.
"You're ok, honey?" She asks with concerned eyes, slowly running her fingers through my hair.
I just shrug in response, not sure what to say. I'm not okay, but I don't want to get in the way of my wife's career.
"It's just for a couple of days…" She says in a soft voice. "I'll text you as often as I can, and I promise I'll be extra careful." She adds while I nod in silence.
She gives me a reassuring smile and pulls me into a tender kiss, probably to start our "away ritual". We kiss for a few minutes, but as her hand sneaks under my t-shirt and grazes my skin, I pull away.
"Oh… I'm sorry…" She says with apologetic eyes, clearly surprised by my reaction. "I uh… If you don't want to, we can just cuddle…" She shrugs.
"Oh, no, I want to." I immediately say to reassure her. "It's just that…" I trail off, sitting up in bed. "Promise me again that you'll be mindful of cars, and people, and… anything weird, really… And if there is any kind of natural disaster, promise me you'll run away, as far as possible!"
"I promise." She nods, staring into my eyes. "You know it's unlikely that what happened in San Francisco would happen to me again, honey…" She says, kissing my mouth.
"I love you so much…" I eventually say, as our lips part.
"I know." She smiles. "I love you too."
"Show me how much…" I plead in a whisper, reuniting our lips for a passionate kiss.
THE NEXT EVENING (MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT) – AT HOME
It's 1:00 AM and I sigh in frustration, tossing and turning for the thousandth time tonight. I hate sleeping without Santana, it's like everything in my bedroom feels wrong! I'm cold, no matter what I put on, I'm uncomfortable, and the sound of my own breathing creeps me out. Of course, being worried like I am doesn't help either…
I should be reassured, since Santana texted me about two hours ago from her hotel room, but I still can't sleep. I'm just about to get up and turn on the TV when my phone screen lights up, indicating that I've received a text.
FROM "SAN": You're probably asleep by now, but I'm finally in bed. It took me forever to prepare for tomorrow's meeting! I love you, wifey. xo
TO "SAN": I'm still awake. You can call me if you want?
I have barely hit the "send" button that Santana calls me.
"Hey you!" I say, upon picking up.
"Hi, honey! It's so good to hear your voice… But how come you're still awake?"
"I can't sleep…" I pout. "I think something is wrong with my pillow, because it's so uncomfortable!" I complain and she immediately bursts into laughter.
"Why are you laughing?" I ask, a bit offended.
"Because nothing is wrong with your pillow, Britt-Britt… You're just not used to sleep on yours, since you either sleep on my body or on the edge of my own pillow."
"Maybe…" I say, unconvinced. "But I think mine is thicker than yours. When I rest on it, it's like my head is too high or something."
"Yeah, because you've never used it!" She insists, chuckling. "It's basically as thick as brand new ones… You should take mine." She suggests and I follow her advice, throwing my pillow away to take hers instead.
"Oh, yeah… That's much better! God, I should have done that right away…" I say, before breathing in the pillow, and her scent immediately relaxes me.
"So, you miss me, uh?" She asks, and I swear I can picture her proud grin all the way from here.
"I do…" I admit. "You know, I'm going to have to talk to Patricia Miller about this, because your business trips don't work for me! Socks don't even warm me up as much as your feet do."
"Yeah, you know… I think your ice-cold feet are the only thing I don't miss…" She laughs, while I open my mouth wide in outrage.
"So, it took you 8 years of marriage to tell me you don't like to warm up my feet?!" I say, hearing her laugh on the other end of the line.
"I would warm up your feet any day, wifey… And any other parts of your body for that matter…" She says while I roll my eyes.
"So, are you ready to impress this… what's his name again?" I ask, changing subject.
"Mr. Baldwin. And yeah… I know all the figures by heart, and I know what to say, so hopefully it will be fine… Besides, I'm sure Quinn will be ready to complement my presentation with some excellent elements that I would not even think of!"
"That's great, San. I'm sure it will go well!"
"Fingers crossed. And you, what are you doing tomorrow?"
"I have a couple of dance classes in the morning, and then I'm having lunch with Tina."
"Oh, nice! Say hi for me, will you?"
"Of course!" I reply. "By the way, you're still coming home tomorrow night, right?"
"Yes, but it will probably be very late, so don't wait up." She says.
"I will most likely be up, since my mind refuses to sleep when you're not there." I sigh. "I've been trying for hours…"
"Well… How about we both close our eyes and think we're together?"
"I'd like that…" I whisper with a smile.
THE NEXT NIGHT – AT HOME – SANTANA's POV
Even though the plane landed on time, it was past midnight when I arrived at home. Brittany was still awake, just like she said she would.
