A/N: This is the last chapter, folks. Thank you so much for the insane reviews - I had never expected this to catch on the way it did. It started off as a simple one-off based on a dream, and I have to admit that I was just as surprised as most of you were with some turns. This story wasn't planned at all and while it was fun to write, I felt like I didn't have much to add. So I figured it was best to stop it before it was too late.
Thank you to everyone who reviewed like a boss, to all of you who favorited and put this on their story alert. It's been a blast. Special thanks to lcrazemags, who had a huge impact in the early stages of this story, giving it much of its shape.
I'll be back with updates for My Dirty Little Secret. I have a few ideas for one-offs and I'm also planning a Quinntana story set in the wonderful world of Harry Potter, with Ravenclaw!Quinn and Slytherin!Santana. I'm also planning out a vampire!Brittana story with a big role for Quinn, but no romantic Quinntana. For the vampire lovers out there, I can tell you that I do want to write a vampire!Quinntana story sometime.
To those who read "You Can Call Me Charlie" (the Nayanna fic) on tumblr or livejournal, I plan on updating it soon! The next chapter will also be the last one, but there will be a sequal called "Turning the Tables".
Please, review and let me know what you think!
"Brittany?" Quinn asked as she approached the girl, disbelief lacing her voice.
Her friend spinned around, a wide grin on her face as she recognized that voice. "Quinn!"
Before Quinn knew what was happening, Brittany had flung her arms around her in an embrace so tight that she struggled for air. When Brittany finally let her go, she bounced on her feet happily. Quinn chuckled - she hadn't changed a bit.
"No offence, but what are you doing here?" Quinn asked. "I mean, Santana didn't tell me you were visiting," she added, noticing how rude she sounded.
Brittany grinned. "That's because I didn't tell her. I wanted to surprise her for her birthday, but I'll be really busy next week so I figured I'd come earlier on. So, do you guys still share a dorm? Lord Tubbington told me that he had a bet with Charity on how long you two were going to last," she babbled.
"Yes," Quinn said slowly, not understanding. It's not like Santana could have told Brittany about the situation with those rooms available at Tina's house, as they had literally only just heard about it themselves. "Of course."
"Well, Santana is a handful," Brittany shrugged. "I would know," she added slyly.
Quinn tried to fight the annoyance at that tone and the fact that it reminded her of this girl being her girlfriend's first love. "So," Quinn said. "How're you doing?"
"I'm great!" Brittany beamed. "Mike and I start working on this show next week and it's going to be so great! It's about ducks! I was, like, so excited! What about you? How's school? Are you seeing someone?"
Quinn frowned. "Of course I'm seeing someone?"
"You sound like I should know who that is?" Brittany looked genuinely confused.
"Wait - she didn't tell you?" Quinn asked, surprise and hurt fighting for dominance. She sat down, needing to take a few deep breaths.
"Tell me what, Quinn?"
Quinn looked up, a forlorn expression on her face. "Santana and I..." she started. "I mean - she really didn't tell you? Santana and I are together. Like, exclusive. Serious. Fuck!"
Anger started to take control.
"But I talked to her five days ago," Brittany said, not realizing she was only making this worse.
Quinn grabbed her phone and looked up at Brittany apologetically. "I'd love to catch up and everything, but I hope you understand that I really need to talk to Santana right now?"
"Uh - yeah - sure - wow," Brittany blinked. "I mean - I guess it's not that much of a surprise. She did always get off on that Cheerios picture of you twirling around."
Quinn looked up with half a mind to answer, but then decided against and instead started typing out a message. Her hands were shaking and she felt tears trickle down her cheeks.
Santana was bored to death in class and was glad to be distracted by an incoming message.
From: Fabgay
Get your ass in our dorm. Now.
Santana bit her lip, contemplating what to do. She was always up for getting her mack on, but she couldn't keep skipping classes for sex. She typed out a response with a light pout at her own rationality.
can't rn, i'd love to come over & have some fun but u know im in class & cant keep skipping x
She was surprised at the answer she got.
