Author's Note: I had the sudden urge to rewrite one of my first fics. So here it is. This is a revised version of "If You Could Do It All Over Again" presented as a one-shot. I hope you like it!

P.S. This story might get a little confusing, so be sure to pay attention to the months and the italicized parts.

December

Somewhere, in the cold, wintry streets of New York, a woman strutted determinedly down a sidewalk. Her heels clicked angrily against the cement. Her pea coat barely kept her warm. Ringlets of her hair swirled around her face, pushed and pulled by winter's every breath.

When she reached her bus stop, she leaned against the nearest building, waiting impatiently with a scowl on her pretty face. Although Santana knew she shouldn't be smoking, her less than charming day seemed a fair enough excuse for a moment of indulgence. So she grabbed a cigarette from her purse and quickly lit it before she had a chance to decide otherwise.

The smoking helped calm her down a bit.

But that calmness was soon shattered when she heard the light scuffling of footsteps coming her way. She knew how smoking hot she was, but, as much as she loved the compliments, she wasn't in the mood to be hit on right then.

Just as she expected, the footsteps stopped right beside her. Sucking in a long, exasperated breath, she prepared herself for another one of those generically handsome guys who thought they were the shit to say something cutesy and ask for her number.

But then came a female voice. "Hey."

Santana lost her composure for just a second when she glanced up and found herself stumbling into a mesmerizing pair of blue eyes—light, greyish blue in a way that searched Santana's soul but still deep and rich and warm, seeming to promise Santana that it was safe, safe for her to drown into those eyes, even if just for a moment. The eyes belonged to a woman with straight blonde hair and the hottest body Santana had ever seen. "Hey," Santana finally replied coolly.

"You look nice." The woman ran her eyes quickly over Santana's short cocktail dress and bare legs.

Santana scoffed.

"Are you going somewhere?"

"No."

"Then why are you all dressed up?"

Santana looked at the woman again. She honestly was not in the mood for small talk, but the woman's eyes looked so hopeful and so…blue, Santana decided she could at least be polite. "I'm supposed to be on a date."

"But?"

Santana sighed. "He didn't show up."

"Oh."

Awkward silence. Santana was frankly relieved the conversation was over.

But she was wrong. "I can't imagine why someone wouldn't show up to a date with you."

Santana smiled weakly at the blonde. It almost sounded like she was flirting with her.

"Hey, since you're all dressed up anyway, would you like to have dinner with me?"

Really? So Santana was wrong about an egomaniac approaching her, but she was right about the being hit on part. "Um, I don't even know you."

"I know, but you will once we have dinner." The woman smiled. She did have a very irresistible smile, Santana noticed.

Santana coughed. "I don't, uh, date women."

"Who said I was asking you out on a date?"

"I just assumed…" Santana wasn't used to being the speechless one in a conversation. And she hated it.

The woman seemed to detect the mix of surprise and discomfort on Santana's part because she laughed. Strangely enough, rather than finding it condescending, the sound of the woman's laughter eased the tension Santana felt.

That was, until she asked, "Do you want it to be a date?"

Santana stared back at her confusedly, relieved when she heard the loud machinery of the bus nearing her stop. "I'm sorry, but I have to go."

February

Santana whipped her head around as a flash of blonde passed by her left.

She really had to stop doing that.

She had to stop double-taking every time a tall blonde walked by.

She had no idea why, but she couldn't get that blonde she met at the bus stop two months ago out of her head. Maybe it was because it was the first time a woman had asked her out. Maybe.

Or maybe it was because she was mind-blowingly attractive, but no. Santana liked men. Dated men. Had sex with men. Fell in love with…well, she couldn't say.

She hadn't fallen in love yet.

April

It almost felt like déjà vu. Again, Santana was stood up on a date. Again, she was power-walking down the same street in impossibly high heels and an impossibly short dress. Again, she leaned against the nearest building, waiting for the bus.

The only difference was that she didn't pull out a cigarette. She had quit a month ago for the fifth time, and she was actually trying to refrain from smoking this time.

Then, just like four months ago, she heard footsteps coming her way, only now they were louder, thudding instead of brushing against the rough pavement of the sidewalk. Still, Santana's heart fluttered momentarily until she looked up to see a generically handsome man approaching her. She rolled her eyes and stared at the bus stop again.

"Hey," he said.