We turned off the lights a while ago, but I don't think I'll manage to sleep right away, even though I'm exhausted. My brain is always on fire when I come back from a business trip, and it takes me a while to calm it down.
"Britt, are you asleep?" I whisper.
"Not yet… but getting there…" She whispers back, barely articulating.
I can't even move because she's literally using all of me as a pillow. Her head is resting on my chest and she's hugging me tight, her arm wrapped around my waist and one leg draped over both of mine.
"Are you comfy?" I chuckle, knowing it must be a lot more comfortable for her than it is for me, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
"Mmhh, so much… My head is perfectly supported, your body is soft and warm, and you smell so nice…" She says, hugging me even tighter. "I'm in my 'Santana' bubble and all is good in the world again…" She whispers against my body, making me smirk. She's always made me feel so loved...
A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER – AT QUINN AND PUCK'S – IN THE LIVING ROOM
"Ok, Fabray, enough. You're going to blind my son again!" I complain as Quinn is taking a thousand pictures of Gabriel while he's sitting on Brittany's lap. "I thought you invited us for lunch, not for yet another photoshoot!"
"Sorry, but I can't help it… Look at him, he's so cute!" She says in a squeaky voice, taking a few more shots.
"Yeah, I'm aware." I reply. "But now that you've taken pictures of all of my children, can you please stop?" I ask her impatiently.
"Fine…" She sighs in defeat. "But these are great pictures, don't you think?" She asks, showing me her camera. "He looks so much like you, Britt." She adds without waiting for my answer, turning to her.
"He really does…" I agree, even though that has been established a long time ago already. God… I really hope I get to have another one just like that some day…
"I'll just take another couple of shots, okay?" Quinn suddenly says while I roll my eyes.
I really can't wait for her to have her own kids! At least, she will take pictures of them and will leave mine alone…
ONE WEEK LATER – AT HOME – BRITTANY's POV
"So, at your request, I asked the accountant to look into all our assets and check if we could afford buying Megan and Sean's house." Santana says. "And we can."
"Oh my God, really?!" I ask in disbelief.
"Yep! Look…" She says, placing a few documents in front of me. "Of course, the dance fund is all gone, since we had to use it to fix the dance school after the sabotage. But as we also took the opportunity to renovate the premises, I don't think we will have to spend much on it in the near future. And despite the sabotage, you and Mike actually managed to generate some profit this year." She adds, pointing at a somewhat decent figure on the document, which makes me smile in contentment. The year started really bad for the dance school, but thanks to Santana who saved us like a Messiah, we managed to turn it around.
"And this is what I've earned this year to date, as a singer and songwriter…" She continues, pointing at another number.
"Oh my God!" I say, opening my eyes wide in disbelief. "You earned all that in just a few months?! How come?"
"Well, most of it is royalties I got on Naya's album… It sells like hotcakes!" She says, raising her arms. "That's also why Tommy told me to release my EP soon, because just like Naya, Glee gives me great exposure." She shrugs.
"Anyway… This, here, is what I've earned from Glee itself…" She says. "I would like to keep a small part of it to co-produce a few episodes, because that's an investment that would bring us a lot more in return. But even like that, we should have enough to buy the neighbor's house." She adds while I examine the document.
I knew that the ratings of the last season of Glee had been good, but I had no idea that it had been such a success! We're so far from the years where we could barely afford rent…
A FEW DAYS LATER (EARLY EVENING) – AT THE DANCE SCHOOL
I've spent a long afternoon teaching dance and it's only when the last student waves goodbye at me that I notice Santana on one of the benches.
"Hey!" I say, walking up to her. "That's a nice surprise! I didn't expect to see you here." I smile, kissing her lips.
"Well, it was not in my plans either, but Mercedes called earlier to say she got tickets to some kind of Disney musical, and she offered to take the kids until tomorrow, so… I thought that you and I could have a date night, and go to Tony's for dinner…?"
"Oh, I would love to!" I immediately say in an excited voice. "But I've got to take a shower before we leave, I've been dancing for hours… And we'll probably have to stop by the house, because I don't have the right clothes to go out."
"I'm one step ahead of you, wifey. I've brought you a change of clothes." She says, patting the bag hanging on her shoulder.
"You're so thoughtful…" I smile, before looking inside her bag. "Oh, funny, that's exactly the dress I had in mind!" I add in surprise. "How did you know?"
"I didn't, but I love you in that dress, so…" She shrugs.
"Well, you have great taste." I smirk, placing another kiss on her lips.