From: Fabgay
I'm not kidding. This is not a fucking booty call. At this rate, I'm not even sure how much of this booty you're ever going to get again, so get the fuck over here now if you want your stuff to still be in this dorm by the time you get back.
Santana frowned. She felt her heartbeat quicken - she had no idea what was going on. She didn't know what the problem was, but she did know that Quinn sounded serious and she was not about to lose her now that she had her.
She grabbed her stuff and slipped out of class quickly, a few heads turning but nobody trying to stop her. When she came outside, she saw a flash of blonde hair. She was sure that her mind was playing tricks on her - it was simply impossible, right? The girl turned around and Santana was proven wrong. Apparently, it was very possible.
"Brittany?" she asked in disbelief, wrapping her arms around her friend. She forgot about the entire situation momentarily as she inhaled her familiar scent.
"Uhm, Santana, I think you'd better go to your dorm now," Brittany mumbled. "Quinn's pretty upset."
Suddenly, it clicked. Quinn must have run into Brittany, and somehow it must have come up that Santana had kind of not told Brittany about her and Quinn. She panicked at how Quinn must be feeling. "Fuck!" she mumbled. "Fuck, fuck, fuck. What do I do, Britt?" she looked at her friend helplessly.
"You apologize to her," Brittany shrugged. "That's obvious. You apologize, you explain, you grovel and then you do something romantic. But wait a bit with the romantic thing. Give her some time to process everything. I read online that that's what lesbians do."
"Okay. Yeah. Fuck! I'm really sorry, Britt - I mean, wow, you're here and I can't talk to you and-"
"Santana," Brittany said calmly. "I think the best thing to do right now is fix things with Quinn. She was really upset."
"What the fuck were you thinking, Santana?" Quinn yelled.
Santana cringed and looked away. "I don't know," she mumbled.
"Were you thinking at all?"
Santana blushed. "I'm really sorry, Quinn, please believe me! I just - I don't know why I didn't tell her, okay? I mean, I could try and come up with an explanation, but I really have none. I guess I was scared, I don't know."
"Why would you be scared? It's Brittany! Or didn't you want her to know? Did you want her to think you were still available," Quinn spat. "God, I can't believe I fell for your crap! I should've known. I've known you for long enough to know you'll always be hung up on her. I can't believe I allowed myself to think that what we had was meaningful! You asked me to be your girlfriend - why? And... and that letter! Was it full of lies? And after the massage, when you practically told me you were over her - was that a lie too?"
"Hey!" Santana interrupted. "I want one thing to be clear here - I've never lied to you, Quinn. The only times I've lied to you were before we got together and it was when I told you that I wasn't gay. And that one time when you asked me if I'd smoked pot again at a party, but that's it. I never lied to you about how I feel for you."
"Then how can you explain this?" Quinn asked, her voice quivering. "I just - am I not enough for you? Am I her replacement?"
Quinn's insecurity kicked up again - she had always doubted herself, but lately she had really gained self-esteem, especially since being with Santana. She felt it all crumble and she was helpless - there was nothing she could do.
"Of course not," Santana replied, confused at why Quinn would even think that. "I'm really sorry, okay? I mean it. I'm an asshole."
"Yes, you fucking are," Quinn growled. "Why, Santana? Why didn't you tell her? Why would you be scared?"
"I love you," Santana blurted out.
Quinn looked up in surprise. "What?"
"I love you," Santana repeated, more slowly this time. "I'm an asshole, but I love you."
"You're not making any sense, Santana Lopez. Are you trying to destract me?"
Santana reached for Quinn's hands, but Quinn took a step backwards, eyes squinted at her girlfriend.