She nodded back.

"You're all dressed up."

She gave him a tight-lipped smile.

"Are you going on a date with your boyfriend?"

"I don't have a boyfriend."

"Ohhh, okay." He grinned. "So you're available."

Santana remained silent.

"Well, I was just thinking, maybe we could go out sometime?"

Just as Santana tried to come up with a polite denial, another voice joined the conversation.

"Give it up. I tried. Didn't work. She doesn't date strangers."

Both the man and Santana swiveled around to the source of the voice. It was the tall blonde woman with the otherworldly eyes. Santana felt her heartbeat speed up, so she took a deep breath, trying her best to keep her cool.

This time, she smiled at the woman, who smiled back politely.

The man, who assumed they knew each other, just shrugged and walked away.

"Hey," the blonde said.

"Hi," Santana replied.

"Good to see you're in a better mood today."

Santana grimaced. "Actually, I'm not. You must be my unlucky star. I just got stood up again."

The woman chuckled. "Both times I run into you, you're all ready for a date. I think it's a message, don't you?"

Santana couldn't help but smile back this time. "What's your name?"

"Brittany."

Santana mused over the sound of it for a second. "Brittany," she repeated the name to herself quietly.

Brittany nodded.

The sound of tires screeching to a halt pulled Santana's attention away. She glanced over at the stop and saw her bus approaching.

She glanced at Brittany, who was staring at the bus as well.

Turning to Brittany, she said, "It was very nice meeting you. Or meeting you again."

Brittany smiled.

Giving Brittany one last glance over her shoulder, Santana started walking toward the bus.

Then, she stopped. "Brittany?"

Brittany looked up from the ground, her eyes round and shimmering.

"Brittany, would you like to go on a date with me?"

She grinned. "I'd love to."

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Santana asked, beckoning Brittany over with a wave of her arm. "The bus isn't going to wait forever."

"We're taking the bus?" Brittany asked incredulously.

"We've been waiting for the bus for, like, ten minutes. Hell if we're not taking the bus."

Brittany laughed out loud right then and trotted up to Santana. When she reached her, she gave Santana a small grin and linked their pinkies together.

Before Santana could say anything else, Brittany was already pulling them toward the bus. Santana looked down at their pinkies and smiled to herself. She couldn't remember the last time she had linked pinkies with anyone.

Even when they were all settled in the bus, their pinkies remained wrapped around one another. And neither of them bothered to change that. "So, tell me about yourself," Brittany said.

Santana shrugged. "There isn't much to tell. I'm 24, I'm not really sure if I still have a job, and I'm an only child."

"Start by telling me your name, maybe," Brittany joked.

Santana cocked her head. She hadn't realized Brittany didn't even know her name. "My name's Santana," she said.

Brittany carefully examined Santana's face. Then, she nodded in approval. "It suits you."

"Yeah?"

"Mmhmm."

"How so?"

Brittany smiled. "It's a beautiful name."

x

"So, do you do this a lot?" Santana asked nervously. She was still unsure about the whole thing.

"What?"

"I don't know. Hit on people you don't know." Santana jabbed at her salad, just to avoid eye contact as she said her next words. "Women you don't know."

"No."

Santana looked up from her food, suddenly curious. She didn't have to verbalize her thoughts, though. Her eyes were questioning enough.

"Never hit on a woman before," Brittany explained, "until you came along." Brittany looked up then, an amused smile on her face.

Santana paused. Brittany had been so confident and sure of herself that Santana simply assumed that Brittany was gay, or at least bisexual. "So…you just spontaneously decided that you were going to ask a random woman out?"

Brittany chewed on her food thoughtfully. Then she answered, "Pretty much, yeah."

Santana narrowed her eyes, a slight smile playing on her lips. "You are getting more interesting by the minute, Brittany."

x

"You know, I've never brought a stranger to my place before," Santana said as she turned her key.

Brittany smiled at her and continued surveying Santana's apartment building.

"Well," Santana started saying quietly with a shrug, "I've never gone on a date with a woman, either."

Brittany chuckled. "First time for everything, right?"

Santana nodded. Then, she flashed Brittany a full, genuine smile.

The key clicked, and Santana pushed open the door with a grand wave of her arms, gesturing at the small but nice living space in front of them. "Tada," she said. "Now you know everything about me."