"Oh, I know that…" She says with a flirty smile. "Come on, go take your shower… I'll wait here, I have to call Quinn anyway."
A WHILE LATER – AT THE DANCE SCHOOL
When I return to the room after my shower, Santana is still on the phone.
"Yes, I approved the final version this morning, and Lucy was going to send it to the cast tonight." She says over the phone, probably to Quinn.
"About what…?" She frowns. "Oh, no, that's done already! The studio has the list now. Yeah… So, basically, the only pending point is… is… um…" She trails off as her eyes finally catch me, and I can't help but smirk. I love when she can't think straight because of me.
"I uh… Let's talk about that tomorrow, Q, okay? My better half is ready now, so I have to go…" She says, smiling at me. "Okay… Yeah, you too. See you tomorrow." She adds, hanging up the phone.
"Quinn says hi… And I say WOW!" She exclaims, looking me up and down. "You're so beautiful…" She adds, kissing my lips.
"Well, you picked my prettiest dinner dress, so…"
"I picked the prettiest lady too…" She argues, making me smile.
"Shall we?" I ask, offering her my arm.
"Yes." She nods, grabbing it.
LATER THAT NIGHT – AT TONY'S
"So, how was your day?" Santana asks me, after taking our first sips of champagne.
"It was great, actually!" I say enthusiastically. "I spent the majority of the afternoon with the youngest kids, and I finished with the 14-17 year olds that we'll take to invitationals." I add and although her eyes look away for barely a second, it's enough for me to catch it.
"What?" I ask, frowning in confusion.
"What do you mean 'what'…?" She repeats "innocently".
"I saw that, you know. That look in your eyes when I mentioned invitationals."
"What? There was no look." She frowns.
"Do you seriously think you're going to get away with it?" I ask. "San, we've been together for 13 years, I know you better than you know yourself!" I argue, looking her right in the eye.
"Alright…" She eventually sighs in defeat. "It's just that… um… I think your school might have been sabotaged because your students performed well at the last invitationals, and earned a spot for sectionals." She says, much to my surprise. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, but I hired a private detective, and –"
"A private detective?" I cut her off, a bit upset that she hid this from me. "But why? The police was already investigating the sabotage."
"They had no lead, Britt. And I really wanted to know who was responsible for this mess! And if…" She trails off. "If James had anything to do with it…" She eventually says.
"James?" I repeat, frowning. "Why would he even be involved in this? He's teaching in New York, so we were not in competition. His students would have never faced mine, except at nationals maybe." I shrug.
"Brittany… When your school was disqualified, the kids from "All that jazz" got your spot." She explains. "And do you know who runs that school?"
"Well, yeah, it's the lady you mentioned once, Hannah Cross." I reply. "So…?" I ask, confused.
"Hannah and James used to date in high school." She says, making my jaw drop in shock.
"And I'm sorry, but that can't be a 'coincidence'." She adds, using air quotes. "He may not have sabotaged the school himself, but I think he hired the guy who did it." She says, while I feel unprecedent rage running in my veins. So, trying to destroy my family multiple times was not enough for James? He had to go after my business too?
"You know, when the detective suggested the dance competition as a potential motive, I thought 'who would be crazy enough to do this over something as silly as a spot in sectionals'? And then I thought 'wait, I know someone crazy enough to do that: James Pearson, the sociopath'!" Santana says, getting agitated. "After all, the man tried to impregnate my wife, without us even knowing about it!" She adds, raising her arms. "I'm sure his little ego got hurt when you told him to fuck off. And being the arrogant ass he is, he couldn't just sit tight, could he?"
"Did the private detective find any evidence against him?" I ask.
"Unfortunately, no. But I'm 100% sure he is behind all this!" She says with anger.
I know this is even more upsetting for her than it is for me, and how wouldn't it be? James tried several times to steal me from her, before and after our marriage. He even used my amnesia and our sons to break us up… And since it all failed, he tried to get my dance school shut down.
"What did you to do him?" I eventually dare to ask, wondering what else she didn't tell me.
"Nothing." She replies, making me look at her in disbelief.
Nothing?!
"I prefer to let him think he got his revenge, so that he doesn't feel the need to come back and do something even worse. Because who knows where he would stop at…" She shakes her head. "So, he can have that battle if he wants, as long as it keeps him away from us."
"Yeah… You're right…" I eventually nod in agreement. "And frankly, I'm getting sick of this guy! As a matter of fact, we shouldn't even talk about him anymore, because there's no way I'm going to let him ruin my date with my wife."
She remains silent but I can see the barely noticeable smile on her face, before she brings my hand to her lips.
