Through Time Part 2
It’s been three days since the hunting incident and Santana has actually forgot about it, she’s busy cleaning the house because the baby is restless and so is Santana. When everything’s done she wanders around the house a few times before pulling on her coat and heading in to town because she could do with a few bits and she’s sort of craving chicken. She doesn’t even get near the store before she sees something in the window and it reminds her of Brittany, a lovely light purple top with a neatly embroidered pattern and it’s so lovely that she doesn’t hesitate to buy it.
When she gets home she heads straight for the bathroom, only to take a detour through the kitchen where she can hear a light tapping sound. The tapping is coming from the window where out in the garden is a very cold and very naked Brittany. The baby kicks hard as Santana throws open the back door and launches herself into the blonde’s arm. Brittany’s not feeling as weak as usual so she catches Santana and spins her round, laughter cutting through the air because she’s so very happy to be home. “Santana, not that I didn’t miss you like crazy, but It’s not exactly summer I don’t think.”
Santana smiles and takes her by the hand, placing a quick kiss on her lips. It’s quite amusing to the Latina that she’s the one that has to separate them because as much as she wants to continue what they’re doing she doesn’t want Brittany to get sick and she herself is defiantly feeling the cold. When the door is shut firmly behind them Brittany heads straight over to the nearest source of heat and Santana hands her the pair of jeans that’s been sitting on the kitchen chair for the best part of two weeks because Brittany is a slob and Santana didn’t have the heart to move them. Brittany pulls the jeans on and Santana hand her the top she’s just bought and she’s delighted to see the size of Brittany’s smile as she fingers the material before pulling it over her head. “How do I look.”
_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+
When Brittany comes back she’s holding the top that’s now a lovely deep purple and a pocketful of beads that she spends the next day trying to sow back on. When she’s finished she shows Santana the finished product and it’s not terrible, it has a certain charm about it until she remembers the top in the woods. It hit’s her then and she sinks to the floor tears making their way down her face, that day in the woods she did shoot something, she shot Brittany and even though Brittany’s never successfully taken her clothes, the similarity is too close to deny. Brittany’s on the floor with her immediately, wrapping her arms around her and apologising profusely for ruining the top because it was her favourite.
Santana remembers a discussion they had once about changing the future, her firm belief in the future is set in stone and she cries some more because she can’t believe it. She can’t believe that her life with Brittany is going to be over pretty soon if the top was any indication and she defiantly can’t believe that she’s the one to kill her. So she tries to change it, she begs and pleads and on one occasion even threatened Brittany into throwing the damn thing out. Only Brittany’s really rather fond of the top, so she shoves it in the bottom of the wardrobe because she’s never going to wear it again.
Santana goes into labour three hours later and her Brittany is by her side every step of the way. Santana’s panicked but she’s never seen Brittany this calm or collected, she’s never seen her this intelligent either because she’s doing things that even Santana can’t remember the nurse saying. It’s only after the birth, when little Quinn is in their arms that she finds out that it was Santana herself who gave Brittany the tips. But there’s all sorts of complicated thinking involved, so she remains content to sit and cuddle with Brittany and their daughter, time paradox’s be damned.
_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_
It’s been three years and Santana thinks that maybe the future can be changed because Brittany is still with them. Quinn is four years old now, and despite the impossibility she looks just like the two of them. Dark hair and tanned skin offset by the loveliest pair of blue eyes, she’s a good little dancer too. Things have never been better because Brittany’s been to see all sorts of specialists and the current one seems to be doing some good because her trips are becoming shorter and less frequent, but worryingly slightly more violent. She can always tell what happened, even when Brittany refused to say because sometimes she would come back with an injury or three and other she would look so serene and so happy asking Santana about her childhood and the blonde who used to have tea parties with her in the back yard. Santana smiles and indulges her because Brittany’s special and Brittany’s been her best friend all her life, she’s been in love with her since that first tea party when she was four, when an adult Brittany used to pretend to be an English Queen.
When she comes back from her latest trip Quinn is on her before Santana, but there’s a look in Brittany’s eyes that hint at tears threatening to spill out, she hugs Quinn tighter and whispers in her ear how proud of her she is and how no matter what she’ll always be there for her. Quinn places sloppy kisses over Brittany’s face so Santana slides her pinky into Brittany’s who gives it a reassuring squeeze before pulling them in to a three way hug.