"Are you kidding?" Brittany laughed. "I'll be around for quite a while if I were to really know everything about you."

Santana looked at Brittany with a little twinkle in her eye before taking a seat at her couch. She patted the empty space next to her.

Brittany flopped down without hesitation.

The two of them laid their heads on the cushions and faced each other, just staring at one another for a while. That inevitable awkwardness between strangers seemed to not apply to them. It was bizarre, almost unworldly.

Santana was the first to break the silence. "It's not just me, right?"

"What?"

"I mean, you're a complete stranger to me, and yet it feels like I've known you for the longest time."

Brittany nodded knowingly.

"It's like we've met in another life."

Brittany let out a quiet laugh. "Do you believe in those things?"

"No," Santana whispered, "do you?"

Brittany blinked and pondered the question for a moment. "Now I do."

Santana's eyes shifted to Brittany's lips. Her lip-gloss glistened, and she smiled, her tongue peeking out for an instant before quickly disappearing again. Santana gazed back into Brittany's eyes. They looked the same as the first time she saw them: blue, sparkling, brimming with hope and something else she couldn't quite place her finger on.

Brittany watched Santana stare at her lips, and she couldn't help but smile as she licked them quickly. She studied Santana's lips, too. They looked so soft; she could already tell Santana was an excellent kisser. When she flicked her eyes up, Santana was gazing right back at her, straight through her eyes and into that nervous lump in her throat.

Brittany fluttered her eyes closed and leaned in.

The kiss was gentle and oddly familiar. Santana felt as if the kiss somehow sated a forgotten desire even though it was the first time she had kissed Brittany. Santana didn't bother trying to figure it out—she had given up trying to figure anything out anymore since meeting Brittany.

When they pulled apart, Brittany slowly opened her eyes and grinned. "I can't believe I had to wait four months for that."

Santana laughed. "Biggest mistake of my life."

x

Santana sat excitedly on her couch as she watched Brittany expertly flip the vegetables in the pan with a flick of her wrist. "I didn't know you could cook." Santana had learned a lot about Brittany in the past week, and it seemed that every new piece of information made her just a little more smitten with the girl.

"There are lots of things you don't know about me," Brittany said.

"Like what?"

"Well, I can't just give these things up so easily. I have to keep you interested," Brittany said with a wink.

"Trust me," Santana told her, "I'm interested."

Brittany didn't say anything, but Santana didn't miss the small smile that appeared on her lips.

After admiring for several more minutes what Brittany could do in the kitchen that Santana couldn't, Santana and Brittany sat down for dinner.

"I like staying in for dinner," Santana said.

"Me, too."

"It feels like home."

Brittany laughed. "That's because this is your home."

Santana pinched her lips tight. "Yeah, but it doesn't feel like it when I'm here alone."

Brittany gave Santana a small smile, but the concern was evident in her slightly furrowed eyebrows. Brittany had yet to figure Santana out, but she wanted to right then and there. She wanted to peer into Santana's heart so she could pull Santana in her arms and soothe all this ambiguous pain away.

For the next few minutes, they ate in silence.

Then Santana spoke up. "Hey, Brittany?"

"Yeah?" Brittany glanced up to find a strangely nervous Santana.

"Move in with me."

Brittany didn't say anything for a minute. Then she laughed. Then she stopped again when she noticed that Santana was still waiting for an answer. "Santana. You know this is crazy, right?"

"Trust me, I do," Santana assured her with raised eyebrows, "but I stopped thinking anything was crazy ever since I met you."

"You barely even know me. What if I never close the toilet seat?"

"Then I'll close it for you."

"What if I hog the blanket?"

"Then I'll get another one for myself."

"What if I have pets?"

"Then I'll… Do you?"

"Uh huh. Two cats."

Santana smiled. "That's adorable. I've never had pets. I've always wanted them, though."

"Do you even know if you're allergic to cats?"

Santana shrugged. "Let's find out."

Brittany chuckled. "You," she said, "are a crazy person." Then she leaned across the table and placed a long and passionate kiss on Santana's soft lips. Afterward, Brittany slunk back to her seat, gazing at Santana through her eyelashes, a mischievous smile on her face. "Let's do it."

May

"Summer's almost here," Santana mused. She snuggled into the loveseat facing the window with her knees tucked into her chest and sighed nostalgically.