A FEW DAYS LATER (LATE EVENING) – AT HOME
"There you are!" I say, finally finding Santana in the kitchen. "What are you doing?" I ask as she's using her sewing machine.
"Well, I can't believe it myself, but I'm making a blanket and a pillow for Sofia's little pony…" She sighs.
"Ok, that's a sentence I seriously never thought I would hear from you." I chuckle.
"I know…" She sighs again. "But Sofia kept complaining that 'nights were getting cold', and that her 'pony needed a blanket'. So, I told her that she could take it to bed with her, you know? But then, she argued that Penny would get jealous, and well… Next thing I know, it's 11:00 PM and I'm sewing a sparkly purple bed set for a toy!" She raises her arms in despair, as if she was wondering what kind of spell had been cast on her.
"Well, I think it's adorable…" I say as I sit on her lap, wrapping my arms around her neck.
"Adorable or pathetic?" She pouts and I only pull her into a long, tender kiss in response.
"Adorable." I eventually confirm against her lips. "And frankly, you're also very sexy when you get out of your way just to make the kids happy."
"Sexy?" She frowns in disbelief.
"Yes." I say, placing another kiss on her lips. "And it makes me reflect…"
"About what?"
"Well, you know… How that's just one more reason, on a never-ending list, to have another child with you…" I say, making her jaw drop in shock.
"Wait, what?" She says, her hopeful eyes staring into mine.
"Are you serious?" She eventually asks.
"Yes." I smile. "If you still want to…"
"I do. I really do!" She immediately says with a smile, cupping my cheek to kiss my lips hard. "God, wifey… I love you so much…" She whispers in between kisses.
EVEN LATER THAT DAY – AT HOME – SANTANA's POV
"You're really sure you're fine carrying the baby yourself?" I ask Brittany as we get in bed.
"I'm sure. I actually can't wait to get pregnant again!" She smiles. "Unless… you really want to do it?"
"Oh, hell no! I gladly leave that up to you, wifey." I immediately say. "Besides, you know I was not exactly disciplined when I was pregnant with Sofia… So, I'm pretty sure the baby would be safer with you!" I argue, making her chuckle.
"Well, it's settled then… I'll call Dr. Wilson's office tomorrow, to make an appointment." She says.
"Does that mean I can officially tell Megan and Sean that we would like to buy their house?" I ask.
"Yes." She smiles, before giving me a kiss.
ONE WEEK LATER (NOVEMBER) – AT THE FERTILITY CLINIC
"Alright, well… Brittany, you know the drill." Dr. Wilson says, turning to her. "We'll first need to run tests, to evaluate your general health and your fertility. So, give us a call at the start of your next period and we'll plan the blood work and the echography, okay?"
"Um… Dr. Wilson, before we continue, we have a special and very serious request." I suddenly say, placing my hand on top of Brittany's. "Due to um… personal reasons, we want to make sure that your colleague Erin Pearson won't work on our file, and won't have any access to it."
I was ready to tell Dr. Wilson that Erin had leaked our file when we were trying to have the boys, but Brittany insisted to remain vague on our reasons, arguing that she didn't want to be sucked into legal issues.
"Oh… Well, you don't have to worry about that." Dr. Wilson replies. "Ms. Pearson doesn't work here anymore. She was fired six months ago for stealing money from the clinic, and I can assure you that all her accesses were revoked." He says much to our surprise. "Gambling addiction." He specifies while I exchange a quick look with Brittany, and I can tell that she's as relieved as me.
A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER – AT PARAMOUNT
"Hi guys…" I tell the cast, joining them in the meeting room. "I won't take much time, because we have some scenes to shoot today, but… I have an important announcement to make. As you know, we have planned many ambitious numbers this season, which means that you'll have some complex choreographies to learn. And since there is no way Zach can be at multiple places at once, we decided to split the work with a couple of extra choreographers who will help him occasionally. Today, we're lucky to have an extremely talented choreographer with us, one that you know very well – although not as well as I do – my lovely Brittany." I add, while they applaud the news. "And since I only work with people I fully trust, Mike Chang will also join the team from time to time."
"So, here's the program for this morning…" I say. "Lea and Chris... Quinn and Artie are waiting for you on set, to shoot your scenes. Darren and Chord, you can go with Zach to rehearsal room number 1. Naya, Heather and Amber, you're with Brittany. I will come check on each group, so we can talk if you have any questions or concerns, okay?" I add, while they nod. "Alright, let's start then, because we have a lot to do!"