That night when there laid in bed Brittany’s unusually quiet, so Santana asks her where she went. She stays quite for a moment before turning to face her, the ghost of a smile on her face. “It was the future, it was Quinn’s wedding day and she looked so beautiful Santana. You were there too, but you always look beautiful even with wrinkles.” Santana smiled because the future sounded like a happy place indeed, but she had to ask “what about you, where you there.” A frown finds its way to Brittany’s features and a tear escapes the corner of her eye, “Yes, well not the me from that time anyway. But I was there walking her down the aisle, and it was nice, oh San it was so nice.” Brittany stops talking then and cries into her shoulder for the rest of the night, when her sobs subside Brittany kisses her messily, slipping her hand under the waistband of Santana’s bottoms.
When there in their sleepily basking in the afterglow Brittany leans over and places a kiss to Santana’s forehead “I love you Santana, and no matter what I’ll be there. When it matters I’ll be there.” Santana responds by wrapping her arm around Brittany and dropping off into a steady sleep. When she wakes up the place next to her is still warm and Brittany’s underwear lay on the bed as if she just disappeared out of them. Santana knows she’s gone again and lets the tears fall.
+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+
Two days later its Brittany’s birthday, and she still hasn’t returned from her little adventure but Quinn’s adamant that her mummy will be back and that the party should be held regardless. Santana couldn’t help but suspect that it was partly because she wanted to invite the Hudson boy from down the street. So Santana throws the party because it wasn’t every day a person turned thirty five, and Brittany always looked forward to parties so maybe it would be enough to bring her back.
So she gathered her friends and family and even let Quinn invite little Finn Hudson who showed up with his mother who ended up with an invite also. The party was in full swing when Santana headed outside for a smoke and to keep an eye on the two children who had taken rather a liking to one another. Finn had taken it upon himself to show off a little, swinging as high as his little legs would carry him, which wasn’t very high anyway and jumping off to land neatly on the floor much to the delight of their daughter.
She’s joined later by Mike Chang, Brittany’s other best friend that’s not Santana who doesn’t say much to her but gives her some companionship none the less. There broken out of their silence by a splash and a scream, and Quinn’s pointing at the pond which was fast turning red. A hand broke the surface and Quinn screamed again, this time bringing the entire party of people outside, as Mike reached into the pond to pull out an unmoving body with blood stained blonde hair. Santana’s heart stopped cold, and as Mike tried his best to stop the bleeding Santana ran inside to their bedroom pulling everything out of the closet in order to find the top she knew Brittany hadn’t thrown away. The top was nowhere to be found, and a sense of dread was pooling in her stomach.
Rushing back outside Mike had stopped trying to stem the flow of blood and Finn had been removed to the house, Brittany’s mother held Quinn who fought fiercely to get to Brittany, unfortunately the small child didn’t stand a chance against a fully grown adult. Santana’s father knelt next to Brittany, but the tears in his eyes and defeat on his face only enraged Santana, why wasn’t he helping, why wasn’t he saving Brittany. Taking matters into her own hands she scooped the blonde into her arms and pressed her hand to the no longer bleeding wound, tears mingling with blood as she begged and pleaded with Brittany to wake up, to stop messing around. She didn’t wake up.
Santana’s father wrapped his arm around her his soft Spanish an attempt to sooth his child and himself but Santana was heartbroken and guilty so she lashed out, her flawless Spanish ripping into her father because he gave up on trying to save Brittany, he could have saved her and he took her on that stupid hunting trip, why did he have to take her on that stupid hunting trip. Three people held her back from attacking her father before she finally calmed down enough to apologise. With shaky legs she walked over to Mrs Pierce, pulling her daughter into her arms she dropped to the floor and cried, her arms tightly around her daughter.
+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+
Santana had every intention of not going to the funeral, but strict instructions from her parents had forced her to change her mind. It had been two weeks since Brittany’s birthday and Santana was exhausted both mentally and physically. Her days consisted of staying locked in her room with Quinn and just generally looking after her daughter, because really she was all that mattered now. It was a strange sensation being without Brittany so she convinced herself that Brittany was just away travelling and that any day she’d walk into the living room to find her naked and tired on the floor.