Brittany came up from behind Santana and handed her a mug of coffee. Then she wrapped her arms around Santana's chest and buried her chin into the crook of Santana's neck. As she placed a small kiss on Santana's cheek, she stared out the window as well. "I know," she murmured.

Santana took a sip of the coffee and smiled contentedly. "Just how I like it." She turned her head a little to look into Brittany's eyes.

Brittany winked. "How else could I trick you into letting me move in?"

Santana laughed. "Time flies, huh?"

Brittany let go of Santana and made her way over to the front of the couch before collapsing into the cushions. "You're being strangely sentimental today."

"Our season is ending, Brittany."

"We have a season?"

Santana gaped at Brittany as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Yes! Spring is our season. That's when we started dating."

"Well, take this as the start of something new then." Brittany placed a quick peck on Santana's lips. Then she tapped her knee gently and said, "C'mon now. Stop sulking. We're going out for dinner tonight."

"We are?"

"Uh huh, and we're going to be late if you stay here frowning like a baby. I made reservations for seven."

"What if I had plans?"

"You would've canceled them for me." Brittany smiled at her sweetly.

Santana faked a dejected sigh. "The saddest part is that you're absolutely right."

x

"Well, isn't this romantic?" Santana asked, not masking the playful sarcasm in her tone.

Brittany chuckled. "I thought it was only appropriate, considering our first date and all."

The two of them sat awkwardly in the bus as the vehicle jerkily rolled along, way too overdressed in their dresses and heels.

For the fourth time in that short bus ride, a man boarding the bus did a double take as he passed the two women, and Santana tried to stifle a laugh. Brittany didn't even notice. "I think he was checking you out," Santana whispered into Brittany's ear.

Brittany glanced at the man, now heading toward the back of the bus but still looking in their direction. "I think he just enjoys seeing two hot women together," Brittany whispered back.

Santana smirked. "Who wouldn't?"

Brittany jokingly pushed Santana's shoulder.

"So, Brittany," Santana said, "where are we going anyway?"

"I discovered this wonderful little bistro a while back. I have a feeling you would love it."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Mmhmm."

"What's it called?"

"Breadstix."

x

"Oh, my God," Santana muttered, "these breadsticks are amazing."

Brittany laughed. Santana was so adorable when she acted like a five-year-old. "I'm glad you like them."

"Like them? I love them!" Santana munched on her tenth one eagerly, too happy for words.

"You eat another one of those, and you're going to lose your banging bod."

Santana paused mid-bite. "But you're still going to love me, right?" she teased.

Brittany smiled. "I'll always love you no matter what, Santana."

Slowly, Santana pulled the breadstick out of her mouth. They had never actually said those three words to each other.

"I'm so in love with you," Brittany went on, "it makes no sense. No one should be allowed to fall this much in love in just three weeks, but I did. I love you, Santana."

Santana opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

Brittany waited, biting her lip nervously.

"Brittany," Santana said at last, reaching for Brittany's hand. She gripped it tightly and slipped her fingers through Brittany's, feeling tingles along her whole body when their pinkies touched. "I think…I've been in love with you my entire life; I just didn't know." She rubbed Brittany's hand with her thumb. "Ever since seeing you for the first time at the bus stop, I couldn't get you out of my head. I should've known then that I had fallen, hard. It must have been fate that we ran into each other again."

Brittany had tears in her eyes now. "Fate?" She laughed. "I went back to that bus stop every day for four months, hoping you'd come along."

"Brittany…" Santana cupped Brittany's face in her hands and kissed her with all the love that was threatening to spill out of her swelling heart.

When they finally pulled apart for air, Santana rested her forehead on Brittany's and stared into those irresistible eyes.

"Marry me," Brittany whispered.

It was Santana's turn to cry now as she nodded vigorously, never having been surer of anything in her life.

x

"Stop smiling, Santana."

Santana squinted her eyes at Brittany across the glass display case. "You stop smiling."

Brittany's grin widened, if that was even possible. Santana was right. Her face muscles were going to start cramping if she smiled any more.

"Hey," Santana said, "how about this one?"

Brittany shrugged. "Do you like it?"

Santana looked up again to gage Brittany's reaction, but, when she saw that silly grin still plastered on Brittany's face, her smirk broke into a laugh, and, all of a sudden, Santana couldn't stop herself.