A FEW DAYS LATER – AT HOME
Mike and Tina picked up the kids earlier today, to take them to the playground with Alex and Nora. Brittany and I wanted to take the opportunity to run some overdue errands, but although we went to our bedroom to get ready, we ended up making out on top of our bed. I honestly don't know how this started, if it was initiated by me or her, but I don't care… I'm more than ready to go all the way.
I'm unbuttoning her shirt in between kisses when her phone suddenly rings.
"Ignore it…" I plead, leaning in to reunite our lips.
"But it's Quinn's ringtone…" She says with an apologetic look, placing her hand on my chest to stop me.
I will never understand why Brittany always wants to take Quinn's calls right away. Surely, it could wait until we finish what we're doing…
Knowing she's about to pick up, I grab the phone before she can, and answer it myself.
"What do you want, Fabray?" I say in a frustrated voice.
"You always know how to greet people, Lopez." She sighs. "But you're not the one I want to talk to. I'm looking for Brittany."
"Well, Brittany is busy." I immediately reply while my blonde gives me a disapproving look. She tries to take the phone from my hands but I move away before she can. "She'll call you back later."
"She's next to you right now, isn't she?" Quinn asks, clearly not buying it.
"So?"
"Can you put her on the phone, please? It will be quick, I just wanted to ask her if…"
"She'll call you later, Fabray." I emphasize the word, cutting her off.
"You know, no one ever makes me feel more welcome than you." She says sarcastically. "I've asked before but I'm going to say it again: isn't there something you can take to cure that bad mood once for all?"
"As a matter of fact, there is a medicine for that. It's called Brittany. And you're taking my dose away with your damn phone call, so I'm hanging up now." I say, ending the call while she's still talking.
"Was that really necessary?" Brittany frowns. "I could have taken a few minutes to talk to her, San."
"Brittany, I already have to share you with three kids, and for once that they're not here, I'm sorry but I'm not going to share my 'wife timeslot' with Fabray, okay? She can wait."
"Fine…" She sighs in defeat, pulling me back into a kiss.
A FEW DAYS LATER - AT THE FERTILITY CLINIC
"Please, take a seat, ladies." Dr. Wilson says, before going around his desk. "So, Brittany, as you know by now, we are required to run all the necessary tests, before we can decide on any medical procedure." He explains, while Brittany and I exchange smiles, our fingers intertwined. "I received your test results yesterday and… unfortunately, they indicate that your ovarian reserve is low… below the threshold required." He adds, leaving me in complete shock.
I immediately turn to Brittany, who is looking down at her feet. But I don't need to see her face to feel her distress, so I just squeeze her hand as tightly as I can.
"When you say 'below the threshold'…" I eventually trail off, unable to finish my sentence.
"It means that with figures this low… there is virtually no chance for Brittany to produce viable eggs... I'm sorry." He says in a compassionate voice.
I look at Brittany again, but she's still frozen on her chair.
"But um… What if you gave her hormones, could this help?" I suggest, knowing that a lot of women in similar situations manage to get pregnant this way.
"In some situations, hormones can indeed support ovaries to work harder, but I'm afraid that in Brittany's case, it would be pointless." He says, much to my despair. "I know this is hard to hear, but there are other options to bring a child into your family, if –"
"Thank you, doctor." Brittany suddenly cuts him off, getting up from her chair. "We appreciate your time." She says and shakes his hand, before getting out of the room. I'm so stunned that it takes me a moment to come out of my trance.
"I um… Thank you, Dr. Wilson." I stutter, not knowing what else to say. "I'm sorry, I just…" I trail off, pointing at the door, to let him know that I will go after my wife. He nods silently in understanding and I hurry out of his office.
I look around the waiting room and check the ladies' room, but Brittany is nowhere to be found. I decide to check outside, figuring that she might have needed some fresh air.
I eventually find her sitting alone on a bench, eyes on the ground.
"Britt…" I whisper, rubbing her upper arm to comfort her. "I know that this is not what we were hoping to hear, but –"
"Can we please go home?" She interrupts me, getting up.
"Um… sure…" I nod, following her to the car.
LATER THAT DAY – AT HOME
Brittany didn't say a word the whole time I was driving us home. I looked at her every now and then, only to find her looking out the car window, obviously lost in her thoughts. I stayed silent too, I figured that she needed some peace and quiet. But now that we're home, I feel it's time to say something.
"We should talk about it, honey…" I eventually suggest timidly, once we're in the living room.
"What is there to say?" She shrugs. "I can't have any more children…" She says, pausing for a moment. "I admit I didn't expect it, but it's not a complete surprise either… It was already a struggle for me to get pregnant the first time."