So she gets dressed a good few hours before she’s even getting picked up, just for something to do because Quinn is with her grandparents and Brittany is “off travelling.” But then she has time with nothing to do, so she checks herself in the mirror, she looks like hell and should probably do something with her hair, maybe put a little makeup on but Brittany always did prefer her natural, and she can’t find it within herself to even try.
The service is simple and tasteful but oh so very Brittany, her parents have got her spot on and when it is time for the eulogies Santana wants to say something, but how do you sum up a lifetime of friendship, and a love that even the greatest of wordsmiths could not do justice to. So she doesn’t even try. When the casket is lowered into the earth she wonders if Brittany’s even in there, maybe she’s off in another time having another adventure and then the tears fall because as much as Santana wants that to be true it’s not, there’s absolutely a body in the casket and it absolutely belongs to her soulmate, it belongs to her. She’ stays and cries long after everybody else.
+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_
It’s Santana’s fortieth birthday and everybody insists on celebrating it, but she’s not quite so convinced. She hasn’t thrown a party since Brittany’s thirty fifth, not even for Quinn who’s had to go to her grandparent’s houses to have the party and even then it’s without her mother. It’s been five years but everyone still treads on eggshells because Santana’s still not over it. They’ll have to walk on eggshells forever because Santana knows she’ll never be over it. But they throw her a party anyway, and Mike tricks her into attending he even stands watch for the majority of the night to make sure she doesn’t run away.
She’s waiting for an exit when she spots a familiar shade of blonde hair attached to a Brittany that can’t be any older than seventeen. Her mouth is dry when she approaches Brittany who recognises her instantly, huge smile on her face that was essentially Brittany. Tears pricked at her eyes because she’s missed this so much, she’s missed those eyes and that smile and god those hands. Brittany doesn’t ask any questions but simply leads her to the dance floor for a good number of dances. Everybody watches because there’s such love between the two and it’s beautiful and just a little heartbreaking, because that Brittany hasn’t even got her Santana yet and this Santana has lost her Brittany. Still as they watch them sway to the music there is a startling realisation for everyone except Brittany. Santana may have lost her Brittany, but she would never ever lose Brittany, because no matter what Brittany would always be there.
Santana’s had many parties in her life, including the one where Brittany proposed but this is the happiest she’s ever been, and it’s amazing to watch her teenage best friend take her daughter by the hand and dance with her, even without knowing who she is. Santana can see the happiness in Quinn’s eyes and it makes her happy too, because Brittany is just that kind of person. She stays for two weeks.
+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+
Quinn’s eighteen and Santana can’t believe how much she looks like Brittany, even as her skins lightened out and her hair is now dyed a similar shade of blonde, and she looks beautiful in the red puffy out dress that once belonged to Brittany. Santana feels tears in her eyes as she embraces her daughter who hugs her back, because there closer than any mother and daughter have ever been and Santana can’t help but wonder if Brittany would be just as proud as Santana herself is.
There’s a knock on the front door and Quinn bounces over to open it because it had to be her date for the prom, but standing on the front door is a naked Brittany and an embarrassed looking Finn. Quinn laughs and pulls Finn inside before latching on to her other mother who laughs with her as they sway together on the front step. Santana who would like to maintain a sense of decorum pulls the two of them inside, because really what would the neighbours think seeing naked women stood on the front step. Santana kisses Brittany happily before pulling out some spare clothes from the backpack by the front door. “Have you been expecting me.” Santana chuckles and shrugs, because really it was more of just a feeling.
When Brittany’s dressed she turns to Finn and proceeds to give him twenty questions about his intentions with Quinn and Santana genuinely laughs because Brittany’s just taken her job, she was always the overprotective one. Satisfied with his answer Brittany turns her attentions to Quinn who’s more than reluctant to go to her prom because there’s no certainty that she’ll ever see her again. Santana likes Finn, but she likes him even more when he suggests they stay at home and celebrate their prom with Santana and Brittany because it’s the best idea she’s ever heard. So Santana orders in the pizza and brings out the booze and really it’s a great night and Finn’s had more fun that he would at prom. It also means more to Quinn than anything that both her mother’s seem to genuinely love Finn, when she tells Finn they like him he’s genuinely ecstatic.
When Finn’s gone home and Quinn’s in bed Brittany leads Santana to the bedroom where they can catch up on everything.
