The Road to Faberrittana (12/?)
Chapter Title: Moving On
Author: Stargirl888
Word Count: About 1800
Spoilers: None
Pairing: Brittany/Santana, Rachel/Santana, Rachel/Quinn
Rating: T
WARNINGS: None really
Disclaimer: Not mine, never has been and unfortunately never will be :(
Summary: Rachel is ready to start moving on.
A/N: I'm trying something a bit different with this one. Thanks for all the suggestions last chapter! My exams are finally over which means about a month and a half of freedom (well from studying anyway), and hopefully more time spent writing :)
I was so excited to finally write this chapter, hope you enjoy!
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Unfortunately Santana's conversation with Rachel did not go as she had hoped, Rachel s response being that she just needed space and time. Santana reluctantly agreed to back off.
Time rushing past it wasn't long before another month had gone by and Santana, Quinn and Brittany were surprised one Friday afternoon to find letters addressed to them in their lockers, written in Rachels defined script.
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Dear Brittany
The number of changes over the last couple of months has been unexpected and I want to start by apologising for my distancing myself from you. After Quinn decided she wanted to take a break from our relationship I admit to first being worried about losing your friendship, and my lack of faith in you was unfair, particularly when you made an effort to try and stay friends with me and I was the one who kept refusing to do so. I never meant for this to hurt you but spending time with you would have also meant being around Santana and I wasn't quite ready for that yet, not with Quinn and I having just decided to take a break from our relationship. I needed to get away from the whole situation, and if I could have holed myself up in some motel miles away while I worked through my own feelings I probably would have.
I have been doing a lot of soul searching and self reflection and I think it is only fair that I tell you what I have found, since it will affect you as well. I had hoped that by now Quinn and I would be back together and that anything I felt for Santana, other to friendship, would be fading however neither of those things has happened. A while ago you gave me your blessing to start something with Santana, and I hope that I still have it because, assuming Santana's emotions are unchanged, I am now in a place where I would like to try seeing where things will lead between us. I have made peace with Quinn and I not being together, and I feel I am now in a place where I could have a relationship with Santana without her being a rebound and without it hugely betraying what Quinn and I had.
However, no matter what happens with Santana and I, I sincerely hope you and I will become better friends again and in future not let other external circumstances interfere with that.
Hopefully we will be able to organise coffee or something over the weekend? I'll text you soon and we can make plans.
Rachel *
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Dear Quinn,
This letter has not been easy to write, it's been months since you decided you wanted us to take a break, and I had hoped that by now we would have worked through things and be back together again, however the distance between us only seems to be growing, and it feels like we're less likely to get back together again, and to be honest, though my love for you is unchanged, I can no longer sit in limbo.
You deserve to know that it is my intention to try pursuing a relationship with Santana, if she is still willing. I never intended to develop feelings for her, nor did I wish to hurt you by revealing them, although I know that that was inevitable, and I can only apologise for putting you through that. I hope that one day we can mend the distance between us.
Love
Rachel *
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Dear Santana
I must thank you for giving me the space and time I asked you for. A while ago you told me you had feelings for me that were more than purely platonic, and I admitted the same. With everything that has happened since we never had a chance to see where things would lead if we gave in to those feelings, and with what happened between Quinn and I, I was in no way ready to try. However, my feelings towards you have not changed, and I am now ready to start trying to explore them properly. I hope it is the same for you and you still want to try and see what will happen. If this is the case I hope you can meet me by the stream in the park, tomorrow at 5:30pm?
Rachel *
P.S. I have informed both Brittany and Quinn of my intentions expressed in this letter.
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Santana smoothed down the front of her skirt anxiously as she looked at herself in the mirror, her hands fluttering nervously over her outfit. She looked good, but had gone for a more understated look than she normally did. A part of her wished that Brittany was sitting in her desk chair behind her, to give her that extra boost of confidence, but it would have been unfair to ask Brittany to help her get ready to go meet Rachel.
After reading the letter Santana had quickly shot off a text to Brittany to confirm if Brittany had changed her mind on the two of them (she wouldn't get to see Brittany that evening because for the first time in a long time both her parents would be home and they wanted to do some sort of faked family bonding thing) and Brittany had replied confirming she was okay with Santana meeting Rachel.