"Oh, my God, what have I gotten myself into?" Brittany asked jokingly. She laughed along as she made her way over to Santana and hugged her shaking body. "I can't believe I'm marrying this whack job."

Santana calmed down from her laughing and slapped Brittany's arm playfully. "Hey! You love this whack job."

Brittany looked down at Santana and couldn't help but start smiling again. "I do," she said. Then she leaned down and gave Santana a delicate, almost fragile, kiss.

Santana rested her head on Brittany's chest and just breathed in her clean, Brittany scent for a moment. "How did I get so lucky?" she asked quietly.

"That's what I've been asking myself since I met you."

Santana hugged Brittany tighter, then let go. "C'mon now," she said, avoiding Brittany's eyes, "we're on a mission here."

Brittany eyed Santana suspiciously. "Are you crying, Santana?"

"No."

Knowing better than to ask Santana again, Brittany just grabbed Santana's hand, gave it a reassuring squeeze, and admired all the rings on display in front of them. "Santana, they're all so pretty. I can't decide."

"Help me out here, Brittany. You know I'm not good with decisions."

"This one's pretty," Brittany offered, pointing to a plain silver ring with diamonds encrusted all around it.

Santana nodded. "I thought so, too."

After a moment, Santana glanced at Brittany with her signature Santana smirk. "Well? I think we're set."

"What? Shouldn't we put more thought into this? These things aren't cheap, you know."

Santana raised her eyebrows at Brittany. "Really, Britt? Three hours ago, you asked me to marry you out of the blue, and now you're talking about putting more thought into things?"

Brittany smiled dreamily. It did sound crazy when Santana put it into words.

"Besides," Santana added, "anything will be perfect if you're wearing it." She smiled at Brittany, eyes twinkling under the bright lights of the jewelry store. Brittany thought those eyes sparkled even more than all of the diamonds on display combined.

"You are such a sweet talker, Santana Lopez," Brittany teased.

Santana smirked. "You know I mean every word."

x

Brittany sighed happily, lying on the bed as she admired the ring on her finger once more. "Santana!" she yelled.

"What?" Santana mumbled back, padding out of the bathroom with a toothbrush in her mouth.

Brittany giggled. "You're my fiancée."

Santana laughed. "I know, Britt. You are mine, too."

"And you're not wearing any pants," Brittany noted.

Santana smiled naughtily. "You like it?"

"Uh huh."

"Okay, gimme a sec, Britt. I have to finish brushing my teeth."

As soon as Santana disappeared into the bathroom, Brittany pulled off her clothes, leaving only her bra and panties on. Then she tiptoed into the bathroom and wrapped her arms around an unsuspecting Santana from behind.

Santana jumped a little, then grinned as she felt Brittany's warmth seep into her body. "Brittany," she said slowly, "I told you to wait."

"Too much waiting."

Santana laughed. "Too much waiting? We're getting married; what else do you want?"

As Brittany trailed kisses all over Santana's neck, she murmured, "A wedding, a house, dogs, kids, you know."

Santana had expected her body to tense at those words. After all, every time any of her ex-boyfriends brought up the future, she freaked out. But, this time, she couldn't feel more at ease. Everything felt so natural and so right.

"Speaking of a wedding, I should probably tell my parents I'm getting married," Santana said.

Brittany nodded. "Mine, too. And my sister, of course."

Santana spun around in Brittany's arms. "You have a sister?"

"Uh huh." Brittany leaned in to kiss her neck all over again.

"Why didn't I know this?"

"You never asked."

Santana chuckled. "I can't wait to find out every single thing about you, Brittany S. Pierce."

"Mmhmm." Brittany was too busy nibbling on Santana's earlobes.

Santana sighed, closing her eyes to take in all the overwhelming sensations Brittany was giving her with her delicate kisses. "You're the most amazing person I know, Britt. Did you know that?"

Brittany glanced at Santana. "Are you going to be all corny again?"

Santana frowned, opening her eyes again. "I'm not corny."

Smiling, Brittany placed a soft kiss onto Santana's lips. "Yes, you are because, inside, you're really just a big old softy."

Santana ran her fingers through Brittany's smooth hair and gazed adoringly at the love of her life. "Only with you, Brittany," she said honestly. And she kissed her, feeling the softness of her lips, the gentleness of her tongue, and smiling when she remembered she could kiss those lips for the rest of her life.