+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+
There are so many different rings and just under thirty different ones that he’s sure Quinn’s going to love. It’s not so much that he’s scared she’s not going to like the ring, more like a paralyzing fear that Quinn’s going to say no, because he’s nowhere near good enough. He’s just about talked himself out of proposing when a voice sounds from behind him.
“I like that one; I think you should buy her that one.” He’s almost convinced that she’s talking to him but nobody knows he’s here and the voice in an unfamiliar one. The person carries on indecently and nobody’s answering back so he turns around to be greeted by a young blonde with a puzzled expression on her face. “I’ve changed my mind” she shrugs as she dances towards the other counter to find what she’s looking for. Finn watches her with a fascinated amusement, because whoever this girl is she’s something else entirely. Her face lights up as she points to something obscured by her body, something retrieved and placed into her hand by the slightly bemused assistant.
She moves back over to him in such a familiar way that has him wondering if maybe he does actually know her. She flashes him a brilliant smile as she places the ring in his hand, curling his fingers into a fist. Rocking on to the front of her toes she places a kiss to his cheek and whispers in his ear “She’s going to say yes” and with that she’s out of the shop with a slam of the door. He stares after the mysterious stranger before opening his fist.
It’s a simple ring, one sapphire surrounded by two tiny diamonds and it’s oh so very Quinn. A smile graces his lips as he gazes outside once more, with a feeling that he’s just met the illusive Brittany Pierce-Lopez again and a ring that means more to Finn than anybody could ever know.
+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+
Quinn’s grown up to be a lovely young woman and she’s given Santana four lovely grandkids but she’s got Finn now, and a life that Santana hasn’t had in such a long time. Her youngest grandchild is a little over four years old and it’s been four years since she’s last seen Brittany, because even though she can’t control her ability she’s always made it for the births of every one of her grandkids and according to Finn a couple of contraception’s also. Santana still ribs him about that, but it warms her heart that he doesn’t exactly mind Brittany’s unfortunate timing.
It’s her seventieth birthday and she can’t quite manage to get out of bed so Quinn and the family came to her. Crowding around the bed they laughed and talked and ate junk food, before Santana felt it about time to demand cake. Finn’s about to fetch it from the kitchen when the door swings open and Brittany’s stood there naked and carrying said cake. Santana thinks that maybe all her birthdays have come at once.
“I’ll go get dressed, but I heard it was your birthday and I figure what goods a birthday without cake. It was in the kitchen by the way, I didn’t bring it with me.” Santana’s face is set in a smile because this is the one thing she’s been asking for since her fortieth birthday, Brittany alive and in person; her state of undress is sort of a bonus. So she lets her eyes appreciate the toned form as she sets the cake next to the bed and leans over to give Santana the kiss she’s been waiting for. It’s a little weird at first, because Santana is seventy and Brittany is maybe only just thirty, but when Brittany climbs into bed next to her and presses against her it’s not so weird any more.
The rest of the day is spent eating cake and letting three exited grandkids climb over the bed so they can properly meet there other grandmother who’s currently younger than their mother. But as the sun goes down the kids get tired, so Quinn and Finn have no choice but to reluctantly depart. Brittany helps Santana out of the bed wrapping the sheet around the two of them as they shuffle towards the door to wave the little group off.
When there comfortably settled on the couch Santana resting in Brittany’s arms do Brittany’s hands start to wander and she presses a few kisses to Santana’s forehead. There’s something sad in Brittany’s eyes and Santana knows exactly why it is, because Brittany is like an open book and although Santana’s a little bit afraid she’s incredibly thankful that Brittany’s here, that Brittany loves her enough to not let her go through this alone. Still they have time, and when Brittany whispers into her ear Santana’s only answer is “a dance.”
The dance is nothing like when they were younger because Santana can’t really move faster than a slow shuffle and too much spinning makes her want to regurgitate her rather lovely cake. So it’s a slow dance, with Brittany allowing Santana to lead for the first time since forever and it’s so beautiful that by the time the music stops both of them are crying, and Santana’s struggling for breath. Brittany sits her unsteadily back on the sofa and lets Santana lean against her, head resting against her chest as she struggles to breath. Santana’s last images are of Brittany steadily stroking her hair as her lips spoke I love you against her cheek. Santana never would have thought it probable, but she died happy and content and surrounded by love, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
When Quinn breaks in the next morning she finds a motionless Santana wrapped in the sheet from her bed. Through the tears she can’t help but notice the genuine smile on Santana’s face and it makes her smile because she was blessed with two of the most amazing parents and they were blessed with each other. Quinn’s sad, but she’s oh so very happy.