Santana had no idea what to expect from today, whether they would just be talking or if Rachel had planned it as some sort of date, she didn't even know if they were planning on staying at the park or just meeting there and going somewhere else - the ball wasn't in her court, something which was both unusual and unbalancing to the latina.
After fiddling with a particular wisp of hair for the fourth time Santana gave up in a huff and quickly grabbed her purse and keys before she decided to change again and make herself late.
The sun was just starting to set as Santana arrived at the park andquickly wove her way through the trees, the stream Rachel mentioned being slightly off the main path and in a semi secluded corner.
Rounding the corner Santana came to the stop. On the ground in front of her was a picnic blanket, laid out with an array of Clingfilm covered dishes and some small battery operated tea lights and flower petals scattered around about with the sun setting in the background. It really did look like a scene from one of those cheesy chick flicks.
A movement to her right drew Santana's attention to where Rachel was standing, watching her take it all in.
"I might have known you'd do some being romantic gesture." Santana teased lightly.
"It's too much, isn't it?' Rachel asked immediately worried, "I was debating if I should go through with it all day long."
"Maybe the tea lights and petals."
'I knew I should have left them." Rachel mumbled, not noticing Santana's joking tone and going to turn off the little lights before Santana stopped her.
"I was teasing; I love the tealights." Santana said honestly, "This is all really nice Rach."
"Shall we sit down?" Rachel suggested after a beat, slightly more relaxed now she knew Santana liked the gesture. Santana nodded her acquiescence and allowed Rachel to lead her over to the picnic.
Rachel began unwrapping the food, offering the various savouries and finger foods to Santana.
"You know I think this is the first time someone's put this much effort into doing something for me without the hopes of getting into my pants afterwards." Santana remarked after a short while, both of them more relaxed now that they were eating and talking normally.
"Who said I didn't want to get into your pants?" Rachel quipped before realising what she had said, blushing and looking away. Santana raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, I see how it is, you lure a girl out here with talk of feelings, a romantic picnic as the sun goes down when really all you want is to get some. I'm not sure whether to be hurt or flattered." Santana said in mock outrage.
"Oh definitely flattered." Rachel played along, eyes sparkling.
"I guess I shouldn't blame you, I am one fine piece of ass, and fantastic in bed, I might add."
"Oh, I have no doubt, your skills are legendary." Rachel replied, ducking as Santana flicked a olive at her. It was the first time she and Rachel had ever really bantered like this and Santana was finding she liked this side of the diva.
They both knew they had some serious things to discuss if anything was going to happen between them, but by unspoken agreement they both stuck to the lighter topics through dinner, choosing just to enjoy each others company, and it was only as they were coming to the end of dessert that the conversation turned to the more complicated matters.
"So, I'm assuming Brittany is still okay with us?" Rachel asked during a lull in conversation.
"Yeah, I checked with her before coming today." Santana admitted, and Rachel just murmured her acknowledgment, having suspected as much.
"Okay," Santana said with a suddenly decisive tone, "So I guess since you did the whole romantic thing with this picnic, it's my turn now, and you're not allowed to tease me on the corniness of this but... Rachel Barbra Berry, will you be my girlfriend?"
Santana watched as Rachels expression morph from surprise to excitement as she processed Santana's words before sobering somewhat.
"We're going to have a lot to sort out with you dating both Brittany and I."
"I know, but we can discuss that later, can you just give me an answer first?" Santana asked, failing to mask her slightly anxious tone.
"Of course I'll be you're girlfriend" Rachel gushed rapidly, a huge grin on her face.
"Good," Santana replied, also smiling ecstatically "Because now I can do this."
Getting onto her knees, Santana slowly leant forwards and into Rachels personal space, giving her only a split seconds warning before gently brushing their lips together in a kiss far more chaste than anyone would have believed Santana Lopez to be capable of.
They broke apart and watched each other for a moment before dissolving into quiet chuckles, at the fact that this was finally happening.
AN2: So we finally had some pezberry romance! I'm torn about how I feel on the whole letters idea but it was that or having big emotional conversations and I needed a break from that. I know Rachels writing style was rather formal but, it's Rachel and I figure she would be all formal in written correspondence.
I was so excited to finally write the girls first date, and I figured I'd let them have the night before all the complications set in. Of course I had to make it all extra romantic with Rachel planning it (and it helps that I've just finished watching West Side Story and am in a romantic mood at the moment ;)
So let me know what you thought, use the review button - it's there for a reason :)