Gently, Santana nudged Brittany out of the bathroom as they continued to roam their hands all over one another while their lips never broke apart. When they reached the bed, Santana pushed Brittany a little, who plopped down onto the sheets, giggling at her fall. Santana straddled her immediately and slipped her hand into Brittany's panties, moaning into Brittany's lips as she felt the wetness coat her fingers. "God, Brittany," she husked.

"Santana," Brittany whimpered back. "Please. I need you to-"

"I know," Santana reassured her.

And she did.

x

Afterward, they lay just inches apart, facing each other with their elbows propping their bodies up. Brittany twiddled with Santana's hair absentmindedly as Santana asked her question after question. She asked about her family, her hobbies, her childhood, her favorite utensil, her opinions on America's Next Top Model, and on and on and on. As for Brittany, she alternated between answering the questions, leaving quick kisses on Santana's lips, and asking questions of her own.

"Why are we doing this, Santana?" Brittany asked after a while.

"To make up for lost time."

"Huh."

Santana glanced outside the window. The sky was still a deep, dark blue, and the stars were still twinkling as they always did. "Before sunrise, I'm going to know everything about you, okay?"

Brittany smiled. "Okay."

And so they went on, laughing at each other's embarrassing childhood stories, crying at each other's fears and insecurities, and falling in love with each other all over again.

At last, the sun crept slowly into the sky, and the two of them turned toward the magical sight before them. Brittany spooned Santana from behind and relaxed into the soft body in her arms. "It's beautiful," Santana whispered tiredly.

"I know." Brittany kissed Santana's shoulder before looking back up at the pinks and the blues that swirled into the clouds. "You're tired, San. Go to sleep."

"No," Santana mumbled, "I don't want to let go of this perfect moment."

"Santana, we have a lifetime of perfect moments ahead of us."

Santana's heavy eyelids gradually slid shut. "Promise?" she murmured.

Brittany smiled and craned her neck forward to brush her lips against Santana's. "Promise," she breathed. When she felt Santana's body loosen in her arms and heard her steady breathing, Brittany knew Santana was asleep. Then, she closed her eyes as well and drifted contentedly into a peaceful slumber, knowing that Santana was in her arms and would always be.

May, many years later

Santana stirred as the morning's sunrays snuck in through the blinds and warmed her body. She turned and snuggled into her blanket, trying to find that perfect position again. Then, she yawned and wiped hastily at the tears that followed. Her eyes opened slowly to the sun rising, blinking a few times to adjust to the brightness.

"Good morning, gorgeous."

Santana smiled lazily. "Morning," she croaked back as she turned to the waking body next to her. She stared dreamily into those half-asleep ocean blue eyes, and she reached her hand out to run her fingers through that irresistible head of dark brown hair.

He truly was a handsome man.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked.

Santana nodded.

"Good," he said, rubbing her cheek lovingly with his calloused thumb.

Santana placed her palm over the hand on her cheek, and, suddenly, her hand felt so small.

"Alright," he said, slipping his hand out of hers. "I'm going to get up now."

Santana groaned. "Are you sure you don't want to just cuddle in bed?" She blinked at him with her best puppy dog eyes.

He chuckled as he tossed the blanket off his body. "You're adorable, Santana, but even that's not going to work." With that, he rolled out of bed and left the room.

"I love you!" he called back.

"Love you, too," Santana sighed. She turned back to the window and pulled her blanket up higher. Watching the sun rise always made her heart swell. It was heart-wrenchingly beautiful, and it made her feel young again as she remembered the all-nighters she used to pull.

One stood out against all the rest. And there would always be a place in her heart for that very special person she shared that particular sunrise with—a person who taught her to believe and to trust, to love and to live. The only reason Santana could fall in love at all was she.

And, as Santana watched the sun melt into the sky, she knew Brittany was somewhere out there watching, too.

"Santana?"

"Hmm?"

He handed her a mug of coffee. "You zoned out for a second there."

"Oh." After taking a sip of the coffee, she frowned. Something was missing, but it would do. "I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"You know…things." She glanced up at him with a small reassuring smile. This was the man she loved now.

And no one ever forgets her first love, right?

Santana jolted up as she heard her bus approaching. She rubbed at her eyes confusedly and checked her watch. She had only dozed off for fifteen minutes.