When she gets home she heads straight for the bathroom, only to take a detour through the kitchen where she can hear a light tapping sound. The tapping is coming from the window where out in the garden is a very cold and very naked Brittany. The baby kicks hard as Santana throws open the back door and launches herself into the blonde’s arm. Brittany’s not feeling as weak as usual so she catches Santana and spins her round, laughter cutting through the air because she’s so very happy to be home. “Santana, not that I didn’t miss you like crazy, but It’s not exactly summer I don’t think.”
Santana smiles and takes her by the hand, placing a quick kiss on her lips. It’s quite amusing to the Latina that she’s the one that has to separate them because as much as she wants to continue what they’re doing she doesn’t want Brittany to get sick and she herself is defiantly feeling the cold. When the door is shut firmly behind them Brittany heads straight over to the nearest source of heat and Santana hands her the pair of jeans that’s been sitting on the kitchen chair for the best part of two weeks because Brittany is a slob and Santana didn’t have the heart to move them. Brittany pulls the jeans on and Santana hand her the top she’s just bought and she’s delighted to see the size of Brittany’s smile as she fingers the material before pulling it over her head. “How do I look.”
_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+
When Brittany comes back she’s holding the top that’s now a lovely deep purple and a pocketful of beads that she spends the next day trying to sow back on. When she’s finished she shows Santana the finished product and it’s not terrible, it has a certain charm about it until she remembers the top in the woods. It hit’s her then and she sinks to the floor tears making their way down her face, that day in the woods she did shoot something, she shot Brittany and even though Brittany’s never successfully taken her clothes, the similarity is too close to deny. Brittany’s on the floor with her immediately, wrapping her arms around her and apologising profusely for ruining the top because it was her favourite.
Santana remembers a discussion they had once about changing the future, her firm belief in the future is set in stone and she cries some more because she can’t believe it. She can’t believe that her life with Brittany is going to be over pretty soon if the top was any indication and she defiantly can’t believe that she’s the one to kill her. So she tries to change it, she begs and pleads and on one occasion even threatened Brittany into throwing the damn thing out. Only Brittany’s really rather fond of the top, so she shoves it in the bottom of the wardrobe because she’s never going to wear it again.
Santana goes into labour three hours later and her Brittany is by her side every step of the way. Santana’s panicked but she’s never seen Brittany this calm or collected, she’s never seen her this intelligent either because she’s doing things that even Santana can’t remember the nurse saying. It’s only after the birth, when little Quinn is in their arms that she finds out that it was Santana herself who gave Brittany the tips. But there’s all sorts of complicated thinking involved, so she remains content to sit and cuddle with Brittany and their daughter, time paradox’s be damned.
_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_
It’s been three years and Santana thinks that maybe the future can be changed because Brittany is still with them. Quinn is four years old now, and despite the impossibility she looks just like the two of them. Dark hair and tanned skin offset by the loveliest pair of blue eyes, she’s a good little dancer too. Things have never been better because Brittany’s been to see all sorts of specialists and the current one seems to be doing some good because her trips are becoming shorter and less frequent, but worryingly slightly more violent. She can always tell what happened, even when Brittany refused to say because sometimes she would come back with an injury or three and other she would look so serene and so happy asking Santana about her childhood and the blonde who used to have tea parties with her in the back yard. Santana smiles and indulges her because Brittany’s special and Brittany’s been her best friend all her life, she’s been in love with her since that first tea party when she was four, when an adult Brittany used to pretend to be an English Queen.
When she comes back from her latest trip Quinn is on her before Santana, but there’s a look in Brittany’s eyes that hint at tears threatening to spill out, she hugs Quinn tighter and whispers in her ear how proud of her she is and how no matter what she’ll always be there for her. Quinn places sloppy kisses over Brittany’s face so Santana slides her pinky into Brittany’s who gives it a reassuring squeeze before pulling them in to a three way hug.