And even though I don't argue, we both know it's not the same as last time. Sure, it was already difficult for Brittany to get pregnant before the boys, but her fertility level was good back then, so there was hope. Unlike now.
"I'm really sorry, honey…" I say, enveloping her in a tight hug. "But you heard what the doctor said… There are other options for us to have a child. I could take the tests, to see if I could carry it myself…" I suggest.
"I love you for being so generous…" She says, pulling away so she can caress my cheek. "But San, we both know that you don't really want to get pregnant. And with Glee and your album, it would complicate things for you."
"Maybe, but if that can get us a baby, I'll do it." I shrug.
"We don't even know if you're allowed to, after your accident. Is that safe?"
"I uh… I don't know actually…" I reply honestly.
Of course, I have never discussed this with Dr. Spencer, because I had never considered the possibility of getting pregnant again…
"I could ask Dr. Spencer." I eventually suggest. "We have nothing to lose…"
EVEN LATER THAT DAY – AT HOME
"Well?" Brittany asks me, as I return to the living room after calling Dr. Spencer.
"She uh… She said that technically, I could carry a child, but she strongly recommends against it… She said that it would be too heavy on my body, especially considering the trauma my abdomen sustained in the earthquake." I reply in a sad voice.
"I'm so sorry, San…" She says, pulling me into a hug. "Look… We tried, and this is what it is. Maybe it's a sign from the universe that we shouldn't have another child." She adds, holding me tighter in her arms. "We have three wonderful kids that are happy and healthy, we have a lot to be grateful for already…"
ONE WEEK LATER (DECEMBER) – AT PARAMOUNT – IN SANTANA'S OFFICE
After supervising scenes on set all morning, I decide to lock myself in my office, to enjoy some very much needed silence.
Lost in my thoughts, I take a couple sips of whisky, before leaning back on my desk chair.
"Finn, are you there…?" I eventually ask, looking around the ceiling.
"Let me reassure you, I'm not actually expecting an answer from dead people… But I'm going through something lately, and I really need to tell someone about it… It's quite private, so I can't talk to Quinn, or even my parents, but… it's not like you will tell anyone, right?" I ask, taking another sip of whisky.
"So, here it goes… Brittany and I… we were planning to have another child. Yeah, I know… Four is crazy. But I promise that if you lived with my amazing kids, you would even want to have billions of them…" I sigh.
"Anyway, that's not going to happen." I add with a sad shrug. "We found out that Brittany has 'dry ovaries', as she would say. And my body is too fucked up to carry a child, so… we can't."
"Britt says she's fine, but I know it's not true. I know her too well... And I feel so guilty, Hudson, you don't even know… She was living her best life and I had to come ruin everything by planting a desire in her for another child. And now, she can't ever fulfill it!" I say, raising my arms in frustration.
"As for me, I could say that it's all for the best, that at least, I will have more time to spend with the three kids we have, but… the truth is that I really wanted that baby…" I admit in a sad whisper.
"I could already picture it all, you know... Brittany with our newborn in her arms, the kids gathering around their new sibling… I even had a few baby names in mind!" I confess. "But instead, Britt and I are both mourning a hypothetical baby we'll never have…" I say, suddenly breaking into tears.
A FEW DAYS LATER (EVENING TIME) – AT PARAMOUNT – IN SANTANA'S OFFICE
"Hey, Lopez!" Naya suddenly says, knocking on my open door. "I got your text, so here I am. But I was surprised you were still here."
"Yeah, well, you know… Quinn deserves an afternoon off from time to time, so I told her I would stay later today." I reply. "And I just wanted to give you the new version of the script. We had to make some minor adjustments, which are highlighted in the copy." I say, handing her the document.
"Okay, thanks." She nods.
Naya is on her way out when she suddenly turns around and stares at me. "Let's go get a drink." She says out of nowhere.
"What…?" I frown in confusion.
Naya never invites me to the pub "spontaneously". It's something we usually plan in advance, because I have to make sure that Britt can watch the kids.
"You. Me. Beers." She says, leaving no more room for doubt.
"Why?" I ask, finding this suspicious.
"Because I have the feeling you need me to take you to the pub." She says in a compassionate voice.
It figures that she would see right through me.
"I can't talk about it…" I whisper in a barely audible voice.
"We don't have to." She says. "We can talk about plenty of other things, or even sit in silence."
"Thanks… But Brittany is waiting for me at home, so…" I shrug, with an apologetic look.
"Okay…" She says, walking back to me. "Well, we can always go for drinks some other time, whenever you want. Okay?" She smiles while I nod. "In the meanwhile, I'll just do this." She says, pulling me into a hug, out of nowhere.