It felt like a lifetime.

And it all seemed so real. She could still feel New York's harsh winter breeze prickling her skin; she could still feel Brittany's soft lips molding into hers, the sensation of Brittany's smooth hand in her own, the tender echo of an older Brittany's voice, wiser and more mature. She could still feel the reassuring warmth of the engagement ring on her finger and even the blue-eyed man's large, rough hand against her cheek. It had all felt so, so real.

x

Santana knocked urgently at the door. "Brittany!" she called.

"Wait!" a muffled voice called back, followed by sounds of thumping on the stairs. In a moment, the door was pulled open, and Brittany stood there, flushed from practically jumping down the stairs but still bright and happy as she always was.

Santana bit her lip and gazed at Brittany with gentle eyes. Then she pulled Brittany's face to hers and pressed their lips together.

Brittany squeaked in surprise but quickly closed her eyes and kissed Santana back just as passionately as Santana was kissing her.

Finally, Santana pulled away.

"Santana," Brittany whispered, her eyes wide, "everyone can see us here." She peered up and down the quiet Lima street to check if anyone was around, knowing how paranoid Santana was about these things.

Santana only smiled. "Isn't that what you want?"

"Well...yes." Brittany grinned goofily for an instant before hardening her features again. "But is that what you want?"

Santana twisted nervously on her feet as she fiddled with Brittany's Cheerios uniform. "I just want…to be with you."

Brittany tilted her head slowly and smiled.

"I want to be with you," Santana said again, "whether that's in your room, at your porch, at school…" She held both of Brittany's hands in hers. "I want to be with you at every moment in every place."

"Sanny…"

"I love you, Brittany."

"I love you, too, Santana." A single teardrop rolled down Brittany's face.

Santana laughed softly. "Don't cry, silly," she told her, wiping the tear away with her thumb.

"San?"

"Yeah?"

Brittany hesitated. Then she asked, "Why now?"

"I had a dream. We were in love. And then I lost you." Santana kissed her again. "I never want to lose you ever again—in this universe, in dream universe, I don't care. I just don't ever want to feel like a part of me is missing."

Brittany grinned, confused but happy. "We're meant for each other, Sanny. I'm sure no matter what universe we're in, we'll be together forever."

Santana nodded, laughing through her tears. Brittany was always the smart one.

May, many more years later

"I always knew we'd find each other again," Brittany said.

Santana gripped onto Brittany's hand even tighter. "I know," she whispered. She gazed into Brittany's sparkling eyes, still just as blue as the day she first met Brittany at the bus stop. Brittany's eyes never changed, no matter how many years had gone by. As for the rest of her face, Brittany now had the kindest wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, the softest cheeks no longer pulled tight with youth, and the lightest hair that had come with age. Santana brushed the back of her hand across Brittany's cheek. She thought Brittany was never more beautiful.

"Will we never be apart again?" Brittany asked.

"Never."

"How do you know?"

Santana looked up into the sky, thinking. "I just do."

Brittany cocked her head. "Huh."

"Besides," Santana added, poking Brittany's ribs playfully, "I'm the only one left who still wants you, now that you're all old and wrinkly."

Brittany scrunched her nose. "Hey! You're old and wrinkly, too."

Santana stopped laughing and nodded. She clutched both of Brittany's hands in her own and stared into those always so irresistible eyes when she said, "We grew old together, Brittany."

Brittany took a deep breath and exhaled. She gazed back at Santana, letting out the quietest chuckle. "We did, didn't we?"

Santana stared off dreamily into the horizon as she felt Brittany's thumb rub at her hand reassuringly.

"Can you feel it?" Brittany asked.

"What?"

"Spring's coming to an end."

Santana nodded, relishing the last blasts of spring air as the soft rumbling of their bus neared them. Standing up, Santana said, "Our bus is here." She extended her free hand to Brittany.

Brittany clasped it gladly and let Santana pull her up.

With their pinkies linked, they boarded the bus.

x

And onto the next stop, the next season, the next lifetime, and wherever life took them they went.

Author's Note: So part of the reason I decided to rewrite this is because the story was quite confusing before. I hope it's understandable now...lol. But if it's still confusing, I'd love to answer your questions in your reviews or PMs. I guess I'll say now that there were two universes in the story and that, by the end, we find out that both of these universes are very much real.