That night when there laid in bed Brittany’s unusually quiet, so Santana asks her where she went. She stays quite for a moment before turning to face her, the ghost of a smile on her face. “It was the future, it was Quinn’s wedding day and she looked so beautiful Santana. You were there too, but you always look beautiful even with wrinkles.” Santana smiled because the future sounded like a happy place indeed, but she had to ask “what about you, where you there.” A frown finds its way to Brittany’s features and a tear escapes the corner of her eye, “Yes, well not the me from that time anyway. But I was there walking her down the aisle, and it was nice, oh San it was so nice.” Brittany stops talking then and cries into her shoulder for the rest of the night, when her sobs subside Brittany kisses her messily, slipping her hand under the waistband of Santana’s bottoms.
When there in their sleepily basking in the afterglow Brittany leans over and places a kiss to Santana’s forehead “I love you Santana, and no matter what I’ll be there. When it matters I’ll be there.” Santana responds by wrapping her arm around Brittany and dropping off into a steady sleep. When she wakes up the place next to her is still warm and Brittany’s underwear lay on the bed as if she just disappeared out of them. Santana knows she’s gone again and lets the tears fall.
+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+
Two days later its Brittany’s birthday, and she still hasn’t returned from her little adventure but Quinn’s adamant that her mummy will be back and that the party should be held regardless. Santana couldn’t help but suspect that it was partly because she wanted to invite the Hudson boy from down the street. So Santana throws the party because it wasn’t every day a person turned thirty five, and Brittany always looked forward to parties so maybe it would be enough to bring her back.
So she gathered her friends and family and even let Quinn invite little Finn Hudson who showed up with his mother who ended up with an invite also. The party was in full swing when Santana headed outside for a smoke and to keep an eye on the two children who had taken rather a liking to one another. Finn had taken it upon himself to show off a little, swinging as high as his little legs would carry him, which wasn’t very high anyway and jumping off to land neatly on the floor much to the delight of their daughter.
She’s joined later by Mike Chang, Brittany’s other best friend that’s not Santana who doesn’t say much to her but gives her some companionship none the less. There broken out of their silence by a splash and a scream, and Quinn’s pointing at the pond which was fast turning red. A hand broke the surface and Quinn screamed again, this time bringing the entire party of people outside, as Mike reached into the pond to pull out an unmoving body with blood stained blonde hair. Santana’s heart stopped cold, and as Mike tried his best to stop the bleeding Santana ran inside to their bedroom pulling everything out of the closet in order to find the top she knew Brittany hadn’t thrown away. The top was nowhere to be found, and a sense of dread was pooling in her stomach.
Rushing back outside Mike had stopped trying to stem the flow of blood and Finn had been removed to the house, Brittany’s mother held Quinn who fought fiercely to get to Brittany, unfortunately the small child didn’t stand a chance against a fully grown adult. Santana’s father knelt next to Brittany, but the tears in his eyes and defeat on his face only enraged Santana, why wasn’t he helping, why wasn’t he saving Brittany. Taking matters into her own hands she scooped the blonde into her arms and pressed her hand to the no longer bleeding wound, tears mingling with blood as she begged and pleaded with Brittany to wake up, to stop messing around. She didn’t wake up.
Santana’s father wrapped his arm around her his soft Spanish an attempt to sooth his child and himself but Santana was heartbroken and guilty so she lashed out, her flawless Spanish ripping into her father because he gave up on trying to save Brittany, he could have saved her and he took her on that stupid hunting trip, why did he have to take her on that stupid hunting trip. Three people held her back from attacking her father before she finally calmed down enough to apologise. With shaky legs she walked over to Mrs Pierce, pulling her daughter into her arms she dropped to the floor and cried, her arms tightly around her daughter.
+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+
Santana had every intention of not going to the funeral, but strict instructions from her parents had forced her to change her mind. It had been two weeks since Brittany’s birthday and Santana was exhausted both mentally and physically. Her days consisted of staying locked in her room with Quinn and just generally looking after her daughter, because really she was all that mattered now. It was a strange sensation being without Brittany so she convinced herself that Brittany was just away travelling and that any day she’d walk into the living room to find her naked and tired on the floor.
So she gets dressed a good few hours before she’s even getting picked up, just for something to do because Quinn is with her grandparents and Brittany is “off travelling.” But then she has time with nothing to do, so she checks herself in the mirror, she looks like hell and should probably do something with her hair, maybe put a little makeup on but Brittany always did prefer her natural, and she can’t find it within herself to even try.