Santana sat down on her bed with a sigh, dropping her hands in her lap. "I really love you, Quinn. And I think that maybe I was scared because I haven't loved anyone since Brittany. I haven't allowed myself for so many reasons - you know which ones, because you know me. I think that maybe I was scared of moving on as well, scared to really be free from my past. Because telling Brittany would also be telling Brittany that I'm completely over her - which I am, for the record - and that would like, I don't know, mark this new chapter of my life, as they say in those cheesy movies. Like, I would finally get to fully be who I am, the teenager in me would finally be gone. Because deep down, I've always been a scared little girl. And maybe I was afraid to discover who I really am. Maybe I didn't want to know because I thought that the real me wouldn't be a nice person, and I wouldn't deserve you, and I need you. I need to deserve you. And wow... look at this. I did it. I fucked it up. I love you and I fucked it up." Santana's voice was the smallest it had ever been.
Quinn sighed. "I don't know whether to think that's just a load of bullshit or if you're just figuring it out for yourself right now, but I want you to know that you really hurt me and I'm still not sure how I feel about it."
"Please believe me, Quinn. I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you. And I would sing 'Songbird' to you right now if I hadn't done that for Brittany in high school. Because you see, you're not Brittany 2.0 for me. You're Quinn. You're Quinn Fabray, hopefully still my girlfriend, even though I'm a bitch."
"Yeah, you are," Quinn answered with a cold glare that made Santana gasp for breath. "Look, I think we both need to spend some time apart. Not in the relationship," she quickly added when she saw a look of panic on Santana's face. "Just, you know... take some time to think, then meet up for dinner. Brittany came all the way here, you might as well hang out with her. I'm not going to stop you from doing that, not when she came such a long way. I'll see you here at 6.30?"
Santana nodded. "Okay."
She leaned in for a kiss, but Quinn turned her head. Santana could have sworn she felt her heart breaking in her chest.
Throughout the following week, the tension between the two was so thick it was nearly tangible. Quinn was trying her very best to get over it and forgive Santana, but she couldn't deny how much it had pained her to see Brittany being so oblivious about what was such an important part of her life - a part she had imagined would be just as important for Santana. She sighed, thinking how none of this might have even happened if Brittany had just had a damn Facebook.
Santana for her part tried to be as considerate as possible. She grovelled and apologized, jumped up at Quinn's every word, tried to surprise her with flowers and candy. Quinn would have laughed at it if she hadn't felt so deeply hurt. It was really atypical for Santana, but this time, it just didn't cut it.
She was surprised when Tina called her to meet up for drinks and brought the subject up.
"Look, Santana told me what happened. Yeah, I know, I never would have thought she'd do that either. Anyway - I want you to know I'm not taking sides here at all and if anything, you've got every right to put her in the doghouse. What she did, or rather didn't do, was shitty. And you got hurt, which blows. But maybe it's time to pick things up again? What is it going to help if the two of you are just sulking around each other? She's really upset as well, Quinn. It's hard for her as well. She loves you and she feels like shit - as she should, but the way things are going now, you'll never get anywhere."
"I appreciate your effort, but I just... I don't know if I can forgive her."
"Maybe you can start by giving her a chance? She cried, Quinn."
"What?"
"She cried," Tina repeated. "The other day, she was at my place, and she fucking cried her eyes out. She was a sobbing mess and it was super awkward, but she let me hold her and comfort her. This can't get back to her, by the way. She swore my life would turn just that little bit darker if anyone ever found out."
Quinn quirked an eyebrow at this information. In all honesty, she had been so busy feeling hurt that she hadn't stopped to think about Santana's feelings over this once.
"Do you love her?" Tina asked.
Quinn didn't hesitate. "Yes. I do."
"Then tell her," Tina said. "Allow her to make it up to you. She did something stupid. She made a mistake. Nobody's perfect, no matter how hard you try."
Quinn nodded. "You're right. God, I've been such a bitch."
"Don't beat yourself up over it," Tina smiled. "Just make things right with her, because honest to God, she's scaring the fuck out of me, being so emotional."