I'm taken aback at first but I eventually relax in her embrace, until I end up sobbing in her arms, unable to control my emotions. If a part of me is embarrassed, it also feels so good to finally let go...
"Whatever it is, it's going to be ok, Lopez. I promise." Naya says, rubbing my back.
ANOTHER WEEK LATER (CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY) – IN LIMA – AT SANTANA'S PARENTS'
We arrived in Lima yesterday evening, where we'll spend the next two weeks, to celebrate the boys' second birthdays and Christmas. I'm happy to be here, because besides seeing family, I really needed a change of scenery.
"Alright, I'm ready! Go on…" Abuela says, as she's about to take a picture of me and Brittany kissing under the mistletoe.
Following her cue, I gently press my lips on Britt's, for a couple of seconds.
"Seriously, you call that a kiss?" Abuela frowns at me. "It looks like you're kissing your sister."
"Excuse me?!" I say, outraged.
"Come on, do it again." She says, gesturing for us to stand face to face again. "But with more passion this time, okay?" She adds, making me roll my eyes. Only Abuela can take the fun out of kissing my wife!
But I don't want the old woman to make another remark, so I cup Brittany's cheek with one hand and pull her into a longer kiss.
"Is that really the best you can do, mija?" Abuela questions, not even bothering to hide her disappointment.
"Are you aware that we're not shooting an adult movie here?" I ask her. "We just wanted to take a nice picture that we wouldn't be embarrassed to show our kids." I add, raising my hands in protest.
"Well, then you have it. There's really nothing embarrassing about that picture…" Abuela says, somehow managing to make it even more insulting. "I guess married couples lose their passion even earlier these days…" She sighs and I'm so fuming that instead of replying, I just grab Brittany's hand and leave the room.
"Don't be mad, San…" Britt pleads, as I close the door of our bedroom behind us. "I don't think she meant anything bad, she just –" She says but I cut her off by pressing my lips against hers. This time, I don't hold back and I kiss her passionately for a couple of minutes, our bodies tightly pressed together, until I eventually pull away.
"So, just to be clear… I definitely don't see you as my sister, okay? You're the woman I desire." I state in my most steady voice, looking her in the eye.
"Yeah, I never doubted that." She chuckles, pulling me back into another kiss.
A FEW DAYS LATER – AT SANTANA'S PARENT'S
"What's up with that face?" I ask Melissa who looks as cheerful as if she was coming back from a funeral.
"I just got dumped." She sighs, letting herself fall on the couch.
"What? I didn't even know you were seeing someone, why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't have the time to tell you, Lopez. We only had two dates before he ended it, claiming that 'there was no chemistry' between us…"
"Oh… You liked him!"
"Well, for once that I meet someone funny… Like clever-funny, you know?" She sighs. "And he was cute…"
"Well, he's not that clever if he walks away from a girl like you." I argue. "I already told you, you are a catch!"
"You just think so because we're close friends, but believe me, no one notices me on the dating scene! Apparently, I have nothing special."
"Don't say that… Of course, you're special. You're beautiful, you're smart, and you're hilarious!" I say but she only shrugs in response, clearly unconvinced.
"In case you forgot, I sleep with women, so I think I have a pretty valuable judgement."
"No, you're sleeping with one woman. Did you even ever look at another girl in your entire life?"
"Well… no, but I'm looking at you right now. And if I didn't know Brittany and you were not like a sister to me, I would totally hit on you."
"Yeah, that's a lot of 'ifs." She sighs. "But I appreciate your efforts to comfort me."
"Okay, you know what? I know what will cheer you up." I say.
"MIJA!" I suddenly shout. "Can you come to the living room, baby?" I ask, and it doesn't take long before Sofia comes running into the room.
"You like your Auntie Mel, don't you?" I ask my daughter, who immediately nods enthusiastically.
"What are you doing?" Melissa asks me, frowning in confusion.
"Sssh, it's the best thing in the world, trust me." I whisper.
"How much do you like her?" I ask my little girl.
"Like that!" Sofia says, spreading her arms as wide as possible.
"Wooow, that's a lot!" I smile, exchanging a quick look with Melissa. "And what do you like the most about Auntie Mel?"
"Mmhh… She's very pretty!" Sofia says while I nod in agreement. "And she's always smiling. And she makes all these funny voices when she tells me stories!"
"That's true!" I confirm. "What else do you like about her?" I ask, encouraging her to say more.
"Um… She's kind and uh, she sings really well… Oh, and her chocolate cake is the bestest in the world!"