The service is simple and tasteful but oh so very Brittany, her parents have got her spot on and when it is time for the eulogies Santana wants to say something, but how do you sum up a lifetime of friendship, and a love that even the greatest of wordsmiths could not do justice to. So she doesn’t even try. When the casket is lowered into the earth she wonders if Brittany’s even in there, maybe she’s off in another time having another adventure and then the tears fall because as much as Santana wants that to be true it’s not, there’s absolutely a body in the casket and it absolutely belongs to her soulmate, it belongs to her. She’ stays and cries long after everybody else.
+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_
It’s Santana’s fortieth birthday and everybody insists on celebrating it, but she’s not quite so convinced. She hasn’t thrown a party since Brittany’s thirty fifth, not even for Quinn who’s had to go to her grandparent’s houses to have the party and even then it’s without her mother. It’s been five years but everyone still treads on eggshells because Santana’s still not over it. They’ll have to walk on eggshells forever because Santana knows she’ll never be over it. But they throw her a party anyway, and Mike tricks her into attending he even stands watch for the majority of the night to make sure she doesn’t run away.
She’s waiting for an exit when she spots a familiar shade of blonde hair attached to a Brittany that can’t be any older than seventeen. Her mouth is dry when she approaches Brittany who recognises her instantly, huge smile on her face that was essentially Brittany. Tears pricked at her eyes because she’s missed this so much, she’s missed those eyes and that smile and god those hands. Brittany doesn’t ask any questions but simply leads her to the dance floor for a good number of dances. Everybody watches because there’s such love between the two and it’s beautiful and just a little heartbreaking, because that Brittany hasn’t even got her Santana yet and this Santana has lost her Brittany. Still as they watch them sway to the music there is a startling realisation for everyone except Brittany. Santana may have lost her Brittany, but she would never ever lose Brittany, because no matter what Brittany would always be there.
Santana’s had many parties in her life, including the one where Brittany proposed but this is the happiest she’s ever been, and it’s amazing to watch her teenage best friend take her daughter by the hand and dance with her, even without knowing who she is. Santana can see the happiness in Quinn’s eyes and it makes her happy too, because Brittany is just that kind of person. She stays for two weeks.
+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+
Quinn’s eighteen and Santana can’t believe how much she looks like Brittany, even as her skins lightened out and her hair is now dyed a similar shade of blonde, and she looks beautiful in the red puffy out dress that once belonged to Brittany. Santana feels tears in her eyes as she embraces her daughter who hugs her back, because there closer than any mother and daughter have ever been and Santana can’t help but wonder if Brittany would be just as proud as Santana herself is.
There’s a knock on the front door and Quinn bounces over to open it because it had to be her date for the prom, but standing on the front door is a naked Brittany and an embarrassed looking Finn. Quinn laughs and pulls Finn inside before latching on to her other mother who laughs with her as they sway together on the front step. Santana who would like to maintain a sense of decorum pulls the two of them inside, because really what would the neighbours think seeing naked women stood on the front step. Santana kisses Brittany happily before pulling out some spare clothes from the backpack by the front door. “Have you been expecting me.” Santana chuckles and shrugs, because really it was more of just a feeling.
When Brittany’s dressed she turns to Finn and proceeds to give him twenty questions about his intentions with Quinn and Santana genuinely laughs because Brittany’s just taken her job, she was always the overprotective one. Satisfied with his answer Brittany turns her attentions to Quinn who’s more than reluctant to go to her prom because there’s no certainty that she’ll ever see her again. Santana likes Finn, but she likes him even more when he suggests they stay at home and celebrate their prom with Santana and Brittany because it’s the best idea she’s ever heard. So Santana orders in the pizza and brings out the booze and really it’s a great night and Finn’s had more fun that he would at prom. It also means more to Quinn than anything that both her mother’s seem to genuinely love Finn, when she tells Finn they like him he’s genuinely ecstatic.
When Finn’s gone home and Quinn’s in bed Brittany leads Santana to the bedroom where they can catch up on everything.
+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+
There are so many different rings and just under thirty different ones that he’s sure Quinn’s going to love. It’s not so much that he’s scared she’s not going to like the ring, more like a paralyzing fear that Quinn’s going to say no, because he’s nowhere near good enough. He’s just about talked himself out of proposing when a voice sounds from behind him.