When Quinn arrived at the dorm, it was empty. She didn't really know what to think when she found an obviously home-made chocolate cake on her desk. She tried to decipher the icing. The handwriting was very clumsy and the person who had baked it was clearly inexperienced.
I'm sorry.
I luv u.
Ur bitch.
Quinn let out a low chuckle at the last line and felt her heart swell up, as cliché as that was. She took a deep breath and decided on her next step.
Santana hoped to find any indication that Quinn had found the cake. She really hoped that Quinn had gone to their dorm to kill the few hours she had between classes that day.
She wanted to scream in excitement and happiness when she found a chocolate cake on her own desk, complete with clumsy icing.
I luv u 2
asshole ;)
When Quinn came home that night, they had awesome make up sex. Quinn even got out the strap-on and used it on Santana. They decided that same night that they would take Tina up on her offer and move into the house. Never minding practicalities such as the impossibly late hour, they called her immediately. She was less than pleased to be woken up so early, but glad to hear that they had made up and even happier to hear that they would be moving in.
Last year of college
Quinn smiled at Santana as she took her seat in the same cinema that they had went to on their first date. She had noticed that Santana was a bit nervous, which was unusual, but had decided to let it go. She also found it strange that at the last moment, Santana had forgotten something in her car and had urged Quinn to go ahead.
Quinn took a seat, hoping Santana wouldn't take too long. She grew a bit worried when the lights dimmed and the screen lit up without her girlfriend being there yet.
Instead of some shitty commercial, Santana's face filled the screen. Needless to say, Quinn was beyond surprised. She figured that she must have pulled some strings with the boss' son again.
Santana walked backwards and looked at a point behind the camera. "Is this okay, Tina?"
"Yeah." Quinn recognized Tina's voice. "By the way, people, if there are kids in the room you might want to get them out of there for a second. This one here swears a lot."
Quinn chuckled as she watched Santana flush with embarrassment, reprimanding her friend with her eyes before focusing on the camera.
"Okay. Um, hi everyone. Sorry for taking over the commercials, but somehow I'm sure you don't really mind," she said nervously. "Okay. So. Um. This is totally cheesy, but my girlfriend digs that shit. Oh - sorry for that one. I'll try to mind my language. Yeah. So, my girlfriend. Her name's Quinn and she's the prettiest girl in the room. To the motherfucker next to her - if you dare touch her I swear I will end your life in the nastiest way possible, and believe me, I was trained by Sue fucking Sylvester so I have some skills. Anyway, what I wanted to say is... um... Quinn, I love you, you know that. I've been thinking about how to ask you this for the longest time and then it just came to me. I figured, we have a thing with this place. We had our first date here. Do you remember that? You were wearing that plaid shirt and you didn't believe me when I said you looked hot in such simple clothes and then I asked those guys and they said they'd totally do you and then I had to remind them of their close relationship to their balls they surely didn't want to lose? And then we watched Pocahontas and the Hunchback of Notre Dame because those are your favorite Disney movies? And do you remember Lindsey? Anyway, I'm rambling. Running out of time.
So, since we had our first date here and since we have a thing with videos, I figured this was the proper way to ask you: will you please marry this asshole?"
Quinn was still baffled, tears running down her cheeks in excitement and happiness. People around her where whispering. Suddenly, the lights lit up again and Quinn nearly jumped out of her seat when she saw Santana standing in front of the screen, on her knees, an open box in hand, making a complete and utter fool of herself.
Santana squinted her eyes, trying to make out where Quinn was. "I swear to God, Quinn, I'm totally embarrassing myself in front of so many people right now so get your ass down here and at least pretend to say yes to save our faces."
Quinn chuckled, got up and ran down to the front. "Yes," she simply said when she stood in front of her girlriend. "Yes, yes, yes!"
There was some applause as Santana tried to shove the beautiful ring on Quinn's finger. As soon as she had succeeded, Quinn wrapped her arms around Santana and kissed her passionately. "Yes," she kept whispering between kisses. "Yes."
Fin.