"It is the 'bestest', uh?" I repeat, trying not to laugh. "But you see, baby… Your Auntie is feeling a bit sad today, so could you give her a magic hug to help her feel better?" I suggest and my little girl immediately throws herself at Melissa.
"Don't be sad, Auntie Mel…" Sofia says. "Look, I take aaaall your sadness…" She adds, pretending to take it with one of her hands. "And I give you love instead!" She says proudly, using her other hand, as if she was Supergirl. "Do you feel better now?"
"So much better!" Melissa says, smiling wide at her. "Thank you, monkey…"
"That was very kind of you, mija." I nod, caressing her hair. "You can go back to playing now, we'll have dinner soon." I say, and she runs away just as fast as she came in.
"See, I told you it was the best thing in the world! Besides, the truth comes out of the mouths of babes, so…"
"Thanks…" She says, squeezing my hand in gratitude. "She's really the best version of you, you know."
"Thanks, but as much as I would love to take the credit for this, you know I have never been this kind, not even when I was child. That's all Brittany…" I shrug.
CHRISTMAS DAY (LATE EVENING) – AT SANTANA'S PARENTS' – BRITTANY's POV
Just like every year, Abuela treated us to her most delicious meals, and we had a wonderful Christmas day with our entire family. I really love spending Christmas in Lima, it reminds me of my childhood, especially with the snow.
"So… are you ready for your last Christmas gift?" Santana asks me, once we're in our bedroom.
"Is it you naked?" I say in a flirty voice, wiggling my eyebrows.
"No…" She chuckles.
"Oh…" I let out, pouting in disappointment. I was actually looking forward to some sexy Christmas times with her…
"Well, I can always get naked later, wifey." She winks, making me smile. "But it's not what the gift is about…" She trails off.
"What is it then?" I ask, curious.
"It's this…" She says, handing me a mysterious envelope. "But before you open it, there is something I have to tell you, and I need you to please listen to me until I'm finished, without interrupting me. Okay?" She says, and although I hate when she starts like that, I eventually nod in agreement.
"So, here it goes…" She sighs. "After our appointment at the fertility clinic, I um… I went back to see Dr. Wilson…" She eventually says and although I keep my promise to stay quiet, I immediately feel angry. Why would she go there without me?!
"I just wanted to know if there was any way for you to get pregnant…" She says in justification, as if she had heard the question I didn't ask out loud. "And although you can't produce viable eggs yourself, Dr. Wilson said you could carry a child via IVF, if we used another woman's egg. So, I asked him to look into it, just to see what options we had… And just before we came to Lima, the fertility clinic called me to say they had found a potential donor, whose details are in this envelope…" She eventually adds, while I look at the mail in my hand. "If we agree, Dr. Wilson would fertilize her egg with our donor's sperm in a lab, and then, they would implant the resulting embryo in you…" She says, much to my surprise.
Of course, I had heard about women donating her eggs, but I had never really considered this as an option. And frankly, I didn't think Santana would go for something like that.
"Who is she?" I ask with pleading eyes, too afraid to open the envelope.
She grabs my other hand in hers but takes a moment before replying to my question, which feels like forever.
"Me." She eventually says, while I drop my jaw in shock.
"You? But…" I trail off.
"I took all the tests, just in case." She shrugs. "And it turns out that I'm fertile. A lot, apparently." She sighs, shaking her head at the irony.
"But… how does it… How would it…" I stutter, struggling to formulate my question.
"I would have to take a treatment for a couple of weeks, to 'overproduce' eggs, just to maximize our chances. And then, Dr. Wilson would harvest them, through a quick medical procedure." She explains. "I already cleared it with Dr. Spencer, so I'm eligible. And Dr. Wilson even said we could still use the same donor we used for Sofia… So, it would essentially be her biological sibling that they would implant in your uterus…" She says, while I struggle to process that unexpected conversation. "There's no guarantee it would work, but… your uterus is fine, and my ovaries are too. So, if we team up, Dr. Wilson said we would have pretty good chances…"
"So, I would carry your biological child?" I eventually ask.
"Well, yes…" She nods in confirmation. "If that's what you want. Obviously, there is no obligation for us to go for that option. And I know it sounds complicated, and that's probably not how you imagined getting pregnant, but – " She says but I cut her off, pressing my lips hard on hers.
I kiss her for a minute, before pulling away.
"I… uh…" She trails off, obviously flustered. "Does that mean you'll consider it…?"
"It means I want to do it…" I clarify, making her smile big.
A/N: So, what did you think of this chapter? A lot happened, but I hope you enjoyed it! What were your favorite parts? Thank you in advance for your comments! And until next time ;-)