“I like that one; I think you should buy her that one.” He’s almost convinced that she’s talking to him but nobody knows he’s here and the voice in an unfamiliar one. The person carries on indecently and nobody’s answering back so he turns around to be greeted by a young blonde with a puzzled expression on her face. “I’ve changed my mind” she shrugs as she dances towards the other counter to find what she’s looking for. Finn watches her with a fascinated amusement, because whoever this girl is she’s something else entirely. Her face lights up as she points to something obscured by her body, something retrieved and placed into her hand by the slightly bemused assistant.
She moves back over to him in such a familiar way that has him wondering if maybe he does actually know her. She flashes him a brilliant smile as she places the ring in his hand, curling his fingers into a fist. Rocking on to the front of her toes she places a kiss to his cheek and whispers in his ear “She’s going to say yes” and with that she’s out of the shop with a slam of the door. He stares after the mysterious stranger before opening his fist.
It’s a simple ring, one sapphire surrounded by two tiny diamonds and it’s oh so very Quinn. A smile graces his lips as he gazes outside once more, with a feeling that he’s just met the illusive Brittany Pierce-Lopez again and a ring that means more to Finn than anybody could ever know.
+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+
Quinn’s grown up to be a lovely young woman and she’s given Santana four lovely grandkids but she’s got Finn now, and a life that Santana hasn’t had in such a long time. Her youngest grandchild is a little over four years old and it’s been four years since she’s last seen Brittany, because even though she can’t control her ability she’s always made it for the births of every one of her grandkids and according to Finn a couple of contraception’s also. Santana still ribs him about that, but it warms her heart that he doesn’t exactly mind Brittany’s unfortunate timing.
It’s her seventieth birthday and she can’t quite manage to get out of bed so Quinn and the family came to her. Crowding around the bed they laughed and talked and ate junk food, before Santana felt it about time to demand cake. Finn’s about to fetch it from the kitchen when the door swings open and Brittany’s stood there naked and carrying said cake. Santana thinks that maybe all her birthdays have come at once.
“I’ll go get dressed, but I heard it was your birthday and I figure what goods a birthday without cake. It was in the kitchen by the way, I didn’t bring it with me.” Santana’s face is set in a smile because this is the one thing she’s been asking for since her fortieth birthday, Brittany alive and in person; her state of undress is sort of a bonus. So she lets her eyes appreciate the toned form as she sets the cake next to the bed and leans over to give Santana the kiss she’s been waiting for. It’s a little weird at first, because Santana is seventy and Brittany is maybe only just thirty, but when Brittany climbs into bed next to her and presses against her it’s not so weird any more.
The rest of the day is spent eating cake and letting three exited grandkids climb over the bed so they can properly meet there other grandmother who’s currently younger than their mother. But as the sun goes down the kids get tired, so Quinn and Finn have no choice but to reluctantly depart. Brittany helps Santana out of the bed wrapping the sheet around the two of them as they shuffle towards the door to wave the little group off.
When there comfortably settled on the couch Santana resting in Brittany’s arms do Brittany’s hands start to wander and she presses a few kisses to Santana’s forehead. There’s something sad in Brittany’s eyes and Santana knows exactly why it is, because Brittany is like an open book and although Santana’s a little bit afraid she’s incredibly thankful that Brittany’s here, that Brittany loves her enough to not let her go through this alone. Still they have time, and when Brittany whispers into her ear Santana’s only answer is “a dance.”
The dance is nothing like when they were younger because Santana can’t really move faster than a slow shuffle and too much spinning makes her want to regurgitate her rather lovely cake. So it’s a slow dance, with Brittany allowing Santana to lead for the first time since forever and it’s so beautiful that by the time the music stops both of them are crying, and Santana’s struggling for breath. Brittany sits her unsteadily back on the sofa and lets Santana lean against her, head resting against her chest as she struggles to breath. Santana’s last images are of Brittany steadily stroking her hair as her lips spoke I love you against her cheek. Santana never would have thought it probable, but she died happy and content and surrounded by love, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
When Quinn breaks in the next morning she finds a motionless Santana wrapped in the sheet from her bed. Through the tears she can’t help but notice the genuine smile on Santana’s face and it makes her smile because she was blessed with two of the most amazing parents and they were blessed with each other. Quinn’s sad, but she’s oh so very happy.